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Best Route Planner Apps in 2021

Emphasizing the increasing importance of choosing the best route planner app for businesses in the post-COVID 19 era, highlighting key considerations such as cost, user experience, and integration capabilities.

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In the year 2021, using the best route planner app available to your business will become increasingly important. In the aftermath of COVID 19 and the post-coronavirus world, the best route optimization software for the distribution industry, food delivery, and roadwarriors of all kinds will become increasingly important.

“What is the best route planner software on the market today?” is the challenge. It’s never easy to find the right app. There are services like Capterra and GetApp that provide route planning software recommendations. The issue with these kinds of directory pages is that quantity trumps consistency. These pages have a lot of applications, but the consistency of the information isn’t always the best. There are several factors to consider, including costs, subscriptions, and support features. You’ll need a person to review and rate the apps to get a better idea of which ones are worth your time.

With this goal in mind, we wrote this post. Before offering our fast takes on the top of the class when it comes to route planners, we’ll go over some fundamentals, such as what makes the best route planner app.

Table of Contents

  • The Best Route Planner Apps
  • Route Planning 101
  • How to Choose the Best Route Planner App
  • Top 6 Best Route Planner Apps to Try in 2021
  • What is the Best Route Planner Software?
  • What is the Best Free Route Planner App?
  • Final Thoughts

The Best Route Planner Apps

Best Free Route Planner App: Google Maps

Google Maps is a free service for those who want to plan a road. We’ve all heard about and used this app, which has become the industry norm for most people.

Best Route Planner App for Deliveries: EasyRoutes

EasyRoutes is a well-designed route planning framework that increases the efficiency of your deliveries. It’s ideal for companies that have a lot of deliveries and drivers.

Best Route Planner App for Field Sales: Badger Maps

Badger Maps is a route-planning app for salespeople. This app is a must-have if you’re in the business of selling and planning sales trips.

Route Planning 101

Courier drivers, delivery drivers, fleet managers, dispatchers, and others use route planning software to maximize trips with multiple stops.

Who uses Route Planning?

It’s important to recognize that none of the services available are a “one-size-fits-all” solution.Each type of user has a different routing mechanism, different needs, and may need different features. The best route planner app for one use may not be the best for another. Let’s look at some user examples:

  • Big couriers like UPS, FedEx, DHL;
  • Small couriers and last-mile delivery
  • Any small businesses that do a delivery service;
  • Sales representatives (or sales reps);
  • Fleet management companies;
  • Insurance agents;
  • Field management services.

How to Choose the Best Route Planner App

As previously mentioned, there are several different types of users. That means that not all clients can benefit from the “best overall” optimization tools. All hinges on the company’s and customers’ efficiency increasing. The increase in productivity gives you a sense of how much software is worth paying for. Some people have more than others when it comes to distribution addresses. We want you to be able to use software that is appropriate for your needs and circumstances. To choose the best program for you, we recommend following a process. Here are some things to think about when choosing route optimization tools to assist you.

  • The price and overall cost of the app. Is there a setup fee?
  • Can you easily switch plans (for example, move up to a Pro plan if you out grow your initial plan)
  • How is the User Experience design? Is it the app easy to pick up and use without the need for advanced training? Is it flexible? Mobile-friendly?
  • How many vehicles are in your the fleet?
  • Things specific to the nature of your business: sales vs. delivery vs. field service;
  • Can you get drive times and ETAs?
  • Can you sort by the delivery dates and times customers have selected?
  • How many stops (addresses, destinations, and locations) can be added?
  • Is there a mobile-friendly driver view or an app (IOS or Android)?
  • Is there a map?
  • Can you get stop-by-stop directions easily?
  • Fuel and gas efficiency, distance tracking.
  • Traffic Data (such as traffic jams);
  • Account management settings and variety of choice of options and settings to customer your experience
  • Can you easily find, connect to, or import your order data? (Integration is best…using spreadsheets can be cumbersome)
  • How are payments processed and handled (including Google payments, Apple Pay, all major credit cards)?
  • Language and territory capabilities;
  • Quality of “find route” features;
  • The overall quality of the underlying technology, computer science, and algorithm;
  • What platform is it on (Shopify, iPhone, iPad tablet, Android 5.0, desktop, web tools, Windows) and what integrations does it have? Is it cross-platform (web-based applications like EasyRoutes usually are);
  • Quality of the app on the mobile device for drivers and everyone;
  • Real-time progress updates;
  • Is it well supported?
  • Is it well reviewed?
  • What navigation apps does it integrate with (Google Maps, Apple Maps, Waze)?

Top 6 Best Route Planner Apps to Try in 2021

EasyRoutes

EasyRoutes is a delivery route planner app for local deliveries that makes it easy to schedule a route. You can then take your routes and share them with drivers, or you can deliver them yourself using our mobile-friendly driver mode.

