We Analyzed 40K User Reviews. Here’s What We Learned About Route Optimization Software

We recently analyzed 40,268 route optimization software reviews to answer four questions:

1. Who uses route optimization software?
2. What affects user decisions to choose one solution over another?
3. What are the best and worst software features (according to users)?
4. What is the best routing software according to user experience?

We also wanted to give you an accurate summary of key market findings. (Without you visiting review sites. Or spending hours reading through the comments.)

We looked at 99 software solutions that provide route optimization (including eLogii). We looked at scores. We looked at positive and negative user reviews and feedback.

With data from Capterra, GetApp, Software Advice, TrustRadius, G2, and Gartner, we uncovered some very interesting findings.

Now it’s time to share what we discovered.

Here Is a Summary of Our Key Findings:

1. Our data shows that small-to-medium businesses tend to invest in route optimization software 4.3x more than enterprises and large companies (as measured by # of user reviews).
   
   
2. Companies that you typically expect to transport goods or make service calls are the biggest routing software users. In fact, Consumer & Field Services, Supply Chain & Logistics, Food & Beverage, Transportation, and Retail & eCommerce make up 65.37% of all users.
   
   
3. Business owners and CEOs have virtually the same decision-making power as operations, transportation, and logistics managers. Key stakeholders and direct users (route planners) tend to decide what software a company will use in 75.68% cases.
   
   
4. We found out that 77.77% of software users plan and optimize routes every day.
   
   
5. The vast majority of companies (84.3%) that invest in route optimization software are first time users. However, we found that 20% of companies use manual routing and simple tools like Google Maps and Microsoft Excel before upgrading to route planning software.
   
   
6. Not enough companies make informed decisions before choosing a software provider. On average, only 27.4% of users consider one or more alternative route optimization solutions.
   
   
7. According to our research, not listing the software price does not correlate to fewer users. Which means the cost of route planning software doesn’t impact users’ decision making.
   
   
8. We also found that free trials or free versions don’t impact what route optimization software users choose.
   
   
9. A demo is the best way for users to evaluate the software. That’s why nearly all route optimization software providers (or 94.7%) offer a demo to interested users.
   
   
10. On average, an off-the-shelf monthly subscription to route optimization software costs $684.62 per month for a team of ten drivers.
    
    
11. Users purchase more expensive but more functional custom and tailor-made route optimization solutions. We found out that users buy custom packages only 1.7 x less than off-the-shelf packages.
    
    
12. Overall, the vast majority of users are happy with how much they’re paying for routing software. However, we found essentially zero correlation between price and value for money.
    
    
13. Almost all providers allow users to plan an unlimited number of optimized routes. However, our research suggests that providers tend to limit subscriptions either by # of drivers or # of tasks.
    
    
14. Almost all route optimization software users have watched a demo before their purchase. But only two in three have used a free trial or free version.
    
    
15. We found out that 22.6% of users are not satisfied with the customer support they receive. And that has a significant impact on choice and retention. In most situations, users switch to another provider.
    
    
16. Most route optimization solutions have a solid UI. In fact, almost three quarters of users (72.4%) find route planning dashboards and driver apps easy to use.
    
    
17. We found that 80.7% of users see the ability to plan multiple routes for multiple tasks as THE biggest benefit of route optimization software.
    
    
18. Inaccurate or inefficient route optimization is the biggest complaint among users. We found that 19.3% of users have some complaints with their software, and most have to do with inaccurate or inefficient routes.
    
    
19. According to our analysis, better integration with other software, higher route efficiency and accuracy, and more advanced analytics are three features most users want to have access to.

SMBs Invest 4.3x Times More in Route Optimization Software Than Enterprises

According to user data, small-to-medium sized businesses invest 4.3x times more in route optimization software than enterprise-level companies:

With SMBs accounting for 72.25% of users and large enterprises with 16.80%.

However, if we divide SMBs into self-employed individuals, small businesses (1-50 employees), medium-sized companies (51-200 employees) and large enterprises (201+ employees), then the user profile looks quite different:

With small businesses accounting for more than half of the users (52.14%), while medium businesses have a user share of 18.68%.

This means that fewer medium-size businesses invest in software than large enterprises.

