Free Software for Trainee Driving Instructors (PDIs) in 2026
Most driving instructor apps are free while you train. The question to ask is what happens on the day you pass Part 3. Here is every trainee offer we found, with the price that follows it.
Quick answer: Eight of the apps we checked have a free offer for trainee driving instructors (PDIs). Most of those offers end when you qualify or after 6 to 12 months, and the apps then cost £9.99 to £24 a month. PassReady is £0 a month for trainees and stays £0 once you qualify. Its only fee is a booking fee on online card payments, paid by the pupil.
On a pink badge you have six months, a car to pay for, and pupils to find. Software shouldn't be another bill. Almost every app knows this, which is why most offer PDIs free access. They differ on how long it lasts and what you pay next. New to the trainee licence itself? Read our pink badge guide first.
We build PassReady. Every other app's terms below are from its own website, checked on 19 September 2026.
Free trainee offers at a glance
| App | Free for PDIs? | How long | Price once you qualify | Charge on card payments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PassReady | Yes | No end date | £0 a month | Pupil pays PassReady's 4.2% plus card processing, rounded up to the next whole pound |
| Total Drive | Yes (PDI Head Start) | Until you pass Part 3, or up to 12 months | From £18 a month | Not published |
| MyDriveTime | Yes (PDI Best Start) | Until you qualify | £19 a month | Not published |
| GoRoadie Pro | Yes | “Unlimited” free access for PDIs | £17 a month | 1.9% when you request payment |
| DrivePro | Yes | During qualification training | Converts to Starter, £19.99 a month | Stripe fees on your own account |
| Passdesk | Yes | Until your badge lands | £19 a month | 2.5%, processing included |
| Waypilot | Yes | Until you qualify, or 12 months | From £24 a month | Not published |
| DriveInstruct | Yes, up to 5 pupils | 12 months | £10 a month | 2%, payments unlock once qualified |
| LessonBuddy | Yes | Up to 6 months | £9.99 a month | Not published on its pricing page |
| ADI Network | Free app for everyone | No end date stated | £0 | 2% + 30p, instructor or learner pays |
| ADI Book, Driving Instructors Diary, Passly | No trainee offer published | n/a | £12, £19.99 and £14.99 a month | See our full comparison |
From each vendor's own pricing or PDI page, 19 September 2026. Prices are the monthly list price for one instructor.
Three things to check before you pick one
1. What happens when you pass Part 3
This is the big one. Most PDI offers end when you qualify, and some end at a fixed point (6 or 12 months) even if you haven't. By then your diary, pupils and progress notes are all in that app, so moving costs time right when you are busiest. Total Drive's PDI page says it doesn't ask you to agree to subscribe once you pass. DrivePro's FAQ says your account converts to its Starter plan. Read the terms of whichever you choose.
2. Whether you can take card payments as a trainee
You can charge for lessons on a trainee licence, so you'll want pupils to pay by card. DriveInstruct's trainee plan unlocks Stripe payments only once you qualify. Check the others before you rely on it.
3. The pupil limit
DriveInstruct's free PDI plan covers up to five pupils. Six months on a pink badge with a busy diary can mean more than that.
PassReady for trainees
PassReady is £0 a month for trainees and qualified instructors alike, with no trial, no end date, no card to start and no pupil limit. Passing Part 3 changes nothing about what you pay. You get the diary, pupils, DVSA-aligned progress tracking, reminders, and tax records with expenses and mileage. Cash lessons are logged free, forever.
When a pupil books and pays online, a booking fee of PassReady's 4.2% plus card processing, rounded up to the next whole pound, is added on top of your price and paid by the pupil. On a £30 lesson the pupil pays £32 and you receive £30.03. On £40, the pupil pays £43 and you receive £40.23. More examples are on the pricing page.
One thing to know: before your public booking page goes live we ask for your DVSA ADI number. If you're on a trainee licence and not sure which number to use, email hello@passready.co.uk before you go live and we'll help.
Common questions
Is there free software for trainee driving instructors?
Yes. Total Drive, MyDriveTime, GoRoadie Pro, DrivePro, Passdesk, Waypilot, DriveInstruct and LessonBuddy all have free PDI offers, and ADI Network and PassReady are free for everyone. Most PDI offers end when you qualify or after 6 to 12 months.
Which PDI app stays free after I qualify?
PassReady stays £0 a month after you qualify; the pupil pays a booking fee on online card payments. ADI Network's app is also free, with a 2% + 30p fee on payments through it. The other PDI offers we checked move to a monthly price of £9.99 to £24.
Can I take card payments on a pink badge?
A trainee licence lets you charge for lessons. Whether an app lets you take cards as a PDI varies: DriveInstruct unlocks payments only once you qualify, for example. Check before you choose.
Sources (checked 19 September 2026)
- Total Drive: totaldrive.co.uk/become-driving-instructor/ and /instructor-software-pricing/
- MyDriveTime: mydrivetime.co.uk/pricing and /pdi-best-start/
- GoRoadie: goroadie.com/pro
- DrivePro: drivepro.app/pricing
- Passdesk: passdesk.co.uk/pricing/
- Waypilot: waypilot.co.uk/pricing
- DriveInstruct: driveinstruct.co.uk
- LessonBuddy: lessonbuddy.co.uk/pricing/
- ADI Network: adinetwork.co.uk and /terms
- PassReady: passready.co.uk/pricing/
Free while you train. Still free when you qualify.
PassReady is £0 a month with no end date. The pupil pays the booking fee on card payments: on a £40 lesson the pupil pays £43 and you receive £40.23. Cash lessons stay free forever.
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