5 Delivery Scheduling Software for Small Business in 2024
Quickly and easily schedule small business deliveries with Circuit for Teams.
Picture this: It’s a hectic Monday morning, and your small business’s delivery schedule is flooded with orders. Your drivers are poised for the day, but without a solid plan, they’re facing a labyrinth of potential delays.
A single wrong turn, traffic jam, or scheduling oversight could cascade into a series of late deliveries, leading to customer frustration and potential loss of trust. However, optimization software navigates these complexities with ease.
Here’s a comprehensive overview of different software options to bolster your delivery efficiency and keep your customers smiling.
The 5 best delivery scheduling software
- Circuit for Teams — best for route optimization. Ideal for businesses seeking to streamline their delivery routes with intelligent planning and real-time adjustments.
- Route4Me — best for efficiency scaling. Suited for growing companies needing scalable route planning solutions to handle increasing operational demands.
- Track-POD — best for proof of delivery. Offers robust features for capturing and managing delivery confirmations, making it great for businesses that prioritize delivery verification.
- Onfleet — best for real-time visibility. Gives comprehensive live tracking and status updates, ensuring businesses and their customers always know where their deliveries are.
- Tookan — best for customizability. Offers an adaptable platform that fits a variety of delivery business models and operational workflows.
Note: Circuit for teams is saving hundreds of businesses like Swytch over 20% per month on delivery costs. Supercharge your delivery operations with easy-to-use delivery scheduling, proof of delivery, best in class route optimization and much more. Try it free for 14 days.
What makes the best delivery scheduling software?
When it comes to managing delivery operations, small businesses often face a unique set of challenges. In the bustling world of e-commerce and local delivery services, having robust delivery management software is a necessity.
A system lacking real-time notifications can disrupt the entire delivery process, while inflexible route planning is frequently a deal breaker.
The best delivery scheduling software for small businesses needs to strike a fine balance between key features:
- Real-time tracking and updates for on-time delivery performance
- Route optimization to reduce operational costs
- Mobile app functionality for both Android and iOS to keep drivers connected
It should streamline last-mile delivery and equip delivery drivers with everything they need for a seamless experience—whether it’s proof of delivery or a driver app that has live tracking and estimated time of arrival (ETA) notifications.
The ability to automate and optimize routes are the backbone of efficiency in delivery management systems. Moreover, the integration capabilities with application programming interfaces (APIs), SMS, and order management systems are crucial for a synchronized delivery operation.
For innovative businesses, such as food delivery or field service, the ability to have a driver tracking system and delivery status updates enhances the overall delivery experience and customer satisfaction.
Lastly, a user-friendly interface with transparent pricing is essential. No one wants to navigate through a maze of FAQ or get caught off guard by hidden fees.
Providers who offer a clear view of their software solution’s functionality, coupled with robust support and service metrics, are leading the pack. These are the kinds of holistic delivery management solutions included in this list.
The best delivery scheduling software at a glance
The best delivery scheduling software for route optimization
Picking the right delivery scheduling software is pivotal for the efficiency of small businesses, particularly when it comes to route optimization. The goal is to minimize time on the road and make sure deliveries are carried out as efficiently as possible.
Circuit for Teams
Circuit for Teams stands out for its advanced route optimization. By offering route planning that instantly calculates the most efficient delivery paths, the software excels at keeping drivers on the best course throughout the day.
Coupled with real-time monitoring, Circuit offers updated ETAs and allows dispatchers to adjust routes on the fly so delivery operations are as streamlined as possible.
This focus on optimizing each delivery route in real time by considering factors like traffic and stop order makes Circuit for Teams an excellent choice for businesses prioritizing efficient and reliable delivery scheduling.
Circuit for Teams pros:
- User-friendly route planning
- Adaptive rerouting based on live traffic data
- Effective POD features
One user says:
Circuit for Teams cons:
- Can be expensive for teams with many drivers
- Unable to track time at each stop
One user says:
Circuit for Teams pricing:
- Essentials plan ($100 per month). Includes the first two drivers. Can create and optimize routes and track drivers in real time.
