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Automotive · head to head

Fleetio vs Samsara

Fleetio logo

Fleetio

Automotive

Modern fleet management made easy

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Samsara logo

Samsara

Fleet Management

The connected operations cloud

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Fleetio has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Fleetio priced per vehicle per month, so cost scales with fleet size rather than with the number of people using it; Samsara no price is published for any plan; every tier on the plans page offers only a Get pricing button, and no contract length or hardware cost is stated
  • They diverge on capability: Fleetio covers Vehicle tracking, Samsara covers Real-time GPS tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fleetio and Samsara actually diverge.

Attributes where Fleetio and Samsara differ
AttributeFleetioSamsara
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, Mobile
CategoryAutomotiveFleet Management
Founded20122015

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Fleetio

  • Vehicle tracking
  • Fuel management
  • Digital inspections
  • Work orders
  • Parts inventory
  • Vendor management
  • Analytics & reports
  • GPS providers

Only in Samsara

  • Real-time GPS tracking
  • AI dash cameras
  • ELD compliance
  • IFTA reporting
  • Driver safety coaching
  • Fuel efficiency
  • Route optimization
  • Salesforce

Both cover

  • Maintenance scheduling
  • Custom APIs
  • SOC2
  • Data encryption

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Fleetio

  • Fleet maintenance scheduling and vehicle inspection trackingnot Samsara
  • Managing parts inventory, work orders and fuel across a vehicle fleetnot Samsara

Samsara

  • Real time GPS tracking of vehicle location and engine healthnot Fleetio
  • AI dash cameras with in cab driver coaching and safety alertsnot Fleetio
  • Trailer and powered equipment tracking for asset recoverynot Fleetio
  • Fleet maintenance planning and fuel usage analysisnot Fleetio

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Fleetio

  • Priced per vehicle per month, so cost scales with fleet size rather than with the number of people using it
  • The Professional and Premium plans are billed annually only, with no monthly option
  • Tire management is excluded from both Essential and Professional
  • API access is rate limited by plan, at 50 requests a minute on Professional against 250 on Premium
  • Active automations are rationed, at 5 on Professional against 40 on Premium
  • The published per vehicle prices assume a 5 asset band, so a different fleet size is a different rate

Samsara

  • No price is published for any plan; every tier on the plans page offers only a Get pricing button, and no contract length or hardware cost is stated
  • Safety, Telematics and Equipment tracking are sold as separate plan families, so a fleet needing all three buys three plans
  • Weather risk visibility and the 30 plus risk detections with context and patterns require Safety Enterprise rather than Safety Premier
  • AI fuel lifecycle insights, TMS integrations and route performance tools require Telematics Enterprise rather than Telematics Premier
  • Proactive maintenance tools and real time diagnostics for trailers and equipment require Advanced Tracking rather than Standard Visibility

Pricing, plan by plan

Fleetio

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 5 vehicles
    • Basic tracking
    • Service reminders
  • Pro$5/month
    • Unlimited vehicles
    • Fuel tracking
    • Inspections
  • Advanced$8/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • GPS integrations
    • Fuel card integration

Samsara

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Samsara review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Fleetio if

  • You need vehicle tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want fuel management.
Fleetio review

Choose Samsara if

  • You need real-time gps tracking.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want ai dash cameras.
Samsara review

Questions people ask

Is Fleetio or Samsara better?
Neither clearly leads. Fleetio starts at Free and Samsara at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fleetio or Samsara?
Fleetio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Fleetio and On request for Samsara.
Does Fleetio or Samsara run on more platforms?
Fleetio runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Samsara runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Fleetio for free?
Yes. Fleetio has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Samsara starts at On request.
What is Fleetio best used for?
Fleetio is most often used for fleet maintenance scheduling and vehicle inspection tracking, managing parts inventory, work orders and fuel across a vehicle fleet. Of those, fleet maintenance scheduling and vehicle inspection tracking and managing parts inventory, work orders and fuel across a vehicle fleet are not what Samsara is typically brought in for.
What can Fleetio do that Samsara cannot?
Fleetio covers Vehicle tracking, Fuel management, Digital inspections, Work orders. Samsara covers Real-time GPS tracking, AI dash cameras, ELD compliance, IFTA reporting. Both handle Maintenance scheduling, Custom APIs, SOC2, Data encryption.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Fleetio: How much does Fleetio cost per vehicle, and does billing frequency affect the price?

Essential costs $4 per vehicle per month when billed annually or $5 when billed monthly. Professional costs $7 per vehicle when billed annually. Premium costs $10 per vehicle when billed annually. Monthly billing is available only for the Essential plan at the higher rate.

Source
Samsara: How much does Samsara cost?

Samsara does not publish pricing online. Pricing is customized based on fleet size and specific operational needs. Contact sales to discuss your requirements and receive a quote.

Source
Fleetio: What is included in the free trial, and how long does it last?

Fleetio offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. The trial includes full access to all features during the trial period.

Source
Samsara: Does Samsara pricing scale by fleet size?

Yes, Samsara pricing scales based on fleet size with tiers for 1-5 vehicles, 6-29, 30-499, 500-4999, and 5000+ assets. Specific rates for each tier are not disclosed online.

Source
Fleetio: What storage and automation limits come with each plan?

Essential includes 2.5GB storage and no automations. Professional includes 25GB storage and up to 5 automations. Premium includes 250GB storage and up to 40 automations.

Source
Samsara: How can I get Samsara pricing information?

To obtain pricing, use the 'Talk to sales' button on Samsara's website or visit their pricing page. The sales team will discuss your operational needs and provide a customized quote.

Source
Fleetio: How many vehicles can each plan manage?

Essential supports up to 100 vehicles. Professional and Premium both support unlimited vehicles.

Source
Samsara: Does Samsara offer a free trial?

No free trial is mentioned on Samsara's available pages. Contact the sales team to discuss evaluation options and pricing for your fleet.

Source
Fleetio: Are there add-ons available beyond the base plans?

Yes. Fleetio offers a Tools add-on starting at approximately $0.50 per piece per month, which requires a core Fleetio subscription and cannot be purchased standalone.

Source
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