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A custom driver app with routes, proof of delivery (photo, signature, exceptions), a back office and a connection to your tools usually costs $16,800 to $20,200 (€15,000–€18,000)excl. VAT, within the $6,800 to $22,400 (€6,000–€20,000)excl. VAT range of a business app. It replaces paper delivery slips and calls to the office asking where a delivery stands.
A delivery without proof is a delivery that can be disputed. Paper slips get lost, photos stay on personal phones, and customer service calls the driver to find out whether the package has left. A well-designed driver app solves all three problems at once. Here is what it should include, how to handle location data, and what it costs.
What the app should do
Drivers need only a few things, but they have to work every time:
- the day’s route, in order, with address, contact, time slot and instructions (door code, loading dock, opening hours);
- directions to the next stop in one tap, in the navigation app of their choice;
- proof of delivery: photo of the dropped-off package, recipient’s on-screen signature, signer’s name, time;
- exceptions and incidents: damaged package, customer absent, refusal, partial delivery, with a photo and a reason picked from a list;
- offline mode, with automatic upload when the signal returns.
On the office side, dispatch sees route progress, receives incidents in real time and finds a proof in seconds when there is a dispute. Customers can also be kept informed automatically: that is the subject of the article on real-time delivery tracking.
Proof of delivery: what makes it solid
A proof is useful when it answers four questions without ambiguity: what, where, when, who. So I design each confirmation to record together:
| Element | How it is captured | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery ID | Barcode scan or selection in the route | Links the proof to the right order |
| Photo | Phone camera, compressed on upload | Shows condition and drop-off location |
| Signature and signer’s name | On-screen entry | Confirms hand delivery |
| Timestamp | Phone clock at capture, server clock at sync | Dates the delivery |
| Location at confirmation | Phone GPS, captured once | Confirms the delivery address |
| Exceptions | List of reasons plus comment | Handles disputes and credit notes |
The proof can then be emailed to the customer as a PDF delivery note. Its exact legal value depends on your terms and conditions and your transport contracts: this page is not a substitute for legal advice.
Location data: the regulatory side
Tracking drivers helps optimize routes and prove a delivery was made, but it is a regulated form of data processing. For companies operating in France, the CNIL (the data protection authority) sets out the rules in its guidance on geolocating employees’ vehicles (in French, checked in October 2026). Among other points:
- tracking a transport service and optimizing routes are among the accepted purposes;
- permanent monitoring and collection outside working hours are excluded, and employees must be able to turn location off outside their working hours;
- data is kept for two months in principle, extended to one year when it is used to optimize routes or to prove a service was performed, if no other proof is available;
- employees and their representatives must be informed.
I design the app to follow these principles by default: location active only during the route, automatic purge after the chosen retention period, access to positions limited to authorized staff. The final decision is made with your data protection officer or legal counsel, and other countries may have different rules.
The budget
Starting point: the floor for a business app, $6,800 (€6,000)excl. VAT. A sample breakdown for a fleet of 10 to 50 drivers:
| Building block | Indicative price |
|---|---|
| Base (routes, deliveries, proofs) | $6,800 (€6,000)excl. VAT |
| Accounts and roles (driver, dispatch, subcontractor) | $1,700 (€1,500)excl. VAT |
| Dispatch back office | $2,300 (€2,000)excl. VAT |
| Map and directions | $1,700 (€1,500)excl. VAT |
| Notifications and offline mode | $1,200 (€1,000)excl. VAT |
| PDF delivery notes | $1,700 (€1,500)excl. VAT |
| Connection to the ERP or ordering system | $2,300 (€2,000)excl. VAT |
| Total with the 10 to 50 users factor (×1.1) | about $19,100 (€17,000)excl. VAT |
Without the integration or PDFs, the project drops toward $14,600 (€13,000)excl. VAT. Automatically optimizing the order of stops is a separate topic, covered in delivery route planning. For your setup, the estimator gives you a range in one minute, and cost items are detailed in how much a delivery app costs.
When this is not the right solution
If you outsource deliveries to a carrier or parcel network, they already provide proof of delivery and tracking: an in-house app makes no sense. Likewise, if your routes are simple, few in number and rarely disputed, an off-the-shelf proof-of-delivery app billed per driver may be enough.
Custom software makes sense when you run your own fleet, have specific operating instructions (packaging returns, cash collection, installation, temperature checks), need deliveries linked to your ERP, or have subcontractors to bring in with limited access.
Where to start
- A free 30-minute discovery call: your routes, your usual disputes, your tools.
- Scoping (1 to 2 weeks): driver screens, proof rules, integrations, retention period, fixed quote.
- Clickable mockups tested by one or two drivers in the field.
- Development in batches, then a real pilot on one or two routes.
- Rollout, training for drivers and dispatch, 3 months of support included.
Route features are also presented on the route planning app page. For an example of a platform designed for mobile professionals, see the OptiRoad project, currently in development.
Frequently asked questions
Is a signature on a phone screen valid proof?
It is evidence, especially when it is timestamped and paired with a photo and the signer’s name. Its exact legal weight depends on your contracts and your usual disputes, so have the setup reviewed by your legal counsel.
Does the app work without a signal?
Yes, that is essential: proofs of delivery are stored on the phone and sent as soon as the signal returns. A driver should never be stuck in front of a customer because of a dead zone.
Can drivers use their own phones?
Yes, with an installable web app (PWA), without going through the app stores. For subcontractors, we set up accounts limited to their own routes, with remote sign-out.
Can the app connect to our ERP or ordering system?
Yes. The day’s deliveries can be imported from the ERP, and statuses, photos and signatures sent back automatically. The integration is priced during scoping, based on the tool and how it exchanges data.
How long does it take to roll out?
Allow 1 to 3 months for a first version, scoping included. A pilot on one or two routes before the general rollout lets us adjust the screens to real conditions.