Written by Muneeb Rana · Last updated 26 October 2026
Quick answer: In odometer vs trip meter terms, the odometer counts total distance over a vehicle's life and cannot legally be reset, while a trip meter counts distance since you last zeroed it. Cars often have trip A and trip B. In Speedometer PRO, the odometer and the Current Trip card play these roles for your phone.
TL;DR
- Odometer: lifetime total, never reset.
- Trip meter: resettable, per journey.
- Many cars have trip A and B.
- App versions measure what the phone travelled.
- Use trip meters for fuel and expense logs.
Odometer vs trip meter basics
An odometer accumulates every mile or kilometre. Tampering with it is illegal in the US and many countries. A trip meter is a separate counter you reset whenever you like, handy for fuel-to-fuel mpg, splitting a route or logging a job.
Comparison
| Odometer | Trip meter | |
|---|---|---|
| Resettable | No | Yes |
| Typical use | Vehicle value, service | Fuel economy, single trips |
| Legal protection | Yes (anti-tamper laws) | No |
| In Speedometer PRO | Odometer total | Current Trip card |
How the app versions work
Speedometer PRO's odometer adds up GPS distance while the app is tracking; the trip meter shows duration, distance, average and max speed for the current trip after you tap Start. Both measure the phone's movement, not the car's, so they are useful on bikes, boats and trains too.
Accuracy
Car odometers usually read slightly high, sharing the speedometer's calibration. GPS distance can under-count when signal drops in tunnels. Compare in how odometers work.
Practical uses
Reset a trip before a fill-up to work out fuel economy, use another for a whole holiday, and log business trips for mileage tracking for taxes.
Using both in a car
Many drivers reset trip A at each fill-up to track fuel economy and use trip B for a journey. The odometer is never reset.
In the app
Speedometer PRO has an odometer total and a Current Trip card that works like a trip meter.
Keep it safe
Start and stop trips while parked. A trip that keeps running while you forget is easy to fix later; a crash is not.
Related: Odometer guide: odometers and trip meters · Odometer app: total distance from GPS · Trip meter: duration, distance, average and max speed · How odometers work · How to measure distance driven · Best odometer apps · Trip tracker: your past trips in one list
Get Speedometer PRO on Google Play · Download on the App Store · Set it up before you move; never handle your phone while driving.
Sources
- Odometer (Wikipedia): en.wikipedia.org (accessed 26 October 2026)
- Trip computer (Wikipedia): en.wikipedia.org (accessed 26 October 2026)
- Odometer Fraud (NHTSA): nhtsa.gov (accessed 26 October 2026)
FAQ
Can you reset an odometer?
Not legally in most places. Rolling back an odometer is fraud. Trip meters are designed to be reset.
What do trip A and trip B mean?
Two independent trip meters, so you can track, say, a whole journey and a single tank at once.
Does the app odometer match my car's?
Not exactly. The app measures GPS distance travelled by the phone, while the car counts wheel turns.
Can I use the trip meter on a bike?
Yes, the app measures any movement the phone's GPS sees.
Is trip data saved?
Speedometer PRO keeps a trip history.