The Best Package Tracking Apps for the Holidays | Business
This holiday season there will be plenty of packages on people’s doorsteps.
With many of us ready (or already starting) to buy gifts online, we all need a better way to track packages to our front door.
There’s no shortage of apps available to help you track packages when you have a tracking number, but with so many options available, what’s the best?
We’ve made the decision easy by highlighting the best package tracking apps to keep an eye on your packages this holiday season. Just download a package tracking app and grab your tracking number.
What is a package tracking app?
Rather than switching between shopping apps to track your packages or searching the web for tracking numbers, you can use tracking apps.
By installing a package tracking app on your smartphone, you can view all your shipments from multiple sources in one place — no shuffling apps on your iOS or Android device.
Package tracking programs offer different features, but many share some similarities that we will cover. Our favorite package tracking apps will automatically add new packages to your watchlist by connecting to your Amazon account or scanning your email for tracking numbers.
We’ve focused on tracking apps that are free or offer most of their features for free – just plug in a tracking number to get started.
While all of these package tracking apps are highly recommended, you should check the details of each one to find the perfect option for your shopping habits.
Route: The Best Package Tracking App
After hands-on testing with a multitude of package tracking apps for iOS and Android, we chose Route as our favorite. This great package tracking app is free and provides a visual map to see where your packages are in transit.
Route offers a beautiful and simplistic interface that is easy to use and integrates well with various email services, including Gmail, Outlook and iCloud. Route will automatically add the package if a tracking number is discovered within a received email.
Route also easily integrates with Amazon, so you can keep an eye on packages. Amazon has made it increasingly challenging to track packages with third-party apps, but solutions like Route use clever tricks to enable the feature.
The Route app even includes a built-in feature to handle ordering issues. With just a few taps, you can report packages that have been stolen, damaged or lost in transit. Route is truly our favorite package tracking app this year for the holiday season.
Download for iOS or Android.
Package Tracking App Honorable Mentions
We found our top package tracking app, Route, to deliver an optimal experience that we believe everyone will love. However, since opinions are just opinions, we’ve listed a few honorable mentions for those looking for something different to track shipments.
Shop
The Shop app has become increasingly popular thanks to its close integration with many independent online stores, thanks to the Shopify platform. But in addition to integrating with small stores, the Shop app can import packages directly from Amazon.
If Amazon or the independent online store you bought from doesn’t work with the Shop app, you can have the app scan your emails for tracking numbers. The Shop app supports Gmail and Outlook email accounts. (Sorry, iCloud fans, no luck here.)
Opening the Store app does drop you directly into a shopping tab in an attempt to show you stores and items you might want to buy, but navigating to your orders is just a tap away . If you decide to buy with the Store app, you can even pay later with monthly installments.
Download for iOS or Android.
Deliveries
The Delivery Package Tracker is the only paid app in our lineup, but at just $4.99 per year or 99 cents per month, it’s a worthy recommendation. If you choose to unsubscribe from the app at any time, you will be able to view the package history but cannot add new deliveries.
Like the other apps we’ve recommended, Deliveries allows you to track all your packages in one place. For automatic tracking, you can set up any email service to forward tracking numbers to the app.
Deliveries you add will sync with iCloud across your devices, so you can track your packages across multiple devices. We also like that deliveries allow you to add delivery dates to your calendar for easy tracking.
Oh, and the best part? The delivery package tracker doesn’t try to sell you products when you open the app like all the other best package tracking apps on this list.
Download for iOS (not available for Android).
FedEx, Postal Service, UPS and DHL Tracking
Don’t mind seeing all your packages in a single app? You can download individual apps for delivery couriers such as FedEx, the US Postal Service, UPS and DHL.
While these apps won’t allow you to track everything, you usually get access to more advanced tracking information, like rescheduling deliveries and adding shipping notes.
If you don’t have a tracking number, many official postal services will allow you to view incoming packages simply based on your address.
Here are delivery programs for some of the most popular courier services:
Frequently Asked Questions (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can I see exactly where my package is?
Package tracking programs use tracking information provided by postal services, such as USPS or FedEx, to display location information. You generally won’t be able to see the location of your package in real time, but you will see approximate locations based on recent updates from the couriers.
Can I track a package with an order number?
In most situations, you will not be able to track a package with an order number. However, if you have an order number, you may be able to reach out to the retailer of your shipment and get a package tracking number.
How do I track a package I ordered?
We recommend that you download and install a package tracking app on your Android or iOS device to track the packages you have ordered. Our favorite package tracking app is Route.
Can Google track a package?
If you perform a Google search with your tracking number, Google will provide you with your tracking information. However, we recommend using a package tracking app for a more organized approach.
Michael Archambault is a senior writer for The Penny Hoarder specializing in technology.
It was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, a personal finance website that empowers millions of readers nationwide to make smart decisions with their money through relevant and inspiring advice, and resources on how to make, save and manage money.
