Looking for a FAVR reimbursement provider? If so, you’ve probably stumbled upon a few names. Two of the biggest ones are Motus and Cardata.
Both solutions help companies tackle the technical heavy lifting of setting up and managing a fixed and variable rate (FAVR) employee reimbursement program, but there are some key differences businesses should consider.
Here’s what you need to know.
Related: FAVR Reimbursement Programs Explained | How To Implement a FAVR Program
Motus vs. Cardata #1: Review Comparison
Altogether, Motus and Cardata have a very similar star rating on G2, with a 4.4 and 4.3 rating out of 5, respectively. However, Motus has significantly more reviews (2,113 to Cardata’s 439 as of this writing).
The things Motus reviewers loved most are its ease of use and its automatic tracking capabilities, while the biggest issues relate to inaccurate mileage tracking.
For Cardata, ease of use and easy tracking are its two biggest pros, while some have relayed issues with manual tracking and general mileage tracking issues with their platform.
Some key general places where Cardata beats Motus with G2 reviews:
- Ease of admin
- Quality of support
- Good partner in doing business (far exceeds Motus)
However, here are some key areas where Motus beats Cardata:
- Ease of use
- Ease of setup
- Product direction (far exceeds Cardata)
Depending on which of those matter to your business, you may lean towards one rather than the other. However, they’re generally pretty close to one another in all of these ratings.
Mileage Features Review Comparison
Specifically related to mileage tracking features, Motus’s reviews beat Cardata by a not-insignificant margin. Motus’s mileage tracking features currently rate at an average of 8.7/10 with 1,556 reviews, and Cardata sits at an 8.2 with 278 reviews.
If mileage tracking is what you’re here for and you trust the higher rating plus Motus having more ratings in general, Motus clearly wins this round.
You can review the full list on G2, but here are some highlights we think you might find important:
- Motus’s specific mileage tracking abilities score is quite a bit higher, with a 9.0 rating vs. Cardata’s 8.4 (from 1504 reviews vs. 265, respectively)
- If automation is important to you, Motus wins here as well, with an 8.8/10 vs. Cardata’s 8.2 (from 1422 reviews vs. 233, respectively)
- Many companies track other expenses besides mileage. If yours is one of them, Motus wins here again by a wide margin - 8.4/10 with 1345 reviews compared to 7.8/10 with 208 reviews, respectively.
- Reporting is another big place where Motus wins, with an 8.8/10 from 1066 reviews vs. Cardata’s 7.9/10 from 150 reviews.
Cardata has a slightly higher customer support rating (8.6 vs. Motus’s 8.5), and they’re very close in general for other key spots like reimbursement management and mileage logging, but overall, Motus tends to have higher scores in nearly every mileage tracking category on G2 to go along with significantly more reviews.
In general, it appears as though the clear winner here, at least from reviewers on G2, is Motus.
Related: FAVR IRS Vehicle Age Requirements
Motus vs. Cardata #2: Reimbursement Programs Supported
Both Motus and Cardata market support for both FAVR and more typical cents-per-mile (CPM) reimbursement programs.
Depending on your team’s specific needs, a FAVR program may not be right, or you may even lack eligibility to run a FAVR system. If that’s the case, most companies elect to use a standard cents-per-mile program using the IRS standard business mileage rate.
That rate is determined by attempting to establish a national average for the cost of owning and operating a car and using it for work. While significantly less effort to set up than a FAVR system, it can be less accurate overall.
Either solution can handle a cents-per-mile program for you as well, but they both lean more heavily into FAVR, so if the simplicity of CPM sounds right for you and your team, you may wish to use a dedicated CPM provider.
They also say they can provide support for other less-used reimbursement methods like car allowance as well. In the end, both solutions offer support for the majority of major reimbursement methods.
Motus vs. Cardata #3: Mobile and Web App Comparison
Motus and Cardata both offer driver-facing mobile apps and a web admin portal, but there are some key differences, as well as similarities.
Mobile App Comparison
One thing that’s similar about them is that they heavily emphasize schedule-based tracking. Within the apps, you set up your work schedule, and they will track your mileage when you drive within those hours.
