Comparison

Per Diem Plus for Fleets vs McLeod Driver Sidekick

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Per Diem Plus for Fleets

Read full description

Per Diem Plus® - Fleets is a free mobile app that automatically records IRS’ special trucker per diem for travel within the USA and Canada for solo and team OTR truck drivers. Your fleet must be authorized to use the Per Diem Plus - Fleets platform in order to access the app. To register, it's the same process as Per Diem Plus, but you will need your fleet-assigned Driver ID. There is no subscription fee. You can use the Per Diem Plus® - Fleets app for the term of your employment with your fleet. Per Diem Plus - Fleets Features * One-step activation * Automatically starts tracking your trip once you exit the 25 mile tax halo in your profile (where you park your truck) * Enables you to document 34 hour restarts and other unforeseen delays * Capture and organize trip expenses by category including images of receipts * Send detailed per diem and expense reports, including receipt images, to yourself or fleet in seconds * Data is stored on a secure cloud server for 4 years (IRS requires 3) CONTACT US We'd love to hear from you: * Twitter: twitter.com/perdiemplus * Facebook: www.facebook.com/perdiemplus1 * Email: support@perdiemplus.com

About

McLeod Driver Sidekick

This app connects drivers to their back office, streamlining billing and improving satisfaction. It offers a clear dashboard for assignments, messages, load details, and pay history. Drivers can easily manage documents, view routes, and track freight information.

Highlights
  • Home screen dashboard with assignment details
  • Filterable message center
  • Detailed load tracking with stops, map, and freight info
  • Document scanning and image capture
  • Pay history and settlement details
  • Profile management with credential reminders
Features
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Driver Sidekick is an all-new app connecting drivers to the back office, expediting billing, and enhancing driver satisfaction. It features an updated, intuitive look and feel, a home screen “dashboard” view, and a dedicated set of permissions to ease implementation. Driver Sidekick is designed for drivers. They can easily see their current assignment and can use the filterable list views to quickly locate the information they desire. Home Screen On the Home Screen, the Current Assignment card welcomes the driver and provides load details, stop information, and appointment details and mileage to the next stop. The buttons visible beneath the card allow drivers to scan a document, create a new message, request time off, or run a Driver History Report. Drivers can review their most recent settlement details. Custom links allow the home office to curate employee communications, safety videos, links to vendor partners, benefit providers, and more. Messages Sidekick’s Messages center makes it easy to filter messages sent and received, read and unread. The app sends confirmation messages with tappable thumbnails to review scanned images for easy reference. Loads In the Loads section, Sidekick allows you to filter loads based on whether they’re available, in progress, or delivered. Each load type is color coded for consistency. The detail view for each load includes the following tabs: Stops, Map, Freight, and Images. The Stops tab displays key information about each stop on the load along with the load’s total miles. Drivers can see the stop’s average location rating and review the location after a visit, answering your custom questions. If freight is damaged, they can submit an OS&D claim, capturing photos of damaged freight and providing details as needed. The Map tab allows drivers to see plotted commercial routes. The Freight tab displays weights, measures, and commodity information, along with safety training links for that commodity. The Images tab displays a badge with a count of missing required images and allows drivers to review previously scanned documents. This way, drivers can easily see if a load is missing a required image from Rendition Customer because that missing document’s icon will be red. Drivers can also capture signatures, scan documents, and either take freight photos or upload them from the device’s photo library. Pay The Pay screen makes it easy for drivers to see their pay history and pending settlements. The list of paid settlements includes the check number, date and amount and is linked to the Settlement Summary PDF from LoadMaster. The Pay section is configurable. You can disable paid settlements, pending settlements, or the Current Check Card on the Home Screen. Settings Drivers can view their profile, which includes important dates like the driver’s work anniversary and the expiration of the driver’s physical and other certifications. You can enable automatic reminders to renew these credentials in LoadMaster. These reminders are sent to the driver as “push” notifications even when the app is not running on the driver’s device. If necessary, drivers can create a Motor Accident report that includes details and photos from the accident scene. The Support tab contains critical device and app data and a convenient button to request McLeod Support. Driver Sidekick requires McLeod LoadMaster version 22.2 or newer.

Screenshots

Per Diem Plus for Fleets4 screens
McLeod Driver Sidekick4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: McLeod Driver Sidekick at fortnightly against Per Diem Plus for Fleets's every 3 months. Per Diem Plus for Fleets's advantage is iOS requirement (10.0 vs 16.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Per Diem Plus for Fleets ships an update every 3 months, McLeod Driver Sidekick fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 12, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Per Diem Plus for Fleets versus McLeod Driver Sidekick: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPer Diem Plus for FleetsMcLeod Driver Sidekick
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.5 (1.7K ratings) — better
Positive reviews—44.4% of reviews
Number of ratings—1.7K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS10.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size64 MB33 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperPer Diem PlusMcLeod Software

In-app purchases

None

Per Diem Plus for Fleets

No in-app purchases

None

McLeod Driver Sidekick

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Per Diem Plus for Fleets free?
Per Diem Plus for Fleets is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is McLeod Driver Sidekick free?
McLeod Driver Sidekick is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Per Diem Plus for Fleets or McLeod Driver Sidekick have ads?
Neither Per Diem Plus for Fleets nor McLeod Driver Sidekick shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Per Diem Plus for Fleets or McLeod Driver Sidekick?
Per Diem Plus for Fleets ships an update every 3 months, and McLeod Driver Sidekick fortnightly. Most recently, Per Diem Plus for Fleets was updated on September 12, 2026 and McLeod Driver Sidekick on October 1, 2026.

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