10 Best Logistics Routing Software Solutions of 2024

Finding the right logistics routing software can make a huge difference for your business.

Whether you’re running a small delivery operation or managing a large fleet, you need a tool that saves time, cuts costs, and keeps everything running smoothly.

We understand the challenges you face – from figuring out the most efficient routes to keeping track of deliveries in real-time. You need software that’s reliable, easy to use, and has the features that truly matter to you.

In this guide, we’ll explore the 10 best logistics routing software options out there. 

We know you’re looking for something that integrates seamlessly with your current systems, provides real-time tracking, and helps you stay compliant with regulations. Plus, it has to be cost-effective and scalable to grow your business.

We aim to help you find the perfect solution so you can focus on what you do best: delivering great service to your customers. 

So, let’s find the right solution for your logistics needs.

What is Logistics Routing Software?

Logistics routing software helps businesses plan, optimize, and manage routes for vehicles, delivery or service personnel, equipment, or any resource that needs to move from one place to another.

Also referred to as logistics route optimization software, it helps businesses enhance routing efficiency, reduce logistics costs, and improve customer service with timely delivery or service. It also helps optimize resource allocation and track drivers’ or technicians’ movements to ensure transparency in their delivery processes.

How Did We Pick the Best Route Planning Software for You?

We evaluated over 23 route planning platforms, examining their features, ease of use, pricing, and customer feedback. We focused on real-world performance, including route optimization accuracy, integration capabilities, and customer support.

Our process involved testing each software in various scenarios, reviewing user feedback, and consulting industry experts. We then compiled a shortlist of the top 10 solutions that excel in reliability, efficiency, and user satisfaction.

We want to ensure that you have access to software that not only meets your needs but also helps you excel in your logistics operations.

Top 10 Logistics Routing Software for 2024

1. Upper

Best for: Businesses requiring complex logistics and route management capabilities

User rating: 4.6/5 (40)

Upper is a powerful logistics routing software designed to streamline your delivery operations. It tackles the complexities of route planning, optimization, and dispatch with ease.

First off, Upper lets you import stops in bulk. No more tedious data entry – just upload your Excel or CSV file and you’re good to go. 

Got hundreds of stops? No sweat. Upper handles it all in one click.

Need to manage time windows and priorities? Upper’s got you covered. 

Set specific delivery times and mark urgent stops. The software works its magic, creating efficient routes that keep your customers happy.

Speaking of efficiency, Upper’s optimization engine is top-notch. It factors in traffic, vehicle constraints, and even avoidance zones to find the best routes. This means less fuel burned and more deliveries completed.

Dispatching to your team is a breeze too. One click sends all the route info straight to your driver’s mobile app. They’ll get turn-by-turn directions and real-time updates. No more confused calls asking for addresses.

Upper also keeps your customers in the loop. It sends out automated notifications with accurate ETAs. Your clients will love knowing exactly when to expect their deliveries.

Need proof of delivery? Upper’s got that too. 

Drivers can snap photos and collect signatures right in the app. No more lost paperwork or disputes.

What about last-minute changes? No problem. 

Upper lets you drag and drop stops, swap routes between drivers, or even reverse an entire route with ease. It’s flexibility at its finest.

And here’s a cool feature: Upper helps you plan pickups and deliveries in a single route. This means fewer empty runs and more efficient use of your vehicles.

For the data lovers out there, Upper provides detailed reports and analytics. Track your performance, spot trends, and make smart decisions to grow your business.

Whether you’re managing a small fleet or running a large-scale operation, Upper scales to meet your needs. It’s a complete solution that helps you plan smarter, deliver faster, and grow your business more efficiently.

Free trial: 7 days free trial, no credit card required

Route quality: With Upper, you can expect up to 20% more efficient routes. Our advanced optimization minimizes unnecessary detours, streamlining your delivery process and cutting down on time and costs.

Pricing: $40 per user per month for the Essential Plan.

2.  Samsara  

Best for: Large companies with significant fleet management needs

User ratings: 4.2/5 (363)

Samsara forms an ‘all-inclusive fleet management cloud-based platform’ for large logistics companies. It helps centrally and efficiently manage facilities, fleets, drivers, and customers. Live traffic updates and smart map overlays made route optimization a breeze. 

The user interface had interactive dashboards, making it easily navigable.

However, mileage tracking inaccuracies were significant. Testing its capabilities as logistics tracking software revealed latency issues as real-time locations took around 1 time to update. Plus, they don’t provide a free trial like Upper or Routific.

Route Quality: Mostly decent, with some overlapping, especially in high-density areas

Free trial: No, provides a demo instead

Pricing: Varies as per the fleet size and specific requirements

3. LogiNext Mile

Best for: Delivery and logistics businesses across different industries

User rating: 4.3/5 (75)

Whether you have a first-mile, middle-mile, or last-mile delivery business, LogiNext helps you manage it efficiently. 

