VCT vs CheckedSafe
CheckedSafe is a pay-as-you-go compliance app built around driver walkaround checks and defect reporting, with DVLA licence checks, plant checks and driver hours alongside. VCT is built around MOT and road tax: it looks every vehicle up with DVLA and DVSA, rechecks it every night, and adds daily checks, defects, bookings and a compliance pack.
What each costs a month
VCT has one plan with everything in it: £3.50 per vehicle a month, falling to £2.50 per vehicle for bigger fleets (minimum £35 a month). CheckedSafe charges £1 per vehicle per week for its vehicle compliance app. To compare like for like, we've turned that into a monthly figure: £1 a week is about £4.33 a month (52 weeks ÷ 12).
| Vehicles | VCT a month (ex VAT) | VCT a year | CheckedSafe a month (about) | CheckedSafe a year (52 weeks) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | £35 | £420 | £43.33 | £520 |
| 25 | £81.25 | £975 | £108.33 | £1,300 |
| 50 | £150 | £1,800 | £216.67 | £2,600 |
| 100 | £275 | £3,300 | £433.33 | £5,200 |
| Contract | Monthly, cancel any time | No contracts or set-up fees; pay as you go | ||
CheckedSafe bills on weekly usage, with weeks starting on a Monday, and invoices monthly in arrears. So a single month's invoice covers four or five weeks: £4 or £5 per vehicle. Its site doesn't say whether its prices include VAT, and it doesn't mention a minimum charge.
Two things change the sums. For a small fleet, CheckedSafe can cost less: at 8 vehicles or fewer, £1 a week each comes to less than VCT's £35 minimum. And CheckedSafe's licence checks cost £1.60 per check on top, while its driver hours, lone worker and risk assessment tools are £1 per user per week each. Check the latest figures on CheckedSafe's pricing page.
Feature by feature
| Feature | VCT | CheckedSafe |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic MOT and road tax data | Yes. Filled in from DVLA and DVSA as soon as you add a registration, then rechecked every night for every vehicle | Its grey fleet page says you can see the MOT and tax status of vehicles. Not mentioned on its vehicle compliance or pricing pages |
| MOT and tax reminders | Yes. Emails on the days each company chooses (by default 90, 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 days before, on the day and once overdue), plus a weekly round-up | Not mentioned on its site |
| Full MOT history | Yes, every DVSA test with advisories and mileage | Not mentioned on its site |
| HGV annual tests | Yes, read from DVSA the same way as van MOTs | Not mentioned on its site |
| Walkaround check app | Yes, in the phone's browser, with an editable checklist and photos | Yes, an iOS and Android app with customisable checklists; checks can be done without signal |
| GPS location on checks | No | Yes. Records where each check was done and how long it took |
| Defect workflow | Yes. Work queue with an owner; clears only when a later check marks the item green | Yes. Mobile defect reporting, a back office portal and audit trails of reported failures |
| Driving licence checks | Partly. Records checks and consent today; automatic DVLA checks coming soon | Yes, through the DVLA's ADD service at £1.60 per check, with points, offences, and tachograph card and CPC expiry dates |
| Vehicle bookings | Yes. Bookings timeline with clashes caught | Not mentioned on its site |
| Service records and costs | Yes. Mileage, cost, invoices, breakdowns and days off the road | Its site mentions fleet maintenance and maintenance reports |
| Grey fleet | Yes. Staff cars show business insurance expiry next to company vehicles; drivers can add their own car | Yes. MOT and tax status, walkaround checks, licence checks and accident records |
| Plant and equipment checks | No. VCT covers vans, cars, trucks and staff cars | Yes, £1 per asset per week, with bespoke checklists |
| Driver hours | No | Yes, GB Domestic Hours at £1 per user per week, for drivers not using tachographs |
| Tachograph analysis, O-licence and PMI tools | No | Not mentioned on its site |
| Text message reminders | Yes, add-on at £10 a month for up to 200 texts | Not mentioned on its site |
| Reporting | Yes. Compliance pack PDF with inspections, defects, MOT tests, services and costs for a period and depot | Yes. Reporting portal with vehicle KPIs to view online or download; its site says the system complies with the DVSA Earned Recognition scheme |
| Integrations and API | No API. Calendar feed for Outlook, Google or Apple Calendar | Yes. REST API, and a Webfleet integration so CheckedSafe can be used on TomTom devices |
| Adding vehicles | One at a time with details filled in from DVLA and DVSA, or by CSV import with a preview before anything is saved | Not mentioned on its site |
| Charged per | Vehicle, with no per-user charge | Vehicle for vehicle compliance, with unlimited driver app downloads; user for driver hours, lone worker and risk assessment |
| Security and data | Data stored in the EU; passwords hashed; every connection HTTPS | ISO 27001, ISO 9001 and Cyber Essentials, listed on its accreditations page |
| Contract | Monthly, no minimum term | No contracts or set-up fees; pay as you go, invoiced monthly in arrears |
| Minimum charge | £35 a month (covers up to 10 vehicles) | Not mentioned on its site |
| Free trial | No. Live demo with your own vehicle instead | Yes, 30 days. No free trial of licence checks |
CheckedSafe features are taken from its vehicle compliance page, pricing page, licence checks page, grey fleet page, partners page and accreditations page, checked on 15 October 2026. Where we say "not mentioned", we couldn't find it on its site.
