Blog > Last mile delivery

The 6 best apps for delivery drivers to save time and money in 2023

Published on 16 December 2022 • Reading time: 9 min read

The primary role of a delivery driver is to get packages to their destinations on time and in one piece, which is why it’s important to have the right tools to help get the job done as quickly and efficiently as possible. This can be easier said than done though. From heavy traffic to road closures and bad weather, things can happen quickly on the roads and situations can evolve unexpectedly. Being able to react to them in the best way can save time and money and make the life of a delivery driver easier and more stress-free.

We’ve put together a summary of the six essential apps for delivery drivers to make their daily tasks more straightforward and to ensure that their deliveries always arrive on time.

Table of contents

• Google Maps for navigation
• AntsRoute for planning and optimisation
• GasBuddy for gas stations and prices
• WhatsApp for communication
• Flush for bathroom breaks
• Square for in-app payment

Efficient delivery driver apps use powerful algorithms. These applications help deliverymen to ensure that their deliveries are completed on time. It saves time and money and makes the working life of couriers easier and more stress-free.

Best Apps for delivery drivers #1: Google Maps for navigation

Google Maps is one of the leading navigation apps for good reason. Not only does it provide accurate directions and turn-by-turn navigation, but it can be accessed in over 220 countries and territories worldwide, making it one of the most recognisable user interfaces for online mapping in the world.

Traditional paper maps can quickly become out-of-date or might not be detailed enough, but with Google Maps, drivers be sure their route will take them exactly where they need to go. Better still, it will do so while avoiding any potential congestion or delays. Google maps offers real-time traffic updates so that journeys can be planned ahead and adjusted accordingly. This means that if there’s an accident or other delay on the roads, drivers can easily avoid it by following an alternative route, ensuring that deliveries remain on schedule and arrive on time.

Google Maps – the main features at a glance:

• Accessible online and offline
• Turn-by-turn navigation
• Accessed worldwide
• Real-time updates
• Satellite imagery
• Free to purchase

Price of app: Free
Available on: Android & iOS
Capterra rating: 4.7 / 5

Best Apps for delivery drivers #2: AntsRoute for planning and optimisation

AntsRoute is designed specifically for route planning and optimisation. With our smart software solution, delivery drivers can benefit from routes planned in advance that factor in real-time road conditions, driver availability and skill, customer delivery time preference and unexpected delays or holdups. Relying on a route planning and optimisation app rather than trying to manually plan the routes for your workforce is an excellent way to find the most efficient routes possible and ensure time isn’t wasted driving to areas where there are holdups or delays.

AntsRoute is a great solution when it comes to improving the working conditions and motivation of a team of delivery drivers. Making life simpler for your delivery drivers reduces their stress and boosts productivity by making their working lives easier. There is no fear of routes not being found, addresses not being locatable and poorly organised schedules or travel times. Instead, delivery drivers can arrive at work knowing their route has been fully optimised and, even if the day doesn’t go to plan, the software will recalculate things to get them back on track with ease.

AntsRoute – the main features at a glance:

• Route optimisation in a matter of seconds
• Manage working hours, breaks and driver start and end locations
• Customer database integration
• Optimisation of multi-driver routes
• Calendar synchronisation
• Live tracking of drivers using geolocation
• PDF route export
• Route history
• Live chat and help centre available

Price of app: Monthly subscriptions starting from €24 per month
Available on: Android & iOS
Capterra rating: 4.2 / 5

What are the benefits of delivery optimisation software?

1. For your drivers

This application is a valuable tool for drivers:

• The optimised route suggestions help them reach their destination faster.
• The application helps drivers to manage their daily tasks related to the delivery of orders.
• If there are unforeseen events, their schedules are updated live thanks to GPS geolocation technologies.
• Traffic conditions, which are often complex, are taken into account to facilitate their daily work.

The easiest way for drivers starts with a user-friendly interface, which shows the driver the most efficient route to follow. It includes route suggestions to avoid traffic delays.
It involves fewer miles driven and a full visibility of each day. In the end, less stress and bad surprises. The responses to the inevitable hazards are made in real time.

The mobile app, which is available on the Play Store and App Store, is instantly accessible to 100% of the drivers. No prior training is required!

2. For your entire company

The efficient route planning is crucial for any company with logistics activities. The route planner allows drivers to choose the best route by comparing different options and offering an unlimited number of planning possibilities. This means that several stops can be completed efficiently.

For all these reasons, the applications for delivery drivers have become a reliable partner for managing their deliveries. By optimising routes, you save time and reduce your fleet’s fuel consumption. Especially if you are managing multi-depot deliveries, which can become complex to organise for delivery drivers. It means increased productivity, while respecting the welfare and working conditions of UK delivery drivers.

The live monitoring of delivery completion is a guarantee of customer satisfaction. The proof of delivery, which includes customer signature, photos and comments, are very useful to avoid customer claims. The SaaS route planning application is useful for logistics managers and pickers as it gives access to real-time data and makes it easy to analyse the performance. It benefits to the whole business.

