The 5 best carbon footprint tracker apps

23 Oct 2024 · 7
We’re in a climate emergency. To limit average global temperatures from rising by more than 1.5°C, the goal indicated at the 2016 Paris Agreement, all parties — citizens, governments, organizations, individuals, and companies — must do their part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lessen their environmental impact. Luckily, it’s now easier than ever before for everyone to participate with carbon footprint tracker apps.
Whether you’re a finance manager or sustainability manager at a company or an individual ambitious about reducing your personal carbon emissions, we’ll show you some of the best carbon footprint tracker apps available to support your journey.

What does a carbon calculator app do?

A carbon footprint tracker app helps individuals, companies, and organizations make more sustainable choices by calculating and measuring their carbon footprint.
Knowing the carbon emissions from your lifestyle or business is the critical first step in understanding impact and fighting climate change. However, tracking your carbon footprint is complex. It’s often difficult to track it accurately (either as an individual or at a company level) since there are so many layers and variables that can impact your carbon usage.
Therefore, it’s essential to work with a carbon footprint tracker app that employs proven methodologies when calculating emissions.
James Dent, Head of Sustainability at TravelPerk, explains the importance of tracking your carbon emissions:
Any credible net-zero climate plan needs to be backed up by data. It's very difficult for all companies to have full end-to-end visibility of their Scope 3 impact and GHG emissions. Having calculation methodologies, emission factors, and reporting frameworks that are consistent across the globe is extremely important to help progress on the path towards a more sustainable future.
So which carbon tracker apps will actually help you evaluate and implement a green travel policy? These five earn our recommendation.

The 5 best carbon footprint tracker apps

1. TravelPerk's GreenPerk API

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For some companies, especially in the services sector, business travel is a key component of the total carbon footprint. Business air travel has been reported to contribute up to 15 to 20% of global travel emissions, according to a 2020 study by Borko.
If you’re a sustainability or finance manager searching for an app that offers an all-in-one platform to book, track, and understand your business travel,  TravelPerk's GreenPerk API is a great choice to understand and reduce your company’s travel carbon emissions.
The GreenPerk API specifically enables you to reduce your business-travel related CO₂ emissions. Unlike other apps, the GreenPerk API centers on travel emissions, the major business carbon emitter, and provides the best measurement, tracking, and reporting available.
Even better: it allows you to not only analyze your travel carbon footprint but also make progress on your sustainability journey. For example, with GreenPerk API you can use carbon offsetting to reduce any outlying travel emissions and make a positive impact.
GreenPerk API’s key features include:
  • Measure, track, report, and offset your carbon emissions all in one platform
  • Easily carbon offset your travel emissions in-app for less than 1% of the cost of travel
  • Invest in VERRA-certified sustainability and carbon offsetting projects
  • Get 100% transparent reports to support your journey to net-zero
Aesop, a skin and haircare brand based in Australia, is on a journey to net-zero emissions. They implemented TravelPerk to get more visibility into their emissions and get support on their journey.
On our journey to Net Zero, precise, granular emissions data is really helpful to Aesop —because before we can act, we need to know what to focus on. Working with TravelPerk has enabled us to understand our travel emission hotspots much better and map out the changes we can make that will have the biggest impact.
Rebecca LawsonSustainability Manager, Climate, Aesop
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Small steps. Big impact. Offset your travel carbon footprint with ease.

2. Commons (formerly Joro)

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Carbon emissions go far beyond just travel — for example, everyday personal activities and habits such as shopping and your diet contribute to your carbon footprint. With the Commons app, you can track, reduce, and offset the carbon footprint of everything you buy.
Founded under the name Joro, the app has been offering practical approaches to counteract climate change since 2020 – starting with steps that can be easily integrated into your everyday life. By 2022, Joro had already gained thousands of users who were able to reduce their personal carbon footprint by up to 20% with the help of the tool.
Commons analyzes your purchasing data automatically in the app to measure your carbon footprint. You can use it to see your top carbon drivers and reduce and offset your monthly footprint. Besides calculating and improving your emissions, Commons also helps you find and choose sustainable buying alternatives for every kind of purchase. Use the app to get specific information on your top carbon emitters and even on how to save money by establishing a better lifestyle. Commons also gives you plenty of opportunities to balance your footprint with carbon offset programs.
Commons’ key features include:
  • Analyze, measure, and reduce your spending-related carbon emissions
  • Review a detailed database of over 300 unique spending categories with specific data sets
Commons is available for iOS and Android.

3. Klima

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Klima is an instant climate and carbon counterbalance app to measure your carbon footprint. It allows you to understand 100% of your CO₂ emissions from daily life in just three minutes.
With the Klima app, you can find suggestions for food, transportation, and lifestyle changes that will reduce your carbon footprint. The app is best for calculating and following your personal carbon emissions with memorable features like a real-time tracker.
Klima’s key features include:
  • Easily measure your carbon footprint in less than three minutes
  • Reduce your carbon footprint with a real-time tracker
Klima is available in the App Store for iOS and Android.

4. CoolClimate

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CoolClimate’s mission aims to massively scale up the adoption of climate solutions. As one of the first carbon footprint calculator apps developed by leading experts in carbon footprint analysis, the CoolClimate calculator will account for the carbon emissions of all transportation, energy, food, goods, and services purchased.
CoolClimate uses the ‘consumption-based greenhouse gas accounting’ method. Though it’s focused on individuals, companies can use this app as well to calculate and account for office space, purchases, commuting, energy consumption, and more.  The CoolClimate app is best for its ability to develop personalized climate action plans.
Curious how to write a sustainable travel policy that helps you and your travelers navigate business travel in an eco-friendly way? Get our guide and supercharge your sustainability efforts.
CoolClimate’s key features include:
  • Developed by leading organizations and nonprofits for carbon footprint analysis
  • Compare your reduction targets and progress to other users
The CoolClimate Calculator is available free online as a digital tool.

5. Greenly

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Greenly is an enterprise-focused platform that helps businesses measure, track, and reduce their CO₂ footprint. They offer a free calculator to get started and understand how your business is doing at a glance.
Beyond that, you can then sign up for a full platform to help you understand, manage, track, and create an actionable plan to reduce your carbon emissions. Pricing varies based on your industry, number of employees, and how much support you need on your way to net-zero, but packages start at around €1400.
Greenly’s key features include:
  • Carbon footprint calculator and forecast estimator based on current usage
  • Decarbonization plan based on your needs, goals, and industry
  • Multi-user platform and employee training helps everyone get on board on your journey to net-zero
The Greenly calculator is available online as a digital tool.

Reduce your carbon footprint

Carbon footprint tracker apps are great to track, reduce, and offset your carbon footprint to the lowest possible levels. Action for the climate is how actual progress is made, and calculating your CO₂ emissions is only the first step.
Individuals and companies can minimize their carbon footprint by practicing eco-friendly habits. Each of these five carbon footprint tracker apps can help you transition to a more eco-friendly lifestyle, whether as an individual or for your whole company!
For an all-in-one platform that helps you reduce carbon emissions at the source — by making better travel choices for you and your employees — TravelPerk’s GreenPerk program is the easy way to track, manage, and offset emissions on your way to carbon-neutral. Learn how you can start offsetting your business travel carbon emissions and travel greener.
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