DaysAbroad: Track How Many Days You Spend in Every Country
Automatic GPS tracking for tax residency, Schengen limits, and immigration compliance
Table of Contents
This one started with a simple question. My fiancee and I were traveling around Japan, and at some point we looked at each other and asked: “how long have we actually been away from Lisbon?”
We travel a lot for work, and Lisbon is our home base. Between trips to Asia, Europe, and South America, we had completely lost track of how many days we’d spent in each country. That matters,not just out of curiosity, but because tax residency rules, visa limits, and immigration compliance all depend on precise day counts.
I tried tracking it with spreadsheets. That lasted about two weeks before I forgot to update it and was back to reconstructing travel history from flight receipts and bank statements. So I decided to build something better,not just for us, but for all the travelers and digital nomads out there dealing with the same problem.
That’s how DaysAbroad was born. An iOS app that uses GPS to automatically log which country you’re in each day. No manual input needed. All data stays on your device.
The problem #
Tracking days abroad matters more than most people realize:
- Tax residency rules,the 183-day rule can trigger unexpected tax obligations in countries you didn’t plan to be a resident of
- Schengen visa limits,require precise day counts across 27 countries to stay within the 90/180-day limit
- Immigration compliance,demands accurate records that can withstand audits and official scrutiny
- Spreadsheets break,they’re manual, error-prone, and impossible to maintain while traveling
How it works #
Turn on GPS tracking and DaysAbroad detects which country you’re in automatically, in the background. The dashboard shows your year at a glance: days tracked, countries visited, trips taken, and a full breakdown by country.
You can also add past trips manually, pick a country, set the dates, and the app auto-calculates the days. Tag each trip as Tourism, Business, Medical, or more.
Key features #
Automatic GPS tracking #
Your phone knows where you are. DaysAbroad turns that into a daily country log.
Flight detection #
Automatically pauses tracking at altitude (5km threshold) so flyover countries don’t count.
Maritime day logging #
Time spent in international waters on cruise ships, ferries, and cargo vessels is recorded separately from country day counts.
Overnight rule #
When a travel day spans two countries, it counts toward the country where you woke up the next morning.
Schengen zone calculator #
Pools your days across all 32 Schengen countries automatically. A combined total appears right on your dashboard, and you can customize which countries to include.
CSV & JSON export #
Export trips, day logs, or a full backup, ready for your accountant, tax advisor, or immigration records.
Privacy-first #
All travel data stays on your device. No account, no cloud sync, no data collection. The app doesn’t even require a sign-up. Audio processing, GPS lookups, everything happens locally.
Free vs Pro #
| Feature | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Manual trip entry | Yes | Yes |
| Day counter | Yes | Yes |
| Current year tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Unlimited countries | – | Yes |
| Background GPS | – | Yes |
| Multi-year history | – | Yes |
| CSV data export | – | Yes |
| Schengen calculator | – | Yes |
The free tier tracks up to 2 countries with manual entry. Pro unlocks unlimited countries, background GPS, multi-year history, CSV export, and Schengen tracking.
Who it’s for #
Digital nomads staying under 183 days to avoid triggering tax residency. Expats maintaining records for dual-country tax filings. Business travelers documenting days for corporate tax compliance. Flight crews tracking border crossings. Schengen visitors staying within the 90/180-day visa limit. Or anyone who wants to know where they’ve actually spent their time.
Download #
Check it out at zebralabs.org/days-abroad.
DaysAbroad is a personal tracking tool for informational purposes only. It does not provide legal, tax, or immigration advice. Always consult a qualified professional for compliance matters.