The emergence of route planners has led to growth and development across various sectors today. This goes from the logistics industry to others like healthcare, real estate, public transportation, and more. Its numerous benefits transcend the enterprise level. The list is endless, from reducing congestion, fuel consumption, and carbon emissions to increasing customer satisfaction. In fact, businesses can save an average of $8,700 per driver yearly through route optimization.
Before now, large businesses were the primary beneficiaries of this intelligent system. However, small businesses can now hop on the train thanks to new, cost-effective mapping solutions. These solutions offer businesses a free route planner with unlimited stops, which ultimately helps to scale their businesses faster. In this article, we have evaluated seven route planners you should consider in your business.
Google Maps: Multipurpose Free Route Planner With Unlimited Stops
Google Maps is today’s most popular and most used free route planner with unlimited stops software. Apart from small businesses, individuals seeking the fastest route possible also use it. If you’re a delivery driver, Google Maps can help you find the ideal route. It does this by offering you first-hand traffic information on your locations. Besides, Google has updated information on recent developments, such as road construction. Its other features include “Street View,” which shows photos of landmarks along your routes.
You can use Google Maps on many devices, including mobile phones. Apart from mapping out your routes, it will give you very accurate directions and ETA. Hence, users prefer it to Apple Maps. However, Google Maps only allows users to plan ten or fewer stops, not unlimited.
Nevertheless, many users usually bypass it using this simple hack of merging routes. The lack of route optimization is another drawback of Google Maps. Consequently, as much as it helps you find ideal routes, it cannot strategically merge them for cost efficiency. Although, it is easy if you’re planning ten stops, as you can easily arrange them yourself. But you’ll need a more sophisticated tool if you want more functionality.
Pros
- Constantly updated road information
- Easy to use across multiple devices
- Street view to see what your routes and destination look like
- Almost accurate ETA
Cons
- Poor route optimization
- The maximum number of stops is 10
- Users need to know how to use their APIs to enjoy more functionality
Flightmap: Free Delivery Route Planner With Unlimited Stops
If you’re looking for a free delivery route planner with unlimited stops that is more optimized for business, consider FlightMap. FlightMap is a more sophisticated mapping solution with more enticing features than Google Maps. It is one tool to consider if your business is mainly sales or delivery.
FlightMap’s most fascinating feature is its route optimization. It can strategically arrange routes while considering several factors. These factors include the vehicle and cargo size, speed, road conditions, fuel efficiency, etc.
It’s free plan allows users about 200 stops per vehicle monthly for two vehicles. One user can register two vehicles and use an average of ten stops daily for each. This is way more than the stops that other mapping solutions offer. Like most of its counterparts, FlightMap also lets you customize your map. You can change the font, texture, icon, etc., to make it as dynamic as you’d want. Apart from these, you can share your map by sending it as a mail, link, or spreadsheet.
Furthermore, with FlightMap, you can monitor and manage your routes. This feature is handy if you have multiple drivers or vehicles. You can assign specific routes to your drivers depending on their availability. It even gets better due to its integration with Tookan, a delivery management software.
Pros
- Its free plan allows users to register two vehicles
- Route optimization depends on several factors
- Free 200 stops monthly per vehicle
- Allows customization and sharing
Cons
- It only has a web-based version, no app.
- 200 stops might not be enough, depending on the business size
Apple Maps: Free Route Planner With Unlimited Stops for iPhone Users
Just as most Android users can use Google Maps on their devices, Apple wanted to ensure its users could do the same. Hence, they created Apple Maps for users seeking a free route planner with unlimited stops. Apple Maps is similar to its Google counterpart but has more shortcomings.
For instance, users have found Google Maps ETA to be more accurate than Apple Maps. Unlike Google Maps, where you can add ten stops, Apple Maps only allows two. Therefore, it isn’t much of a choice for drivers and delivery men. Although users have complained bitterly about this, Apple has yet to upgrade this functionality.
However, where Apple Maps fall short in stops, it makes up for it in aesthetics. Apple Maps has a clean and clear design with straightforward navigation. The maps are well-displayed, with an added 3D view of buildings. Another advantage it boasts of includes seamless integration across all Apple devices. This means your map as a user syncs, and you can easily view directions on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac computer.
Pros
- Clean and clear design
- 3D view of buildings and routes
- It has similar functionalities to Google Maps
- Syncing across all Apple devices
Cons
- Allows only two stops
- You can only use it on Apple devices
- ETA is not as accurate as Google Maps
Speedy Route: Free Route Optimizer With Unlimited Stops for Everyone
Regardless of your job type, Speedy Route is effective for anyone looking for a free route optimizer with unlimited stops. It has excellent route optimization ability for businesses of different sizes that engage in complicated trips.
