Overview

MyDriveTime is a diary and administration service for driving instructors and schools, spanning lesson scheduling, student progress and business finances. It is a strong fit for instructors who want those jobs together, but its school plan charges extra for additional instructors.

Key features

The diary covers lessons, practical tests and personal commitments, including booking, cancellation and rebooking. Sharing with Google, Apple and Outlook calendars is configurable, so instructors can limit what appears in connected calendars. Privacy Mode shows the diary without its details, which is useful when sharing availability without exposing appointments.

Customizable syllabuses, reflective logs and journey tracking give instructors ways to maintain student lesson records. Invited students can use the separate MyDriveTime app to track lessons and access resources selected by their instructor. That student-facing access adds value to the teaching workflow, though the resources are instructor-selected rather than a general course library.

Finance tools cover income and expenses, student balances, receipt photos and spreadsheet exports. Configurable payment types align with HMRC categories, making the records more useful for instructors managing accounts alongside teaching. The service also offers email, phone and chat support on weekdays from 9:30–5:00; that is a defined support window, not round-the-clock help.

The company says it invests in professional-grade data and security systems and that the service has operated without interruption since October 2014. MyDriveTime is owned and operated by May Stanley Limited, registered in England and Wales.

Pricing

MyDriveTime is freemium, with a free plan, paid plans from £19 per month and a 30-day free trial. The trial requires no card and can be cancelled at any time.

PDI Best Start

This free plan offers unlimited access to all features, with no commitment, plus one-to-one advice and guidance. It is aimed at trainee instructors: access is free until the user qualifies, so it is not a permanent free tier for a qualified instructor.

For Individuals

At £19 per month, the individual plan includes SMS text messages and a one-to-one start-up session, as well as a 30-day free trial. It is the straightforward choice for an independent instructor who wants the full service without school-team billing.

For Schools & Teams

Starting from £19 per month, this plan includes free admin accounts. Instructor 2 and 3 cost £15/mo each, instructors 4–10 cost £10/mo each, and instructors 11+ cost £5/mo each. The declining per-instructor rate can suit larger teams, but the base charge and added seat costs mean schools should account for headcount when comparing it with an individual setup.

MyDriveTime will migrate records from another system at no cost, which lowers the effort of switching. The PDI offer is the only free plan described; qualified users and schools should budget for the paid tiers.

Platforms

MyDriveTime is available on Android, iOS and the web. That combination suits instructors who need a mobile diary and students who access lesson tracking through an app, while retaining a web option for administration.

Who it's for

The company positions MyDriveTime for trainee instructors, independent ADIs and driving schools. Trainees who qualify can start with PDI Best Start; independent instructors get diary, student and finance administration at the individual price; schools get team billing and free admin accounts. It is less compelling for anyone seeking only a calendar or who does not need student records and finance tools bundled together.

Pros and cons

Broad instructor workflow: diary, lesson-progress records and finance tools sit in one service, reducing the need to separate those administrative jobs.
Configurable calendar sharing and Privacy Mode: instructors can share availability while controlling appointment detail.
Student participation: invited students can track lessons and reach instructor-selected resources in a dedicated app.
Costs rise with school size: school pricing adds instructor charges to the starting price, despite the lower per-seat rates for larger teams.
Free access is qualification-limited: PDI Best Start is designed for trainees and ends when they qualify, so it is not a lasting free option for working ADIs.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, browse Driver Education Software.

En Voiture Simone is worth considering for free theory-code study: its free plan includes unlimited access, 140 course sheets, 2,000 questions and 50 exam-aligned series. It is a different emphasis from MyDriveTime’s instructor diary and administration.

Stych also suits learners focused on theory practice, with a free plan offering 5,000 questions and 30 mock exams, plus a Code Zen plan at 9.99 USD per year. Choose it for that exam-preparation focus rather than instructor and school administration.

directio may fit a web-based operation looking for a free school-management starting point: its free plan allows unlimited students, enrollments, instructors and vehicles, with a 2.5% per-payment fee capped at $15 per student. MyDriveTime is the more fitting choice when lesson-progress tracking and a student app are priorities.

Ornikar is another option for learners seeking code courses and practice, with plans described around course sheets, practice sessions and mock exams. Its listed Code de la route plan is 299.00 EUR per month, so compare its learning focus and price with MyDriveTime’s instructor-admin scope.

CyberActive, Diesel Xtrem Pro, DI App and Driver Ed Partners are other paid alternatives to consider.

Verdict

MyDriveTime is the right choice for trainee instructors, independent ADIs and driving schools that want scheduling, student lesson records and financial administration in a single service. Its strongest case is the breadth of that combined workflow, reinforced by student access and calendar privacy controls. Look elsewhere if you need only a diary, want a permanent free plan after qualifying, or need a school tool without per-instructor charges.

	LessonBuddy	MyDriveTime
Free plan	No	Yes
Free trial	No	Yes
Paid from	—	£19/mo
Open source	No	No
Platforms	iOS, Android	Android, iOS, Web
Free plan	No	Yes
Progress tracking	Yes	Yes
School administration	Yes	Yes
Mobile app coverage	ios_and_android	ios_and_android

LessonBuddy vs MyDriveTime

LessonBuddy

MyDriveTime