Planner apps
Paste in your stops and get them back in order, with a driver app and proof of delivery. They're quick to start and the prices are usually public. They stop at the route, so inventory, invoicing, manifests and maintenance live somewhere else.
Hauler software
Built for waste, roll-off, septic and liquid waste companies, with dispatch, billing and customer portals. Strong on the office side for the trade they were built for. Few list a built-in phone system, projections or truck maintenance.
Route accounting
Built for delivery trades such as propane, bottled water, coffee, ice and direct store delivery, with handhelds, invoicing and warehouse stock. Some have been around for decades and still offer software installed in your office.
| Feature | Planner apps | Hauler software | Route accounting | RouteMule Platinum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The basics | ||||
| Route optimization | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included |
| Driver app with maps | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included |
| Dispatch and live tracking | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included |
| Signatures at the stop | ✓Included | ~Some of them | ~Some of them | ✓Included |
| Customer notifications | ✓Included | ✓Included | ~Some of them | ✓Included |
| Invoicing | –Not listed | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included |
| Drums, tanks and containers | ~Some of them | ✓Included | ~Some of them | ✓Included |
| The rest of the business | ||||
| Inventory at every base | –Not listed | –Not listed | ✓Included | ✓Included |
| Manifests | –Not listed | ~Some of them | –Not listed | ✓Included |
| Gallons projected ahead | –Not listed | ~Some of them | –Not listed | ✓Included |
| Phone, texts and voicemail built in | ~Some of them | ~Some of them | ~Some of them | ✓Included |
| Call Center | –Not listed | ~Some of them | –Not listed | ✓Included |
| Truck maintenance and repair log | –Not listed | ~Some of them | ~Some of them | ✓Included |
| Lead tracking | –Not listed | ~Some of them | –Not listed | ✓Included |
How to read this: marks reflect what vendors' own websites listed when we read them in November 2026. "Not listed" means we didn't find it on their site, not that it can't be done. Features change, so ask any vendor to show you.
How to choose
- You only need stops in order: a planner app is the simple answer.
- You run one trade and want its billing: look at software built for that trade.
- You want routes, drums, tanks, paperwork, phones and maintenance in one place: that's what RouteMule is for.
More on this in route planner vs. route software and how route software is priced.
Questions and answers
What should I look for in route software?
Start with what happens after the route is planned. A planner app puts stops in order. If you also need to track drums and tanks, take signatures, print manifests, invoice from the pickup and keep trucks maintained, you need a system that does those too. Our comparison lays out the three kinds of route software.
Is RouteMule cheaper than other route software?
It depends on what you compare it to. Route planner apps can cost less because they only plan routes: the lowest published price we found in November 2026 was about $35 per driver a month. Fuller systems can cost much more: one publishes $129 per user a month with a five-user minimum, and many don't publish a price at all. RouteMule runs $60 to $85 per vehicle a month, and the Platinum plan covers routes, drivers, inventory, invoices, phones and maintenance in one program. More in how route software is priced.