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Fleet Management · head to head

NexTraq vs Whip Around

NexTraq logo

NexTraq

Fleet Management

US small-fleet telematics now absorbed into Michelin Connected Fleet

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Whip Around logo

Whip Around

Fleet Management

Digital vehicle inspection and maintenance software priced per asset per month, with a firm minimum monthly charge that changes the real cost for small fleets

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Whip Around has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: NexTraq the NexTraq brand has been absorbed into Michelin Connected Fleet, so the product name, the account team and eventually the platform underneath you are all subject to a consolidation plan you have no say in.; Whip Around the $120 (Standard) or $220 (Pro) monthly minimum covers the first 20 assets regardless of actual fleet size, so a fleet with fewer than 20 vehicles pays a per-asset rate well above the advertised $5 or $10 headline figure.
  • They diverge on capability: NexTraq covers Vehicle tracking, Whip Around covers Digital DVIR inspections.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which NexTraq and Whip Around actually diverge.

Attributes where NexTraq and Whip Around differ
AttributeNexTraqWhip Around
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotePer asset per month, with a monthly minimum on paid tiers
Free tierNoYes

Identical on both: platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Fleet Management).

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 NexTraq

  • Vehicle tracking
  • Hours of service
  • Fuel and idling reporting
  • Maintenance scheduling
  • Job dispatch
  • Driver scorecards

Only in Whip Around

  • Digital DVIR inspections
  • Automated work orders
  • Preventative maintenance scheduling
  • Parts and inventory tracking
  • Driver and asset document storage
  • AI-enabled photo inspection

What people use each for

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

NexTraq

  • A North American trades or field service fleet that wants tracking, dispatch and ELD compliance from one mid-market vendornot Whip Around
  • An operator already buying Michelin tyres and fleet services that can negotiate telematics into a wider commercial agreementnot Whip Around
  • A fleet replacing an ageing tracking system that values an owner with a large corporate balance sheet over a venture-funded challengernot Whip Around
  • A distribution business needing straightforward fuel and idling reporting to justify a driver behaviour programmenot Whip Around

Whip Around

  • A small trucking or field service fleet needing DOT-compliant digital DVIR inspections instead of paper formsnot NexTraq
  • A fleet manager wanting inspection defects to automatically generate maintenance work orders rather than a separate manual stepnot NexTraq
  • An owner-operator with a single vehicle wanting free inspection record-keepingnot NexTraq
  • A mid-size fleet wanting parts and inventory tracking tied directly to inspection-triggered work ordersnot NexTraq

Where each one falls short

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

NexTraq

  • The NexTraq brand has been absorbed into Michelin Connected Fleet, so the product name, the account team and eventually the platform underneath you are all subject to a consolidation plan you have no say in.
  • Michelin is merging three separately engineered telematics products, which historically means feature freezes on the older platforms and a migration that existing customers pay for in disruption rather than cash.
  • The feature set is mid-market and unexceptional, so it rarely wins a technical evaluation against Geotab or Samsara on capability alone.
  • Contracts bundle hardware into multi-year terms, so a fleet that shrinks or is acquired continues paying for devices, and early exit triggers hardware recovery costs.
  • The integration ecosystem is small and the API is not a selling point, so connecting telematics data to job costing or payroll usually means custom work or scheduled file exports.

Whip Around

  • The $120 (Standard) or $220 (Pro) monthly minimum covers the first 20 assets regardless of actual fleet size, so a fleet with fewer than 20 vehicles pays a per-asset rate well above the advertised $5 or $10 headline figure.
  • It does not include GPS tracking or route optimisation, so fleets wanting live location visibility need a separate telematics platform alongside it.
  • Signing an annual contract is needed to access the better per-asset rate, reducing flexibility for a fleet uncertain about its growth trajectory.
  • As an inspection-first rather than telematics-first product, it competes against broader platforms like Samsara or Geotab that bundle inspection features into a wider telematics suite, which can make Whip Around a second subscription rather than a full replacement.
  • AI-enabled photo inspection is a newer feature, and its defect-detection accuracy has less of an independent track record than the platform core manual inspection workflow.

Pricing, plan by plan

NexTraq

On request
  • NexTraq$undefined/year
    • Per vehicle subscription with hardware bundled into the term
    • Multi-year agreements are standard
    • ELD and dispatch modules priced as tiers

Whip Around

Free
  • BasicFree
    • Free for 1 asset
  • Standard$undefined/month
    • $5 per asset per month
    • $120/month minimum on month-to-month billing, covers first 20 assets
  • Pro$undefined/month
    • $10 per asset per month
    • $220/month minimum on month-to-month billing, covers first 20 assets
  • Fixed Unlimited$undefined/month
    • Custom fixed price for large fleets, quote required

Which should you pick?

Choose NexTraq if

  • You need vehicle tracking.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want hours of service.
NexTraq review

Choose Whip Around if

  • You need digital dvir inspections.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want automated work orders.
Whip Around review

Questions people ask

Is NexTraq or Whip Around better?
Neither clearly leads. NexTraq starts at On request and Whip Around at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, NexTraq or Whip Around?
Whip Around has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for NexTraq and Free for Whip Around.
Does NexTraq or Whip Around run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Whip Around for free?
Yes. Whip Around has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. NexTraq starts at On request.
What is NexTraq best used for?
NexTraq is most often used for a north american trades or field service fleet that wants tracking, dispatch and eld compliance from one mid-market vendor, an operator already buying michelin tyres and fleet services that can negotiate telematics into a wider commercial agreement, a fleet replacing an ageing tracking system that values an owner with a large corporate balance sheet over a venture-funded challenger, a distribution business needing straightforward fuel and idling reporting to justify a driver behaviour programme. Of those, a north american trades or field service fleet that wants tracking, dispatch and eld compliance from one mid-market vendor and an operator already buying michelin tyres and fleet services that can negotiate telematics into a wider commercial agreement are not what Whip Around is typically brought in for.
What can NexTraq do that Whip Around cannot?
NexTraq covers Vehicle tracking, Hours of service, Fuel and idling reporting, Maintenance scheduling. Whip Around covers Digital DVIR inspections, Automated work orders, Preventative maintenance scheduling, Parts and inventory tracking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

NexTraq: Is NexTraq still a separate company?

No. Michelin bought it in 2017 and has folded it into Michelin Connected Fleet, together with Masternaut in Europe and Sascar in Brazil.

Whip Around: Is Whip Around really free?

Only for a single asset. Any fleet with more than one vehicle moves to a paid tier with a $120 or $220 monthly minimum.

NexTraq: Will my NexTraq system be migrated to a different platform?

Assume so, eventually. Ask directly what the migration timetable is, what happens to historical data, and who bears the cost of re-fitting or re-configuring devices.

Whip Around: Does it include GPS tracking?

No. It focuses on inspections, maintenance and work orders; GPS tracking requires a separate telematics product.

NexTraq: Does buying Michelin tyres get me a better telematics price?

It is worth testing. The commercial logic of the acquisition is bundling vehicle services, and that is where discounting is most likely to be available.

Whip Around: What is the real cost for a small fleet?

Because the minimum covers up to 20 assets, a fleet with fewer vehicles effectively pays more per asset than the $5 or $10 headline rate suggests.

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