In addition to scheduling deliveries based on customers’ time preferences and locations, LogiNext Mile auto allocates orders to the right delivery associate based on their area knowledge, skills, and vehicle capacity.

We liked how it let us evaluate the performance of vehicles, vendors, and logistics partners to identify and utilize high performers to increase overall delivery efficiency.

However, geofencing didn’t work well for us, especially in high-density areas. While we were already struggling with the non-intuitive interface, this software froze and logged us out, forcing us to restart it a few times, worsening our experience.

While LogiNext Mile offers some features, there are LogiNext Mile alternatives that provide even more flexibility and efficiency for your delivery operations.

Route Quality: Overall, it was okay, but unlike Upper, we couldn’t modify routes once they were in progress. 

Free trial: 14 Days

Pricing: Not publicly available

4. Tookan

Best for: Businesses seeking extensive customizations to fit different industries

User ratings: 4.2/5 (74 reviews)

Tookan bills itself as a ‘complete toolkit for delivery management needs.’ It provides a dispatch dashboard to centrally manage various business operations, such as barcode generation for multiple orders, customer communication, payment processing, and long-haul driver tracking.

We also found the service app quite useful as it not only optimizes routes or enables collecting proof of delivery but also provides an agent wallet. This functionality lets you maintain a record of all transactions your agent does to track finances.

While the web-based dispatch and real-time tracking of delivery and pickup jobs were attractive, the auto-allocation functionalities presented glitches. We had to keep refreshing the software as it kept freezing, causing disappointment.

If you’re exploring options beyond Tookan, check out Tookan alternatives that offer superior route optimization and advanced features to streamline your logistics.

Route quality: Good and satisfactory in most cases, but it comes at an extra cost for even the most expensive package, making it infeasible.

Free trial: 14 Days

Pricing: Not publicly available

5. eLogii

Best for: Distribution and field service businesses

User reviews: 4.8/5 (49 reviews)

Equipped with label printing, fleet dispatching, transport management, and barcode scanning, eLogii is prominent among shippers seeking end-to-end logistics management. 

Besides facilitating single-day route planning, it provides multi-day routing so drivers or agents can continue their journey for the next day without waiting for the schedule. 

We also loved how it allows for creating delivery or service zones to ensure drivers or technicians stay within familiar areas. It is versatile but expensive with numerous customization options catering to individual business requirements. 

Curious about other options besides eLogii? 

Check out eLogii alternatives that provide advanced functionalities and greater efficiency for your logistics needs.

Route Quality: While we were happy with the speed of route optimization, that happiness was short-lived as the routes created (so fast!) were tangled and messy.

Free trial: 14 days

Pricing: Not publicly available

6. Onfleet

Best for: Last-mile delivery management

User rating: 4.6/5 (93 reviews)

Onfleet presents itself as the “world’s most advanced last-mile delivery platform,” providing a web dashboard that consolidates routing and dispatch operations. 

The live chat option within the driver app, which allows for real-time communication between dispatchers and drivers, is good and works seamlessly. 

With features like barcode scanning and feedback collection that Routific doesn’t provide, Onfleet may seem exhaustive but expensive, rendering it unsuitable for small business owners.

If Onfleet isn’t meeting all your needs, explore Onfleet alternatives that offer enhanced features and more cost-effective solutions for route management.

Route Quality: Routes were quite good but offset by the absence of a timeline view and color coding to tell routes apart (unlike Upper or Routific, which provide them).

Free trial: 14 days

Pricing: Onfleet’s pricing starts at $550 per month

7. Routific

Best for: Medium-sized local delivery businesses

User rating: 4.9/5 (126)

Routific forms a perfect fit for small to medium-sized delivery businesses route fast, flexible, and easy-to-use route optimization capabilities. 

Unlike Onfleet and Upper, it has a timeline view to help track route progress throughout the day. We also loved the territory management feature, which enables defining territories and assigning them to drivers based on their familiarity with the local areas. 

While they may be proud of their ‘clean’ interface, it was counterintuitive (at least for us), as it lacked clear instructions to guide the user.

See how Routific alternatives stack up against LogiNext Mile and find a logistics solution with greater efficiency and better performance.

Route Quality: The generated routes were decent but not exceptional. They helped reduce delivery distances, but they involved a little overlapping, making navigation harder in some places.

