Your drivers have multiple deliveries to complete each day. But even the slightest detour can put them out of sync, especially if there’s no way for them to quickly reroute. Poorly planned routes can lead to delays, wasted fuel costs, and frustrated customers--a logistical nightmare we’re willing to bet you’d rather not deal with.

This is where route planning software comes into play. These clever tools use advanced algorithms to map out the most efficient routes for your drivers, taking into account traffic patterns, toll roads, delivery windows, vehicle capacities and even priority stops.

But with so many route planning solutions on the market, how do you choose the best one for your business?

Here, we compare seven of the best route planning software options available today, pitting them head to head in four core categories:

We’ll assess how well they score in each category, weigh the pros and cons, discuss their different price tiers, and highlight real-life customer reviews.

1. Circuit for Teams

Verdict: the most user-friendly and complete last-mile delivery route planning software on the list. Pricing is based on the number of stops rather than the more common price-per-driver which can be far more cost-effective.

Capterra score: 4.8

Ease of use score: 4.8

Support score: 4.7

Route optimization

Circuit for Teams tests thousands of route combinations in seconds to find the best one. The algorithm assesses factors like distance, traffic, preferred delivery times, and vehicle capacity to identify the most efficient multi-stop route. While the default is to create a full-loop route since most drivers start and end at the warehouse, dispatchers can change it freely, and drivers can change it with permission.

Before you optimize a route, you can add unique requirements so the algorithm accounts for special deliveries, drivers needing to head back to the warehouse to reload, priority stops or other one-off scenarios that don’t apply to all routes—maybe the driver is not doing a full loop and needs to finish in a different location to the one they started in.

Live route tracking

The Circuit for Teams route monitoring features are designed to tell you where a driver is within the context of their route. All dispatch has to do is find the driver on their screen, and zoom in to see where they are and where they’re headed next. The automated customer notifications then keep the customer in the loop with regards to their package's estimated arrival time (ETA).

Customer notifications and updates

Customers get a text or email when their driver starts their route. The message includes a link that allows the customer to check the status of their package throughout the day. This reduces the number of Where Is My Order (WISMO) requests and gives your customer support team a bit of breathing room.

Dispatchers are able to set automated notifications with either fixed time windows (which specifies a set time range), or dynamic windows which change depending on where the driver is on their route.

If there are complications with the delivery and the driver is behind schedule, the customer will get a notification letting them know. They can then add notes to their delivery.

When the driver is close to the delivery address, the customer receives a final text with an exact delivery time.

Proof of delivery

Get peace of mind with flexible proof of delivery. Drivers can take multiple photos of the delivered package, collect a customer’s signature, and mark where they left a package—whether in the customer’s mailbox, with a concierge, or in a designated safe place.

Circuit for Teams pricing

Circuit for Teams has four plans to choose from:

If you do 1,000 stops a month, you’ll pay:

2. Routific

Verdict: existing customers rate it highly on ease of use and customer service. It comes with extensive features and flexible pricing plans.

Capterra score: 4.9

Ease of use score: 4.8

Support score: 4.9

Route optimization

Routific uses what it calls Intelligent Route Optimization which considers the human elements of route planning. This includes predicting traffic patterns throughout the day, eliminating “spaghetti routes” that might be mathematically shorter but not practical, and a driver’s familiarity with an area. Drivers can choose which stops are high priority and, if a route gets behind schedule, Routific will optimize it to make sure those high-priority stops are still completed on time.

Route monitoring

Routific’s Live Tracking feature monitors drivers in two ways:

If a driver skips a stop that needs to be rescheduled, you can automatically redistribute it somewhere en route later in the day.

Customer notifications and updates

Customers automatically receive a notification when you publish a route. If the driver gets behind schedule or drastically ahead of schedule so the new delivery window falls outside the original, the customer will receive an updated delivery time. Customers also receive an after-delivery notification that confirms a package has been delivered.

Proof of delivery

Drivers can collect customer signatures directly on their smartphones. Once they’ve got the signature and confirmed the stop is complete, dispatch can find the signature within the dashboard and see how long the driver took to make the delivery. Drivers who use the Routific app (not the web browser version) can also capture photos to prove delivery.

Routific pricing

Routific has three subscription tiers:

If you have a team of 25 drivers, you’ll pay:

Note: you need to at least be on the Pro Plan to unlock photo POD features and live GPS.

