MileBrain vs Truckbase: the modern TMS and the free first truck.
Truckbase is the best-reviewed of the modern small-fleet TMS products and it prices like one: a $290-a-month minimum on an annual plan. MileBrain starts at $0 for one truck, $30 on Pro for two, then $15 a truck. The right answer depends almost entirely on how many trucks you run today.
Updated September 17, 2026What Truckbase is
Truckbase is a modern transportation management system aimed at small fleets. In our September 2026 review it was the best-reviewed product in its class, at 4.8 stars across 77 reviews, and it lists profitability reports among its strengths. Its pricing started at a $290-a-month minimum billed annually, or $490 a month on monthly billing. There is no trial. Its iOS app was rated 3.8 stars with crashes reported, and it has no maintenance module. In our reading it becomes turnkey at around five trucks.
Who it is for
A fleet of roughly five trucks and up with an owner who wants a polished, well-reviewed TMS and can commit to a year up front. At that size the $290 minimum works out to less per truck than it sounds, and the profitability reports are the kind of view a growing fleet needs. It is not a fit for one or two trucks, where the minimum dominates, nor for an owner who wants to try before committing, since no trial was offered.
Truckbase and MileBrain, line by line
Not listed means the vendor’s own pages did not list it when we read them in September 2026, not that it is absent. Nothing in the Truckbase column is guessed.
| What matters | Truckbase | MileBrain |
|---|---|---|
| 1 truck | $290/mo minimum, billed annually ($490 monthly) | Free ($0) with every feature and 10 AI questions a month; Brain $15/mo for unlimited Ask MileBrain |
| 3 trucks | $290/mo minimum, billed annually ($490 monthly) | $45/mo on Pro |
| 5 trucks | $290/mo minimum, billed annually ($490 monthly); turnkey at about this size | $75/mo on Pro |
| 10 trucks | Per-truck scaling above the minimum not listed | $150/mo on Pro |
| Contract | Annual for the $290 rate; monthly at $490; no trial | Month to month, no card to start, cancel from More → Billing |
| Phone app | iOS app rated 3.8 stars with crashes reported | Installs to the home screen from the browser (PWA), works offline, no app store |
| IFTA | Not listed | Quarterly fuel table by state from the fuel log |
| Maintenance | No maintenance module | Repair history with receipts, service countdowns, shop work orders with warranty lines |
| Breakeven | Profitability reports listed | Cost per mile learned from your own fixed costs, fuel log and repairs; every rate judged as you type |
| Invoicing | Not listed | One-tap invoices from a delivered load, auto-numbered, aging list on the dashboard |
| Settlements | Not listed | Driver pay per load, settlements computed by the app, payroll CSV |
| Hardware | Not listed | None |
| AI assistant | Not listed | Ask MileBrain answers from your own records; 10 questions a month on Free, unlimited on Brain and Pro |
| API | Not listed | Public API with keys you create and revoke, included on every plan |
| Portal | Not listed | Customer portal (rate hidden unless you switch it on per customer) and read-only tracking links that never show the rate |
When to choose Truckbase
- You run five or more trucks and want the best-reviewed modern TMS in the small-fleet class.
- You can commit to an annual plan and the $290 minimum is small next to your revenue.
- Profitability reporting across the fleet is the view you make decisions from.
- You have someone in the office to run a full TMS and do not need maintenance inside it.
When to choose MileBrain
- You run one to four trucks: MileBrain is $0 for one and $60 on Pro for four, against a $290 minimum.
- You want to try the real product before paying anything, for as long as you like, on one truck.
- You want month-to-month billing and to cancel from the app.
- You want repairs, service countdowns and work orders next to the loads, not in a separate tool.
- You want a phone-first app that installs from the browser and works offline in the cab.
Questions people ask about Truckbase and MileBrain
Is Truckbase cheaper than MileBrain?
No, at any size we can price. Truckbase listed a $290-a-month minimum on annual billing, or $490 monthly. MileBrain is free for one truck, $75 at five trucks and $150 at ten on Pro. What Truckbase offers for that price is a highly rated TMS with profitability reports; whether that is worth the difference depends on your fleet size. Prices as listed September 2026.
Does Truckbase have a free trial?
No trial was offered in our September 2026 review. MileBrain’s first truck is free with every feature and no card, and new owner accounts get 14 days of the Brain assistant.
Which one handles maintenance?
MileBrain: repair history per truck with receipt photos, countdowns for oil, PM, inspection and registration, and shop work orders with warranty lines. Truckbase had no maintenance module in our review.
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