9 Best Delivery Route Planner Apps

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Delivery Route Planner Apps can help you create, manage, and optimize your delivery routes, helping you make the most of your day. Here is an in-depth review of the 8 Best Delivery Route Planner Apps for 2023.

Success as a delivery driver only happens when you can create and find your routes easily, allowing you to speed up your deliveries.

What is a delivery route planner app?

As a last-mile delivery driver or courier service, you know that time and expedient deliveries are crucial to business success.

Having a delivery route planner app on your mobile device that can be used to help plan efficient routes and optimize your time on the road is critical to customer satisfaction. Using a delivery route planner application saves time and money and optimizes your delivery routes.

Delivery route planner applications give users access to real-time updates and customizable settings that allow drivers to adjust their delivery routes while on the road and ensure that deliveries are always on time and on track.

Our nine best delivery route planner apps review will look at the following:

Out of the many route planner apps on the market, the best are:

  1. Locate2u
  2. Upper Route Planner app
  3. Google Maps
  4. SpeedyRoute route planner app
  5. Waze route planner app
  6. Route4Me route planner app
  7. RoadWarrior planner app
  8. Circuit Route Planner app
  9. TransVirtual Fleet Management app

Deliver Route Planner Apps takeaways

  1. Route planner apps save time and money by optimizing drivers’ routes, making creating an efficient route, and avoiding traffic delays.
  2. Look for features like real-time traffic updates, GPS app integration, unique customization, and multiple-stop optimization.
  3. Business and delivery drivers can use route planner apps to improve the number of completed last-mile deliveries, prioritize all courier deliveries, and improve overall customer service and satisfaction.

Route Planning vs. Route Optimisation

Regarding logistics and Routing, the terms “route planning” and “route optimization” can appear as the same. However, they are two entirely different services. 

If you operate your fleet, you’ll know how expensive and time-consuming transportation can be for your business, especially if fleet operators still use pen and paper or spreadsheets. 

Companies must reduce unnecessary costs and ensure their drivers are on the most time-effective route to find the appropriate routing solution. 

Route planning involves organizing routes on a map with a start and end point. On the other hand, route optimization is not only limited to creating a delivery route but also improving a delivery route’s efficiency for your driver. 

The main objective of a delivery route planning app is to build as many stops as possible while reducing time spent on the road. Another difference is that route optimization is equipped to handle modern organizations, unlike route planning.

Four key features of any delivery app

The best delivery route planning apps have the following four key features:

  1. Integration with navigational and business-related applications like inventory management or CRM systems.
  2. Multi-stop optimization allows you to create efficient delivery routes.
  3. Customizable application settings will enable you to customize the application to your preferences and needs.
  4. Real-time traffic updates help drivers avoid traffic jams and unnecessary traffic delays.

The 9 Best Delivery Route Planner Apps

Here is our list of the 9 Best Delivery Route planner apps:

Locate2u

(5.0)

Best for Businesses

Locate2u is the all in one tool for your delivery business.

  1. Number of Stops: Unlimited
  2. Router Optimization: Yes
  3. Multiple routes: Yes
  4. Mobile and web: Yes
  5. Best for Businesses
  6. Price: Free 14-day trial, $15/month (GPS per driver), $260/month, and an Enterprise option

Locate2u is a fleet management software created to help businesses streamline GPS tracking, route optimization, and dispatching operations.

Locate2u is our top delivery route planner app pick as the platform excels at route planning, optimizing delivery routes, planning multi stop delivery routes and provides users with real time route optimization and a premium range of key features.

The platform lets managers manage bookings, track multiple drivers and their locations, and capture and store customer data in a centralized repository.

The platform allows organizations to send customers live locations and estimated arrival times (ETA) via text. It offers a variety of features such as analytics, asset tracking, mobile support, communication management, scheduling, and more.

Locate2u lets managers track the status of bookings and team members, monitor drivers’ speed and driving performance, maintain logs of dispatching jobs, and handle billing processes. It also helps drivers capture and store customers’ electronic signatures and photos as proof of delivery.

Locate2u offers an API that allows businesses to integrate with several third-party booking platforms. Supervisors can use the application to optimize retail store deliveries, track vehicles, heavy trailers, equipment, and bins, assign deliveries to specific drivers, and generate custom reports.

