Day31 vs TaxBird
Two apps that count your residency days automatically — one built around an account and a server, one built so your iPhone is the only place the record exists.
The short version
TaxBird is the established option for US and Canadian residency tracking: reliable background GPS counting, audit-ready reports, and — unusually for this category — an Android app. It works through an account, stores your history on its servers, and is subscription-first. Day31 is the pick if you want the same day counting with no account at all, a record that never leaves your iPhone, tracking that works in airplane mode, and the ability to rebuild years of past travel from your photos. If you use Android, TaxBird is the honest recommendation.
Feature by feature
| Day31 | TaxBird | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking method | Automatic, on-device location processing; no sign-up needed | Background location services with "Always" permission, tied to an account |
| History rebuild | Rebuilds years of past travel from photo metadata in seconds | Manual entry for days the tracker missed; no photo-based rebuild |
| Privacy model | No account; location data never leaves the device; optional backup to your own iCloud | Email-and-password account; history backed up on TaxBird's servers |
| Jurisdictions | Countries, US states, Canadian provinces, New York City and Yonkers | Countries worldwide, US states, Canadian provinces, New York City |
| Platforms | iPhone (iOS-native) | iOS and Android; data viewable on tablets |
| Works offline | Yes — full tracking in airplane mode | Its FAQ says it tracks "as long as you have service" |
| Pricing model | Free download, optional Day31 Pro subscription (see App Store for current pricing) | Subscription-first: $4.99/month or $39.99/year after a 30-day trial, per its FAQ |
TaxBird details from taxbird.com and its FAQ page, checked August 2026.
Where TaxBird is stronger
- Android. TaxBird is on Google Play as well as the App Store, and you can review your data on a tablet. Day31 is iOS-only, full stop.
- Tenure. It has been on the App Store since 2017 — years of refinement and a long track record with users who face real residency audits.
- Audit reporting. Detailed yearly reports, delivered by email, designed to be handed to an accountant or a tax authority.
- Exception days. A dedicated way to mark days (an airport layover, say) that should not count toward a threshold.
Where Day31 is different
- No account, no server. Day31 has no sign-up and no backend that holds your movements. The record lives on your iPhone; if you want backup, it goes to your own iCloud, not to us.
- Airplane-mode tracking. Because nothing depends on a server, Day31 keeps counting fully offline.
- History before day one. The photo-metadata rebuild reconstructs years of past travel in seconds — a record from before you ever installed a tracker, which no forward-looking GPS app can offer.
- Jurisdiction depth. Countries, all US states, Canadian provinces, and city-level tracking for New York City and Yonkers.
- 33 languages and an iOS-native interface built to feel like part of the iPhone.
Frequently asked questions
Does TaxBird work offline?
Not fully. TaxBird's own FAQ says it "tracks worldwide as long as you have service" and backs your data up on its servers, so the model assumes connectivity. Day31 keeps the entire record on your iPhone and keeps counting in airplane mode — on a long-haul flight, crossing a border with no SIM, or in a dead zone.
Is Day31 cheaper than TaxBird?
We don't quote prices on this site — the App Store listing is the source of truth. Structurally, though: TaxBird positions itself as subscription-first ($4.99/month or $39.99/year per its FAQ, with core features locked once the trial ends). Day31 is a free download with an optional Day31 Pro subscription, so you can run it without paying and decide later.
Can I switch from TaxBird to Day31 without losing my history?
Your TaxBird history lives in your TaxBird account, and you can export yearly reports from it for your records. What Day31 adds is its photo-metadata rebuild: if your photo library goes back years, Day31 reconstructs your past travel from it in seconds — often recovering a longer, more complete record than any tracker you installed later could have.
Does either app track New York City separately?
Both do. TaxBird's FAQ confirms it tracks New York City in addition to New York State. Day31 tracks NYC as well, and also Yonkers — which matters because New York's statutory-residency audits look at city-level presence separately.
Same day counting, no account required
Download Day31 free for iPhone and let it rebuild your travel history from your photos before you decide anything.