In this article, we will compare one route planning and optimization software, PlaceMaker, against our own, MyWay Route Planner.
MyWay Route Planner is the #1 alternative to PlaceMaker Route Planner
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Route optimization software helps you save time and money on fuel by finding the most efficient routes, which is crucial in today’s world of rising fuel prices. There are options for big companies, small businesses, and individuals. Free tools like Google Maps require manual adjustments, which can be a hassle, and you have to "become an algorithm" that tries to find the best possible route by dragging stops back and forth.
This article compares two top route optimizers: PlaceMaker Route Planner and MyWay Route Planner, looking at their features, usability, and pricing.
Both PlaceMaker and MyWay offer great route optimization. PlaceMaker is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store but lacks specific features for industries like sales or healthcare. It’s a solid app with positive reviews, providing basic route optimization, though many features are behind a paywall or entirely missing. If you are a "one-man band" working in delivery, you probably will be fine, but if you need more you might want to shop for something else.
MyWay also supports both iOS and Android and is geared towards various industries like delivery and pest control. It offers more customization, making it a better choice for diverse needs. MyWay provides more features than PlaceMaker, making it a more versatile option.
PlaceMaker has an old-fashioned interface that can be hard to navigate. It’s cluttered with pop-ups, making the user experience frustrating. The key features are hidden behind trial prompts, and the overall design feels outdated. Even their main feature (route optimization) sits behind a trial pop-up, so you will see a "suggestion" to buy the app every few seconds.
MyWay, on the other hand, has a modern, easy-to-use interface. The app is smooth, intuitive, and highlights important information clearly. It saves users time on routes with many stops, making it more efficient and pleasant to use compared to PlaceMaker. From the features for delivery drivers these two are very similar, but their approach to the user interface is very different, and MyWay trully shine when you need collaboration, customizable settings and get complex routes sorted fast.
If we talk about usability and user experience, the interface is straightforward, and the animations are smooth. All critical information is highlighted, so it's pretty easy to find it. The layout does not brake when you scroll stuff and It does not look on a screen like a mess. Important labels are bold, and all gestures are intuitive. All it's being said, it's easy to see a difference when you start using the app yourself. When you perform operations using MyWay, the app saves you a second here, half a second there. Overall on a route with hundreds of stops, you will save 3-5 minutes on average - it does not feel much, but when you use the app every day, it makes a huge difference.
PlaceMaker has straightforward pricing but can get expensive for more stops. Plans start at $4.99 for up to 25 stops, $9.99 for up to 150 stops, and more for unlimited stops. Considering its usability issues, there are better options available. Most apps offer more stops for the same price and have more generous free tiers in general.
MyWay offers a simple pricing structure with a free plan for up to 15 stops and premium plans for up to 200 stops. Annual subscriptions offer significant savings, making it a cost-effective choice for year-round use. MyWay combines great features with a user-friendly interface, providing excellent value.
Both PlaceMaker and MyWay use top-notch algorithms to save time and money. PlaceMaker does not have free plan and only cheaper if you need less then 25 stops, also suffers from usability issues. MyWay, is free up to 15 stops, cost the same up to 200 stops and offers a better user experience with more features and customization, making it ideal for those needing a reliable, easy-to-use tool.
MyWay app helps you to build efficient routes and saves you up to 30% of your time and money on fuel
"The ability to manage long routes and set stop priorities makes MyWay an essential tool. It’s saved me hours every week. The live traffic feature is precise and helps me avoid delays, keeping my deliveries on schedule. Fantastic app."
"I use this app every single day for work, and very good! App has very good coverage of addresses, and I very much enjoy working with this app. The user interface is well thought through and simple. Also, this app has one of the best Navigations Apps coverage out there, so totally worth it.”
"This app gets better with every update. The developer clearly has an understanding of transportation and routing. Every update makes this even better. Excellent route planning tool with many cool features. A clear winner for me.”
"This app gets better with every update. The developer clearly has an understanding of transportation and routing. Every update makes this even better. Excellent route planning tool with many cool features. A clear winner for me.”
"After endless hours spent on choosing a good delivery planner, I finally have found this one. Good looking, with good address coverage, allows you to optimize stops without any need to buy a subscription. Just amazing.”