Pricing

  • GPS -$15 /seat/mo (Billed monthly) -Created to monitor your team using phones or GPS devices
  • PREMIUM – $260 /4 seats/mo (Billed monthly) + ($55 for additional seats/mo) – Ideal for customers looking for a complete booking management solution with driver route optimization! It also features item scanning, email alerts, and integration capabilities.
  • ENTERPRISEContact Locate2u -If you’re a large business with more than 50 users and interested in using our API, get in touch! We’d love to help create a custom solution just for you.

Pros

  • Real-time route optimization
  • Driver tracking
  • Multi-stop delivery route planning
  • Easy to use platform
  • Premium Features
  • Affordable

Cons

  • Small platform learning curve

Upper Route Planner

Best Delivery Route Planner
  • Number of free stops: 0
  • Number of paid stops: Unlimited
  • Route optimization: Yes
  • Multiple routes: Yes
  • Mobile and web: Mobile -for individual drivers

The Upper Route Planner app is a delivery route planning and optimization software platform that offers users two options.

The first option is marketed towards small to medium-sized businesses (SMEs) to streamline and manage daily delivery operations.

Upper Route Planner app will save regular routes and automatically optimize delivery routes to the same locations.

The app uses a delivery route optimization and panning algorithm designed to save drivers fuel.

You can adjust settings such as driving preferences, vehicle type, and service time, including car, bike, van, or truck settings.

Pricing

  • $1.99 a day -24-hour pass
  • $4.99 a week
  • $19.99 a month
  • $79.99 a year

Pros

  • Google Maps, Waze, and other navigation tool integration
  • Proof of delivery and route optimization
  • Customizable vehicle-type settings

Cons

  • User reports of inefficient route optimization
  • No time spent at a stop calculations
  • No free plan options
  • Too many pricing options

The Upper Route Planner application offers paying users unlimited stops and the ability to plan multiple routes on mobile devices. Keep in mind that the optimization feature may only sometimes be reliable.

Google Maps

Best for Individual drivers
  1. Number of stops: 10
  2. Route optimization: No
  3. Multiple routes: No
  4. Mobile and web: Yes
  5. Best for: Individual drivers

Plenty of drivers use and understand Google Maps.

Google Maps is a free route planner app that is great for directions and is being used as a personal navigation map system. Maps also provide researchers with reliable data that can help create real-time emissions hotspots. Maps do this by recording detailed information that helps researchers understand traffic patterns on busy roads.

Maps route planner is relatively easy to use until you want to add multiple stops to your route. Route planning with maps can become a time-consuming task. However, when planned properly, you can add multiple stops.

Google Maps limits the number of stops its users can add to a route, and for longer delivery routes, the ten-stop limit can cost both business and time.

Another feature that Google Maps misses is users needing access to route optimization.
To many users, Google Maps may be the best accessible route planning application, but it doesn’t offer users route optimization and limits the number of stops to 10 addresses.

Pros

  • It is free and relatively user-friendly, particularly if you only have a few daily deliveries.
  • Re-routes around accidents and traffic jams.
  • Many users are familiar with the app and have it on their mobile devices.

Cons

  • Time-consuming to add multi-stops.
  • No route optimization
  • There are limited stops; you can only include your starting location and nine other stops.

Google Maps is free to use on both web and mobile apps. Google is best suited for short routes.

SpeedyRoute route planner app

Best for Route optimization
  • Number of free stops: 10
  • Number of paid stops: Unlimited
  • Route optimization: Yes
  • Multiple routes: Yes
  • Mobile and web: Not available on iPhone
  • Best for: Route optimization

SpeedyRoute offers users a free web service when calculating delivery routes with ten or fewer stops. If you need to optimize routes with more than ten stops within a 24-hour period, you must pay SpeedyRoute’s subscription fee.

SpeedyRoute is also suitable for fleet use and offers teams route optimization for multiple delivery vehicles.