Free trial: 7 Days

Pricing: Routific’s pricing starts at $49 per vehicle per month

8. WorkWave Route Manager

Best for: Logistics businesses looking to scale logistics operations

User rating: 4.3/5 (68)

Billing themselves as the ‘most advanced logistics software,’ WorkWave Route Manager lets you streamline your entire routing process while accommodating real-time changes. It comes with GPS tracking that enables real-time updates on your delivery operations.   

If you want to label and track your products through the multiple stages of the entire supply chain, you can do that by scanning different types of barcodes affixed on your products based on their type. 

Route simulations grabbed our attention the most. This feature enables changing different variables, such as drivers’ working hours or delivery distances, assessing their impact on routes, and making smart routing decisions accordingly. 

We found less comprehensive reporting a major downside, though. We also found it a little expensive, charging a minimum of $54 per month per vehicle. 

Discover how WorkWave Route Manager alternatives  are outpacing the offerings of WorkWave Route Manager.

Route Quality: Satisfactory in tests, with some rural locations being inaccurately mapped.

Free trial: Yes, but the duration varies as per the agreement

Pricing: Starts at 54 per vehicle per month

9. Route4Me

Best for: Businesses seeking a solution based on flexible pricing to manage delivery routes efficiently

User rating: 4.5/5 (388)

Route4Me is an interesting software solution because it has an extensive marketplace with many add-ons to support multiple constraints and optimization requirements. 

While this may seem exciting at first glance, paying more for basic functionality like time window management may not be a good option for a small business with budget constraints looking for fundamental routing needs. 

We were surprised their starter plan, ‘Route Management, ’ lacks route optimization and more features. While we liked the variety of constraints, we can’t give it a pass without mentioning the difficulty it presented in adding stops to planned routes.

Want something better than Route4Me?

Route4Me alternatives could be the answer.

Route Quality: Despite having a ‘patented’ route optimization engine, Route4Me’s routes involve extensive crisscrossing, necessitating manual intervention in high-density areas. 

Pricing: Route4Me’s pricing starts at $200 per user per month (without route optimization), $300 per user per month for route optimization

Free trial: 7 days

10. Badger Maps

Best for: Field sales and service businesses

User rating: 4.6/5 (199)

Specifically designed for field sales teams, Badger Maps forms a great choice for any sales business looking to optimize routes for their field operations. 

It fulfills all the basic route planning needs, including optimization for routes with over 100 stops that reduce the driving distance by around 20% (as on their site).

One standout feature is the ‘Lasso’ tool, which lets dispatchers create routes by tapping on points on the map. Lead prospecting is also perfect for field reps, who can view and filter leads by open hours and phone numbers to maximize daily appointments. 

Moreover, integration with popular CRM programs, including Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, Zoho, Hubspot, and Netsuite, makes it fill the sweet spot between a route planning app. All this comes at a high cost of $69 per user per month. 

Moreover, in-depth reporting capabilities that show data on the number of new records or activities by a field agent or team were found missing. Users also faced issues customizing fields as corroborated by our tests.

Find out how Badger Maps alternatives can enhance your logistics with better features.

Route Quality: Overall good, except some instances where it suggested longer routes than normal.

Pricing: Starts at $59 per user per month

Free trial: Yes, but the period is not mentioned

5 Steps to Plan Logistics Routes Using Google Maps

Planning logistics routes with Google Maps is straightforward for small-scale operations. It’s a handy tool for basic route management. 

Here’s how you can plan routes on Google Maps effectively:

Step 1: Open Google Maps

Install and open Google Maps on your mobile device. Sign in with your Gmail account to get started.

Step 2: Set Your Destination

Search for your destination address in the app. Confirm the address and prepare to add multiple stops for your route.

Step 3: Add and Arrange Stops

Tap the three dots icon and select “Add stop” to include additional locations. Rearrange stops by dragging and dropping them as needed.

Step 4: Get Directions

Click the car or bus icon to view driving instructions. Check details like time, distance, and location at the bottom of your screen.

Step 5: Edit and Navigate

Edit stops if necessary by tapping the “stop” button and updating the route. Once satisfied, tap “start” to begin navigation and follow turn-by-turn directions.

Note: Google Maps has limitations, such as a maximum of 10 stops and no route optimization. Consider specialized logistics software for more advanced needs.

How to Choose the Right Logistics Software?

Irrespective of the logistics software you choose, it should let you create efficient, multi-stop routes based on customers’ preferred time windows, drivers’ schedules, priority, and vehicle capacity constraints. 

In addition, it should allow you to adjust your stop sequence in a route based on multiple real-time variables, like traffic, drivers’ availability, or emergencies. 

Below are some more considerations that can help you arrive at an informed choice.

1. Evaluate your business size and type

Different businesses may have different logistics requirements based on their size, industry type, and operating model. Therefore, considering your business size and type, it is important to understand your specific needs and pain points and what features can address them.

