MyRouteOnline still asks for an Excel sheet to plan a multi-stop route, and the address geocoder still loses a couple of stops on every batch. For a tool that’s supposed to save delivery drivers and field reps a few hours a week, that workflow feels like 2014. The cap of 350 addresses is generous on paper, but a modern route planner shouldn’t need a CSV at all — it should let you paste an address list and figure the rest out.
We tested 7 MyRouteOnline alternatives across Windows, macOS, and Linux against the same workload: a 75-stop urban delivery route, a 12-stop sales call list with priority windows, and the same 75 stops re-optimized after three cancellations mid-day. Each pick below either drops the spreadsheet workflow, adds time-window awareness MyRouteOnline doesn’t handle well, or solves the “I just need a free planner” case better than MyRouteOnline’s free tier does.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free tier | Starting price | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Route4Me | Most users | 7-day trial | ~$200/month | Industry-standard, driver app included |
| OptimoRoute | Service businesses | 30-day trial | ~$45/user/month | Real-time tracking and re-optimization |
| Upper | Modern interface | 14-day trial | ~$80/month | Clean UI, fast multi-stop planning |
| Circuit | Solo drivers | Limited free tier | ~$20/month | Built for single-driver routes |
| RouteXL | Free tier users | Up to 20 stops free | ~$30/month | Generous free tier for casual use |
| Badger Maps | Sales reps | 7-day trial | ~$58/user/month | CRM and lead-overlay built in |
| EZRoutePlanner | Unlimited free | Unlimited free | Free | No stop limits, no signup |
Why people leave MyRouteOnline
The complaints we read on the Capterra reviews, the r/UPSers and r/uberdrivers forums, and a handful of field-service Slack groups split into four themes.
The first is the Excel workflow. MyRouteOnline still treats spreadsheet upload as the primary input method, and the address mapping fails on apartment numbers, suite labels, and any address that doesn’t fit the geocoder’s expected shape. Pasting 75 stops should not require column headers.
The second is the geocoding accuracy. Several reviewers report 5–10% of addresses landing on the wrong block, with no warning. The competitors that ship with the Google Maps geocoder under the hood don’t have this problem at the same rate.
The third is the re-optimization workflow. If a customer cancels mid-route, MyRouteOnline wants you to re-upload the sheet. Route4Me, OptimoRoute, and Circuit re-optimize live from the driver’s phone — the desktop user doesn’t have to touch the spreadsheet.
The fourth is the per-route pricing. MyRouteOnline charges by stop volume, which works for occasional users but punishes routine ones. The subscription competitors offer flat monthly pricing that ends up cheaper above a few thousand stops a month.
The alternatives
Route4Me — best overall
Route4Me is the industry-standard route optimizer that most logistics teams already know. The desktop planner handles 100+ stops with time windows, vehicle capacities, and driver shift constraints, and the driver app on iOS and Android receives updates live. The full suite is heavier than MyRouteOnline, but the planning workflow is closer to what a modern operation needs.
Where it falls short: The monthly price is the highest on this list, and the feature menu is overwhelming for solo users who just want a 20-stop run optimized.
Pricing: Around $200/month for the smallest plan, with per-driver scaling above that. Route4Me vs MyRouteOnline: dramatically more expensive, dramatically more capable.
Where to use it: Route4Me.com
Bottom line: Pick Route4Me if you run a fleet of three or more drivers and need the driver app.
OptimoRoute — best for service businesses
OptimoRoute is the planner the home-services world keeps recommending. The desktop interface lets you build a week of routes at once, apply driver skills (plumber A only takes plumbing jobs), and re-optimize when a cancellation comes in. The mobile app handles signature capture, photos, and time-tracking — the parts MyRouteOnline doesn’t try to ship.
Where it falls short: The per-user pricing adds up fast for larger teams. The visualization map is functional, not beautiful.
Pricing: Around $45/user/month for the starter plan. OptimoRoute vs MyRouteOnline: priced per user, but solves the cancellation and live-tracking gaps.
Where to use it: OptimoRoute.com
Bottom line: Pick OptimoRoute if you run a service business and need driver tracking, not just route planning.
Upper — best modern interface
Upper is the option for someone who wants the planner to look like a 2026 web app, not a 2014 form. The desktop interface is fast, the address parser handles paste-from-clipboard correctly, and the multi-stop optimization runs in a few seconds for 100-stop routes. The mobile driver app is included.
Where it falls short: The newer product means fewer integrations with legacy fleet systems. Reporting is thinner than Route4Me’s.
Pricing: Around $80/month for the smallest plan, with higher tiers for larger teams. Upper vs MyRouteOnline: cheaper than Route4Me, costlier than MyRouteOnline’s small plans, modern interface.
