Onfleet vs Bringg vs Circuit: Finding the Best Delivery Management Software

Key Takeaways

• Circuit for Teams is the best solution for delivery businesses.
• Bringg is well-suited for food delivery companies but you have to talk to the sales team to get started.
• Onfleet is a pricey option, starting at $500/month.

If you’re running a delivery team, an efficient delivery process reduces the time your drivers spend at each stop — and the time you need to plan multiple driver routes and track delivery progress.

In turn, this can save your business labor and fuel costs while allowing your drivers to complete more successful delivery stops in a day.

Those are significant wins for increasing the profitability of your delivery team, but to create these optimal delivery processes, you need the best delivery management software or route planning software.

And it must be a tool that handles key areas of delivery operations, such as:

• Create and optimize routes for multiple drivers
• Route monitoring and driver tracking in real-time
• Send customizable customer notifications
• Integration with internal software systems
• Customizable pickup and drop-off points — including multi-depot
• Capturing proof of delivery
• Low-effort onboarding for you and your drivers

The challenge is finding delivery software that works for your unique needs and budget.

To help you find the right solution for your business, we’re reviewing three delivery software platforms — Circuit, Onfleet, and Bringg — that fulfill different requirements.

Circuit for Teams — best for midsize delivery teams

Circuit for Teams helps companies get their package deliveries done faster and more efficiently. It offers the tools needed to keep customers in the loop through the delivery process. 

Circuit started as a route optimization app, Circuit Route Planner, built to help individual delivery drivers complete their routes in a shorter amount of time. 

Since then, and based on feedback from our customers, we’ve expanded to offer delivery software for managing multiple drivers with key features that allow delivery teams to grow and scale their profitability.

Here’s what using Circuit for Teams looks like, from route planning and dispatching to completing deliveries.

Planning routes: Importing addresses into Circuit for Teams

Where you get your delivery addresses depends on what kind of business you’re running and whether you’re using eCommerce tools like Shopify or on-demand delivery platforms. 

For example, businesses using Shopify or WooCommerce can automatically collect delivery addresses during the checkout process. 

And those partnering with on-demand delivery platforms like Uber Eats or DoorDash can get addresses directly from the platform’s API.

To make it easy to upload multiple addresses into Circuit for Teams from any location, you can use a simple CSV or Excel file-uploading feature.

Just download the orders from whatever customer management platform you’re using and upload them into our browser-based platform.

You can also manually add routes to Circuit for Teams on your desktop browser.

Or your driver can add stops themselves on their smartphone using the algorithm of their chosen GPS to auto-complete the address as they’re typing it in. 

This feature allows your team to reoptimize the route based on unplanned changes.

Dispatchers can also disable the option for drivers to manually add stops, so they can keep control over the delivery process and route optimization.

Route optimization

Route optimization is the cornerstone of any successful delivery business.

It’s not something that can be done by just trying to create the shortest route possible in Google Maps. 

This is because, to create the most efficient routes, you need an advanced algorithm that factors in traffic patterns, distance, terrain, the number of delivery drivers, and several other factors.

With Circuit for Teams route optimization software, you can optimize multiple driver routes that automatically consider the factors above and set up bespoke parameters, such as:

Priority stops. You can choose certain stops as having a higher priority than other stops.

This tells Circuit for Teams to create the most optimized route with specific stops happening first. This helps couriers who need to pick up packages from stores before they can deliver them to customers.

Time constraints. We have one customer who uses Circuit to deliver retail products in Argentina.

She uses Circuit’s time constraints to make sure her delivery driver is finished with the first half of his route before the town takes a siesta.

This guarantees the driver is back at the warehouse by a specific time to take his break and isn’t trying to make deliveries to customers who won’t be available to answer the door.

Vehicle capacity. Vehicle capacity allows your delivery team to factor in the number of packages any vehicle can hold for each route, leading to increased route optimization.

Route optimization also gives you an accurate ETA of when you’ll complete your route, which helps you know if you can scale up deliveries with your team — or if you need to add more drivers.

To get the most accurate ETA possible, we recommend setting an estimated time spent for each stop.

This estimate adds time for your driver to park their vehicle, get out of their car, find the right package, leave it at the customer’s door, and document proof of delivery.

If your drivers are just starting with Circuit for Teams, their time for each drop is likely to decrease over time.

We interviewed several Circuit for Teams customers, such as OK! Kombucha, a beverage wholesaler.

They told us how using our software helped them reduce their time at each stop from an average of seven minutes down to an average of two minutes per stop.