For instance, if you are a small local shop owner, you may need software for basic scheduling, routing, live tracking, and customer notifications. If you are a large business owner operating beyond your domestic boundaries, you may need global transportation compliance, multi-vendor management, and global supply chain analytics.

2. Consider scalability 

While you can start by implementing software that fits your current needs, you won’t be able to maximize its utilization if it fails to support your requirements as your business expands. Therefore, ensure that your logistics solution has the potential to accommodate your growing and evolving business needs. 

For that, it should allow you to add new features and users as required. It should also integrate with other business systems, like enterprise resource planning or warehouse management, to ensure seamless exchange of information across multiple departments and external vendors.

“With Upper, you get a flexible platform that grows with your business, offering seamless integration and the ability to add features as your needs evolve.”

3. Test the user-interface

A complex user interface may make the software difficult to learn and use for employees who lack expertise in handling complex software. This may restrict their ability to utilize the software’s features to their maximum potential, hampering their productivity. 

Therefore, you should choose software with a user-friendly interface. This helps shorten the learning curve to facilitate easy onboarding and widespread adoption within your business. It also helps simplify workflows, minimize human errors, and save your workforce valuable time.

“Upper’s intuitive design ensures a smooth learning curve, making it easy for your team to start optimizing routes and managing deliveries effectively from day one.”

4. Assess reporting capabilities

Real-time visibility into your logistics operations is integral to tracking your fleet performance and optimizing your logistics processes accordingly. Hence, you should consider software that provides robust analytical and reporting capabilities.

The software should enable tracking and analyzing metrics like total idle time, fuel cost per mile, or successful job completion percentage per day. These data-driven insights help identify operational inefficiencies and make informed decisions to eliminate them.

“Upper’s comprehensive reporting tools offer clear insights into key metrics, helping you track performance and make data-driven decisions with ease.”

5. Ensure mobile access

Accessing logistical data on the go is crucial for high responsiveness and decision-making speed in today’s mobile-first environment. Thus, your logistics software must include a driver app to help your team stay connected with you.

Access to logistics data anytime, anywhere can also help reduce the reliance on a trail of emails, messages, or calls to make crucial decisions. You can collaborate with your team members in real-time to identify their issues, ask for suggestions, and make swift decisions to avoid disruptions while maximizing logistics efficiency. 

“Stay connected and manage your logistics seamlessly with Upper’s mobile app, ensuring your team has the tools they need, no matter where they are.”

6. Factor in customer support and training

Installing new software may present hindrances, making robust customer service necessary. So, your logistics management system software provides exhaustive training and ongoing support to ensure smooth onboarding and help maximize the utilization of the features.

Referring to social media sites and review platforms can help you learn more about your software provider and what customers say about their support, training, self-help materials, and response times. 

7. Estimate the return on investment

Budget is an important consideration when picking a software solution. Therefore, choose a solution that provides the desired features for your business at a competitive price.

For that, you can get a rough estimate of how much you can save on each logistics aspect using logistics software. You can then compare these possible savings with the software’s price to determine your ROI and make the final choice accordingly. 

Why Do Logistics Companies Rely on Route Planners?

Since Google Maps has a 10-stop limit and lacks optimization capabilities, they prefer a logistics and transportation route planner as it helps:

1. Minimize route planning and optimization time.
2. Dispatch schedules a single click and alerts drivers or technicians at the same time.
3. Track drivers’ locations to stay aware of their progress.
4. Deliver important instructions to drivers or technicians during the ongoing process.
5. Get rid of missed deliveries and unnecessary calls from customers.
6. Boost your customer satisfaction levels with real-time delivery updates.
7. Cut down the fuel, wear/tear, and maintenance costs with efficient routes.
8. Make mid-route updates to increase adaptability to unforeseen changes.
9. Manage delivery fleets and truck driver schedules simultaneously.
10. Collect the electronic proof of delivery after handing over the parcel.

Logistics Routing Software: Key to Optimizing Your Logistics Routes

Logistics routing software is the backbone of a company that moves persons or parcels from one place to another. It helps eliminate the inadvertent errors and inaccuracies that result from manual route planning and dispatching, enhancing operational efficiency.

Shipping and logistics management software also helps reduce time and distance on the road by allowing you to create the most efficient routes. Thus, it minimizes fuel expenses and overhead costs and maximizes the return on investment on each delivery journey. 

Moreover, it provides quick route dispatch, live driver tracking, customer notifications, and proof of delivery, and a driver app to streamline end-to-end logistics operations. 

While picking from multiple route optimization solutions may be tricky, considering your unique business needs, specific business needs, and pain points, along with referring to this list of solutions by different logistics software companies, can help you arrive at the right decision.