How do I calculate a travel fee?

Subtract your free radius from the one-way distance, double it if you charge both ways, and multiply by your rate per mile. For a client 26 miles away with 10 free miles and a rate of $0.75, the fee is (26 − 10) × 2 × 0.75 = $24.

Should I charge travel one way or round trip?

Charging both ways reflects the real cost, since you drive home as well. Some businesses charge one way to keep the fee simple. Either is fine if it is stated before the booking is confirmed.

Should I charge for drive time as well as mileage?

Mileage covers the vehicle; drive time covers hours you cannot book. Many mobile businesses fold both into one per-mile rate, while others add an hourly charge for long trips.

Travel fee calculator

What to charge for the drive

Mobile groomers, detailers, stylists, tutors and repair techs all hit the same question when a booking is far out. Set your rules once and get a number you can explain in one sentence.

Distance to the client, one way

Measured in

Charge for

There and backOne way only

Free radius, one way

Rate per mile ($)

Drive time, one way (optional)

min

Drive-time rate per hour ($)

Minimum travel fee ($)

Currency symbol

Nothing you enter is saved or sent.

travel fee

billable miles

distance charge

drive-time charge

Line for the client

This is arithmetic on your own numbers, not a recommended rate. What to charge is your call.

The formula

Take the one-way distance, subtract your free radius, and double it if you charge for the trip home. Multiply by your rate. Add a charge for drive time if you use one, and lift the result to your minimum if it falls short.

Worked example. The client is 26 miles away. Your first 10 miles each way are free and you charge $0.75 a mile, both directions. Billable distance: (26 − 10) × 2 = 32 miles. Fee: 32 × $0.75 = $24.00.

Setting the rate

A per-mile rate has to cover more than fuel. The vehicle wears out, insurance and maintenance run whether you are parked or driving, and every hour on the road is an hour you cannot book. Work out your real running cost per mile, then decide whether your time on the road is priced into that or charged separately.

Three ways mobile businesses charge

Method	Works well when	Watch for
Free radius, then per mile	Most jobs are local with the odd long one	Clients just outside the line asking for an exception
Flat zones	You want one number per area and no maths on the phone	Zone edges; a map on your site helps
Built into every price	Travel is similar for every job	Nearby clients quietly paying for far ones

Telling the client

A travel fee causes trouble when it appears on the invoice and nowhere before. State it at booking, in the same message as the time and price, with the rule behind it. People accept a fee they understood in advance far more readily than one they discover.

Fee settled. Now the booking.

BookingSolved: Client Booking is an iPhone app for people who book clients by text. It turns a client's message into a proposed Apple Calendar appointment and an editable reply, using service presets with your durations and buffers. You review every change before approving it.

Get BookingSolved on the App Store

The first three completed actions are free; Pro is an optional auto-renewing subscription for unlimited actions. Check the App Store listing for current details. It does not charge clients or enforce a policy for you.

Honest Little Apps publishes both BookingSolved and this page. This is a separate browser tool and does not sync with the app. App details checked November 10, 2026.

On a computer? Open it on your iPhone

Point your iPhone camera at the code, then tap the link.

QR code for BookingSolved: Client Booking on the App Store

Open BookingSolved on the App Store

BookingSolved screenshot: a client message turned into a proposed appointment with a reply ready to copy — From BookingSolved's App Store listing.