It also means that different route optimization software solutions are better equipped to cater to the needs of businesses based on their size.

Route optimization software for small businesses based on the number of users:

Route optimization software for medium businesses based on the number of users:

Route optimization software for enterprise based on the number of users:

While it’s impossible to draw a firm conclusion from organization size, our data suggests that tools with a balanced user portfolio between small, medium, and large companies can fit to scale.

Key Takeaway: Even though route optimization software represents a sizable investment, it isn’t limited to large companies, with 4.3x more SMBs viewing it as an investment opportunity.

Routing Software Is Ideal for Industries That Transport Goods or Make Service Calls

According to our data, industries that you would typically expect to transport goods or make service calls use route optimization software the most.

These industries account for 65.37% of all software users and include:

• Consumer and Field Services
• Logistics and Supply Chain
• Food and Beverage Distribution
• Transportation
• Retail and E-Commerce Delivery

The remaining users are split between a variety of other industries.

This is a complete overview of route optimization users according to their industries:



Based on that user data, we created a table that shows the #1 route optimization software for each industry:

The low share % outside of the big five industries suggests that most providers are competing for these industries. This is understandable, as those industries rely heavily on transportation in their day-to-day operations.

However, it also appears that not enough businesses within those industries are investing in automation. Or they’re still using manual routing to manage their delivery and distribution.

Key Takeaway: Five industries make up 65.37% of all software users in our sample size. This leaves a lot of room for providers in the market. And a lot of opportunities for users to deploy routing software to raise efficiencies through automation.

Stakeholders and Route Planners Are Key Decision Makers When Choosing Providers

It’s no secret that the decision to choose one software provider over another remains in the hands of key figures in the company. And our data supports this claim…

We found out that 65.68% of all decision makers fall into two categories when it comes to deciding what route optimization software a company will subscribe to:

• Stakeholders: Business Owners and CEOs (35.4%)
• Route Planners: Transportation, Operations, and Logistics Managers (30.28%)

On the other hand, people who implement the software (COOs and CTOs) and indirect users (Office Managers and Drivers) have the least amount of influence.

Here’s a graph that outlines all of the roles and their impact on the decision-making process viewed as a % of users in our analysis:

While it’s safe to assume that CEOs should have a say in the decision processes, the people who will be using the software should have a much greater voice in the discussion.

Especially, when it comes to voicing their opinions on review websites where we gathered the data for this analysis.

Key Takeaway: 35.4% of all reviews come from business owners and CEOs who interact with the software only 2.7% of the time. If route optimization software is to improve, providers need more input from CTOs, dispatchers, drivers, transportation, operations, and logistics managers.

77.77% of Route Optimization Software Users Are Daily Route Planners

One of the most interesting findings in this analysis is that the majority of users take advantage of route optimization software every day.

In fact, we found that 77.77% of all companies plan and optimize their routes on a daily basis:



This is very much in-line with the purpose of the software, which is: to increase efficiency and improve operational performance.

It also implies that most companies that do use these tools see the benefits of automating route planning, dispatching, driver tracking, and more. And the more users log into their dashboards, the sooner they can expect to generate ROI from route planning software.

Key Takeaway: Using route optimization software every day can help you raise operational efficiency with guaranteed returns on your investment.

Most Route Optimization Software Users Haven’t Used It Before

We found that the vast majority of companies are first-time users. According to available data, only 15.7% of users have relied on route planning in the past, be it manual, SaaS, or fleet telematics:



Key Takeaway: The average route optimization software user is using a tool for this for the first time.

Google Maps and Microsoft Excel Users Tend to Switch to Routing Software

Organizations have used Google Maps and Excel for route optimization since their launch.

And Google’s recent update for iOS and Android has made it even easier to plan routes using Maps over your phone.

However, there are still limitations to route planning using Google Maps and Microsoft Excel.

That’s because it remains manual routing. And our data supports this.

In fact, we found that 20% of all users that have switched from a one software to another have used either Google Maps or Microsoft Excel in the past:

On the other hand, when it comes to switching from one dedicated route planning tool to another, users tend to switch from Onfleet, RoadWarrior, and BeansRoute the most.

