If you are looking for free route planning software in the UK, you probably need to turn a list of stops into a workable driving order without committing to another monthly subscription. For a handful of calls, collections or local deliveries, a free tool can be exactly the right place to start.
The catch is that “free” rarely means “ready for a busy delivery operation”. Free-plan stop limits, manually entered addresses and limited dispatch controls quickly become visible when a driver has a full day of drops. This guide compares the practical options, explains where postcode-based routing needs care, and helps you recognise when a free tool has done its job.
The UK postcode problem
A postcode is a useful starting point, but it is not always enough to complete a delivery without friction. One postcode can cover more than one property, and the final approach may depend on a flat number, unit, entrance, delivery note or access instruction. That is why a postcode route planner can help organise a run, while the quality of the underlying address data still matters to the driver at the kerb. It should also account for delivery time windows, including customer availability and premises closing times. Verify delivery addresses with Royal Mail’s Postcode Finder before releasing routes.
For occasional personal trips, this may be a minor inconvenience. For multi-drop work, those small moments accumulate: a missed turn, a call to the customer, a blocked entrance, or a driver having to rearrange the day. Treat a free tool as a route-ordering aid, not a substitute for clean delivery data and a controlled delivery process. For a wider operational perspective, see last-mile delivery.
Free stop limits at a glance
The table below focuses on the limits that matter when planning a small delivery round. Free-plan rules can change, so confirm the current allowance before relying on one for a regular operation.
For a route planning software UK free decision, this practical limit is more useful than a long generic feature checklist.
| Tool | Published free or basic limit | Best use | Watch-out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Maps | Up to 10 destinations in a route | A short, manually planned run | It does not optimise a large delivery day for you. |
| RAC Route Planner | Up to 10 stops in its route-planning flow | UK driving directions and traffic-aware journeys | Better for straightforward journeys than dispatching a fleet. |
| MapQuest | Up to 26 stops for route optimisation | A small multi-stop list | Check the current terms and address handling before operational use. |
| RouteXL | Up to 20 addresses | Ordering a modest list of stops | Free capacity is limited for recurring, high-volume rounds. |
| Spoke free tier | Up to 10 stops | Testing a delivery-planning workflow | A free tier is not a full dispatch system. |
| MyRouteOnline | Up to 6 stops on its free route plan | Trying a simple multi-stop route | Larger lists and operational workflows need a paid plan. |
What are the best free route planning tools in the UK?
The best choice depends on how many stops you have, whether you need the tool to choose the order for you, and whether you are planning one route or running a delivery operation. Here are five useful starting points.
Google Maps: best for a short route you plan yourself
Google Maps is familiar, accessible and free. It works well when you have a small number of destinations and are comfortable setting the order manually. It is a sensible option for a tradesperson, a local sales visit or a short collection run. For the latest multi-stop controls, check Google Maps Help.
Its limitation is operational, not navigational: it is not designed to take a long list of deliveries, balance work between drivers, account for delivery windows or provide a dispatcher with a live execution view. If the route order changes repeatedly during the day, manual planning can become the real cost.
RAC Route Planner: best for UK driving directions
RAC Route Planner is a practical choice for drivers who want UK-focused mapping, directions and traffic context for a straightforward set of stops. It is most useful when one person is planning one journey rather than coordinating multiple delivery routes.
Use it when the main question is “How should I drive this journey today?” rather than “How should our operation allocate, optimise and track every delivery?”
MapQuest: best for a slightly longer stop list
MapQuest is often considered when a list grows beyond the limit of a simple map route. Its multi-stop route-planning capability makes it useful for testing whether route optimisation saves time on a small run.
Before building a daily process around it, test it with your real addresses, not sample locations. Check how easily you can import stops, correct an address, re-plan after an exception and share the final route with the driver.
RouteXL: best for ordering up to 20 addresses
RouteXL is a strong free starting point for people who need to put a modest list of locations into a more efficient sequence. Its UK page advertises free routing for up to 20 addresses, which makes it a practical option for occasional multi-drop planning. For recurring delivery rounds, delivery route optimisation requires more than a basic stop list.
That makes it useful for a small trial, a one-off event or a light delivery round. It is less suitable once the work involves multiple drivers, time-sensitive routes, frequent changes or confirmation of delivery outcomes.
Spoke: best for trying a delivery-route workflow
Spoke’s free tier can be helpful when you want to test a route-planning workflow instead of simply plotting points on a map. A small stop allowance makes it appropriate for experimentation or very light use.
Use the trial period to ask practical questions: Can the driver follow the route easily? Can the team see what has happened? Can a change be communicated without a string of calls and messages? If the answer matters every day, you are already evaluating an operational platform rather than a free planning tool.
What free route planners cannot do
Free tools can sequence a small list, but they usually stop short of the controls a delivery team needs to run consistently. Common gaps include:
- assigning and rebalancing work across several drivers
- managing delivery time windows, vehicle capacity and driver breaks
- handling last-minute changes without rebuilding the day manually
- recording delivery outcomes and exceptions
- giving operations teams a shared view of what is planned, in progress and complete
- improving delivery decisions with operational data over time
For teams that need live courier tracking, a free planner alone will not be sufficient.
This is the point where a free route planning software uk search changes from “Which app can order my stops?” to “How do I run delivery execution without adding admin?” The answer depends on the cost of a missed slot, failed delivery or dispatcher intervention, not only the number of stops.
When to upgrade from free to paid
Upgrade when the constraints of a free tool start creating work elsewhere. That may happen when you have more than one driver, route plans changing through the day, customer time windows, recurring multi-drop rounds or a need to report what actually happened at each stop.
For these situations, Shipsy is not a free-tier alternative. It is an upgrade path for organisations that need route planning connected to execution: planning routes around real operational constraints, assigning work, keeping teams informed during the day, and capturing the outcome of every delivery. Explore routeoptimisation when that operating model is the requirement.
The key test is simple: if someone spends time every day fixing routes, chasing updates or reconciling completed work, the free tool is no longer free in practice. Teams managing both route execution and carrier choice can also review multi-carrier shipping.
Conclusion
The best route planning software uk free option is the one that fits the size and complexity of your current round. Google Maps and RAC are sensible for short journeys; MapQuest and RouteXL offer more room for a modest multi-stop list; and Spoke can help you trial a delivery workflow.
For a single driver with a small list, a free uk route planner may be all you need. As the operation adds more stops, more drivers and more customer commitments, look beyond stop limits and choose a system that connects planning with live delivery execution.
For more route-planning guidance, read multi-stop planning and routing limitations.