Where to use it: UpperInc.com
Bottom line: Pick Upper if you want a route planner that doesn’t feel like enterprise software.
Circuit — best for solo drivers
Circuit is built for the one-driver case. The desktop planner is straightforward — paste your stops, optimize, send to the phone — and the mobile app handles proof of delivery, photo capture, and live tracking with a clean interface. For an independent courier or a route-trade driver, Circuit is what we’d recommend before MyRouteOnline.
Where it falls short: The team plan is limited compared to Route4Me. Real multi-driver dispatch isn’t Circuit’s strength.
Pricing: Around $20/month for the solo plan; team plans cost more per seat. Circuit vs MyRouteOnline: cheaper for solo use, focused on a driver-first workflow.
Where to use it: Circuit.app
Bottom line: Pick Circuit if you’re a single driver and don’t need a fleet dashboard.
RouteXL — best free tier for small jobs
RouteXL gives you a usable free tier with up to 20 stops per route — enough for a quick errand run or a small delivery list. No signup, no card, just paste addresses and go. It’s the closest free analog to what MyRouteOnline does without the spreadsheet.
Where it falls short: The 20-stop cap is real, and the paid plan that raises it costs about as much as Circuit. The driver app is basic.
Pricing: Free up to 20 stops; around $30/month to lift the cap. RouteXL vs MyRouteOnline: free for casual use, less polished interface.
Where to use it: RouteXL.com
Bottom line: Pick RouteXL if your routes top out around 20 stops and you don’t want to pay.
Badger Maps — best for sales reps
Badger Maps is the only planner on this list built for outside sales, not delivery. The map shows CRM data overlaid on the route — last-touched dates, account values, lead status — so reps can sequence calls based on opportunity, not just distance. The desktop and mobile interfaces talk to Salesforce and HubSpot directly.
Where it falls short: Per-user pricing is high, and the sales-rep focus means delivery-driver features (proof of delivery, signature capture) are absent.
Pricing: Around $58/user/month for the starter plan. Badger vs MyRouteOnline: not comparable for delivery; the right answer for field sales.
Where to use it: BadgerMapping.com
Bottom line: Pick Badger Maps if you sell, not deliver.
EZRoutePlanner — best free unlimited
EZRoutePlanner is the free option that doesn’t cap your stops. The interface is dated and there’s no driver app, but for someone who just needs to optimize 50 stops on their laptop without paying, it gets the job done. No subscription, no upsell.
Where it falls short: No phone app, no live tracking, no team features. The optimization engine isn’t as fast as Route4Me’s on large batches.
Pricing: Free. EZRoutePlanner vs MyRouteOnline: free, fewer features, no stop limits.
Where to use it: EZRoutePlanner.com
Bottom line: Pick EZRoutePlanner if you want to plan routes on a laptop and that’s it.
How to choose
Pick Route4Me if you run a fleet and the driver app on each phone matters. It’s the safe enterprise default.
Pick OptimoRoute if you run a service business and need the driver-side workflow (signatures, photos, time tracking) on top of the planning.
Pick Upper if you want a clean modern interface and you’re tired of looking at planners that haven’t been refreshed since 2018.
Pick Circuit if you’re one driver and a phone, not a team.
Pick RouteXL or EZRoutePlanner if you want free. RouteXL is cleaner up to 20 stops; EZRoutePlanner removes the cap at the cost of polish.
Stay on MyRouteOnline if your routes are infrequent, your address data is clean, and the pay-per-route pricing fits your usage better than a monthly subscription. For routine use, the alternatives have outpaced it.
FAQ
What’s the best free MyRouteOnline alternative?
RouteXL up to 20 stops, EZRoutePlanner above that. Both are free and don’t require an account for the basic workflow.
Can I use Google Maps to plan a delivery route?
For up to about 10 stops, yes — Google Maps supports multi-stop directions on web and mobile. Above that, the lack of optimization (Google Maps follows your stop order rather than re-sequencing) makes it slower than a real route planner.
Which route planner has the best mobile app for drivers?
Route4Me and Circuit have the most polished driver apps. OptimoRoute is close behind, with stronger proof-of-delivery features for service work.
Do I need to upload a spreadsheet to plan a route?
With the modern options on this list, no. Route4Me, OptimoRoute, Upper, and Circuit all accept pasted address lists or a list saved from a CRM. The spreadsheet workflow is the part most users want to drop.
What’s the largest route I can plan for free?
EZRoutePlanner has no stop limit on its free tier. RouteXL caps free routes at 20 stops. MyRouteOnline’s free tier exists but is harder to find and limited.
Can these planners handle time windows for each stop?
Route4Me, OptimoRoute, and Upper support time windows out of the box. Circuit and RouteXL handle simple priority ordering. EZRoutePlanner does not.
