Route Optimization on a Budget: How to Compare Prices and Pick Affordable Software
Affordable route optimization software is the tool whose total yearly cost is clearly smaller than the driving time and fuel it saves you, while still handling your real constraints. The cheapest headline price is often not the cheapest tool. Compare pricing models rather than prices: per-driver plans suit stable fleets, per-order plans suit low or seasonal volume, and flat per-account plans suit single drivers with many stops.
This article explains the three pricing models, what free tiers really cover, the costs vendors do not put in the headline, and a simple worksheet to decide what you can afford.
The three pricing models
| Model | You pay for | Cheapest when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per driver / per vehicle | Each driver seat, per month | Stable team, high volume per driver | Paying for part-time or seasonal drivers all year; annual billing |
| Per order | Each order scheduled | Low or seasonal volume, many part-time drivers | A single busy driver can generate thousands of orders a month |
| Flat per account | One price per account, often with a free tier capped by stops | One driver with many stops; small teams where each driver plans their own run | Usually no central dispatch across drivers |
Real examples, from each company's pricing page on 1 October 2026:
- Per driver: OptimoRoute lists Lite at $35.10 and Pro at $44.10 per driver per month, billed annually; see OptimoRoute's per-driver plans.
- Per order: Routific is free up to 100 orders a month, US$150 a month for 101 to 1,000 orders, then a sliding per-order fee; see Routific's per-order model.
- Flat: MiliRoute is free for routes of up to 10 stops, then A$15 a month or A$140 a year per account.
What do free tiers and trials actually cover?
| Option | What is free | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan capped by stops (e.g. MiliRoute, routes up to 10 stops) | Ongoing use for short routes | Light delivery days, testing on real routes |
| Free plan capped by monthly orders (e.g. Routific, up to 100 orders) | Ongoing use at low volume | Small shops with occasional deliveries |
| Time-limited trial (e.g. OptimoRoute, 30 days) | Full features for a month | Evaluating a fleet platform |
| Navigation apps (Google Maps, Waze) | Directions in the order you enter stops | A few stops in an order you already know |
| Open-source solvers (e.g. Google OR-Tools) | The optimization engine | Businesses with developers to build their own tool |
A navigation app is free, but it does not solve the stop order for you. An open-source solver is free, but you pay in developer time, map data and maintenance. See route optimization vs a GPS navigation app.
Hidden costs to check before you buy
- SMS notifications. Often an add-on priced per message. Routific, for example, sells SMS separately and includes email.
- Annual billing. Lower monthly price, but you commit for a year. Fine if you are sure; risky if you are still testing.
- Seats for part-time drivers. On per-driver plans, a casual who drives two days a week may cost the same as a full-timer.
- Order limits per plan. Some plans cap how many orders you can optimize at once.
- Integrations and API access. Sometimes only on higher plans.
- Setup time. Cleaning addresses, importing customers and training drivers costs hours in the first weeks.
- Your own data costs if you build in-house. Road travel-time data from map providers is usually billed per request.
Worked scenarios (list prices, not quotes)
These show how the models behave. They ignore currency differences and tax, and they are not recommendations.
Scenario A: owner-driver courier, about 120 stops a day, 22 days a month (about 2,640 orders). - Per order (Routific list price): about US$383 a month. - Per driver (OptimoRoute Lite, annual): $35.10 a month. - Flat (MiliRoute Premium): A$15 a month.
Scenario B: gift shop, 1 part-time driver, 60 deliveries a month, routes of 8 to 15 stops. - Per order: free tier (under 100 orders). - Per driver: $35.10 a month. - Flat: free for routes of up to 10 stops; A$15 for months with longer routes.
Scenario C: bakery wholesaler, 8 drivers, one dispatcher, 2,000 orders a month, delivery windows. - Per order: about US$300 a month for all drivers (US$150 plus 1,000 orders at 15 cents). - Per driver: 8 × $35.10 = $280.80 a month (Lite, annual). - Flat per account: 8 × A$15 = A$120, but a driver-side planner does not dispatch one order pool or handle delivery windows, so it does not fit this business.
Notice that Scenario C is decided by features (time windows, central dispatch), not price.
How much can you afford to pay?
Use this worksheet with your own numbers. Measure a baseline week first; do not use vendor savings claims.
To see what one delivery costs you today, use the free cost per drop calculator.
- Minutes saved per day × working days × what a driver hour costs you.
- Kilometres saved per day × working days × your cost per kilometre.
- Add planning time saved (the time someone spends ordering stops by hand).
- Compare the total with the yearly software cost, including add-ons.
Example with stated assumptions: if a driver saves 15 minutes and 8 km a day over 220 days, that is 55 hours and 1,760 km a year. At A$35 an hour (an assumption; use your own wage costs) and 91 cents a km (the ATO's 2026-27 cents-per-km rate, used here only as a rough proxy for running costs), that is about A$1,925 + A$1,602 = about A$3,527 a year. A tool costing A$180 a year is easily covered; a tool costing A$4,000 a year would not be, for that one driver. Read where your delivery costs actually come from to estimate your own figures.
Five ways to keep route optimization cheap
- Start on a free tier with real routes. Prove the saving before you pay.
- Match the pricing model to your volume. Many orders, few drivers: avoid per-order. Few orders, many casual drivers: avoid per-driver.
- Pay monthly until you are sure. Switch to annual once the tool has proved itself for a few months.
- Do not buy dispatch features you will not use. A solo courier does not need a dispatcher console.
- Clean your addresses once. Saved favourites and correct pins save time on every future route.
Where MiliRoute fits on a budget
MiliRoute is an AI route optimization app for couriers, delivery drivers and small delivery fleets, priced in Australian dollars. The free plan optimizes routes of up to 10 stops with no time limit. Premium is A$15 a month or A$140 a year (equivalent to about A$11.67 a month) and removes the stop limit. Proof of delivery, route sharing, the camera address scanner and per-route analytics are included. Teams that need central dispatch across drivers, time windows or live tracking should compare fleet platforms; see our complete guide to route optimization software and the fleet route planner for small business page.
Conclusion
Affordable does not mean cheapest. Pick the pricing model that matches your drivers and order volume, check the hidden costs, and only pay what the measured saving supports. A good next read is choosing software for a small courier business.
Start free: see MiliRoute's plans and optimize your next route on the free plan.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest route optimization software?
It depends on your volume and drivers. Per-order plans are cheapest at low volume, per-driver plans for stable fleets, and flat per-account plans for single drivers with many stops. Several tools offer free tiers.
Is there free route optimization software?
Yes, with limits. MiliRoute is free for routes of up to 10 stops, Routific is free up to 100 orders a month, and Google OR-Tools is a free open-source solver for developers.
How much does route planning software cost per month?
List prices checked on 1 October 2026 range from free tiers to around $35 to $45 per driver per month for fleet platforms, and A$15 per account for MiliRoute Premium. Enterprise plans are usually quoted.
Is per-order or per-driver pricing better?
Per-order pricing is better for low or seasonal volume and many part-time drivers. Per-driver pricing is better when each driver handles many orders every day.
Can I use Google Maps instead of route optimization software?
For a few stops in an order you already know, yes. Google Maps does not work out the best order for a long multi-stop delivery run.
Is route optimization worth it for one driver?
Usually, once you deliver more than a handful of stops a day. Measure one baseline week, then compare kilometres and finish time with optimized routes.