Using Circuit for Teams reduced one customers’ average of seven minutes down to two minutes for each stop.

For OK! Kombucha, those saved five minutes for each stop translated to saving 12.5 hours a week in labor costs.

Once your routes are optimized, your drivers can start their deliveries. Drivers use the Circuit mobile app with their preferred navigational tools, such as Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Waze.

Route monitoring and customer notifications

When you’re managing delivery routes, it’s important to know where drivers are at all times.

This allows you to make actionable decisions (such as assigning more stops to a driver) and give a better delivery experience when customers contact you to ask about the ETA of their package.

The problem with other route monitoring services is that they tell the dispatcher where the driver is geographically, such as Lincoln Avenue and 16th Street — without telling you where the driver is within the context of the route.

At Circuit, we know some routes change as they progress, so we let you know where your driver is, what stop they’ve just finished, and where they’re going next — with an updated ETA.

With our Standard Plan, you can also send customer notifications as SMS or email.

Plus, as the driver gets closer to the customer’s stop, another notification is sent, giving the customer a more accurate and narrow time window.

This allows them to leave any specific notes for the driver, such as a gate code or instructions not to knock or leave your package on the patio.

Saving precious minutes in wasted time that can amount to significant costs to your businesses bottom line.

Capturing proof of delivery

There are two ways to capture proof of delivery with Circuit for Teams:

1. The driver uses their smartphone to collect a signature from the customer.
2. The driver takes a photo of where they left your package 

You can find both photos and signatures in the Circuit for Teams software for future reference. 

This is helpful if a package is left on the side of the customer’s front door or somewhere where it’s hard to find and the customer calls your warehouse , or customer service team because they didn’t get it.

One of our customers experienced the costly downside of not collecting proof of delivery.

Sanjhi Rasoi is a restaurant in Calgary that offers a food delivery service where they deliver ready-to-eat meals directly to the customer.

Before using Circuit for Teams, the restaurant had to redeliver at least one meal every day because their customers called to say they couldn’t find their delivery.

Without getting proof of delivery, the owner of the restaurant couldn’t confirm whether the food had been delivered correctly.

After using Circuit for Teams, the number of redeliveries dropped to zero.

After using the Circuit for Teams’ proof of delivery feature, the number of re-deliveries Sanjhi Rasoi has to do has dropped to zero.

Enhanced stop details sheet features

You or your dispatchers need to be able to manage and access stop information to keep the delivery process smooth.

Our new enhanced stop details sheet makes it so drivers can find and edit stop information quickly and easily using simple gestures.

With just a swipe, scroll, or tap, drivers can access all the relevant information and editing options for each stop:

• Easily adjust the view size on the stop details screen for a tailored experience.
• Scroll to the top for the maximum view size, providing a comprehensive view of the stop details.
• Scroll down from the top for the medium view size, offering a balance between information and screen real estate.
• Scroll to the bottom for the minimum view size, focusing on the most essential details for a quick glance.
• Time windows and other important conditions are now visible in all three view sizes, so your drivers are always informed about each stop’s unique requirements.

On top of these new view options, Circuit for Teams has new intuitive tap and swipe functionality for navigation and stop management:

• Tap a stop on the map, and the stop details sheet will automatically display the relevant information.
• Swipe right on the main stops list to reveal the option to navigate to a specific stop.
• Swipe left on the main stops list to access delivery status options: undo, delivered, or failed.

These enhancements streamline the stop management process, so your drivers can focus on providing exceptional delivery experiences for your customers.

Use voice commands to add stops

Balancing packages and a smartphone while trying to add stops to a route can be a difficult task for drivers.

To simplify this process, we’ve introduced voice commands to help drivers quickly add multiple stops to a route using just one hand.

Drivers can navigate to the “add/find a stop” section in the app, tap the microphone icon, and speak the stop address they want to add into their phone.

The app will create search results based on their voice command — and they just select the correct stop address.

Circuit for Teams pricing

Circuit for Teams offers three pricing plans.

Each pricing plan works off a cost-per-driver basis, with unlimited stops or routes each month.

Note: If you have some busier times than others (for example, weekends or holiday periods), you can add or remove drivers throughout the month — meaning you have total flexibility and don’t need to pay for the whole month for every driver.

This makes Circuit for Teams scalable and adaptable to your workloads.

If you manage a team of delivery drivers and want a simple, cost-effective way to keep track of them (while making their routes more efficient), start your free trial now.