Pricing

  • $39/month – One Driver limit and 100 stops per delivery route
  • $69/month – Five drivers limit and 500 stops per delivery route
  • $99/month – Ten driver limit and unlimited stops per delivery route

Pros

  • Route Optimization
  • Flexible subscription rates
  • Available around the world
  • Free for the first ten stops

Cons

  • Ten-stop limit on free option
  • Not available for iOS
  • Expensive option for single drivers

SpeedyRoute prioritizes route optimization and allows businesses to plan multiple routes with up to ten stops for free. SpeedyRoute is a great option for short routes and companies with a fleet of drivers.

Waze route planner app

Best for Short routes
  • Number of stops: 2
  • Route optimization: No
  • Multiple routes: No
  • Mobile and web: Yes
  • Best for: Short routes

Waze is another free route planner app that is also a popular GPS app gaining traction as a route-planning and navigation tool.

Waze provides turn-by-turn directions and offers real-time accident reports, traffic updates, and other valuable features that can help you quickly navigate the roads.

Waze route planning app. Control your music and podcasts without switching apps.

Pros

  • Waze is available on iOS and Android and is free.
  • Control your music and podcasts without within Waze.
  • User-friendly app that is easy to navigate,
    Turn-by-turn directions.
  • Real-time updates

Cons

  • There needs to be a dedicated route planning feature.
  • Relies on user-generated data.
  • Less widely used than Google Maps.
  • Multi-Stops are limited to two stops.
Waze may be a better route-planning app than Google Maps and is worth using if you have super-short routes.

Limitations of Free Route Planner Apps

A free route planning app can save fuel and time when you have to make multiple stops. However, free route planner apps limit the number of stops you can add to a number between 10-20 stops.

Free delivery route planner apps vs. Locate2u

Free route planner apps can be an alternative for businesses wanting to reduce costs and utilize fewer resources to complete bookings. This is the most affordable option, as you are not required to spend any income to gain access to a route planner. However, free applications don’t offer multi-stop routes and unlimited stops.

Free applications take longer to plan routes for multiple vehicles, losing business valuable time and making it impossible for larger businesses to deliver. 

Locate2u, a Delivery Management Software, provides users quality route optimization software.

Locate2u is the perfect solution for businesses wanting to improve their fleet’s performance, reduce stress, and save time. Locate2u’s software can create the most time-effective routes for multiple vehicles in seconds. 

Unlike free route planning technology, Locate2U’s route optimization allows users to plan dozens of stops and modify routes to suit any last-minute changes to their schedule. Increasing your business’s productivity, enabling you to make as many daily bookings as possible. 

Free route planning might seem like the better option, but sometimes, spending the money and working on improving your business is more profitable. With Locate2u, you can optimize and arrange bookings and optimize routes to keep your operations running efficiently.

Route4me route planner

Best for Short routes
  • Number of free stops: 10
  • Number of paid stops: Unlimited stops
  • Route optimization: Yes
  • Multiple routes: Yes
  • Mobile and web: Mobile is only available for individual drivers

Route4Me offers services on a website and iPhone, iPad, and Android apps.

It lets users enter thousands of stops and provides users with maps with route lines, optimized route listings, and turn-by-turn walking or driving directions.

Users can choose from two different application options:

Dynamic Routing is designed for businesses and SMEs whose driving routes change a few times a week or daily.

Scheduled & Recurring Routing is designed for companies that visit the same address regularly.

Pricing

Route4Me offers ten free stops for ten routes each month on their mobile-only plan. Users will need to pay for a monthly or yearly subscription for unlimited routes and stops. The pricing is as follows:

  • A $10 monthly fee
  • A $79 annual fee

Route4me also offers in-app purchases.

Pros

  • Progress tracking
  • Virtual Address Book
  • Route distance calculation and distance tracker.

Cons

  • In-app purchases
  • Poorly designed and challenging user interface and application
  • Reports of issues with route optimization reliability

The Route4Me delivery route planner lets users save addresses, track delivery progress, and calculate route length and time. However, users should be aware of additional costs thanks to the in-app purchases, reported optimization reliability issues, and a poorly built interface.

RoadWarrior route planner app

Best for Individual drivers with shorter routes
  • Number of free stops: 8
  • Number of paid stops: Unlimited
  • Route optimization: Yes
  • Multiple routes: Yes
  • Mobile and web: Mobile-only for individual drivers
  • Best for: Individual drivers with shorter routes

It is an excellent application option for delivery fleets or individual delivery drivers.

