SoloRoute vs Google Maps for multi-stop routes
Google Maps is a great navigation app, but it is not a route planner. It caps you at 10 stops and drives them in the order you typed. SoloRoute finds the best order for up to 100 stops, then hands each one to Google Maps to drive.
Last reviewed
| Feature | SoloRoute | Google Maps |
|---|---|---|
| Free stops per route | 20 per route | 10 stops max (start + 9) |
| Free stops per day | 20 new stops a day | No cap |
| Paid price | $7.99/mo or $71.99/yr | Free |
| Paid stop limit | 100 per route | No paid plan |
| Stop order optimization | Yes; time windows with Pro | No, keeps the order you type |
| Built-in turn-by-turn | No. Opens Google Maps, Waze or Apple Maps | Yes |
| CarPlay / Android Auto | Through Google Maps, Waze or Apple Maps | Yes |
| Platforms | iOS, Android | iOS, Android, web |
Google Maps counts your starting point as one of its 10 stops. Prices checked October 2026. Sources: Google Maps. Prices change; check before you buy.
The short version
Google Maps and SoloRoute are not really rivals. They do different jobs.
- Google Maps is for driving from A to B. It knows traffic, lanes and road closures better than almost anyone.
- SoloRoute is for working out which order to visit 15, 40 or 100 places in, and keeping track of them through the day.
Most SoloRoute drivers still use Google Maps for every turn. SoloRoute just decides where to go next.
The two limits that hurt in Google Maps
If you have tried to plan a delivery day in Google Maps, you have hit these.
1. Ten stops, including the start. You can add up to 10 stops in one Google Maps route. Your starting point counts as one, so you get 9 destinations. A typical delivery day has more than that.
2. No optimization. Google Maps drives the stops in the order you typed them. If you add them in the order they appear on your manifest, you will zig-zag across town. You can drag stops to reorder them, but you are doing the math in your head.
For a few errands that is fine. For 30 parcels it costs you an hour or more.
What SoloRoute adds
More stops. 20 per route on the free plan, 100 per route on Pro for $7.99 a month.
The best order, in one tap. SoloRoute works out the fastest order for all your stops. Pin a stop first or last, or add a time window with Pro, and it plans around that.
Faster ways to add stops. Paste a list of addresses, import a CSV or spreadsheet, scan a printed list with your camera, pick from your saved addresses or drop a pin. No re-typing.
Stop details. Each stop can carry notes, a phone number, a time window, a package count and where the package sits in your vehicle. Google Maps has nowhere to put “gate code 4471, 3 boxes on shelf B”.
Changes on the fly. Drag a stop to a new spot, edit a stop and the route re-times itself, or reverse the whole route with Pro.
Tracking the day. Mark stops delivered, or failed with a reason, and look back at past routes. Pro adds photo proof of delivery.
How they work together
- Add your stops in SoloRoute.
- Tap Optimize.
- Tap Navigate on the first stop. It opens in Google Maps with directions.
- When you arrive, switch back, mark it delivered and tap Navigate for the next one.
You keep the Google Maps voice, traffic and CarPlay or Android Auto screen you already know. If you prefer Waze or Apple Maps, pick that in settings instead.
A quick example
Say you have 18 parcels and the manifest lists them by tracking number, not by street. In Google Maps you would need two separate routes and you would have to sort the order yourself. In SoloRoute you scan the manifest or paste the addresses, tap Optimize and get one route with all 18 stops in a sensible order. Then you drive it one stop at a time in Google Maps.
Where Google Maps alone is enough
Be practical. You don’t need a route planner if:
- you have fewer than 5 stops,
- the order is fixed, for example a set of appointments,
- you only do this once in a while.
In those cases, add your stops in Google Maps and go.
Where SoloRoute helps
You will save real time with SoloRoute if:
- you have more than 9 stops,
- the order is up to you,
- you do this every day or every week,
- you need notes, time windows or proof of delivery at each stop.
Try it
Want to see the difference? Install SoloRoute (free for 20 stops per route) and paste your stops to see the optimized order. Then tap Navigate to drive each stop in Google Maps. Pro takes up to 100 stops per route.
Questions
How many stops can you add in Google Maps?
Google Maps allows up to 10 stops in one route, including your starting point. That leaves room for 9 destinations.
Does Google Maps optimize the order of my stops?
No. Google Maps drives your stops in the order you enter them. You can drag them to reorder by hand, but it does not find the fastest order for you.
Can I use SoloRoute and Google Maps together?
Yes, that is how most drivers use it. SoloRoute plans and optimizes the route, then opens each stop in Google Maps for turn-by-turn directions. You can also choose Waze or Apple Maps.
Is SoloRoute free?
SoloRoute is free for up to 20 stops per route. Pro is $7.99 a month for up to 100 stops per route.
How do I get past the 10-stop limit in Google Maps?
Plan the route in a tool that handles more stops, like SoloRoute, and navigate one stop at a time. See our guide to using Google Maps with more than 10 stops.