Key Takeaway: We found that companies that have planned routes before switching to a dedicated route optimization tool typically did so using Google Maps or Microsoft Excel.

Average Subscription Package for Route Optimization Software Costs $684.62

According to data from 99 providers, the average subscription cost for route planning software is $684.62.

As many pricing plans are sold per user or per vehicle, this monthly fee is based on a fleet of ten drivers. (More on subscriptions later.)

When it comes to off-the-shelf packages, most providers offer three pricing tiers: starter, professional, and premium.

When it comes to the premium tier, Tookan, ElasticRoute, and Shipday offer the most expensive off-the-shelf software packages at $2,990.00 per month.

Here are the five most expensive off-the-shelf route optimization software packages:

When it comes to the lowest cost off-the-shelf solutions, RoadWarrior has the most affordable offer at $149.99.

Here are the five most affordable software providers:

However, this average price is based only on available information on providers’ websites (off-the-shelf subscription plans). It doesn’t include custom or tailored packages.

When we do include custom offers, the number of subscription plans on offer above $3000 is significantly higher.

In other words, the average price of route optimization software is definitely higher than the average fee for off-the-shelf package subscriptions.

Because of all of this, there is no one-size-fits-all price for route optimization software. That’s why all but 22 providers offer some kind of custom pricing package, or 76.3% of solutions.

But the price you end up paying will depend on three things: 

1. Size and complexity of your operations 
2. Volume of tasks, orders, or service calls
3. Software features and scaling them as you grow  

Key Takeaway: The average cost of route optimization software is $684.62 per month (for off-the-shelf solutions). However, this is neither the most affordable nor the most expensive subscription fee.

Most Route Optimization Software Users Tend to Choose Custom and Tailored Plans

None of the software packages and providers that we reviewed have prices listed for custom and tailored subscription plans.

But according to our research, we know that most route optimization software users purchase custom packages.

In fact:

92.1% of large and enterprise level businesses choose this type of software plan.

And another 72.8% of medium companies go with feature-rich plans tailored to their industry or operations.

It is only small companies that don’t see the value in these plans with 12.3%.

And this is understandable. That’s because:

Tailored or custom plans are expensive. On average, they can start from ~$7,500 (per month). But can easily exceed $25,000+ (per monthly subscription).

However, these plans are typically renewable annual contracts or multi-year commitments. So almost all providers offer some discount on up-front or annual payment.

Still, the biggest reason why companies choose these plans is the high level of customization.

This involves both customizing software suites to their specific operational demands and business goals. But also the amount of features and add-ons included in the plans.

For example, as part of our enterprise plan, eLogii offers 99+ unique software features (vs. 51 in the starter pack).

On the other hand, solutions like Route4Me offer route planning integration with ERP and CRM platforms within these plans.

While Optimoroute gives you the chance to plan thousands of tasks at once only when you choose their custom pricing plan.

So, the biggest draw for larger companies is the scale of customization they receive. And that’s why most of them end up going with plans tailored to their operations.

Key Takeaway: We found that most medium, large, and enterprise sized companies choose custom pricing plans when subscribing to route optimization software. These plans can go for $10,000+ per month, but companies still get them for the high level of customization, annual payment plan discounts, and various add-ons that they can unlock.

Price Does Not Impact The Decision to Purchase Route Optimization Software

We found no correlation between route optimization software price and user’s decision to purchase the software.

In other words: 

Companies that want to automate route planning and raise efficiency will invest in the software.

(And vice versa.)

And when companies do decide to purchase the software, price isn’t an issue for them.

This may surprise a lot of professionals. But overall users are satisfied with the cost of software.

In fact, the average price score for value for money across 6 sites for all 99 solutions is 4.47/5.

Additionally, users have given a score of 4.5/5 or higher to 63.20% software providers:



Besides this, 5 out of the top 15 route planning solutions (price score 4.7/5 or higher) don’t list the software price on their websites.

While 14,810 (36.78%) of all users have subscribed to route optimization software that custom solutions. Which is only 1.7x more than custom solutions.



Therefore, our research suggests that users are much more interested in routing capabilities and software functionality than how much it costs.