The system also considers traffic, drop-off priority, school zones, building adjustable optimized routes, and business availability.

The RoadWarrior Flex plan provides users with FedEx integration.

Pricing

  • Route size of 120 stops for $10 a month
  • Route size of 120 stops/month for $100 per year

Pros

  • RoadWarrior can be used by fleets and individual drivers
  • Cost-effective
  • Bulk address upload
  • OnTrac drivers and FedEx integrations

Cons

  • Maximum of 8 stops per route on the free plan
  • No proof of delivery
  • Reports of a hard-to-use and slow app that has errors with route optimization.

The RoadWarrior route planner app helps drivers plan their routes. But, the free and paid option has daily stops per route limits. Reports show that the app can be buggy and errors with the route optimizations.

Circuit route planner app

Best for Individual drivers and route optimization
  • Number of free stops: 10
  • Number of paid stops: Unlimited
  • Route optimization: Yes
  • Multiple routes: Yes
  • Mobile and web: Yes
  • Best for: Individual drivers and route optimization

Circuit Route Planner allows users to plan a route of up to ten stops for free; as an added benefit, the application provides users with a seven-day trial of their Pro plan to test out their unlimited routes feature.

Circuit Route Planner offers users additional bonus features that other GPS navigation apps don’t.

Circuit Route Planner offers route monitoring and optimization.

Pricing

  • Free – to 10 stops per delivery route
  • $20/month – Up to 500 stops per delivery route

Pros

  • Seven-day trial of the Pro plan
  • Users can optimize up to 500 delivery stops to avoid backtracking and traffic
  • Google Maps and Waze Integration

Cons

  • The free option has a ten-stops per-delivery route limit.
  • Reported issues with inaccurate route optimization.

Circuit Route Planner offers its users Google Maps and Waze integration. You can even prioritize your deliveries and set time windows. However, the free option limits you to only ten stops per route.

TransVirtual Fleet Management App

Best for small-to-mid-sized companies
  • Route optimization: Yes
  • Multiple routes: Yes
  • Mobile and web: Yes
  • Best for: Small-to-mid-sized companies

TransVirtual is a cloud-based transport management system (TMS) designed to boost productivity and business operational efficiency. TransVirtual centralizes automation, delivery tracking, and fleet management on a single platform. TransVirtual offers users features that include GPS tracking, delivery route optimization, track and trace capabilities, and more.

TransVirtual is a web-based portal that manages every element from pickup to delivery while offering business multi-carrier support resulting in freight management in a centralized platform.

Pricing

TransVirtual offers its users no upfront costs and only charges $0.25c per con note (Consignment note), they don’t provide potential customers with any information about the free trial or their pricing structure.

Pros

  • Premium selection of features
  • Cloud-based TMS
  • iOS and Android mobile apps
  • Last-mile optimization

Cons

  • No clear pricing structure
  • No 24/7 Live Support
  • Reports of the mapping software not accurate enough and needing improvement
  • Reported issues of difficulty learning the platform

TransVirtual offers users a free trial and can be installed as cloud-based software and on-premise. While TransVirtual offers its users premium features that can be accessed via mobile and Windows devices.

Advice for Delivery Route Optimization

There are always ways to make delivery route optimization apps. Here are a few tips for you:

  • Group deliveries by location: This reduces travel time and mileage and improves delivery efficiency by grouping deliveries by location.
  • Prioritize deliveries based on distance, size, and urgency. This ensures that the first deliveries are the most critical.
  • Utilize real-time traffic features: Some delivery route planner apps have a real-time traffic update feature that helps drivers avoid traffic jams and delays and keep their delivery schedule on track.
  • Stay in touch with customers: Tell them when to expect their package and delivery status, which will help reduce delivery errors and improve customer satisfaction.

Don't Just Plan, Optimise With Locate2u

Locate2u is a Delivery Management Software whose quality route optimization engine reduces hours spent on planning routes and organizing bookings, saving you time, money, and not to mention stress. This technology lets you know where your drivers are through real-time tracking to give your customers accurate ETAs. Doing so improves their overall experience and increases their likelihood of reusing your services.

Locate2u is the all in one tool for your delivery business.

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