Both apps use your phone to detect your car’s movement and stop tracking after a time threshold where the apps don’t detect any movement. They also offer other tracking methods (e.g., Motus offers a “Power Supply Only” method where automatic tracking only happens when your phone is plugged in to help save battery).
Both apps also allow drivers to submit their reports to admins straight from the app. With that said, there are a few places where they differ.
For one, as discussed previously, Motus’s reviews on G2 are a fair amount higher in the categories related to tracking, in addition to having more reviews total.
Per our own research, it appears as though Cardata has the more modern-looking and feeling app, though some reviewers have commented that Motus’s clean and simple approach works for them.
All-in-all, this may be a push as well - Cardata has the more modern-feeling mobile app, but Motus reviewers tend to rate their app higher.
Related: How to Calculate a FAVR Allowance
Web App Comparison
From a pure “admin workload” standpoint, G2 reviewers generally call Cardata easier to administer, while calling Motus easier to use and easier to set up.
In terms of visuals, Cardata generally appears to have a more modern-feeling look and design, though Motus’s web app isn’t bad looking whatsoever.
Either way, both dashboards are designed to help you manage drivers, handle exceptions like missed trips, and manage approval workflows.
Motus vs. Cardata #4: Pricing
Neither Motus nor Cardata list their pricing publicly, but we can glean some information.
Cardata’s G2 listing provides a “perceived cost” that they determine based on user reviews as 3/5, whereas Motus’s G2 listing lists a perceived cost of 4/5. This would suggest Cardata being generally cheaper.
In addition, Motus generally is known to target large, enterprise-scale organizations, whereas Cardata is more in the field of small to mid-sized businesses (though a higher percentage of Cardata’s G2 reviews come from enterprise-scale businesses).
Both services should also be open to offering prospective clients a free trial. All-in-all, if you’re a smaller organization or are budget conscious, Cardata may be the right choice for you.
If you’re representing a larger firm and prefer to do business with a solution that has more experience with larger-sized companies and are willing to pay the extra to do so, Motus might be the better choice for your team.
Motus vs. Cardata #5: Company Size and Fit
Both vendors are going to offer you serious, comprehensive FAVR programs, including for large organizations, but the typical fit can feel different.
Motus often fits teams who want a well-established platform with significant experience with larger companies, and strong reporting depth. Cardata might be better for smaller or more mid-market teams with less complexity.
Your fit could also be determined by factors like how many territories you operate in, audit detail expectations, how much you intend to outsource, and how much you care about driver controls.
If you feel as though your needs may err on the larger side of any of those numbers, Motus might be right for you. Otherwise, Cardata is known to work with companies of all sizes.
Related: Cents-Per-Mile Reimbursement vs FAVR - Which Is Right for Your Business?
Motus vs. Cardata FAQ
Q: Do both Motus and Cardata support FAVR?
A: Yes, both market FAVR as their core offering; however they also both support more traditional cents-per-mile programs.
Q: Do they both offer automatic mileage capture?
A: Both Motus and Cardata’s mobile apps provide automatic mileage tracking for drivers, but their schedule-based designs may be seen as a negative to drivers who have used other mileage trackers with more flexible tracking options.
Q: How long does implementation usually take?
A: This will depend on your program complexity, but G2’s “Time to Implement” averages about 2 months for Motus and about 3 months for Cardata. Either way, FAVR is known to take several months to set up in general.
Q: Is Motus or Cardata better?
A: If you’re going off of G2 reviews, Motus certainly has the edge, with higher ratings (and more ratings) in just about every major category. The same can be said on Capterra. In the end, with Motus, you’re most likely paying more for generally better experience and service, but Cardata might be perfect for more price-conscious companies with smaller teams.
Conclusion
Motus and Cardata are both credible choices for running a FAVR program. In your evaluation, let the decision come down to what you’re optimizing for.
If your priority is driver adoption, reporting depth, and experience, Motus may come out ahead. If you prefer something maybe more simple and less expensive, Cardata could be right for you.
The fastest way to avoid buyer’s remorse is trying both solutions out, as well as other FAVR solutions on the market.
Want to speak with a mileage expert to see what mileage reimbursement method is right for your team? Schedule a demo with TripLog today!
