Days in State vs TaxBird: State Tax Day Tracking Compared

Days in State and TaxBird are two apps that help you track how many days you spend in each state for tax purposes. They share a similar core function — GPS-based automatic day counting — but they differ in privacy approach, pricing structure, target audience, and extras. Here's how they stack up.

1. Overview

Days in State is a privacy-first iOS app that tracks your state presence automatically using GPS. All data stays on your iPhone — no cloud servers, no accounts to create. It comes with a suite of six free web-based tax tools and in-depth educational content on multi-state tax topics.

TaxBird is a state day tracking app available on iOS and Android. It uses GPS to log your state presence and is specifically marketed to people who own homes in two states. TaxBird uses standard cloud-based data storage and offers subscription pricing at $4.99/month or $39.99/year.

2. Privacy & Data Storage

Days in State processes and stores all location data entirely on your device. No GPS coordinates, state logs, or day counts are ever sent to external servers. This is an architectural decision, not just a policy — there is no cloud infrastructure to send data to.

TaxBird uses standard cloud storage. Your tracking data is synced to servers, which enables features like cross-device access. The privacy implications are typical of cloud-based apps: your detailed location history exists on servers operated by a third party.

For anyone managing sensitive location data — particularly data that could be relevant in a tax audit — the question of where that data lives is worth considering. On-device storage means only you can access your data. Cloud storage means you're trusting another company to protect it.

Winner: Days in State for privacy. TaxBird's approach is standard for the industry, but "standard" for location data still means your movements are stored on someone else's servers.

3. Pricing & Lifetime Option

This is where the comparison gets interesting. Monthly pricing is identical, but the rest of the picture diverges.

Plan	Days in State	TaxBird
Monthly	$4.99/mo	$4.99/mo
Annual	$19.99/yr	$39.99/yr
Lifetime	$39.99 one-time	Not available

At the monthly tier, it's a dead heat. But the annual plan tells a different story: Days in State is $19.99/year versus TaxBird's $39.99/year — exactly half the cost.

The lifetime option is where Days in State pulls ahead for long-term users. At $39.99, you pay the equivalent of one year of TaxBird's annual plan and never pay again. For someone who'll be tracking state days for years — which describes most people who start, since multi-state situations tend to persist — the lifetime option is a significant savings.

Winner: Days in State on annual and lifetime pricing. Monthly is a tie.

4. Features & Free Tools

Both apps handle the fundamentals: GPS-based automatic state detection, daily presence logging, and running day counts per state. Beyond the core, there are differences.

Days in State Extras

• Six free web tools: State Residency Day Calculator, 183-Day Threshold Tracker, Audit Risk Assessment, Tax Savings Calculator, Snowbird Day Calculator, and State Residency Rules Lookup
• Educational blog: Guides on the 183-day rule, snowbird taxes, NY audit defense, and more
• On-device processing: Works without internet for core tracking
• Lifetime access option: No recurring fees after a one-time purchase

TaxBird Extras

• Two-home focus: Tailored interface and messaging for people splitting time between two specific homes
• Cross-platform: Available on Android in addition to iOS
• Cloud sync: Access your data from multiple devices
• Notifications: Threshold alerts when approaching day limits

Days in State provides more value outside the app itself through its free tools and educational content. TaxBird provides a more focused experience for its specific audience of two-home owners.

Winner: Tie. Different strengths. Days in State gives you more free extras. TaxBird has a more tailored two-home experience.

5. Target Audience

This is an important distinction. While both apps track state days, they're positioned for somewhat different users.

TaxBird specifically targets people who own homes in two states — the classic snowbird or split-residency scenario. Its marketing, onboarding, and features are designed around the two-home use case. If that's precisely your situation, TaxBird speaks your language.

Days in State is built for anyone who needs to track multi-state presence: remote workers, digital nomads, snowbirds, business travelers, and yes, two-home owners. It's a broader tool that handles all these scenarios rather than focusing on one.

Neither approach is wrong. If you want an app that feels designed specifically for your two-home situation, TaxBird will feel more tailored. If you want a general-purpose state tracker that covers any multi-state scenario, Days in State is more versatile.

6. Platform Support

TaxBird is available on iOS and Android. If you use an Android phone, this comparison may be moot — Days in State isn't available for you (yet).

Days in State is iOS only, requiring an iPhone with iOS 17.0 or later.

Winner: TaxBird for platform coverage.

7. Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	Days in State	TaxBird
GPS Auto-Tracking	Yes	Yes
Data Storage	On-device only More Private	Cloud-based
Monthly Price	$4.99/mo Tie	$4.99/mo Tie
Annual Price	$19.99/yr Lower	$39.99/yr
Lifetime Option	$39.99 Available	Not offered
Free Tax Tools	6 calculators Included	None
Two-Home Focus	General multi-state	Specifically targeted Tailored
iOS Support	Yes	Yes
Android Support	No	Yes Available
Threshold Alerts	Yes	Yes
Educational Content	Blog + guides Extensive	Basic

8. The Bottom Line

Choose Days in State if:

• Privacy matters and you want location data to stay on your device
• You want to save money — 50% less annually, or a $39.99 lifetime option
• You'd benefit from free tax calculators and in-depth educational guides
• You track presence across multiple states, not just two
• You use an iPhone

Choose TaxBird if:

• You own homes in exactly two states and want an app tailored to that scenario
• You use an Android phone
• You want cloud sync across multiple devices
• You prefer the monthly plan (same price either way)

Days in State and TaxBird are closer competitors than either is to TaxDay or Domicile365. They share similar monthly pricing and core features. The differentiators come down to privacy philosophy (on-device vs cloud), long-term cost (lifetime option vs subscription-only), free tools (six calculators vs none), and audience focus (broad multi-state vs two-home specialists). For most iPhone users tracking state days, Days in State offers more value at a lower long-term cost with stronger privacy protections.