What route software should I use for recurring service routes?
Short answer: Route optimization software takes a list of stops and puts them in the order that saves the most driving. For service routes you can use a stand-alone planner such as OptimoRoute (from $35.10 per driver a month on annual billing as of November 2026) or Upper (from $40 per user a month on yearly billing, or $50 month to month), or the routing built into your field service tool, like Jobber or GorillaDesk. Route4Me does not publish prices. If your routes repeat every week, check how each tool handles recurring stops, and whether it can connect to your scheduling and billing.
You run drivers or crews on the same routes week after week and want to know which route tool fits, what it costs, and how it connects to the rest of your software.
I'm Ranjit, and I run Blur Studio: 15+ years building software, 120 apps taken live, and clients who have gone on to raise $10M+. I build AI systems and processes that help businesses do a lot more with a lot less time. I also work differently from most of what else is out there, more on that further down this page. Say hello.
What does route optimization software actually do?
You give it addresses, time windows and how long each stop takes. It gives each driver an ordered list that cuts drive time and miles. Better tools also handle things like a driver's start and end point, skills (only some drivers can do certain jobs), vehicle limits and last-minute changes.
There are two kinds. A stand-alone route planner does only routing and sits next to your other software. Field service software with routing built in, like Jobber, plans routes from the jobs already on your calendar. The first gives you more controls. The second means no double entry.
How do the main tools compare?
| Tool | What it is | Price (as of November 2026) | Limits and notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| OptimoRoute | Stand-alone route planning and driver app | Lite $35.10 and Pro $44.10 per driver a month, annual billing | Lite plans up to 700 orders at once, Pro up to 1,000. API on both. 30-day free trial |
| Upper | Route planning and AI dispatch software | Yearly: Starter $40, Professional $48, Optimize $71 per user a month (a 20% discount). Monthly: $50, $60, $89 | 250, 500 and 1,500 stops per route. API and webhooks listed on Enterprise |
| Route4Me | Route planning and tracking for fleets | Not published. Contact sales | APIs and SDK appear in its feature list. Recurring routing is a paid add-on |
| Jobber | Quotes, scheduling, invoicing and payments for service trades | $29 to $149 a month for one user, annual billing | Route optimization is a feature on its site. Check which plan includes it |
| GorillaDesk | Service software for route-based trades | $49, $99 or $149 a month per route | Basic routing caps at 25 stops. Drive Matrix routing from Pro |
OptimoRoute
OptimoRoute is a route planner with a driver mobile app. Pricing is per driver, so a team of five on Pro would be about 5 x $44.10 = $220.50 a month on annual billing. Monthly billing costs more, since its page says annual saves 10 percent. Its Pro plan adds analytics, weekly planning (you contact them to turn it on), proof of delivery and order tracking. Its web service API is included in Lite and Pro, and in the free trial, which I cover below.
Upper
Upper sells route planning, a route app for one driver and AI dispatch. Its page has a monthly and yearly toggle: the yearly prices carry a 20 percent discount, so the same plans cost $50, $60 and $89 a user month to month. Professional adds recurring routes, time windows, live GPS tracking and proof of delivery. The stop cap per route matters for dense routes: 250 on Starter, 500 on Professional.
Route4Me
Route4Me is route planning and tracking software for delivery fleets. Its pricing page names three plans (Route Optimization, Business Optimization, Enterprise Optimization) and asks you to contact sales for a price. Recurring routing and curbside routing are paid add-ons. If you are comparing it with others, read my Route4Me alternatives article first.
Jobber and GorillaDesk
Jobber's route optimization page says it builds routes for one person, a few team members or the whole crew, handles multi-day routing, lets you set start and end points, and re-optimizes when a job is added or canceled. It also sends drivers turn-by-turn directions. GorillaDesk is priced per route, and routing gets better as you go up: Basic gives the best order for up to 25 stops, and Pro adds Drive Matrix, which uses real street routing and drive times. Housecall Pro, another field service tool, puts Routes in its Essentials plan at $149 a month for 5 users and one-click route optimization in MAX at $299 for 8 users. See my GorillaDesk vs Jobber comparison.
What changes when routes repeat every week?
Recurring service routes (lawn care, pool service, pest control, waste pickup) are not the same as a new delivery list each morning. Three things matter more.
- Stable order: customers like a steady day and time. A tool that reshuffles the whole route every week annoys them. Look for a way to lock stops in place and only fit in new ones.
- Skips and holidays: a customer pauses service. A good tool removes that stop without breaking the rest of the route.
- Billing from the route: the job done on the route should create the invoice. If routing lives in a separate tool, someone types it in again.
That last point is why many service companies use the routing inside their field service tool even when a stand-alone planner is stronger. My field service management software guide covers the all-in-one side, and AI for logistics covers where AI helps with dispatch.
What about route optimization APIs?
An API (a way for two programs to talk) lets your own system send stops to the planner and read the finished routes back. That is how you tie routing to a quote page, a billing tool or a customer app.
- OptimoRoute: its API reference shows calls to create or update orders in bulk, get routes for a date, and send routes to drivers. You turn it on in the settings, and it works during the free trial.
- Route4Me: its pricing page lists APIs and an SDK in its feature comparison. Ask sales which plans include them and how usage is billed.
- Upper: API and webhooks are listed under Enterprise, so a small team would need to ask for a quote.
- Jobber and Housecall Pro: both have APIs for their own data. Housecall Pro's open API is on MAX. See my Jobber API and Housecall Pro API guides.
What will it cost?
A made-up example with 6 drivers on annual billing. OptimoRoute Pro: 6 x $44.10 = $264.60 a month. Upper Professional: 6 x $48 = $288 a month. GorillaDesk Basic with 6 solo routes would be $49 for the first, $50 each for routes 2 and 3, and $30 each for route 4 and up, which is $49 + $100 + $90 = $239 a month, with unlimited office users. These are starting prices. Add-ons such as customer text notifications cost extra: Upper lists them from $0.01 per text.
How I'd approach this
Start by asking whether you need a stand-alone planner at all. If your crews run under 20 stops a day, the routing built into your field service tool is probably enough, and it saves double entry. If your routes are long, dense or full of rules, a planner like OptimoRoute or Upper is worth the extra line on the bill.
Test with one real week. Load last Tuesday's stops, run the tool, and compare the drive time with what your drivers actually did. If it saves less than 10 percent, do not bother with a new tool.
Think about the connection before you buy. The route tool, your calendar and your invoices should share data. If they do not and the manual work is eating your week, that is the point where a small custom connection (using the API) is worth building. My guide to business process automation shows how to spot it.
Questions people ask
What is the best route optimization software for multiple stops?
It depends on stop count and rules. Upper's plans cap routes at 250, 500 or 1,500 stops, and OptimoRoute plans up to 700 or 1,000 orders at once. For small service routes, the routing inside your field service tool may be enough.
Does OptimoRoute have an API?
Yes. Its web service API is included on the Lite and Pro plans and in the free trial, and it covers creating orders, reading routes and sending routes to drivers. You switch it on in the web app settings.
Does Route4Me have an API?
Its pricing page lists APIs and an SDK in its feature comparison. It does not publish prices, so contact its sales team about usage terms. My Route4Me alternatives article lists other options.
Does Upper have an API?
Upper lists API and webhooks on its Enterprise plan, which is quoted by sales. Its Starter, Professional and Optimize plans do not list API access on the pricing page.
Is a stand-alone route planner better than Jobber's routing?
A stand-alone planner usually gives more controls, such as skills, vehicle limits and large stop counts. Jobber's routing is simpler but works from the jobs already on your calendar. See my Jobber pricing guide.
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