3. Onfleet

Verdict: Capterra reviews show it’s not as easy to use as other tools. But it comes with plenty of integrations and features and offers pricing plans based on the number of deliveries, not drivers.

Capterra score: 4.6

Ease of use score: 4.6

Support score: 4.6

Route optimization

Onfleet’s integrated route optimization considers location, travel time, traffic, and driver capacity to generate the fastest route. Routes can be updated and optimized in real time and sent directly to couriers while they’re on the road.

Onfleet integrates with Apple Maps, Waze, and Google Maps to access current traffic updates, helping drivers avoid traffic jams and delays. An auto-assign engine helps determine which driver to send where. For example, the auto-assign function can send the closest driver to a pickup spot.

Route monitoring

You can track individual drivers and chat with them directly through the secure app.

Drivers can respond by text or, if they’re on the road and need to rely on hands-free, can respond using a voice note.

Customer notifications and updates

Onfleet uses its live tracking feature to send updates to customers. You can configure the route planner to send automatic status updates, while the integrated customer communication technology allows customers to interact with their driver by phone or text message.

Proof of delivery

Drivers can upload photos of delivered packages and customer signatures. Onfleet also has a Contactless Signature feature that sends a signature link to the customer via SMS. Once the customer has approved the delivery, it will be marked as delivered in the app.

Onfleet pricing

Onfleet has three plans. Two are transparent with their pricing, but the Enterprise plan is a custom quote you'll get from sales:

Note: Discover what users think in our article that gathers the most detailed Onfleet reviews

4. Route4Me

Verdict: it with all the features you’d expect from a route planning app—the downside is you have to pay more to access its route optimization capabilities.

Capterra score: 4.5

Ease of use score: 4.4

Support score: 4.4

Route optimization

Route4me uses an automated algorithm to work out the best route for each driver based on unique logistics, such as driver skills, labor laws, vehicle capacity, pickups, drop-offs, and recurring routes. You can add extra stops, new addresses, and unexpected delays and the optimization engine will automatically reoptimize the route.

Route monitoring

Route4me offers real-time visibility with what it calls its “Operations Matrix”. You can see exactly where each driver is at any given time and get a color-coded table showing early, late, and on-time arrivals. If you want an added layer of control, you can set up push notifications for important route milestones (or mishaps) and call drivers directly through the app.

Customer notifications and updates

Route4me uses geofencing that lets you select an area around each customer’s location. When a driver enters that area, the app automatically sends a notification to the customer letting them know their delivery is about to arrive. For example, you can set it up so customers receive a notification when the driver is five miles or 15 minutes away.

Proof of delivery

Drivers can collect signatures on their mobile devices and upload relevant media (including photos and videos) to each delivery. Customer signatures and additional notes automatically appear on each corresponding stop in the app.

Route4me pricing

Route4me offers three pricing plans:

If you have a team of 25 drivers, you’ll pay:

Note: you need to be on the Route Optimization plan to unlock route optimization features.

5. OptimoRoute

Verdict: it’s an affordable option but has limited live tracking features and you have to pay extra to unlock basic features—including proof of delivery.

Capterra score: 4.6

Ease of use score: 4.5

Support score: 4.6

Route optimization

OptimoRoute uses route optimization software to plan out the best routes for each driver based on travel duration, driver work times, vehicle capacity, traffic trends, and delivery time windows. It also accounts for driver breaks and automatically updates routes to avoid jams, accidents, and delays.

Route monitoring

OptimoRoute offers what it calls Live ETA.

This is a pretty basic feature compared to other software because you can’t actually see where drivers are on their route—you can only see if they delivered on time or late. If you need more information, you have to reach out directly to the delivery driver.

Customer notifications and updates

You can send emails or text notifications to customers to let them know when their delivery is due. Each message includes a URL to an order tracking page where customers can see the most up-to-date information about their deliveries.

Proof of delivery

Like the other software here, OptimoRoute lets drivers collect signatures, photos, and notes in real time via the app and assign them to each delivery.

OptimoRoute pricing

OptimoRoute has two pricing plans:

If you have a fleet of 25 drivers, you’ll pay:

Note: you need to be on the Pro Plan to unlock proof of delivery features.

6. RoadWarrior

Verdict: an incredibly cheap option at just $14.99 per user per month, but this comes with limited features. You can’t send customer notifications and you have to pay extra for basic features like POD.

