Figuring out the best route takes a lot of time and effort.
It’s not just about dropping pins on a map. You’ve got to sort out the best sequence, track progress, and ensure you’re not burning extra gas or missing appointments.
The best routing apps eliminate guesswork, saving you time, gas, and stress.
But with so many apps out there, how do you know which ones are good?
Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. We tested a bunch of routing apps and narrowed it down to the top five.
Whether you’re looking for something simple or a full-featured route optimizer with all the bells and whistles, there’s something here for you.
So, let’s dive in.
Table of Contents
1. Route4Me
Route4Me’s route planner is your go-to routing app for planning multi-stop routes like a pro.
Since its launch in 2009, Route4Me has planned more than 30 million routes and optimized a whopping 3 billion miles. Our mobile route planner apps have over 2M downloads!
Whether you’re running a small business or a giant enterprise, Route4Me’s got your back.
With cutting-edge machine learning, AI, and data science built right in, Route4Me’s patented tech handles all the constraints—traffic, weather, roadblocks, delivery time windows, vehicle capacity, and more—to give you the fastest route with turn-by-turn directions.
In fact, your routes will be around 35% shorter!
And here’s the kicker: if you’re spending over $3,000 on fuel, Route4Me can help you save more than $1,000.
Plus, you can plan routes with unlimited stops in under 60 seconds.
Route4Me’s multi-stop route optimization software can handle multiple vehicle types, considering their different capacities to ensure everything runs smoothly. Its built-in geocoder even fixes any wrong addresses, so there will be no more delivery failures.
You can also switch drivers, vehicles, and addresses between routes, all while tracking real-time progress.
Route4Me isn’t just about efficiency—it’s also eco-friendly. Known as the “Godfather of Green,” the app has slashed over 10 billion tons of carbon emissions by reducing unnecessary trips.
Key Features
- Route simulation to help you map out the best paths
- Optimization for both single and multi-driver routes
- Voice-guided, turn-by-turn directions so you or your drivers never miss a turn
- Built-in barcode scanner for easy scanning on the go
- API integration to keep everything connected
- Automatic customer alerts to keep your clients updated on their package status
- A customer portal where your customers can track their deliveries in real-time
- You can add GPS-trackable notes, photos, and videos to any stop along the route
- eSignatures right on the screen for easy proof of delivery
- Speed alerts to keep drivers in check when they exceed speed limits
- Syncs up in real-time with your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices
- Geofencing to check drivers in and out of locations automatically
- A built-in commercial GPS tracker to monitor vehicles and drivers in real-time
- Color-coded map markers to spot hot and cold leads easily
- You can schedule routes months in advance with route scheduling
- An interactive map screen to scout out new business opportunities
- Detailed reporting and analytics to track performance and fuel costs
- Driver breaks to make sure drivers stay productive
- Drivers can add notes, photos, or videos to their routes on the go
- Mobile apps for both Android and iOS users
- Territory mapping to divide service areas into perfect zones
- Offline mode so drivers can still navigate and finish stops without an internet connection
Multi-Stop Route Planner App
Pros
- You can dispatch with just one click
- Easy-to-use interface
- Cloud-based, so you can plan, track, and manage routes anywhere, anytime
- You can easily connect Route4Me with your order management system for smooth last-mile delivery
- Plan recurring routes
- 24/7/365 customer support via email, phone, or live chat
- It makes sure the workloads are evenly spread out
- You can instantly re-optimize routes for those last-minute changes
- Works for businesses of any size
- No credit card is needed for the free trial.
Cons
There could be a bit of a learning curve for new users, but don’t worry—Route4Me’s dedicated onboarding team is there to get you up and running in no time!
Free Trial and Pricing
Route4Me gives you a 7-day free trial to try it out.
There are three you’ve got to choose from:
- $40/user/month: For basic route management
- $60/user/month: For route optimization
- $90/user/month: This is for advanced route optimization. It’s the most popular option—perfect for setting business rules, managing mixed fleets, increasing vehicle utilization, and more.
For larger businesses, there’s the Enterprise Optimization plan. It’s fully customizable and offers advanced routing analytics, industry compliance, unique workflows, integrations, and professional services tailored to your needs.
Want To See For Yourself How Route4Me Can Help Plan Efficient Routes?
2. Routific
Routific is a popular routing app, especially for small to medium-sized businesses doing local deliveries.
Routific’s smart algorithm creates multi-stop routes by considering vehicle capacity, delivery time windows, driver shifts, and other constraints.
