The best dispatch software depends on what you send out: delivery software suits drivers dropping off orders, field service software suits technicians going to jobs, and trucking software suits freight loads. Ten options follow in no particular order, most of them from smaller specialist vendors.
Dispatch software decides who goes where and when, then keeps everyone updated while they're out. Done well, it cuts the phone calls between office and drivers and tells customers when to expect someone.
The ten tools below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order. Every description comes from the vendor's own site, read this week. If your team also plans sales visits, my guide to sales route planner technology covers that side.
Dispatch tools at a glance
In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site names a free plan, a free version, a free tool or an open source edition. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Axon | Trucking management software | Trucking firms tracking loads and trucks | Not stated |
| Detrack | Delivery software with ePOD | Proof of delivery and customer updates | Trial only |
| Onfleet | Last mile delivery software | Local delivery fleets | Trial only |
| OptimoRoute | Route planning and scheduling | Deliveries and field service in one | Not stated |
| Rose Rocket | Transportation platform for freight | Carriers and brokers moving loads | Not stated |
| ServiceTitan | Field service software | Trades dispatching technicians | Not stated |
| Shipday | AI delivery management software | Restaurants and local shops | Not stated |
| Spoke Dispatch | Last mile management | Small delivery teams planning routes | Trial only |
| Tookan | Delivery management system | On-demand delivery businesses | Not stated |
| Track-POD | Delivery management and proof of delivery | Proof of delivery with a driver app | Not stated |
Ten dispatch software options to compare
Axon
Best for: Trucking companies that want dispatch, loads and accounting tracked in one real-time logistics system.
Detrack
Best for: Delivery businesses that want electronic proof of delivery, tracking and automatic customer updates, with a free trial.
Onfleet
Best for: Local delivery operations such as grocery, meals and auto parts that want dispatch and route management, with a free trial.
OptimoRoute
Best for: Businesses that dispatch both deliveries and field service jobs and want routes and schedules planned together.
Rose Rocket
Best for: Freight and trucking operators that want an AI-native transportation platform built around how they already work.
ServiceTitan
Best for: Trade businesses such as plumbing, electrical and roofing that want technician dispatch inside full field service software.
Shipday
Best for: Restaurants, florists and local shops that want to run their own deliveries with route planning and driver tracking.
Spoke Dispatch
Best for: Small delivery teams that want routes planned and recipients notified, from the team formerly known for Circuit, with a free trial.
Tookan
Best for: On-demand delivery businesses that want a delivery management system with customer apps from the JungleWorks family.
Track-POD
Best for: Distributors that want delivery management, a driver app and proof of delivery including photos and signatures.
Delivery, field service or freight?
Delivery dispatch is about many short stops: assigning orders to drivers, planning routes, live tracking and proof of delivery with photos or signatures. Field service dispatch is about skills and time slots: sending the right technician with the right parts. Freight dispatch is about loads, carriers and paperwork over longer distances.
Choose software built for your kind of work, because the screens and reports are shaped around it. A delivery tool won't track technician skills, and a trucking system is overkill for a florist with three vans.
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Plan routes drivers can legally drive
GOV.UK says that under the assimilated rules on drivers' hours you must not drive more than 9 hours in a day (extendable to 10 hours twice a week), 56 hours in a week or 90 hours in any 2 consecutive weeks, and you must record all driving on a tachograph.
Those rules apply to many larger vehicles, and other countries have their own. If your drivers are covered, check that the software can respect driving limits and breaks, or it'll happily plan a route nobody can legally finish.
If you only need routes rather than full dispatching, see our guide to route planner apps.
Questions to ask before you choose
- Do we dispatch deliveries, technicians, freight or a mix?
- Does it plan routes automatically and update them during the day?
- Can customers track their driver or technician live?
- Does the driver app capture photos and signatures as proof?
- Will it work with our order system or job management software?
- Can it respect working hours and break rules?
Larger fleets may need a transport management system, which our guide to transport management software compares.
Signs you've outgrown a whiteboard and phone
- Routes take an hour to plan each morning. Software can do it in minutes.
- Customers keep calling for updates. Live tracking stops the calls.
- Proof of delivery is a paper slip. Disputes are hard to settle.
- Nobody knows where the vans are. Last-minute jobs get missed.
Do you make dispatch software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on choosing dispatch software
Start with the job your dispatcher hates most. If it's building routes every morning, look for strong route planning. If it's answering 'where's my driver?' calls, look for live tracking and automatic customer updates. Test the driver app with your drivers before you commit, because they're the ones who'll use it all day.
Keep it simple at first and add automation as you grow. My automation audit checklist helps you decide which dispatch tasks are worth automating first.
Frequently asked questions
What is dispatch software?
It's software that assigns jobs or deliveries to drivers and technicians, plans their routes and tracks progress through the day.
What's the difference between dispatch and route planning?
Route planning works out the best order of stops. Dispatch also assigns the work, tracks it live and keeps customers updated.
Do small delivery businesses need dispatch software?
Once you've got more than a couple of drivers, it usually saves time on planning and on customer calls.
What is proof of delivery?
It's evidence a delivery happened, such as a photo, a signature or a scan, captured in the driver's app.
Are there free dispatch tools?
Some tools in the table offer a free trial on their own site. Check the free plan column for each one.
Can dispatch software help with drivers' hours rules?
Some can plan around working hours and breaks. If your vehicles fall under the rules, make it a must-have.
Does dispatch software work for one-person businesses?
It can, but a simple route planner app is often enough until you've got a few drivers or technicians to coordinate.
