Garmin eLog™ vs Simple E
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Garmin eLog™
This app works with a compatible electronic logging device to help commercial drivers meet ELD compliance requirements. It accurately records and stores Hours of Service data locally on your smartphone, with no subscription fees required.
- ELD compliance
- Hours of Service (HOS) tracking
- Local data storage
- Wireless record transfer
- Easy setup
- No subscription fees
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** Users must own the Garmin eLog™ compliant ELD (FMCSA-registered electronic logging device). The Garmin eLog is ready right out of the box, and supports 9-pin J1939 and 6-pin J1708 diagnostic ports to fit nearly any truck. It’s simple to set up and there are no subscription fees. Take the easy route to ELD Compliance! The free, easy-to-use Garmin eLog™ app may be downloaded to your compatible smartphone to complete your ELD compliance solution. The Garmin eLog compliant ELD solution accurately records and tracks Hours of Service (HOS), then securely stores it locally to your smartphone— never in the cloud. Garmin eLog allows your records to be wirelessly transferred to your compatible smartphone for viewing by you anytime. Note: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. We listen to your feedback. The teams at Garmin are working continuously to improve the Garmin eLog system. If you experience any issues or problems, please reach out to our Product Support team at support.garmin.com.
Simple E
This app helps drivers and motor carriers comply with FMCSA regulations by recording Hours of Service (HOS) information. It captures engine data, is tamper-resistant, and transfers standardized data to safety officials.
- FMCSA regulation compliance
- Hours of Service (HOS) recording
- Engine data capture
- Tamper-resistant design
- Data transfer to safety officials
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The Simple E-Log solution is designed so drivers and motor carriers can stay in compliance with FMCSA regulations and that drivers can use our system as their sole means of recording HOS information and ensuring compliance. The Simple E-Log ELD will capture engine data through integral synchronization. The device will be tamper-resistant to deter unauthorized alteration of data. The Simple E-Log solution, certified by the providers, will meet or exceed performance requirements as well as transfer standardized data to authorized safety officials. **NOTE: 1.IOS Users need to manually TurnOn ELDWifi to establish a connection with the App. 2."Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life." Please have the iPhone connected to the Charger during Application usage. 3. Application consumes the Internet usage, when the application stored the Local user Logs send to Application's Server.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Garmin eLog™ at 4.2 against Simple E's 2.5. Garmin eLog™ also leads on ratings volume (445 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Garmin eLog™ holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Garmin eLog™ has 445 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Garmin eLog™ | Simple E |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (445 ratings) — better | 2.5 (2 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 68.9% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 445 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 | 11.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 43 MB | 88 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Garmin | Simple Elog Inc |
Customer experience
Garmin eLog™
Simple E
Bugs and requests
Garmin eLog™
Reported bugs
5 issues- Disconnects from device/phone
- Deletes driver/admin profiles
- Inaccurate odometer/location tracking
- Crashes and freezes
- Issues with log editing
Requested features
5 requests- Add shift timer
- Improve log editing functionality
- Provide IFTA reporting option
- Enhance location and odometer tracking
- Improve stability and reduce crashes
Simple E
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Garmin eLog™
No in-app purchases
Simple E
No in-app purchases







