Gig Driver Basics: Choosing Your First Route Planning App
If you drive for yourself, deliver several stops a day and want a route planner, start with a free one and only pay when you hit its stop limit. The free limits differ in every app: 5, 8, 10 or 15 stops per route. So the first number to find is how many stops you do on your busiest day.
This is a guide for people starting out on their own: new couriers, self-employed van drivers and anyone who takes several drops at once. The numbers come from each company's own pricing page, checked on 24 October 2026.
Key takeaways
- Count your busiest day first. Eight stops or fewer fits almost every free plan.
- Free stop limits: RouteMate 5, RoadWarrior 8, MiliRoute 10, Spoke 10, Geo2 15, MyWay 15 per route.
- Google Maps allows 9 stops including the last one and keeps your typed order; it is not a route planner.
- Paid plans for one driver cost about US$9 to US$20 a month.
- Try one app for a week. Keep the one that saves you time. Pay only if you keep hitting the limit.
What is a route planning app for a gig or self-employed driver?
It is an app that takes the addresses you must visit today and puts them in a good driving order, then hands you each stop in turn. Some also record proof of delivery and show how your day went. It is different from a navigation app: navigation tells you how to get from A to B, while a route planner decides whether B should come before C.
For a new driver the difference matters because your first weeks are when habits form. A driver who learns to order the stops each morning keeps that habit for years.
Step 1: how many stops do you do on your busiest day?
Write down the most stops you have had in one day. If it is 8 or fewer, almost every free plan covers you. If it is 12, you need a plan with a higher limit or a paid plan.
| Free plan | Stops per route |
|---|---|
| RouteMate | 5 |
| RoadWarrior | 8 |
| Spoke Route Planner | 10 |
| MiliRoute | 10 |
| Geo2 | 15 |
| MyWay Route Planner | 15 |
| Google Maps (not a route planner) | 9, including the last stop |
The free limit is per route. If your day is two separate runs of eight, a free plan with an 8-stop limit may be enough.
Step 2: does the app order the stops, or only list them?
Some apps only let you add stops. A route planner puts them in the quickest driving order. Google Maps keeps the order you typed (Google Maps Help), so on its own it will not fix a bad list. The Google Maps stop limit guide shows what that costs on a real day.
There is also a plain test you can do for free: plan tomorrow's stops in the order you would have driven, note the total distance, then let a planner order them and compare. The difference tells you what the ordering step is worth to you.
Step 3: what else do you need on the day?
- Address entry. Typing is slow with 10 or more stops. A camera scanner that reads a label saves time. MiliRoute has one.
- Proof of delivery. A photo or signature settles "it never came" later. In MiliRoute each stop can record a signature, a photo and a note, all optional.
- Notes per stop. "Side gate, ring the bell" saves a phone call.
- Your own numbers. An analytics page that shows deliveries per hour helps you decide which jobs are worth taking.
Step 4: what does it cost?
For one driver, the cheapest paid plans on those pages are about US$9 to US$20 a month: Geo2 Pro US$8.99, MyWay Pro US$9.99, Spoke Lite US$9.99, RoadWarrior Pro US$10 billed yearly, RouteMate Solo AI US$19.99. MiliRoute's Premium is A$15 a month or A$140 a year, charged in Australian dollars, with no stop limit. Both of MiliRoute's plans include every feature.
See what route planning software costs for the full table, including team tools. If you are a business owner with several drivers, the team tools are a different category.
Step 5: does it work in your country?
MiliRoute's address search and camera scanner work in Australia, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. The phone starts in miles in the US and UK, and in kilometres in Canada and Australia. There are pages with a real example route for the USA, Canada and the UK. There is no native iPhone app yet; the web app runs in Safari on an iPhone.
A simple first week
- Day 1. Pick one free app. Plan tomorrow's stops in it tonight.
- Day 2 to 4. Drive the planned order. Note anything the app got wrong, such as an address it could not find.
- Day 5. Compare the app's distance with what you would have driven. Look at the analytics.
- Day 6. If you hit the stop limit, note by how many stops.
- Day 7. Decide: keep the free plan, upgrade, or try a second app.
Mistakes to avoid when you start
- Paying before you have counted your stops. A free plan may cover you.
- Comparing apps by feature lists. Test two with your real stops.
- Planning in the order the orders arrived. That order is rarely the quickest.
- Forgetting the paperwork. Keep a dated log of distance for tax. See mileage rates in four countries; it is not tax advice.
- Skipping the check. Pick every address from the suggestions.
Questions
What is the best free route planner for a new delivery driver?
The one whose free stop limit covers your busiest day. For up to 10 stops, MiliRoute and Spoke are free; for 15, Geo2 and MyWay.
Is Google Maps enough for delivery driving?
For up to 9 stops in an order you choose yourself, yes. For more stops, or to have the order chosen for you, you need a route planner.
Do I need to pay for a route planner as a gig driver?
Only if you regularly go past a free limit. The cheapest paid plans for one driver are about US$9 to US$20 a month.
Can I use one app for different delivery jobs?
Yes, if you add the stops yourself. A route planner works from the addresses you give it, whatever job they come from.
Does it work offline?
We have not tested that, and we do not claim it. Check the app's own page for your situation.
Sources
- Each company's own pricing page, read 24 October 2026 (free stop limits and prices)
- Google Maps Help: multiple destinations
Last updated 28 October 2026.