Which Is the Best Free Route Planner App?

Almost everything is accessible in the palm of your hand these days, so why should route planning be any different? Since our cell phones go everywhere with us, it makes sense that you’d want to find the best mobile route planning app available. Better yet, the best free route planning app. 

You may know some popular names like Google Maps, or MapQuest, but you should know the key features and limitations for each so you know which route planning app will best meet your needs.  

If you’re looking for Android or iPhone-specific guidance, or you want to know right now what the best route planner app is, free or not, you can jump ahead to any of the sections below: 

• The Best Free Route Planner App for Android
• The Best Free Route Planner App for iPhone
• What Is the Best Route Planner App?

The Best Free Route Planner App for Android

Considering the Android operating system was developed by Google, it’s safe to assume that the Google route planner works exceptionally well on Android devices. Google Maps is the most popular mapping app in the world, with more than a billion monthly users. A word of caution, however, is warranted here: Google Maps can plan a simple itinerary of stops, but cannot do business route planning, which takes into account additional factors beyond distance to be traveled.

While Google Maps has a user-friendly design and the backing of a trillion-dollar company to ensure it gets ongoing updates, it has many limitations when it comes to business use. One of the biggest issues with Google Maps is its ten-stop limit. Alternative options like MapQuest and RouteXL offer a little more flexibility here. MapQuest offers up to 26 stops, and RouteXL offers up to 20 stops for free. The Circuit Route Planner App is another popular option on Android, but, like Google Maps, only offers up to ten stops for free.

MapQuest and RouteXL make it a little easier to import orders since you can copy and paste a list or upload a spreadsheet of addresses using the web apps, as long as you don’t exceed the stop limits. Google Maps requires line-by-line address inputting, which can be time-consuming. 

If you need to account for multiple drivers or complexities like specific times for stops, then you will need to look for a true route planning app.

The Best Free Route Planner App for iPhone

Google Maps and MapQuest remain at the forefront of free options for iPhone users since they both have apps on the App Store and the user interface and features remain essentially identical to the Android version. Again, RouteXL does not offer an app built for Apple devices, so you’d need to use the web platform.

While these are a few primary route planner free options, you should also know that many paid apps offer free trials. These apps, while not free, typically offer far more features for business users in the logistics industry. For example, unlike the free options, you can plan routes with 750 stops or more. You can also plan routes in advance, making it easier to schedule drivers.

If you’re set on a free route planning app for now and want the best one for iPhone users, you’ll likely want to stick with popular choices like Google Maps or MapQuest. Just be aware of the limitations, and don’t expect more features than they’ve been built to offer. 

What Is the Best Route Planner App?

True routing software typically has a cost associated with it, and that’s because it usually comes with a large assortment of features and business benefits that the free apps simply don’t offer. That’s why the best route planner app can’t be free.

More importantly, you should know that many business owners who have taken the plunge and decided to pay for a specialized route planning solution have seen rapid payback. One example is a painting contractor who saved $7,500 annually by reducing their scheduling workload and miles driven by using OptimoRoute.

Free solutions just don’t offer the same depth of automated planning, route optimization, real time tracking, and many other valuable features that a specialized route planner can offer. 

If you’re on the fence, it might help to know that many paid software solutions offer free trials so you can see what benefit you could realize by using them. For example, OptimoRoute offers an extra long free trial of 30 days. Taking advantage of long free trials like this gives you time to get comfortable with the software and see the efficiencies and cost savings it can generate. Ready to learn more about route planning? Check out this online route planner walkthrough.

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