The idea behind a route planner is to calculate a suitable route between two geographical points, the start and the end point. The basis for a route planner consists of a database populated with data about specific routes and their relevant characteristics.

Ideally, searching the database should occur with minimal compute time and result in the most efficient route that is also the shortest or fastest. There may be additional search criteria to consider, such as mode of transportation, route characteristics, type and condition of route, plus specifics about the time of day and the season of the year when the route is to be used.

All of the providers who offer maps and navigational systems also offer matching online services and software. Frequently, there are also accompanying apps for smartphones. The providers offering these products and services include Falk, ViaMichelin, TomTom, Nokia/Map24, and Google Maps, among others. As it turns out, free route planners compete nicely with commercial providers in terms of variety and quality. In some instances, the free planners actually perform even better.

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