Pros and cons of Circuit for Teams

Circuit for Teams has many user reviews like this one, “I’m very pleased and impressed that you guys would make things so user-friendly and accessible. Your customer support is the highest quality that I have ever experienced.”

Here are a few pros and cons for Circuit for Teams:

Pros of Circuit for Teams

• Designed for midsize delivery team management, which often struggle to find delivery management tools that cater to their specific requirements
• Scalable pricing with the option to add or remove drivers throughout the month, allowing your company to adapt its delivery team size based on current demands without unnecessary costs
• Offers delivery management features like customer notifications through SMS or email with a tracking dashboard link and proof of delivery through signatures or photos, which are uploaded for future reference (Keeps customers informed about their deliveries and offers evidence in case of disputes)
• Consistently implementing new features to improve user experience like voice commands, intuitive gestures, and map views for easier navigation and delivery details
• Allows for manual route additions and reoptimization based on unplanned changes, so drivers can adapt to new circumstances without disrupting their planned routes
• Can customize pickup and drop-off locations, helping big brands compete with Amazon, addressing the need for personalized delivery experiences
• Gives you real-time route monitoring and updated ETA information for drivers and customers, keeping drivers and customers informed about delivery progress and estimated arrival times, reducing uncertainty

Con of Circuit for Teams

The potential cost can be a concern for some businesses.

While Circuit for Teams offers a robust set of features designed to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction, cost is always a factor to consider. 

However, the value Circuit brings in terms of time savings, increased efficiency, and improved customer experience can outweigh the financial investment. 

You also need to compare apples to apples. Circuit isn’t more expensive than some competitors. 

For example, pricing starts at $100 per month, which is less than Onfleet’s lowest pricing plan at $500 per month.

Onfleet— best for food delivery businesses

Onfleet has options for food and retail businesses wanting to add local delivery to their operations and also for larger team-based enterprises.

However, Onfleet only becomes an economical option when used by large delivery teams with dozens (or even hundreds) of drivers that aren’t dealing with a high monthly order volume.

And each plan comes with a limited number of tasks (stops or pickups).

Meaning you’ll want to make sure your delivery team won’t go over its allotted tasks — or, risk unknown financial costs each month.

We go over the details of Onfleet’s pricing structure, but let’s first cover Onfleet’s main features:

Route optimization. Get your drivers to their stops as quickly as possible and update the route if needed from your dispatch office.

Proof of delivery. Capture POD using signatures, photos, and notes. If you’re a driver who needs to scan barcodes, you’ll need Onfleet’s Scale plan.

Driver analytics. Find out which drivers are taking too long on their routes and which drivers are your most time-efficient.

Driver chat. Text your driver directly as they navigate the route.

This keeps all communication streamlined, so dispatch can find the route in progress, along with communication sent to or got from the driver.

Status updates for your customers. Send SMS messages to your customers, letting them know when a delivery has started, when their package is scheduled to arrive, and when it’s minutes away.

Collect driver feedback from the customer. Your customer is sent a feedback form after a delivery is completed, letting your delivery team gauge the quality of customer service.

Onfleet pricing

Here are the three pricing tiers with the features offered on each one:

Launch. Starting at $500 a month with 2,000 tasks.

This plan offers route optimization (a cornerstone of any delivery software platform) and proof of delivery. You can also access 90-day historical analytics. 

Scale. Starting at $1,150 a month with 5,000 tasks.

Barcode scanning starts at this price point, as does advanced ETA notifications, one-year historical analytics, and standard onboarding. 

Enterprise: Custom pricing.

At this price point, your team gets multibrand or region support, a customizable customer tracking page, and unlimited historical analytics. Plus, Enterprise clients get premium onboarding and implementation.

Like Circuit for Teams, Onfleet also offers a free, 14-day trial. 

If you’re opting for the Launch or Scale plans, you can get started right away. But if you need an Enterprise plan, you’ll need to talk to sales before getting started.

Pros and cons of Onfleet

Here are a few pros and cons for Onfleet:

Pros of Onfleet

• User reviews mention easy onboarding for drivers, which is great to get your drivers started quickly
• User-friendly interface with easy-to-use tools and features for managing deliveries
• Real-time tracking of drivers and deliveries for enhanced transparency throughout the process and better customer satisfaction
• Integration with popular eCommerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce, making it easy to get drivers on the road without having to add delivery stops manually

Cons of Onfleet

• User reviews mention a lack of mobile support for dispatchers
• Limitations on the number of tasks each month, which may not be suitable for businesses with high delivery volumes
• Higher pricing compared to other route planning software, especially for mid-sized delivery teams with fewer drivers and lower delivery volumes

Bringg — best for medical delivery services

As a startup in 2017, Bringg raised $10 million to help big retail brands compete with delivery services from giants like Amazon and Uber. 

