Upper vs MapQuest: A Comparative Guide of 2024

Tired of the routing headache? 

Imagine a world where traffic jams and inefficient routes are a thing of the past. Both Upper and MapQuest can help you navigate your way, but which one is the better fit?

In the fast-paced world of deliveries and field services, every minute counts. This guide dives deep into Upper and MapQuest, comparing their features and pricing to help you choose the champion for your business needs.

By the end, you’ll be equipped to make an informed decision and find the perfect routing software to optimize your workflow.

How Did We Compare Upper vs. MapQuest?

While MapQuest is a popular option, it doesn’t handle complex routing needs. Given its established user base, we compared them based on:

• User Experience: We analyzed feedback from our clients (former MapQuest users) and user reviews to understand user pain points.
• Route Planning: We assessed how efficiently each software generates optimal multi-stop routes.
• Features & Functionality: We compared the range of delivery-specific features and user interface ease of use.
• Customization: We evaluated their level of customization for specific business needs.
• Pricing: We analyzed their pricing models to find the best fit for different business sizes and budgets.

Upper vs MapQuest: Head-to-Head Comparison

Aspect
Capterra rating	3	4.6
G2 rating	4	4.8
Pricing model and flexibility	Pay-as-you-go + tiered pricing model with a specific number of transactions allowed per plan	Flat-rate user-based tiered pricing that provides unlimited total stops across all the plans
Annual billing discounts
Free version
Multi-stop route planning and optimization	Supports only 26 stops and only one driver at a time	Allows 500 stops per route and unlimited total stops per plan
User interface	Clunky and unintuitive	Modern and interactive with instructions
Route quality	Clean and easily navigable routes	Crisscrossing and overlapping in some places
Multi-driver management
Time windows
In-app navigation
Contact book functionality
One-click dispatch of route schedules
Detailed live tracking features, including breadcrumb trails
Route customization options	Limited to only road types, tolls, or ferries	Considers real-time traffic updates, drivers’ availability, time windows, and priority stops
Customer communication
Load planning
In-transit route edits to handle dynamic changes
Proof of delivery
Smart analytics
Advertisement interruptions
Attempted location
Package finder (Helps identify a parcel’s location in a delivery vehicle)
Free Chrome extension
Delivery zones (Allows you to define and assign service or delivery areas to specific drivers to manage deliveries over large areas)
OCR address scanner
IRS reimbursement calculator

• Aspect MapQuest Upper

• Capterra rating

  3

  4.6

• G2 rating

  4

  4.8

• Pricing model and flexibility

  Pay-as-you-go + tiered pricing model with a specific number of transactions allowed per plan

  Flat-rate user-based tiered pricing that provides unlimited total stops across all the plans

• Annual billing discounts

  

  

• Free version

  

  

• Multi-stop route planning and optimization

  Supports only 26 stops and only one driver at a time

  Allows 500 stops per route and unlimited total stops per plan

• User interface

  Clunky and unintuitive

  Modern and interactive with instructions

• Route quality

  Clean and easily navigable routes

  Crisscrossing and overlapping in some places

• Multi-driver management

  

  

• Time windows

  

  

• In-app navigation

  

  

• Contact book functionality

  

  

• One-click dispatch of route schedules

  

  

• Detailed live tracking features, including breadcrumb trails

  

  

• Route customization options

  Limited to only road types, tolls, or ferries

  Considers real-time traffic updates, drivers’ availability, time windows, and priority stops

• Customer communication

  

  

• Load planning

  

  

• In-transit route edits to handle dynamic changes

  

  

• Proof of delivery

  

  

• Smart analytics

  

  

• Advertisement interruptions

  

  

• Attempted location

  

  

• Package finder (Helps identify a parcel’s location in a delivery vehicle)

  

  

• Free Chrome extension

  

  

• Delivery zones (Allows you to define and assign service or delivery areas to specific drivers to manage deliveries over large areas)

  

  

• OCR address scanner

  

  

• IRS reimbursement calculator

  

  

• Try Upper for FREE No credit card required

Looking at the table, both offer free versions and route planning functionality, but Upper stands out, as it provides:

• Ease of use: route quality, muti-stop routing, or multi-driver management capabilities, Upper outperforms MapQuest.
• Advanced route management functions, including live tracking to help track drivers in real time and ensure they are on track, service zoning to help define and assign territories to drivers, and crew chat to facilitate communication among drivers and between the driver and dispatcher for enhanced collaboration.
• Pricing: Upper’s flat-rate user-based plans with unlimited total stops are more cost-effective than MapQuest’s plans, which impose limits on stops.

All these factors indicate that Upper stands as the clear winner, making it ideal for businesses seeking a full-fledged route optimization solution packed with advanced functionalities.

Why Choose Upper over MapQuest?

Upper and MapQuest can work fairly well if you need to plan routes for a handful of stops that don’t exceed 26. 

However, MapQuest is no match if you are looking to manage complex commercial routing requirements.

Here are the reasons Upper is a perfect fit for your delivery or field service business. 

1. No bar on total stops

Upper offers AI-powered route optimization for unlimited total stops, getting you rid of MapQuest’s 26-stop constraint.

2. Customizable stops 

Upper allows you to customize stops and create routes based on delivery drivers’ availability, customers’ preferred time windows, priority, and vehicle capacity constraints.

3. Advanced features

Unlike MapQuest, Upper provides features, including live tracking, customer notifications, mid-route adjustments, proof of delivery, and service zones.

4. Better user experience

While MapQuest’s user interface is workable, Upper provides a modern interface that has instructions to guide new users through how to use features.

5. Extensive integration

Upper integrates with various software, including eCommerce platforms, CRM, and scanning tools, ensuring scalability and customizability for growing businesses.

6. Feature-rich route planner app

Unlike MapQuest which provides only the driver app suitable for route navigation, Upper offers an all-inclusive app with features enabling mobile management for dispatchers.

7. Pricing advantage

Upper’s user-based pricing outperforms MapQuest’s plans that impose limits on total stops and don’t offer GPS tracking, customer notifications, or proof of delivery.  

Upper vs MapQuest: Picking the Right Software

As long as you need a mapping software solution with entry-level routing functionality to support your micro business, MapQuest can work for you. 

The moment you think of scaling your delivery operations and seek extensive route management features like driver scheduling, GPS tracking, in-app driver-dispatcher chat, or proof of delivery, MapQuest won’t suffice.

This is where Upper Route Planner can help you create multiple optimized routes for multiple drivers and equip you with high-end features like real-time tracking and vehicle capacity optimization. 

All in all, Upper gives you the flexibility, customizability, and scalability you need for your business to grow.

Try Upper today and see it for yourself.