You probably already understand how vital route optimization is if you are someone who drives for a living, goes on adventures, or runs a company in which transportation and logistics play a significant role. It’s no secret that route-planning tools have transformed how we travel and do business.
Smartphones are used by nearly half of the population to get directions using navigation or route planner apps. Additionally, you can use these route planner apps in any language. For example, if you are from France and travelling to another country, you can use a Route4Me route planner app in French to better understand the directions.
Everyone should design the shortest route based on their needs and the purpose they’re going. Others want easy-to-use trip planning software. This post lists the best free delivery route planning applications with unlimited stops.
Steps on planning multiple stops with Google Maps
You can use the Google Maps route planner to plan a route that includes multiple stops. However, there is a twist to this. Only a certain number of stops (up to ten stops total, including the starting location) to each route is required for this app.
On the other hand, Google Maps is an excellent navigation app, making it ideal for real-time updates and step-by-step driving directions along your route.
The following is a step-by-step guide that will show you how to plan multiple stops using Google Maps’ Route Planner:
Step 1
Open Google Maps on your smartphone or computer.
Step 2
A blue button will appear in the lower right-hand corner of the screen after you first open the application. Simply clicking on it will kick off adding multiple locations at once. Take a shot without second thoughts!
Step 3
In the search bar, enter the starting point, then add the first location you wish to visit. The predictive text feature of Google can offer suggestions for words and phrases to type based on your current location and your history of search queries.
Step 4
To include additional destinations, click “Add Destination” again. Tap the three dots in the upper right corner to move it to another location. An options menu will appear for you to choose from when you do.
Step 5
Rearrange addresses manually by dragging them into place.
Step 6
When you click the “Direction” button, it will provide detailed driving instructions for each stop along the route.
Step 7
To get started, click “Start.”
What Are The Free Route Planner Apps For Multiple Routes?
Maptive
Professionals of all kinds will find Maptive the top free route optimizer available. It provides many advanced options that more basic route optimizers, such as Google Maps, do not. These options include unlimited stops, the ability to optimize your stops to find the shortest route, the ability to map locations in bulk, and many others.
The fact that you can click on the map or type in addresses to add multiple stops makes it more user-friendly than many other tools on this list. Helpful built-in guides are available on the Maptive interface, which is easy to learn.
Apple Maps
Apple has released a mapping app as part of the iOS operating system. There are some similarities to Google Maps, but there are some differences as well.
Aside from including a 3D view and buildings, the maps are incredibly well-made. Users of Apple products will also value that their devices share a synchronized copy of their maps and directions. With this, you can send directions from your iPad straight to your iPhone without having to wait for them to sync.
Final thoughts
It is essential to know the processes involved in planning multiple stops, particularly if you are travelling or operating a business that requires prompt delivery. However, there are a plethora of other free route-planning apps out there. Everything else is up to you; all you have to do is figure out how to use it and learn about its advantages and disadvantages.