Route and cost planner or in-cab navigation app: which one do you need?
You need both, for different moments. A route and cost planner is used before departure, usually in a browser at the desk: it checks whether the vehicle can take the route, estimates tolls per country, shows driving bans and permit needs, and turns the result into a cost and a quote. An in-cab navigation app is used during the drive: it guides the driver turn by turn and reacts to what happens on the road.
NSRoute is a route and cost planner for European road transport, for trucks, oversized loads and vans. You plan the route, tolls, bans, permits and cost in NSRoute before the truck leaves, then send the driver a trip link that hands the route over to the navigation app in the cab.
Which tool for which question
Use a route and cost planner when you ask:
- How much will this route cost: tolls per country, diesel, driver cost, my margin?
- Can this vehicle take this route with its weight, height, width, axles and dangerous goods class?
- Will a weekend or holiday driving ban stop the truck on the way?
- Does the load need an oversized transport permit, and what does that add to the cost?
- What price do I quote, and can I send the calculation to the customer as a PDF?
- Is the carrier I am about to hand the load to who they claim to be?
Use an in-cab navigation app when the driver asks:
- Which exit do I take now, and which lane do I need?
- What is ahead of me on the road right now?
- How long until I arrive from where I am?
Planner vs navigation: the two categories side by side
| Route and cost planner (web, before departure) | In-cab navigation app (during the drive) | |
|---|---|---|
| When | Before the order is accepted or the truck leaves | While driving |
| Who uses it | Dispatcher, freight forwarder, fleet owner, carrier preparing a quote | Driver |
| Where | Browser on a computer or phone | Phone, tablet or device in the cab |
| Main output | Route, cost breakdown and quote | Turn-by-turn guidance to the destination |
| Tolls | Estimated per country to price the job | Not built to prepare a quote |
| Driving bans and permits | Checked while planning the time window and the cost | Depends on the app; meant for the drive itself |
| Diesel, driver cost, margin | Part of the calculation | Not part of the job |
| Turn-by-turn guidance on the road | Not the job: the planner hands the route over to navigation | Its main job |
| Carrier check before handing over a load | Part of the office workflow | Not part of the job |
How the two work together
- Paste the transport enquiry or enter origin, destination and the vehicle profile in NSRoute.
- Review the route for that vehicle, the toll estimate per country, driving-ban alerts and, for oversized loads, permit costs.
- Add diesel, driver cost and margin, export the quote PDF and send it to the customer.
- Before handing the load to another carrier, check them by VAT number.
- Send the driver a trip link. It opens without an account and hands the route over to the navigation app in the cab.
What NSRoute does before departure
- Vehicle-aware routing across 37 European countries, using the weight, dimensions, axle count and ADR class you enter. Vehicles up to 3.5 t are routed as light commercial vehicles.
- Toll estimates for 30+ countries, shown per country, as planning estimates to verify with the official operator.
- Diesel per country from EU Oil Bulletin data, with your own consumption and fuel price.
- Driving-ban alerts for weekend and holiday restrictions on the planned route.
- Ferry crossings you can choose when a route needs one.
- Oversized transport: permit costs in the calculation and country guides on permit thresholds.
- Quote PDF with the full cost breakdown, optionally with your company name and logo.
- Carrier verification by VAT number in official registers and sanctions lists.
What NSRoute is not
- It is not an in-cab navigation app: on the road the driver uses their navigation, NSRoute hands the route over to it.
- Tolls, diesel and times are planning estimates, not the amount you will be charged. Verify final tolls, permits and restrictions with the official source before transport.
- The cost calculation is your own cost estimate, not a market freight rate. Freight prices change with the route, load and date.
Plans
FREE
0 EUR
5 routes and 3 carrier checks a month, full cost breakdown, quote PDF.
PRO
49 EUR / month
Unlimited routes and carrier checks with a signed report. 7 days free for new accounts, no card required.
FLEET
99 EUR / month
Everything in PRO, on up to 5 devices at the same time with one account.
Questions
What is the difference between a truck route planner and a truck navigation app?
A route planner is used before departure to decide the route and its cost: tolls, diesel, driving bans, permits and the quote. A navigation app is used during the drive to guide the driver turn by turn. Most transport companies use both.
Do I need a route planner if my drivers already have navigation?
If you quote transport or plan orders, yes. Navigation does not tell you what a route will cost or prepare a quote; the planner does that before the truck leaves. The driver then follows the route in their navigation.
Is NSRoute a navigation app?
No. NSRoute is a web route and cost planner for European road transport. It sends the driver a trip link that hands the route over to the navigation app in the cab.
Does NSRoute work in a browser without installing anything?
Yes. NSRoute runs in the browser on a computer or a phone. The driver opens the trip link without an account.
Which vehicles does NSRoute plan for?
Trucks, oversized loads and vans. You enter the weight, dimensions, axle count and dangerous goods class; vehicles up to 3.5 t are routed as light commercial vehicles.
Is the toll estimate the final amount?
No. It is a planning estimate per country. The amount charged depends on the road actually driven and on the vehicle data registered with the operator, so verify it with the official source before transport.
How much does NSRoute cost?
FREE costs 0 EUR and includes 5 routes and 3 carrier checks a month. PRO costs 49 EUR/month and FLEET 99 EUR/month. New accounts get 7 days of PRO free, no card required.
Related
Truck route planning software for dispatchers Truck route cost calculator Truck toll calculator for Europe Carrier verification by VAT number Truck driving bans in Europe 2026 Pricing