Bringg is mainly used for last-mile delivery (from warehouse to customer) and first-mile delivery (from supplier to delivery warehouse) and has been adopted for several industries, including retail and health care.

Bringg’s services are often used by health care companies due to the level of transparency and communication Bringg facilitates between drivers and customers. 

For example, if you’re a medical delivery service transporting IV bags and oxygen tanks, communication is critical — a delay on a patient’s oxygen tank due to them not being home can have serious repercussions.

Bringg also works for large brands that integrate on-demand delivery with supply chain management.

Bringg separates itself into two components: backend operations and delivery operations.

For backend operations, Bringg offers its users:

Multiplatform delivery orchestration. Bringg can integrate with other delivery management platforms, such as DoorDash and eCommerce platforms.

This can be helpful for delivery teams handling orders that come from multiple channels.

Inventory tracking. Using a barcode scanner, Bringg registers and documents where each package is from the moment your warehouse gets it until the driver drops it off.

Customizable pickup and drop-off locations. Circuit for Teams offers this feature as well!

Suppose you’re a dispatcher working with several franchises. 

In that case, you need to toggle back and forth between locations to help with product fulfillment. Bringg can help your drivers go to the right location each time.

For delivery operations, Bringg offers its users:

Route optimization and automated dispatch. Bringg creates optimized routes and offers automated dispatch, which is helpful for on-demand delivery companies.

When an order comes through, Bringg assigns it to a specific driver based on several parameters.

Driver and vehicle management. Larger businesses, that employ in-house drivers and third-party contractors, can use Bringg to help communication between drivers when they’re available to take more drops.

Mobile driver app. The Bringg driver app (available for iPhone and Android devices) is how couriers collect proof of delivery, accept or reject new orders, and track their earnings.

Driver analytics and logistics software. Finally, Bringg can help delivery companies analyze metrics, such as delivery cost versus customer satisfaction scores, the number of stops completed on time or late, and so on.

Bringg pricing

Bringg doesn’t offer transparent pricing plans because their services are meant to be modified toward each company’s needs.

Note: Given the scope and complexity of Bringg’s delivery management software, it may take a while to get Bringg integrated with your business. 

One user reported, “You have to know what you are doing to use it — professional system.”

Pros and cons of Bringg

Check out this list of pros and cons of Bringg to determine if this is the right route planner and delivery management solution for your business:

Pros of Bringg

• Users report Bringg is an easy-to-use delivery management platform with a very limited learning curve
• Integrates with other delivery management platforms, such as DoorDash and eCommerce platforms so you don’t have to manually add stops
• Inventory tracking using barcode scanning for package tracking from warehouse to drop-off for better inventory and delivery management
• Mobile driver app for proof of delivery, order acceptance/rejection, and earnings tracking so you can keep track each step of the way

Cons of Bringg

• No transparent pricing; Bringg’s pricing is customized for each company and not publicly available, making it difficult to budget
• You can’t get started on Bringg without first talking to a sales team, wasting valuable time. Circuit for Teams allows you to get started without hearing a sales pitch
• User reviews mention occasional system glitching and random app shutdowns
• Bringg’s integration process can take a few weeks, which may delay the implementation of the software for some businesses

Final thoughts: Onfleet vs Bringg vs Circuit for Teams

When looking for the best delivery management software, several good options are out there — including Onfleet, Bringg, and Circuit for Teams. 

Circuit for Teams is tailored for package delivery, unlike Bringg, which positions itself primarily as a solution for medical delivery businesses.

The tools these apps offer tend to vary drastically in functionality and price, but they all aim to make processes smoother for dispatchers, delivery drivers, and recipients.

Here’s a comparison of each product’s features:

We built our delivery software, Circuit for Teams, based on direct feedback from our customers — and we continue to do so.

We want to give dispatchers of midsize delivery teams all the tools they need to increase profitability while scaling up delivery processes.

We did this by focusing on the most critical parts of running a delivery team:

• Route planning and optimization
• Real-time route monitoring
• Customer-facing order tracking
• Capturing proof of delivery (and the ability to skip POD when it’s not needed or required, saving time)
• Easily make changes to driver routes and notify drivers so there’s no lost time or confusion for last-minute changes

If you manage a team of delivery drivers and want a simple, cost-effective way to keep track of them (while making their routes more efficient), start your 14-day free trial.