The driver's check, or the vehicle's dates
CheckedSafe starts from the driver. Its app records each walkaround check with a GPS location and the time it took, works without signal, and sends defects to a back office portal. Around that sit licence checks with DVLA, plant and equipment checks, GB domestic hours, lone worker and risk assessment tools, all priced by the week with no contract.
VCT starts from the vehicle's legal dates. When you add a registration it fills in the MOT, road tax and full MOT history straight away, then rechecks every vehicle with DVLA and DVSA every night and emails reminders before anything runs out. Drivers do their daily walkaround check on their phone, and anything red or amber becomes work with an owner. Bookings, service records and the compliance pack PDF sit alongside. Read more about MOT and tax reminders.
Which suits your fleet
Choose CheckedSafe if…
You want DVLA licence checks today, with points, offences, and tachograph card and CPC expiry dates. You want a driver app that works without signal and records where each check was done. You also need plant and equipment checks, GB domestic hours or lone worker tools from the same supplier, or an API. You run 8 vehicles or fewer, or you'd like a 30-day free trial.
Choose VCT if…
Your main job is keeping vans, cars and trucks road legal: MOT, road tax, daily checks and defects fixed. You want every vehicle checked with DVLA and DVSA every night, reminder emails on the days you choose, bookings, service records and one compliance pack PDF. You run 9 or more vehicles and want the lower monthly cost, paid monthly with no contract.
Moving across is quick
Put your vehicles in a CSV file and upload it to VCT, or add them one at a time by registration. Before an import is saved, VCT shows which vehicles are new, what changes on existing ones and which rows have a problem. Once imported, every vehicle is checked with DVLA and DVSA, so the MOT and tax dates are current from day one. We'll help with the import if you'd like.
Comparing other options? See VCT vs FleetCheck for a larger fleet system, VCT vs Fleetkeep for a reminder-led tool, or VCT vs a fleet spreadsheet if you track dates by hand today. Full prices are on the pricing page, and VCT at a glance lists what VCT does and doesn't do.
VCT vs CheckedSafe FAQs
Is VCT cheaper than CheckedSafe?
For fleets of 9 or more vehicles, yes. CheckedSafe charges £1 per vehicle per week, which is about £4.33 per vehicle a month (52 weeks ÷ 12). VCT costs £3.50 per vehicle a month, falling to £2.50 per vehicle for bigger fleets (minimum £35 a month), ex VAT. For 8 vehicles or fewer, CheckedSafe works out cheaper because VCT's minimum is £35 a month. CheckedSafe's site doesn't say whether its prices include VAT.
Does CheckedSafe track MOT and road tax?
Its grey fleet page says you can see the MOT and tax status of vehicles. Its vehicle compliance and pricing pages don't mention MOT or tax tracking or reminders. VCT looks up MOT and tax as soon as you add a registration, rechecks every vehicle with DVLA and DVSA every night, and sends reminder emails before each date.
Which is better for driving licence checks?
CheckedSafe, today. Its licence checks use the DVLA's ADD service at £1.60 per check and show licence types, points, offences, and tachograph card and CPC expiry dates. VCT records licence checks and consent, lets drivers share their DVLA check code from the driver app and shows when checks are due. Automatic licence checking with DVLA is coming soon.
Do drivers need to download an app?
For VCT, no. It runs in the browser on a computer or phone, so there is nothing to install from an app store. CheckedSafe's driver app works on iOS and Android, and its site says checks can be done without signal and uploaded once the phone is back online.
Can I try VCT before I pay?
VCT doesn't offer a free trial. Instead, enter a registration and your email on the homepage and we'll send you a link to a live demo with your own vehicle looked up with DVLA and DVSA. CheckedSafe offers a 30-day free trial, except for its licence checks.
Can I move from CheckedSafe to VCT?
Yes. Put your vehicle list in a CSV file and import it into VCT. VCT shows a preview of exactly what will change before anything is saved, then checks every vehicle with DVLA and DVSA.
See it with one of your own vehicles
Enter a registration and your email on the homepage. We'll send you a link to a demo of VCT with your vehicle looked up live with DVLA and DVSA.