If you’re running simple deliveries and need an easy, reliable delivery planning app, Routific could be your go-to.
Key Features
- Supports mixed route types, including those with varying start times and heterogenous vehicles.
- Syncs orders from e-commerce platforms to automate workflows
- Real-time tracking
- Electronic proof of delivery
- Automatically sends customer notifications via email or SMS
- Routing engine API
- Delivery performance analytics
- One-click dispatching to drivers
- Timeline view to monitor delivery progress
Free Trial and Pricing
Routific offers a 7-day free trial.
Routific offers one standard pricing plan based on usage. The first 100 orders are free, and the first 1000 orders cost $150 per month.
An additional 100 orders cost $0.15 per order, and the rate per order keeps decreasing as the number of orders increases.
Routific counts each individual order once when it’s assigned to a route.
3. Onfleet
Onfleet is a well-known route planning solution that’s all about delivery management.
With Onfleet, you can easily plan routes with multiple stops, dispatch drivers, and track everything in real time. It also works smoothly with navigation apps like Google Maps, Waze, and Apple Maps.
You can even search for routes using simple keywords like a customer’s name, delivery instructions, or the current status of an order.
Onfleet also makes it super easy for customers to stay in the loop—they can message or call the driver, contact center, or dispatcher with just one tap.
Key Features
- Live tracking of drivers
- Barcode scanning
- Digital proof of delivery
- Auto-assign feature to evenly distribute the workload
- In-app chat so drivers can communicate with both dispatchers and customers
- Automatic SMS notifications to keep customers updated
- Driver analytics
Free Trial and Pricing
Onfleet gives you a 14-day free trial to try it out.
Their basic plan costs $550 monthly and includes up to 2,000 deliveries or pickups. A higher-tier plan with more monthly tasks and features costs $1,265.
Onfleet offers custom plans for bigger businesses, but you’ll need to contact them directly for pricing information.
4. OptimoRoute
OptimoRoute is perfect for both field and delivery services.
It helps you plan routes quickly, factoring in vehicle load, travel time, and driver work hours. The company claims you can easily handle many daily pickups and deliveries without a hitch.
You can customize driver profiles with shift schedules (breaks and overtime included), vehicle types, skills, start and end locations, and speed and cost preferences.
Key Features
- Real-time tracking and ETA
- Built-in analytics
- Return to depot functionality
- Digital proof of delivery, such as electronic customer signature
- Custom notifications through email and SMS
- Real-time route changes
- Dedicated driver app
- Workload balancing
- Barcode scanning
- Breadcrumb Tracking to compare planned routes with the actual ones
Free Trial and Pricing
OptimoRoute gives you a 30-day free trial to test it out.
They’ve got three pricing options: the ‘Lite’ plan starts at $39 per driver/month, and the ‘Pro’ plan, with more features, is $49 per driver/month.
If you’re a big business with many orders, they’ll create a custom plan with advanced support and features—note that the pricing for this isn’t listed upfront.
5. Upper
Upper Route Planner is ideal for small and medium-sized businesses looking to optimize their delivery routes. It allows you to upload up to 500 addresses and plan routes quickly.
Upper considers traffic, delivery distance, time windows, and driver availability to give you the most efficient route.
Key Features
- Route scheduling
- Offline mode
- Live driver tracking
- One-click driver dispatch
- Electronic proof of delivery
- API integration
- Reporting and analytics
- Customer notifications
Free Trial and Pricing
You can try Upper Route Planner for free for 7 days.
There are three pricing plans:
- Essentials Plan: $150/month minimum for 3 users, including 250 stops.
- Growth Plan: $300/month minimum for 5 users, 500 stops, plus extra features like proof of delivery and custom fields.
- Enterprise Plan: Contact them for a custom quote for over 500 stops and all the advanced features.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Best Routing Apps
What is the best app to plan a route?
Is there a better route planner than Google Maps?
What is the best route planner for free?
What is the best directions app?
Is there a free app for routing multiple addresses?
Final Thoughts about Best Routing Apps in 2024
Picking the right vehicle routing software is critical to making your delivery operations run smoothly and boosting profits.
There are many great options, such as Route4Me, OptimoRoute, Routific, Upper, and Onfleet—each offering unique benefits based on your specific needs.
If you’ve basic route planning requirements, Routific might be a good fit.
But if you need something more advanced and comprehensive, Route4Me is the way to go. It’s perfect for businesses of any size—whether you’re running a small business or managing a large fleet.
Don’t just take out word for it—give Route4Me a spin with a free 7-day trial and see the results for yourself.