Logging your destinations onto Speedy Route will first rearrange them to give you a cost-effective route plan. It will create the shortest path using real-time traffic data and road information. Apart from this, Speedy Route will also provide you with complete driving directions between your stops.
If you’re unsatisfied with the route the software created for you, you can easily change it. You can do this with the help of its drag-and-drop feature that allows you to adjust and rearrange your stops. Another exciting feature of Speedy Route is its vehicle optimization. That is, users can plan routes for single or multiple delivery vehicles.
However, Speedy Route is not a free route optimizer for unlimited stops. Its free version only permits ten stops. This differs from its paid version, which allows as many as ten drivers and 9,999 visits. The free version also allows users to calculate three routes per IP address daily. Other areas for improvement of this route planner include its not-so-sleek interface and the absence of a mobile app.
Pros
- It rearranges stops in the most cost-efficient order
- Relatively simple to use
- Drag and drop feature for editing stops
Cons
- The free version only offers ten stops
- Exists only as a web-based tool, with no downloadable app
Mapquest: Oldest Free Route Planner With Unlimited Stops
MapQuest is the second most-used choice by people seeking a free route planner with unlimited stops. It is the oldest mapping solution available and has been around since 1996. Due to its reputation, it is popular among delivery agents looking for the shortest ETA and distance. Like many other route planners, it can perform basic route optimization. All you need to do is input your addresses and hit the “let us reorder stops” button.
MapQuest has stayed in the competition thanks to its many benefits. Although it is not a free delivery route planner with unlimited stops, it allows users 26 stops or less on one journey. Furthermore, customers can share routes to other people’s devices using a link or social media. They can also upload their addresses by copying and pasting or using a spreadsheet. Another exciting feature is its estimated fuel cost display. It will show you estimated fuel costs for different trips and where to get the best deal along your route.
However, MapQuest’s main downside is its display of in-app ads. It is how the company can keep offering 26 stops on one route. Another disadvantage is that the mapping solution is not sophisticated enough to interpret addresses. As such, you’ll have to double-check your addresses every time to avoid costly errors.
Pros
- MapQuest allows users 26 stops
- Users can share routes and print maps as well
- It shows users locations for the best fuel deal along their route
Cons
- It cannot interpret addresses seamlessly
- Display of ads while mapping can be distracting
Truckrouter: Free Route Planner With Unlimited Stops for Truck Drivers
Like other riders, many truck drivers also search for a free route planner with unlimited stops. And this is where TruckRouter comes in. This online mapping solution is for fleet managers, truckers, dispatch agents, and others in the trucking industry. It considers only truck-specific routes — places without height or width constriction or other obstructions.
Apart from this, TruckRouter can also act as a driving assistant. It does this by showing the driver real-time road data. Its cost calculator function can also estimate costs, making your trip more cost-effective. Since most trucks stop infrequently, TruckRouter offers only five free stops. Thus, its main downsides would be the absence of downloadable apps and country limitations (US, Canada, and Mexico).
Pros
- Route plans are specific to trucks alone
- Alerts truck drivers of road changes like low clearances
- It has a cost calculator
Cons
- TruckRouter only has a web-based version and no app
- It is restricted to use in specific countries alone.
Routexl: Free Online Route Planner With Unlimited Stops for Small Businesses
Route XL is the last free online route planner with unlimited stops on our list. And it works well as an alternative to Google Maps. The first reason for this is its free version, which offers users 20 stops. Moreover, Route XL allows you to input addresses through a spreadsheet for easier use. It also provides driving directions that you can share via social media or export to other apps.
Route XL is a bit more complicated than other route planners mentioned. Meaning, its interface can be confusing for first-time users.
Pros
- Route XL lets users add 20 stops for free
- Users can import addresses and export maps
Cons
- Its interface is pretty complicated
- It exists only as a web app
Final Thoughts: A Free Route Planner With Unlimited Stops Has Limitations
The idea of a free route planner with unlimited stops might seem vague. However, these tools will be beneficial if your business is trying route planning for the first time. Their free versions give you as much freedom as the paid plans while limiting the number of stops. Since this is the most crucial feature, upgrading to a paid plan might not take long.
Also, it is important to recognize that you will need more mapping functionality for a more productive business. This could be during data presentation, team brainstorming, etc. Interestingly, Mapize is a mapping solution that lets you create highly customized maps for different purposes. Google’s enterprise-level mapping technology powers it with many functionalities.
View Test Map in a full screen map
For instance, you could view heat maps, export your data as a spreadsheet, and more. You can also store locations and directions, filter out the noise on your map, and get estimated drive times and distances. Start today with our free version and create your first map seamlessly.
