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8 Best Delivery Route Planner Software (2023)

Published on 20 December 2022 • Reading time: 13 min read

Table of contents

• What is a delivery route planner?
• How do I choose the best delivery route planner?
  1. Google Maps
  2. AntsRoute
  3. Optimoroute
  4. Upper
  5. Route XL
  6. Circuit
  7. MapQuest Route Planner
  8. Route4me

Efficient Delivery Route Planner Software is based on powerful algorithms. These software tools guarantee professionals gains in productivity while improving customer satisfaction.

What is a delivery route planner?

A delivery route planner is an automated service that provides the most efficient route for journeys with multiple stops. When optimized, route planning software takes the hard work out of manual route planning, considering several factors to determine the quickest and most cost-effective route for a company or individual’s particular operations.

The most basic delivery route planning software will take into account factors like the distance between each stop, the speed at which can be travelled between them, and the cost of fuel needed to get to each stop. In addition, good route planning software will consider potential obstacles like traffic congestion, stop lights and pedestrian crossings. The best delivery route planners are tailored to your specific industry and business constraints, optimizing the route dependent on variables including:

• Product or service type ;
• Priority of each delivery ;
• Vehicle speed & capacity ;
• Available staff and shift patterns ;
• Loading capacity ;
• Client time constraints ;
• Access times & locations.

How do I choose the best delivery route planner?

The delivery route planner you choose for your business operations or individual needs should meet a comprehensive list of criteria that specifically address the solutions you seek. Consider how large your delivery or field operation fleet is, before weighing up how much you can invest in route planning and optimization to help you find an option suited to your scale of business.

We’ve rounded up the 8 best delivery route planner software along with their costs, benefits and limitations. From the basic route planners that will get you to point A to B in the shortest time, to optimization services that simplify the most complex logistical challenges – discover the best delivery route planner for you.

1. Google Maps

Mobile app: Available on Android and iOS
Cost per month: Free
Capterra rating: 4.7 / 5

Google Maps is a well-known route-planning service that enables users to plot up to 10 stops on one journey. As a widely-used personal navigation app, the most attractive quality of Google Maps is that most people already know how to use it – with 1 in 4 web users choosing Google Maps as their preferred navigation service.

The free service offers an intuitive interface, making it one of the most accessible route planners out there. Equipped with real-time traffic updates and automatic rerouting in the event of wrong turns, Google Maps offers a seamless user experience – so long as your operations are relatively uncomplicated, with few stops and few business constraints.

Google Maps currently does not offer an automated solution for optimizing journeys, and instead simply determines your route in the order that stops are added to the journey. This means drivers must manually optimize their route, leaving room for human error while absorbing precious time and resources. Uers can only add a maximum of 10 stops to their route, with no options to consider business constraints like the priority of deliveries or vehicle capacity.

Google Maps is an incredible tool for personal route planning but falls short of the specific solutions most businesses require for automating their delivery logistics.

2. AntsRoute

Mobile app: Available on Android and iOS
Cost per mont: from €24.00/month (free trial available)
Capterra rating: 4.2 / 5

AntsRoute is a delivery route planner and optimization software used by leading companies as a solution to field service and delivery route logistics. Addressing a wide variety of business constraints, Antsroute is used by brands in a variety of sectors, from pharmaceutical and healthcare to food delivery, retail and logistics – making Antsroute a highly adaptable service that suits an array of business models.

Beyond simply directing you from point A to B, Antsroute uses innovative automation technology to integrate the simple factors of distance, cost and travel time with the more complex, variable constraints of a business, such as:

• Staff shift patterns & lunch breaks ;
• Customer availability ;
• Vehicle capacity ;
• Loading capacity ;
• Collection & drop off opening hours.

AntsRoute saves up to 35% on fleet operating costs and 20% on mileage; an attractive benefit for companies looking to reduce their carbon footprint while boosting profits. Users also experience an improvement in working conditions and a more satisfied customer base.

AntsRoute will help you execute impeccable customer service. One of the most attractive qualities of AntsRoute is transparency, with the ability to follow the progress of drivers and field workers in real-time with geotracking. This means customers are updated with punctual SMS or email notifications spanning a number of scenarios – such as their estimated delivery time, when their product or service is en route, confirmation of the delivery or opportunity to reschedule to a suitable time. Accessibility is another major benefit of the app, providing users access to 24/7 booking.

Features of Antsroute:

• User-friendly platform ;
• One-click work order import through Excel ;
• Single-click route dispatch to the driver on the iOS and Android mobile application ;
• Pick-up & delivery features ;
• Proof of delivery collection and automated service report creation ;
• Real-time sync across all tools ;
• Integration with many apps including WooCommerce, Odoo and Zapier ;
• Tracking link sent to customers.

3. Optimoroute

Mobile app: Available on Android and iOS
Cost per mont: from $39.00/month (free trial available)
Capterra rating: 4.5 / 5

Optimoroute has a simple, matter-of-fact interface and is a highly useable app – despite the complexity of sophisticated algorithms that take behind the scenes. As the name suggests, Optimoroute optimizes driver’s routes, to produce efficient journeys that Capterra reports to save 20% of fuel and driving expenses.

Created for a plethora of business types, from small businesses and freelancers to large enterprises, users can easily scale up their delivery and field work logistics as their business grows – making the most of this extremely flexible app.