Shopify and your store’s orders are effortlessly integrated with EasyRoutes. You won’t have to waste time exporting and importing spreadsheets anymore. Simply pick the orders you want to send, and EasyRoutes will calculate the most cost-effective delivery path.

Main Features:

  • Utilizes all orders
  • Share Routes
  • Driver Mode
  • Edit Routes
  • Proof of Delivery
  • Add Custom Stops
  • Notify Customers
  • Mark as Delivered
  • Drive Times/ETAs
  • Time Per Stop
  • Smart Route-Splitting
  • Route Inventory
  • No Bad Addresses
  • Customizable Views
  • Get Directions

Platforms:

  • Web-Based, Cloud, SaaS
  • Shopify
  • iOS & Android

Pros:

  • Can create routes in seconds
  • Create multiple routes at once
  • Integrated directly with orders (no importing!)
  • An easy-to-use interface with a lot of settings
  • Easy to share routes with drivers
  • Great for SMBs
  • Notifications to customers work well
  • Route editing is powerful
  • Easy to get directions in Google Maps, Apple Maps or Waze
  • Drivers get their own mobile-friendly delivery view
  • Outstanding customer support
  • Photo Proof of delivery with multiple photos
  • Easy to add custom stops

Cons:

  • At the time of this writing it is currently a Shopify-only app
  • No native IOS or Android applications yet (but the web-view works amazingly)

Route4Me

Route4Me is a simple route planning app that allows you to build, share, and manage optimized routes in seconds. Field sales, field marketing, field support, territory management, and other distribution companies will all benefit from it. It generates an optimized route listing with turn-by-turn driving directions, trucking directions, or walking directions in minutes. It helps you to save routes for later use and send them to others via email.

Main Features:

  • Dispatch Management
  • Driver Management
  • Performance Metrics
  • Drag & Drop Scheduling
  • Live Driver Tracking
  • Territory Management
  • Barcode Support
  • Routing
  • Scheduling
  • Customer Database
  • Job Assignment Management
  • GPS Tracking
  • Work Order Management
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Order Entry
  • Customer Portal
  • Mobile Signature
  • Delivery Tracking
  • Fuel Management
  • Inventory Management
  • Mileage Tracking
  • VIN Lookup
  • Employee Management
  • Cross Docking
  • Shipping Management
  • Mobile Access

Platforms:

  • Web-Based, Cloud, SaaS
  • App Store – iPhone/iPad
  • Google Play – Android
  • Mac & Windows

Pros:

  • An easy-to-use interface with a lot of choices.
  • Small to medium-sized fleets profit from the features.
  • Customers receive real-time monitoring information and receive real-time distribution information.
  • Your routes can be edited, renamed, and duplicated.
  • Multiple team members must be planned for, and delivery driver operation must be managed.

Cons:

  • Wide data sets of historical routing analysis cannot be extracted.
  • To build routes, you must click through a lot of screens.
  • Expensive

Routific

Routific’s efficient route optimization software can assist any distribution company, whether they deal with couriers, shipments, or even fresh produce, in managing their delivery operations. With faster delivery, driver monitoring, and lower cost-per-delivery, it keeps your delivery schedule on track.

Main Features:

  • Dispatch Management
  • Driver Management
  • Mobile Signature
  • Delivery Tracking
  • Driver ETA
  • Routing

Platforms:

  • Web-Based, Cloud, SaaS
  • App Store – iPhone/iPad
  • Google Play – Android

Pros:

  • It’s easy to change directions, drivers, and stops.
  • The driver app has a simple and intuitive user interface.
  • Apps for navigation selection ( Waze, Google Maps, Apple Maps)
  • Notifications to customers work well
  • Good customer support
  • Dispatch button

Cons:

  • The per-vehicle pricing model is prohibitively costly.
  • When a driver labels a delivery as completed, there is no GPS data to verify position.
  • A fee is charged to retrieve the driver’s notes.
  • It must be able to follow a driver in real time.
  • For customer updates, you must choose between SMS and email.
  • It does not display the delivery driver’s route, speed, or other details.
  • Customization is not possible.

Badger Maps

Badger Maps is an organization that caters to sales representatives. Their platform has a number of features that are beneficial to sales teams. This includes territory management, CRM functionality, schedule preparation, and lead generation. In a friendly way, it generates sales paths. It’s a cloud-based app that also has smartphone applications.

Main features:

  • Driver management
  • Territory management

Platforms:

  • Web-Based + Cloud
  • App Store – iPhone / iPad
  • Google Play – Android

Pros

  • Client data, including addresses, is integrated.
  • It’s simple to add an address and a location; it’s also useful for distribution routes.
  • Designed with the travelling salesperson in mind;
  • Uploading from an Excel spreadsheet is simple;
  • Build routes by easily mapping multiple destinations.
  • User comfort and experience;
  • To generate mass updates, use the Lasso feature.
  • Keep track of leads, connections, and industries;
  • Modifications in real time;
  • Advanced route-finding capability; search bar for fast reference.