- Standard plan ($200 per month). Includes the first three drivers and everything in the Essentials plan plus the ability to capture POD and send customer notifications.
- Pro plan ($500 per month). Includes the first six drivers and everything in the previous plans plus access to unlimited delivery history.
The best delivery scheduling software for efficiency scaling
As businesses grow, their delivery needs evolve, demanding more sophisticated and robust systems. Route4Me is go-to software for businesses looking to scale their delivery operations efficiently.
Route4Me
Route4Me’s Marketplace is a standout feature for businesses looking to scale. It offers a variety of add-ons that enhance the platform’s core capabilities, allowing businesses to tailor the software to their evolving needs.
Whether it’s advanced constraint optimization, customer alerting and notifications, or e-commerce integrations, the Marketplace has tools that can be added as your business grows.
This modular approach to route optimization allows businesses to expand their delivery operations with the specific features they need, making Route4Me a highly scalable and adaptable delivery scheduling solution.
Route4Me pros:
- Scalable route planning for growing fleets
- Advanced features for managing a high volume of deliveries
- Automated optimization to keep up with expanding business needs
One user says:
Route4Me cons:
- Users may need training for full feature utilization.
- Higher-tier pricing for full-scale operations
One user says:
Route4Me pricing:
- Route Management ($199 per month). Includes the ability to track drivers live on a map plus business operations features. Price includes up to 10 team members.
- Route Optimization ($249 per month). Includes everything in the Route Management plan plus the ability to automatically optimize single-person routes. Price includes up to 10 team members.
- Route Optimization Plus ($349 per month). Includes everything in the lower-tier plans plus the ability to automatically optimize multi-person routes and use business rules in route optimization. Price includes up to 10 team members.
Additional component prices vary.
The best delivery scheduling software for proof of delivery
Track-POD stands out to delivery companies for its comprehensive POD features that are vital for enhancing the verification process and improving the customer experience.
Track-POD
Track-POD offers a robust proof of delivery (POD) system designed to give clear and verifiable confirmation of successful deliveries. The platform’s real-time electronic PODs (ePODs) confirm the immediate capture of recipient signatures during delivery.
Additional features like geotagging and timestamping give precise location and time data for when and where ePODs are received, adding an extra layer of delivery validation. For issues or additional proof, drivers can take photos directly through the app, creating a visual record to accompany the ePOD.
The integration of a QR/barcode scanner feature allows for swift verification of orders and items, streamlining the process further and enhancing accuracy and efficiency in delivery confirmation.
Track-POD pros:
- Includes bicycle routing
- Its robust features are easy to set up.
- Captures verifiable data through geotagging and timestamping.
One user says:
Track-POD cons:
- May be a learning curve for new users
- Real-time features need a stable internet connection, which can be a limitation in areas with poor connectivity.
- Customer support can be slow.
One user says:
Track-POD pricing:
Track-POD offers two types of pricing plans: per driver or per order.
Per driver:
- Standard ($29 per driver per month). Includes some features for user management, order management, route planning, and more.
- Advanced ($49 per driver per month). Includes all features for user management, order management, iPhone and Android delivery app, email and push notifications, and more.
- Advanced Plus ($69 per driver per month). Includes all features with the ability to add developer API support for an additional cost.
- Enterprise (custom quote). Includes all features with the ability to add developer API support and customize support and services for an additional cost.
Per order:
- S Plan ($285 a month per 1,500 orders). Includes some features for user management, order management, route planning, and more.
- M Plan ($510 a month per 3,000 orders). Includes all features for user management, order management, iPhone and Android delivery app, email and push notifications, and more.
- L Plan ($900 a month per 6,000 orders). Includes all features with the ability to add developer API support for an additional cost.
- XL Plan ($1,440 a month per 12,000 orders). Includes all features with the ability to add developer API support and customize support and services for an additional cost.
Note: If Track-POD isn't for your business, we've written a comprehensive review of the best Track-POD alternatives in 2024.
The best delivery scheduling software for real-time visibility
Real-time visibility is crucial for delivery operations for timely updates and adjustments. Onfleet’s suite of real-time features gives businesses a comprehensive solution for live delivery tracking and management.