Capterra score: 4.5

Ease of use score: 4.4

Support score: 4.3

Route optimization

RoadWarrior optimizes routes based on multiple variables, accounting for school zones, tolls, traffic, and more to plan the most efficient route. Drivers can also designate drop-off priorities. For example, if a speedy delivery has to go to a certain customer first, it’s possible to mark this in the app.

In case plans change—for example, a new priority package comes up—drivers or delivery managers can update routes on the fly.

Route monitoring

RouteWarrior allows delivery managers to track their drivers in real-time. It’s also possible to alter, merge, and reassign routes. For example, if one driver falls behind and another is ahead of schedule, you can reassign drop-offs to the driver who’s ahead.

Customer notifications and updates

RoadWarrior is far more limited in this aspect than the other apps here. The route planner app doesn’t allow for automated customer updates and there’s no way for drivers to send customers reminders about when they can expect their package to arrive.

Proof of delivery

RoadWarrior lets drivers capture delivery confirmation through customer signatures or photos. They can upload this proof to the app and assign it to the relevant drop-off.

RoadWarrior Pricing

RoadWarrior only has one pricing plan:

If you have a fleet of 25 drivers, you’ll pay $374.75 per month.

Note: POD features like signature and photo collection cost an extra $10 per month.

7. eLogii

Verdict: probably the most feature-rich option here—but that comes at a price. With no transparent pricing available on its website, it’s a safe bet that eLogii is the most expensive option on this list.

Capterra score: 4.8

Ease of use score: 4.8

Support score: 4.8

Route optimization

eLogii uses an advanced algorithm to optimize routes based on traffic, driver skill, number of depots, exclusion zones, and start/end locations. There’s a sliding scale of “priorities” you can choose from to ensure the software optimizes routes based on what’s important to you and your drivers.

Route monitoring

You can receive live location updates on each driver and proactively monitor deliveries that are running behind schedule. The live on-map tracking lets you see where drivers are on their route—plus, you can monitor diver speed and vehicle status in real time.

Customer notifications and updates

eLogii’s customer notification features are impressive. You can configure auto-arrive messages and status changes based on driver location or choose which stages you want to update customers at—when their driver leaves the depot? When they’re 15 minutes away? When they’re five miles away?

You can populate the tracking page with whatever information you deem most important and choose to show down to the minute ETA or time-banded ETA depending on customer preferences.

Proof of delivery

You can choose which POD activities you want drivers to complete—even on a delivery-to-delivery basis. Drivers can upload unlimited signatures, media, and notes and attach them to each delivery.

eLogii pricing

eLogii doesn’t publish its pricing plans on its website, which can be off-putting—especially if you just want a ballpark figure. Instead, it customizes plans based on each business. While this means you’re getting the exact features you need, you might also end up paying more than other tools for a highly customized experience.

The verdict: which is the best delivery route planning software?

All these route planning apps offer the basic features needed to run a delivery operation. But some are more limited than others. Let’s take a look at how they fair against each other in each category.

A note on price…

At first glance, you might be tempted to go for the cheapest option. But picking a route planning solution is about way more than price.

For example, RoadWarrior might seem like a steal—but once you look at what you actually get for that price, you might find it’s not sufficient to run a successful, multi-vehicle operation.

Also, take the time to research what each provider offers.

For example, Routific charges extra to get customer notifications, whereas the Circuit for Teams Standard plan includes customer notifications.

The Circuit for Teams Standard plan also includes many other functions that other providers don’t offer—or charge you extra for.

Free options for delivery route planning

If you’re not looking to pay a per-driver or monthly fee for a delivery route planning solution, you can find free options.

Just keep in mind that free delivery route planning solutions are significantly limited.

Google Maps, for example, only allows for manual optimization, as we cover in our post on planning the shortest route for multiple destinations in Google Maps.

Then, there’s MapQuest’s route planner. Unlike Google Maps, MapQuest works to optimize a route, but it still has severe limitations.

While it lets you avoid toll roads and highways, it only lets you optimize for one driver with 26 or fewer stops. After that, the service is done.

There’s no route monitoring, app to use, proof of delivery, or customer updates. This service could work as a short-term solution for small businesses where the owner is handling deliveries and needs an elementary way to finish a handful of stops in less time.

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