Planner
A Better Routeplanner reviewed: what it does and does not do
The routing engine most of the others are measured against. Free to plan with; the features that make it usable while actually driving are behind the subscription.
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What it does
| Capability | Verdict | What the documentation says |
|---|---|---|
| Plans a charging route | ● Yes | Its core function. |
| Models the charging curve | ● Yes | States more than 1,000 data-driven EV models with range predictions. |
| Adjusts for weather and temperature | ◐ Partly | Weather forecasts are listed as a Premium feature. |
| Accounts for elevation | – Unverified | Widely assumed and not stated on the pages checked. |
| Live charger availability | ◐ Partly | Live charger availability and occupancy forecasts are Premium. |
| Reads the car | ◐ Partly | Vehicle live data connection is Premium. |
| Preconditions the battery | – Unverified | Not claimed on the pages checked. |
| Turn-by-turn navigation | ◐ Partly | Mobile turn-by-turn navigation is Premium. |
| CarPlay or Android Auto | ◐ Partly | CarPlay and Android Auto are Premium. |
| Pays for the charge | ○ No | Not a payment product. |
| Compares session prices | – Unverified | Not stated on the pages checked. |
| Food, restrooms and facilities | ◐ Partly | Advanced charger filters are listed, including trailer-friendly and dog-friendly. |
| Driver check-ins and reviews | ◐ Partly | Community charger data is listed on the free tier. |
| Usable without paying | ● Yes | Planning, model database and basic charger search are free. |
Source: abetterrouteplanner.com, checked 2026-08-19.
What it is good at
- Plans a charging route. Its core function. The dividing line in this category. A charger map tells you where the chargers are; a planner decides which ones you stop at, and for how long. Both are useful and they are not substitutes.
- Models the charging curve. States more than 1,000 data-driven EV models with range predictions. A car that takes 18 minutes from 10% to 50% can take another 25 to reach 80%. A planner that ignores this sends you to fewer, longer stops and gets the arrival time wrong in a way that compounds over a day.
- Usable without paying. Planning, model database and basic charger search are free. Several of these are free because charging networks pay for placement or the vendor sells electricity. That is not a criticism, but it is worth knowing whose interest the default sort serves.
What it half does
These are the rows where a plain yes would mislead — the capability exists but is behind a subscription, limited to certain vehicles, or confined to one country.
- Adjusts for weather and temperature. Weather forecasts are listed as a Premium feature.
- Live charger availability. Live charger availability and occupancy forecasts are Premium.
- Reads the car. Vehicle live data connection is Premium.
- Turn-by-turn navigation. Mobile turn-by-turn navigation is Premium.
- CarPlay or Android Auto. CarPlay and Android Auto are Premium.
- Food, restrooms and facilities. Advanced charger filters are listed, including trailer-friendly and dog-friendly.
- Driver check-ins and reviews. Community charger data is listed on the free tier.
What it does not do
Not a criticism in most cases. A price comparator that does not navigate is not failing at navigation.
- Pays for the charge. Not a payment product.
What we could not confirm
These are capabilities we could not establish from A Better Routeplanner's own public documentation on 2026-08-19. Absence here means we did not find a statement, not that the feature is missing — and we would rather say that than guess.
- Accounts for elevation. Widely assumed and not stated on the pages checked.
- Preconditions the battery. Not claimed on the pages checked.
- Compares session prices. Not stated on the pages checked.
Who it suits
A Better Routeplanner earns its place if you want a planned charging route rather than a map of chargers, charging-time estimates that hold up and something that costs nothing. If none of that is what you are missing, something simpler on this list will serve you better and several of them cost nothing.