Optimoroute is a great app for drivers themselves. Users are able to simply import data from Excel, choose their number of drivers and have the route optimized for each driver – better yet, the drivers can import their routes to Google Maps, a delivery route planner most are familiar with.

Features of Optimoroute:

• Import routes via spreadsheets
• Mid-route changes available
• Live tracking
• Personal driver settings
• CRM

4. Upper

Mobile app: Available on Android and iOS
Cost per mont: from $39.99/month (free trial available)
Capterra rating: 5 / 5 (only one review)

Upper is a route planner best suited to small to medium businesses looking to plan and optimize their dispatch routes – with the choice to select the fastest or the shortest route. Simplicity is at the core of Upper’s approach to route planning – which allows users to upload hundreds of delivery destinations in XLS or CSV format, in order to find the best, most cost-effective route.

Subscribers include couriers, retail brands, flower merchants and food delivery services, with customers benefitting from proof of delivery and automated, real-time notifications that are customizable. Users find Upper a good app to nurture the growth of their small business delivery logistics, allowing them to take on more orders while becoming more profitable.

A drawback of Upper is there is no mobile app – however, drivers can add suggested routes to their preference of Google Maps or Apple Maps.

Features of Upper:

• Import addresses from Excel
• Schedule ahead of time
• Consideration of vehicle type
• Proof of delivery

5. Route XL

Mobile app: Available on Android and iOS
Cost per mont: Free version available, or from €35/month
Capterra rating: 3.5 / 5

If you’re a small business testing the waters with delivery route planning, the web-based delivery route planner Route XL could be a good place to start. With a free version available, you can add up to 20 locations to one journey, which will be optimized to lower driving time and fuel requirements. The paid-for version does exactly that, with options to add up to 200 stops per journey.

Route XL is less suitable for large or fast-growing businesses. While some software listed allow driver personalization of settings, Route XL offers a one-size-fits-all approach. Stops are delivered to drivers via print or email, meaning they must manually add their route to their preferred mapping service, and there is no way to implement updates mid-route.

Features of Route XL:

• Geocoding
• Task distribution
• Work order delivery
• GPS tracking
• Routing alerts

6. Circuit

Mobile app: Available on Android and iOS
Cost per mont: Free version available, or from $20/month
Capterra rating: 4.8 / 5

Another good choice for individuals and small to medium businesses, Circuit has a simple, clear interface with the option to optimize routes for either individuals or teams, which is a distinction offered by few of the other delivery route apps targeted at small businesses.

Circuit enables users to solve problems quickly and efficiently while meeting their desired customer service standards by managing and optimizing in real-time. As well as transparent, real-time tracking, Circuit allows dispatchers to provide status updates, estimated arrival times and proof of delivery.

Circuit offers a free version with the ability to add up to 10 stops, or a paid-for version for up to 500 stops with the additional benefit of planning routes for multiple drivers.

Features of Circuit:

• Delivery tracking
• Dispatch management
• Driver management
• Live driver tracking
• Mobile access
• Proof of delivery
• Reporting & analytics
• Route optimization
• Scheduling

7. MapQuest Route Planner

Mobile app: Available on Android and iOS
Cost per mont: Free version available, or from $20/month
Capterra rating: not available

One of the best options of free delivery route planners, MapQuest offers a simple route planning system for no cost. There are limitations to the free version of this app, which allows just one driver to add up to 26 stops to a journey. Subscribing to the paid version of MapQuest will allow you to enter further destinations to suit your needs – but pricing starts at a steep $99 per month.

Simply import a spreadsheet of your destinations to have MapQuest work out your optimized route – but be aware that adding more stops is not possible, and your route won’t adapt to real-time inconveniences like traffic or wrong turns.

Unlike most software listed, MapQuest optimizes route planning for drivers and walkers, with the option to prefer the shortest distance vs the quickest route. MapQuest popular amongst individuals hiking and vacationing – however, the free app offers few solutions to the complex, logistical needs of businesses. Route management is relatively basic compared to other delivery route planning software.

Features of MapQuest:

• Voice-guided navigation
• POI search
• Real-time traffic updates
• Speedometer to collate the current speed with route destination

8. Route4me

Mobile app: Available on Android and iOS
Cost per mont: $199/month
Capterra rating: 4.4 / 5

A great solution for large businesses with complex constraints, Route4Me is on the more costly side of delivery route planning software. The high price reflects a hard-working software with a long list of tailorable add-ons you can choose to suit your needs. The highly adaptable service offers incredibly granular add-ons, including curbside delivery and predictive weather.

Simply copy and paste or upload your delivery list and see your route optimized in typically 10 seconds, regardless of the size of your fleet. Users see driving time reduced by 35% on average, meaning businesses can streamline their staff and payroll while saving fuel costs.

This likely isn’t the best route planning service for small businesses or individuals, due to a relatively high cost. Plus, there are a lot of add-ons that simply aren’t needed for small-scale operations. Route4Me is instead a reliable investment for growing and large companies with the logistical and time-sensitive constraints of managing large fleets.

Features of Route4me:

• GPS tracking and driver data collection
• Add-ons mean you can tailor to your business needs
• Quick optimization, in maximum 60 seconds
• Route monitoring
• CRM
• Electronic signature