Key Takeaway: We found very little (if any) correlation between route optimization software cost and user’s decision to purchase. Only 7.89% of software providers have a price score below 4/5. While more than one in three users purchase software without initially knowing how much it costs.

Demos Are the Best Way for Users to Evaluate Routing Software

In contrast with our previous findings, software demonstrations seem to be the deciding factor when users select route optimization systems.

That’s why 94.7% of routing solutions offer a demo of their software to users on their site.

Strictly speaking, this means that out of all users from our analysis, only 2,134 haven’t watched a demo before purchasing a subscription.

In addition: 

The top 20 route planning systems all (100.00%) offer a demo to potential users.

Key Takeaway: The vast majority of users (94.70%) tend to rely on software demos when evaluating different route optimization solutions.

Free Trials and Free Versions Don’t Entice Users to Purchase

We found that two thirds, or 60.50% of route optimization software providers offer some kind of free trial or free version of their tool.

Software solutions that do offer free trials and gated versions typically offer these five options:



This makes it the second most popular user incentive (behind demos). But with significantly fewer providers offering it:



However, we found that 71.44% of the bottom scoring software options all offer this type of incentive. Which means better ranked software doesn’t rely on free trials.

And that coincides with our own philosophy, as we’ve found out from experience: 

It can be very difficult for users to know all that route optimization software can do without any assistance from a professional.

Key Takeaway: Free trials and free versions of route optimization software don’t work as well as live demos. And users typically don’t rely on them as much when making a decision.

Route Optimization Providers Tend to Limit Subscriptions by # of Drivers or # of Tasks

When analyzing pricing plans, we noticed that most software providers base their offer around drivers or tasks. This can impact how much money you spend on route optimization software.

So how does this affect price?

In cases when price is based per driver, users can expect to pay extra fees for additional drivers.

Some subscriptions have a base minimum per driver. (Can also be called a user or account.) 

For example, Route4Me has three pricing plan tiers on offer. Each price is displayed as a price per driver per month. But for each package has a five driver minimum:



Other providers offer pay-per-driver. Optimoroute, for example, has this type of billing method in place:



In both cases, you end up paying an additional fee for each additional driver.

On the other hand, in cases when the price is based per order/task, users pay for each additional task. Here’s an example from GetSwift:



(Tasks refer to pick-up or drop-off stops on a route.)

Typically, there is a monthly limit to each subscription plan. These numbers vary depending on the type of plan you choose.

The lowest number of tasks can be as low as 50, as in the case of MyRouteOnline:



And the number of tasks can go as high as 40,000 in the case of eLogii.



Beyond these limits, additional fees apply. These can go for on average $0.20-$0.35. 

The task fee is added to your bill at the end of each month. (If you’re paying an annual subscription, this is still typically invoiced to you monthly.)

In all cases, the number of routes that you can plan is unlimited. This is why even the most basic routing solution is a better option than a free mapping or route planning tool.

But there can be a limit to the number of tasks per route. Such is the case with Upper Inc.:



Key Takeaway: Most pricing plans are created per driver or have a monthly task limit. If you’re looking to buy route optimization software, make sure to know your fleet size and monthly order volume before you commit.

Customer Support Has a Significant Impact on Choice and Retention

Customer support is strongly correlated with both good and bad customer experience.

In fact:

We found that 22.6% of users are NOT satisfied with the customer support they receive:



In 92.7% of situations these users choose or switch to another route optimization provider.

We also found that users that don’t receive adequate support during the trial don’t sign up to providers. Or switch to alternative solutions that provide better services.

On the other hand:

Users that are satisfied with the support that they receive during the onboarding process stick with their chosen software provider (77.4%).

This is true with both out-of-the-box plans and custom packages.

These users are also more likely to renew their subscriptions and contracts because of this.

Key Takeaway: Route optimization software requires dedication during the onboarding process. That’s why users who are not satisfied with customer support (22.6%) abandon providers even during the trial phase.

Most Users Have No Trouble Adopting Route Optimization Software  

Overall, most users (72.4%) are satisfied with how user-friendly and intuitive the software is:

The biggest difficulty for users when it comes to adoption is the initial configuration, especially with end-to-end solutions.