Best Apps for delivery drivers #3: GasBuddy for gas stations and prices

Fuel costs are continually rising and have the potential to be one of the greatest expenses for a delivery company – an awareness of fuel costs enables profits to be maximised and helps businesses save money.

GasBuddy is another great app for delivery drivers as it helps them find petrol stations nearby and displays the lowest prices. Not only does this save time searching for fuel if supplies are running low, but it reduces driver worry if they are unable to locate a petrol station themselves. The GasBuddy user interface is designed to be fun and interactive. Once downloaded, users can benefit from deals, earn rewards and accept challenges to help build loyalty and go towards winning free fuel.

GasBuddy works by using crowdsourced data from other users to provide up-to-date information about fuel prices at various locations, allowing drivers to find the lowest price available in their area. Using GasBuddy is simple. All you have to do is type in your location and GasBuddy will find the nearest gas station with the best price for fuel. In a bid to help save fuel costs outside of simply refuelling, GasBuddy also tracks drivers habits and shares hints and tips with them to help use less petrol while on the road.

GasBuddy – the main features at a glance:

• Up-to-date fuel prices
• Simple navigation
• Reduce fuel costs
• Deals, rewards and challenges to win free fuel
• Tracks drivers habits for better fuel efficiency
• Free to set up account

Price of app: Free
Available on: Android & iOS
Capterra rating: not available

Best Apps for delivery drivers #4: WhatsApp for communication

WhatsApp‘s main benefit to delivery drivers is its ability to allow them to communicate in real time with team members, and also with their customers. This feature means that drivers can quickly address any questions or concerns that their customers may have about their deliveries, without having to wait for a response from customer service or from another department within the company. Additionally, it allows them to stay up-to-date on changes to orders and delivery times so they can ensure their customers receive their products on time.

Being compatible with multiple platforms means that WhatsApp can be used on both iOS and Android devices, making it easy for drivers to stay connected while they’re out delivering orders, no matter where they are or what type of device they’re using.

Businesses can create a WhatsApp business profile that is branded for easy recognition by their customers. Every message sent by WhatsApp is secured with end-to-end encryption. It’s completely free to use and it offers a simple and straightforward way to send not only written text messages, but also photos, videos, and audio recordings, all from the one simple-to-use platform.

With WhatsApp, delivery drivers can keep everyone up-to-date on where they are and, if connected to their vehicle via Bluetooth, cable or Apple CarPlay, it can be done without even having to pick up or touch their phone!

WhatsApp – the main features at a glance:

• Real time communication
• Simple to use
• Encrypted for safe message sending
• Photos and voice notes, as well as written messages
• Free to use

Price of app: Free
Available on: Android & iOS
Capterra rating: 4.7 / 5

Best Apps for delivery drivers #5: Flush for bathroom breaks

Finally, Flush is an incredibly useful app for those who spend long hours on the road delivering goods from place-to-place. With Flush, drivers can locate nearby public bathrooms so they don’t have to worry about searching for one during a break, or if they are traveling on an unfamiliar route.

Flush features a database containing more than 200,000 public toilets across the word and has a rating system that allow users to rate each bathroom based on its level of cleanliness. If there are multiple nearby options available, this means that drivers can select the best one. Information such as whether there is disabled access, if the toilet requires a key or code to enter, and whether they are free to use are also available through the app, making selecting the best toilet from those available easier.

Flush – the main features at a glance:

• Public bathroom locating and directions
• Cleanliness ratings
• Accessibility and cost details shown
• Drivers can rate app and leave feedback to improve accuracy
• Free to use

Price of app: Free
Available on: Android & iOS
Capterra rating: not available

Best Apps for delivery drivers #6: Square for in-app payment

Among the latest innovations, we find the in-app payment processing. Square is one of the leading solutions on the market today. This functionality makes it possible for drivers to receive the payments directly through their mobile devices. This is the perfect app to make transactions faster and more convenient for both drivers and customers.

Square has been designed for freelancers, small and medium-sized businesses since its launch in 2009. The tool is easy to set up and use, and particularly useful for companies that don’t want to invest money into a credit card processing system.
In addition to speeding up payments, in-app payment processing tool also improves the safety of delivery drivers has they no longer need to carry large amounts of cash on them.

Square – the main features at a glance:

• Mobile payments
• Send receipts via email or text message
• Offline access
• Payment fraud prevention
• Reporting and analytics

Price of app: The first Square Reader is free. Each additional reader is $10. Square charges 2.6% plus 10 cents per transaction when the customer taps, dips or swipes his card.
Available on: Android & iOS
Capterra rating: 4.7/5

Roads get busy. Weather conditions can be unreliable. Signposts can be misleading or inaccurate. With challenges like these, drivers need reliable tools that make life easier when on the road. Our top six apps for delivery drivers in 2023 can help with navigation, route optimisation, communication, fuel costs, and even with locating toilets. With the help of these apps, deliveries can be completed quicker and with less stress, saving time and money and ensuring a happy and productive workforce, as well as happy customers.