Onfleet
Onfleet excels in offering real-time data with up-to-the-second customer information, order details, and navigation options for avoiding traffic through mapping services like Google Maps, Apple Maps, or Waze.
Their predictive ETAs, powered by machine learning, allow businesses to be proactive and manage customer expectations with remarkable accuracy. The real-time driver tracking feature doesn’t only give visibility, but it also offers a branded and responsive web tracking experience that reassures customers and enhances their delivery experience.
Onfleet also includes integrated direct communication between customers and drivers, which can be anonymized to protect privacy, and a feedback collection mechanism to capture customer experience post-delivery.
Onfleet pros:
- Straightforward and easy user interface (UI)
- Up-to-the-second updates
- Quick to scale
One user says:
Onfleet cons:
- The software has had some downtime issues and problems with route optimizations.
- No feature to manage driver pay integrations.
- Errors in uploads are only indicated after the process is complete, which can be inconvenient.
One user says:
Note: Discover what users think in our article that gathers the most detailed Onfleet reviews
Onfleet pricing:
- Launch plan ($550 per month). Includes 2,000 delivery or pickup tasks and unlimited users.
- Scale plan ($1,265 per month). Includes everything in Launch plus 5,000 delivery and pickup tasks, barcode scanning, and age verification.
- Enterprise (custom quote). Includes everything in the Scale plan plus more than 5,000 delivery or pickup tasks and advanced route optimization.
The best delivery scheduling software for customizability
Customizability is a key factor for businesses looking to tailor their delivery management system to their unique needs. Tookan offers a versatile platform that adapts to a variety of business models and scales.
Tookan
Tookan stands out for its customizability, offering a range of features that can be tailored to the specific requirements of your business.
From automating barcode generation for delivery orders to creating custom fields and templates, Tookan allows for a personalized delivery management experience. With its capacity management, drivers are automatically assigned tasks based on predefined criteria, confirming efficient delivery allocation.
The platform’s extensions and utility apps further enhance its adaptability, providing solutions for increased efficiency and productivity as well as customer notifications and tracking.
Tookan pros:
- The dashboard, delivery agent app, and admin app are straightforward and include the essentials for a very small business.
- Good customer service.
- Has a lot of integrations for customizability.
One user says:
Tookan cons:
- Can get expensive with add-on features.
- Specific features may be more work for development teams.
One user says:
Tookan pricing:
- Early Stage ($49 per month). Includes 200 tasks per month, unlimited agents/drivers, and additional tasks at $0.22 each.
- Startup ($129 per month). Includes 700 tasks per month, unlimited agents/drivers, and additional tasks at $0.15 each.
- Growth ($299 per month). Includes 2,000 tasks per month, unlimited agents/drivers, additional tasks at $0.13 each, and one customer booking form.
- Standard ($599 per month). Includes 5,000 tasks per month, unlimited agents/drivers, additional tasks at $0.10 each, and includes two customer booking forms.
- Enterprise. Custom pricing for over 5,000 tasks per month. Details available upon contacting their sales team.
Which is the best delivery scheduling software overall?
The best delivery scheduling software is the one that fits your business’s specific needs, but Circuit for Teams should be at the top of your list.
It excels in providing real-time route optimization, crucial for adapting to daily delivery challenges quickly.
Its user-friendly interface allows your team to maximize its features without a steep learning curve.
Furthermore, Circuit’s ability to update ETAs on the fly and its efficient POD system streamline your operations, leading to improved customer satisfaction.
For a reliable, efficient, and intuitive delivery process, Circuit for Teams is a contender worth considering.
Circuit for Teams delivers
When it’s time to choose delivery software, the decision should depend on what aligns with your unique business needs.
Circuit for Teams shines through with its tailored features, like adaptive route optimization and real-time updates, making it a formidable ally for any small business.
Its ability to keep your delivery process on point and efficiently positions it as a top-notch solution.
Ready to boost your delivery game? Sign up for a free trial and see how Circuit for Teams can streamline your operations.