What most users fail to understand is that the initial setup takes up time because it is essential for the software to work as well as intended. It’s also the reason behind the difficult learning curve.

In most cases though, businesses that switch from Google Maps and simple or free route planners have the biggest issue with this.

However, this DOES NOT significantly impact how satisfied people are with the ease of use.
And many have said that the difficulty is well worth it, after seeing the initial results.

It seems that users that mention this, just weren’t prepared for the extensive process.

Key Takeaway: Most users are satisfied with the ease of use of route optimization software. But out of the 27.6% of users not satisfied, most just have an issue with the initial configuration and speed of adoption.

Route Optimization Is #1 Software Feature According to Users

Route optimization is the most important feature according to users.

The ability to plan and optimize routes with multiple stops receives the highest praise by users:

When we dug deeper, we also found that 14,698 users are extremely satisfied with route optimization capabilities of their software solution:

We also found out that depending on how satisfied users are with the route planning and optimization features, the more likely or unlikely they are to recommend the software to other users.

Key Takeaway: Most users find route optimization very useful in their operations’ management. That’s why it’s the most important feature people look for, and why there is a strong correlation between user ratings and route optimization performance.

Inaccurate and Inefficient Route Optimization Is the Biggest Complaints Among Users

19.3% users are NOT satisfied with the route optimization capability of their tools.

Reasons why these users are not happy with their chosen software can be grouped into:

• Complaints that have to do with performance, such as route accuracy, route efficiency, glitches and errors, ETA accuracy, manual route adjustment, and live traffic updates.
  
  
• Complaints that have to do with features, such as route customization, dynamic route optimization, multi-depot management, data imports/exports, reporting and analytics.
  
  
• Complaints that have to do with adoption, such as software configuration, integration with other apps and tools, and a high learning curve for users.

When we analyzed the negative reviews, we found out that the biggest complaints have to do with performance. 

On average, users are not satisfied when the software generates inaccurate or inefficient routes.

Fewer than 10% of users that use top rated tools have any complaints with route optimization features.

While these issues are all software and use case specific, there is a strong correlation between route optimization performance and user ratings:

As you can see: The more negative reviews there are about route optimization performance, the lower the user rating of a software provider. Which confirms our previous findings about its importance.

Key Takeaway: Users are not satisfied the most when their software generates inaccurate and inefficient routes. This has an immediate effect on how highly they rate the software.

Custom Route Optimization, Integration, and Analytics Are The Most Desired Features Among Users

There is a lot to be desired by users when it comes to their route optimization tools. Many have made these requests public in their reviews. 

What’s interesting is that these are not just capabilities that would improve routing performance. Or missing features that other solutions may have.

They are also things that users who are generally satisfied with how their software performs would like to see to either improve operational efficiency or increase route planning automation.

When we analyzed the most desirable features, we found that most users would like to have more custom options when optimizing routes, advanced integration capabilities, and enhanced analytics and reporting tools.

When it comes to route customization, the most common request includes the ability to dynamically adjust routes (in-real time). 

But also to add constraints, such as live traffic updates, avoiding u-turns, tolls, highways, and more, adjusting routes by time, and even adding a return to depot for lunch feature.

Although many solutions have a routing API and can integrate with most software, users desire enhanced integration especially with e-commerce platforms such as Shopify.

And when it comes to analytics, users would want the ability to track a variety of operational metrics both in real time and historical data. This includes custom analytics, custom tracking (e.g. vehicle idle times), exporting and importing data, HIPAA compliance and many more.

Key Takeaway: When it comes to features users would like to have, most mention improving route efficiency (more powerful route optimization engines and advanced route analytics) and greater operational connectedness via software integration.  

Conclusion

We learned a lot about route optimization software from this study. Specifically, about our users, competitors, and the market in general, and we hope you did too.

We’d like to thank all of the users who contributed with their reviews. And Capterra, GetApp, Software Advice, TrustRadius, G2, and Gartner for providing the data that made this research possible.

(For those interested, we are currently developing a PDF on how we collected and analyzed the data for this research. Follow our blog to learn more.)

Now we’d like to hear from you:

What’s your #1 takeaway lesson from this study?

Or maybe you want to see how route optimization software works in action.

This is what you have to do…