FleetMark vs traditional compliance platforms

We get asked this a lot, so let's be straight about it. Traditional compliance platforms and FleetMark are not the same product. They serve different purposes, and depending on what you need, one might be right and the other wrong — or you might need both.

What traditional compliance platforms do

Most established compliance platforms focus on the daily walkaround check — the one your drivers do every morning to confirm the vehicle is safe to drive. Lights work, tyres have tread, no fluid leaks. It's about answering the question: "Is this vehicle roadworthy right now?"

They typically also offer driving licence checks, lone worker monitoring, dynamic risk assessments, and GPS tracking. These are broad platforms with multiple modules, often DVSA Earned Recognition validated, with large enterprise client bases.

What FleetMark does

FleetMark covers every aspect of fleet vehicle management — condition reports at handover, daily walkaround checks, defect tracking, and fleet health monitoring. When a vehicle changes hands or starts its day, you need to record exactly what state it's in. Every scratch, dent, and defect marked on a diagram, photographed, severity-rated, timestamped, GPS-stamped, and signed off.

It answers a different question: "What is the condition of this vehicle right now, as it changes hands?"

The pricing difference

Traditional compliance platforms typically charge per vehicle per week — often around £1 per vehicle per week for their core compliance module. That works out to over £50 per vehicle per year. For a 50-vehicle fleet, that's over £2,500 a year.

FleetMark charges £2 per vehicle per month — significantly more affordable than established alternatives. For a 50-vehicle fleet, that's £100/month. And FleetMark includes condition reports, walkaround checks, defect management, and fleet health dashboards — not just walkarounds.

The technology difference

Most traditional platforms require a native app download from the App Store or Play Store. FleetMark runs in the browser — no download required, works on any phone, installable to the home screen as a PWA.

FleetMark integrates with the DVLA at the point of inspection — scan a plate, get the vehicle details automatically. Most established competitors don't offer this.

FleetMark includes camera-based number plate recognition. Point your phone at the plate, it reads the reg. This is another feature you won't find in traditional compliance tools.

So which do you need?

If you only need daily walkaround compliance checks to meet DVSA requirements, a traditional compliance platform may suit you. If you need condition reporting at handover, FleetMark is built specifically for that. If you need both, they're not mutually exclusive — use a compliance platform for the daily checks, FleetMark for the handover condition. Different tools, different jobs.