Best RouteXL Alternative for Delivery Teams That Need Scanner and Dispatch Workflows
Looking for a RouteXL alternative? Compare free tiers, driver apps, dispatch and proof of delivery, see who should stay on RouteXL, and follow the migration steps.
RouteXL is a browser-based multi-stop route optimizer with a genuinely useful free tier. Paste in addresses, get an efficient order, open it in your maps app. For a one-off run of 20 stops it's hard to argue with.
People search for a RouteXL alternative when the job stops being "sort these addresses" and starts being "run a delivery operation." Those are different problems, and RouteXL only claims to solve the first one.
What RouteXL is good at
- Free for up to 20 addresses. No account gymnastics, no trial clock.
- Browser-based. Nothing to install. Works from any machine.
- Fast for one-off planning. Paste, optimize, export. Under a minute.
- Cheap paid tiers. Higher stop limits cost a few euros a month, well below most delivery platforms.
If you plan an occasional route from a desk and a driver reads it off a phone screen, RouteXL does the job and costs almost nothing.
The four things it doesn't do
No mobile execution. RouteXL plans; it doesn't run the day. There's no driver app that tracks arrival, marks a stop complete, or captures a signature. The driver works from a list.
No intake beyond typing or pasting. If addresses arrive as parcel labels, printed manifests, or photos, someone transcribes them by hand.
No dispatch layer. One dispatcher, several drivers, changes mid-run — none of that has a home in RouteXL. There's no assignment, no live position, no reassignment.
No proof of delivery. Once the driver leaves, the system knows nothing more. Disputes are resolved from memory.
RouteMate vs RouteXL
| RouteMate | RouteXL | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 1 driver, 30 stops/route | 20 addresses |
| Route optimization | Advanced, constraint-aware | Good |
| Driver mobile app | iOS and Android | None |
| AI label scanning | Included | Not available |
| CSV import | Included | Available |
| API access | Available | Limited |
| Dispatch and assignment | Built in | Not available |
| Live driver tracking | Included | Not available |
| Proof of delivery | Included | Not available |
| Best for | Delivery teams | Ad-hoc route planning |
Where the time actually goes
Route optimization saves fuel and driving minutes. In most small operations, that isn't the largest cost — the largest cost is the hour before the van moves and the hour after it returns.
RouteMate's AI label scanner reads an address off a parcel with the phone camera, roughly five seconds per stop against twenty seconds to type. For a 60-stop day that's fifteen minutes recovered every morning, per driver.
The return leg is the same story. Proof of delivery captured at the stop, with a timestamp and GPS position, removes the evening reconciliation entirely.
Dispatch, when you have more than one driver
A dispatcher sees all routes on one map, with each driver's current position and completed stops. A late driver's remaining stops can be moved to someone ahead of schedule by dragging them across; the driver's phone updates straight away.
RouteXL has no equivalent because it isn't trying to have one.
Who should stay on RouteXL
Genuinely — plenty of people should.
Stay if: you plan routes occasionally, you're under 20 stops, you have one driver, and nobody needs visibility or delivery evidence. RouteXL is free and it works.
Move if: you run daily routes, you have more than one driver, stops arrive as labels or manifests, or you've ever had to prove a delivery happened.
Migrating from RouteXL
- Export your address lists. RouteXL exports CSV. Any column layout is fine.
- Create a free account. One driver is free, so there's no spend during evaluation.
- Import a real route and compare RouteMate's sequence against RouteXL's on the same stops.
- Install the driver app and run one route end to end, including stop completion and a proof photo. This is the part RouteXL can't show you.
- Add remaining drivers once the workflow is settled.
Allow an afternoon. There's no contract and no data lock-in.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free RouteXL alternative?
Yes. RouteMate's free tier covers one driver with up to 30 stops per route, and unlike a trial it doesn't expire. It also includes the driver app and proof of delivery, which RouteXL doesn't offer at any tier.
How many stops can RouteMate optimize?
Paid plans handle several hundred stops per route. The free tier caps at 30 per route.
Does RouteMate work in Europe?
Yes. Routing covers the same regions RouteXL serves, and the app is available in eleven languages including Dutch, German, French, Spanish, Italian and Polish.
Can I use RouteMate without a driver app?
You can plan and export routes from the web app alone. Most of the advantage over RouteXL comes from the app, though — that's where scanning, tracking, and proof live.
What does RouteMate cost after the free tier?
A$9 per driver per month, with no minimum seat count.
Final takeaway
RouteXL is a good free route optimizer, and if optimization is the whole job it remains a sensible choice.
RouteMate is the stronger RouteXL alternative when the job includes intake, execution, dispatch, and evidence. Read the side-by-side comparison, or start free and run one real route through both.