Cons

  • At any given time, there can be a maximum of 23 stops.
  • Inability to make adjustments to several meetings in a batch;
  • Does not have basic scheduling capabilities, such as lockdown scheduling;
  • Insufficient traffic information;
  • Figures for overtime;
  • The pricing structure is a mystery.

OnFleet

Onfleet is a sophisticated route planner with an integrated route optimization engine that takes into account location, time, capacity, and traffic to provide the most effective and reliable routes. It’s a cutting-edge delivery management system that makes planning and managing local deliveries a breeze. Integration with online ordering systems is possible thanks to the API. Managing becomes simple with Driver Chat, ETAs, and proof of delivery.

Main Features:

  • Dispatch Management
  • Driver Management
  • Performance Metrics
  • Drag & Drop Scheduling
  • Live Driver Tracking
  • Territory Management
  • Barcode Support
  • Routing
  • Customer Database
  • Job Assignment Management
  • Order Entry
  • Scheduling
  • Mobile Signature
  • Driver ETA
  • Delivery Tracking
  • Surveys & Feedback
  • Mileage Tracking
  • GPS Tracking
  • Employee Management
  • Transportation Management

Platforms:

  • Web-Based, Cloud, SaaS
  • App Store – iPhone/iPad
  • Google Play – Android

Pros:

  • It’s simple to add a new stop, change the driver, or create a whole new route.
  • It’s a good choice because of the new interface and abundance of data analytics.
  • Real-time monitoring and forecasted arrival times are helpful.
  • Real-time communication drivers

Cons:

  • Now way to view previous day’s routing activity.
  • It would be better if it recorded the number of items being sent out.
  • The Search bar feature needs to be better.
  • Will not show errors with spreadsheet upload if there are any. It only shows up once the upload is over.

Circuit

Circuit is a fantastic way to keep track of your distribution operations. It allows you to build multiple driver routes in less than 5 minutes. You can build routes, handle drivers, and meet customer demands with Circuit. With ETAs and proof of delivery, you can monitor the progress of your drivers and deliveries. The route planner not only assists you in route planning, but also in delivering quicker and saving time and money.

Main Features:

  • Dispatch Management
  • Driver Management
  • Live Driver Tracking
  • Mobile Signature
  • Scheduling
  • Delivery Tracking
  • Driver ETA
  • For Courier Services
  • For Restaurants
  • Routing

Platforms:

  • Web-Based, Cloud, SaaS
  • App Store – iPhone/iPad
  • Google Play – Android

Pros:

  • Route optimization is pretty simple.
  • It’s compatible with the Google Maps navigation software.
  • It’s simple to keep track of the delivery’s progress.
  • The ability to bookmark routes for potential use.

Cons:

  • Not being able to make changes to routes after they’ve been sent out to drivers.
  • It should be possible to choose a driver for a particular delivery.
  • It would be fantastic to have the ability to configure routes.

What is the Best Route Planner Software?

When selecting the best route planner app for you, the most important thing to remember is to define your goals. You can save a lot of time and money if you use a good route planner. The first step is to define possible cost-cutting problems and efficiencies, then choose the best product to fix them.

What is the Best Free Route Planner App?

A free service like Google Maps or MapQuest is mostly useful for basic tasks, such as travelers planning a road trip. The problem arises when more complex situations, such as shipping, couriers, and fleets, are involved. In these cases, purchasing the best route planner app would likely be a paid app.

Final Thoughts

We hope that this article (and all other articles) will assist you in deciding which method to use to plan routes with multiple stops and addresses. It’s difficult to find the best route planner app for the roads ahead. Of course, you’ll want to have the free edition on hand at times. Given this, there is a significant distinction between the free and paid versions of route planners. This is particularly true as you progress through the application process. For advanced users, the benefit of changes may be a lifesaver. We hope that this site’s list of measures will assist you in placing the best order for your team.

Please contact us if you have any additional questions, suggestions, or clarifications. EasyRoutes is always here to help you figure out what you need to do to advance your company. To put it another way, we’ve got your back!

Looking for the best route planner app for you? Give EasyRoutes a try on the Shopify App Store.

About Roundtrip

Roundtrip's mission is to equip every business with the software tools they need to deliver products to their customers in a delightful way. Thousands of worldwide choose EasyRoutes to power their local deliveries across dozens of product categories, from meal kits and groceries to coffee, cupcakes, kibble, and so much more. Our easy-to-use route planning and delivery optimization app is certified Built for Shopify, a two-time Shopify staff pick, and the top rated local delivery app on the Shopify App Store.

"EasyRoutes' customer service goes above and beyond! The team is incredibly accommodating to every request and was always happy to troubleshoot. We've tried other delivery platforms in the past and EasyRoutes is hands-down the most intuitive, supportive and functional."‍
She Loves Me
Flower delivery in Washington, D.C. 🇺🇸
Designed to make deliveries easy