Total Drive is the dominant UK driving-instructor diary. It's a solid product but it now starts at £16 a month and it doesn't do the DL25 test report. Here's where DL25 fits and where it doesn't.
Pricing accurate as of July 2026. Comparison written by a working UK ADI, last updated 10 July 2026.
TL;DR
£10 / month
Or £100/yr (two months free). Free to start, no card.
from £16 / month
Entry plan; higher tiers cost more. No annual plan.
The full breakdown
Sourced from each product's public marketing and current documentation. Spot something wrong? Tell us.
| Feature | DL25 | Total Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Price (monthly) | £10/mo | From £16/mo |
| Annual plan | £100/yr (2 months free) | Not offered |
| Free to start, no card | Yes | No (trial only) |
| Drag-and-drop diary | Yes | Yes |
| Recurring weekly / fortnightly lessons | Yes | Yes |
| Block-out time (holidays, school run) | Yes | Yes |
| Conflict / double-booking detection | Yes | Yes |
| Calendar sync (Google / Apple / Outlook) | Yes · iCal feed | Yes |
| Public booking page (pupils book you) |
Yes · /book/your-name |
Yes |
| Approve booking requests | Yes · one tap | Yes |
| Automated 24h email lesson reminders | Yes · included | Yes · add-on |
| Custom-hour reminder | Yes | Limited |
| Missed-lesson notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Pupil portal (web, magic link) | Yes · no password | Limited |
| Waiting list with priority | Yes | Limited |
| Pupil payment tracking | Yes · cash, transfer, card | Yes · add-on |
| Automatic payment reminders | Yes · included | Yes |
| Block payments & balances | Yes | Yes |
| DVSA-accurate DL25 test report | Built in | No · separate paper |
| Branded PDF with your school name | Yes | No |
| Saved instructor signature on PDFs | Yes | No |
| WhatsApp share of test report | Yes · one tap | No |
| DVSA syllabus progress + readiness % | Yes · 26 competencies | Yes |
| Install as an app (PWA) | Yes · iOS, Android, desktop | Yes · native apps |
| Works through signal drops | Yes · service worker cache | Patchy reports |
| Unlimited pupils & reports | Yes | Yes |
| Built by a working UK ADI | Yes | No |
"Limited" means the feature exists in Total Drive but as a paid add-on or in a more restricted form than DL25's equivalent.
When to pick which
You can run both side-by-side for a month while you check it works for you. DL25 is free to set up, free to add pupils, and free until you actually run a DL25 report or use the booking page. Cancel any time, no notice period.
Need a hand getting your pupil list across? Email us and we'll pull it in for you.
Common questions
Yes. DL25 is £10 a month or £100 a year with every feature included. Total Drive starts at £16 a month and charges for some features (such as reminders and payment tracking) as add-ons, so DL25 saves a typical instructor at least £72 a year.
No. Total Drive is a diary and booking product and does not produce the DVSA DL25 driving test report. DL25 has a DVSA-accurate digital DL25 report built in, with branded PDF export and one-tap WhatsApp sharing.
Yes. DL25 is free to set up and free to add pupils, so you can run both side by side for a month before committing. Email us your pupil list and we will import it for you. There is no notice period and you can cancel any time.
DL25 is a progressive web app (PWA): you install it to your home screen on iPhone, iPad, Android, or desktop and it runs full-screen and keeps working through signal drops. Total Drive ships native App Store and Play Store apps. Both work on a phone; DL25 just does not need a separate download.
Free to start, no card. If it doesn't save you ten minutes a test day, don't subscribe.