For nonprofits and volunteers
Free route planner for volunteers
Typical route setup
- Route size
- One volunteer route, up to 100 stops
- What drives the order
- Coverage and predictability. Recipients expect roughly the same time each week, and a volunteer needs a route they can follow without training.
- Where the list comes from
- A coordinator's spreadsheet, a client list, or a walk list from a campaign tool.
Why the free limit still matters
Count the complete route you need to assign, including the start and any required finish. Current free limits range from 15 at Geo2 to 20 at RouteXL and Spoke, 26 at MapQuest, and 100 at Shipday and SortMyStops.com.
If every stop fits in one optimization, the coordinator does not have to invent route chunks before seeing the geographic order. Several volunteers still require manual grouping or a true multi-vehicle dispatch product.
Keep the route predictable and easy to share
Predictability beats speed
For recipients expecting a meal or a check-in, consistency may matter more than the lowest possible drive-time estimate. Start with an efficient order, then keep an approved sequence when familiarity and timing are part of the service.
Make the route easy to hand off
Whoever drives it may be doing so for the first time. A printed sheet with the stops in order, addresses and notes, plus a phone that opens each stop in Google Maps, is a route a new volunteer can drive on their first Saturday without a briefing.
Notes carry what the address does not
Notes can carry ordinary delivery guidance, but treat them as shareable route content. Do not include health information, vulnerability details, alarm codes or other sensitive personal data. Share route links only with volunteers authorized to receive the address list.
Canvassing and outreach
Door-to-door outreach often focuses on geographic coverage rather than appointment windows. The 100-stop limit can hold a complete list so the coordinator can see the full area before splitting work among volunteers.
The planner orders stops for driving. On a walk list in a dense grid, use the result to sequence blocks, then adjust the door order for street sides, paths and access.
Splitting a list across volunteers
The planner builds one route at a time, so a coordinator assigning several volunteers still does the grouping. Group by neighborhood or ZIP, keep areas stable where that helps recipients, then optimize inside each group.
A stable area may be more useful than the mathematically lowest drive-time arrangement when volunteers and recipients benefit from familiarity.
Frequently asked questions
Is it really free for nonprofit use?
Yes, on the same terms as everyone else: 100 stops per route, unlimited routes, no account and no card.
Can a volunteer use it without an account?
Yes, and that is the point. Send them a share link and it opens with the stops already loaded. Nothing to install, no sign-up, no password to reset at 7am on a Saturday.
How do we send a route to a volunteer?
Share the link or show them the QR code to scan. The route opens on their phone with the stops in order. For volunteers who prefer paper, print the route sheet with addresses and ordinary delivery notes.
Is it safe to put client addresses in?
Persistent route history is stored in the browser, but addresses and coordinates are processed by the site's server and geocoding or routing providers. Shared links reversibly encode stops and notes in the URL. Send them only to authorized recipients and do not include medical or other sensitive information.
Can we split a route across several volunteers?
Not automatically. The planner handles one route at a time. Group the list by neighborhood or ZIP first, then optimize each group as its own volunteer route.
Can we keep the same route each week?
Yes. If consistency matters, save and reuse an approved order, then re-optimize only when the stop list or constraints change. Review it whenever road access or recipient availability changes.
Try it on tomorrow's list
Paste the addresses you already have and compare the order against the one you would have driven.
Open the planner