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Fleet Management · head to head

NexTraq vs OpenRouteService

NexTraq logo

NexTraq

Fleet Management

US small-fleet telematics now absorbed into Michelin Connected Fleet

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
OpenRouteService logo

OpenRouteService

Maps

Open-source routing, geocoding, and isochrone APIs based on OpenStreetMap data for developers and enterprises

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenRouteService has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: NexTraq the NexTraq brand has been absorbed into Michelin Connected Fleet, so the product name, the account team and eventually the platform underneath you are all subject to a consolidation plan you have no say in.; OpenRouteService free tier limited to 500 Isochrones requests per day
  • They diverge on capability: NexTraq covers Vehicle tracking, OpenRouteService covers Core Functionality.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which NexTraq and OpenRouteService actually diverge.

Attributes where NexTraq and OpenRouteService differ
AttributeNexTraqOpenRouteService
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
CategoryFleet ManagementMaps

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in NexTraq

  • Vehicle tracking
  • Hours of service
  • Fuel and idling reporting
  • Maintenance scheduling
  • Job dispatch
  • Driver scorecards

Only in OpenRouteService

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

NexTraq

  • A North American trades or field service fleet that wants tracking, dispatch and ELD compliance from one mid-market vendornot OpenRouteService
  • An operator already buying Michelin tyres and fleet services that can negotiate telematics into a wider commercial agreementnot OpenRouteService
  • A fleet replacing an ageing tracking system that values an owner with a large corporate balance sheet over a venture-funded challengernot OpenRouteService
  • A distribution business needing straightforward fuel and idling reporting to justify a driver behaviour programmenot OpenRouteService

OpenRouteService

  • Directions routing for cars, trucks, bikes, walking, hiking, wheelchairnot NexTraq
  • Reachability analysis with isochrones for time and distance calculationsnot NexTraq
  • Many-to-many distance matrix calculationsnot NexTraq
  • Location geocoding and conversion to coordinatesnot NexTraq
  • Points of interest discovery and mappingnot NexTraq
  • Elevation data enrichment using SRTM satellite datanot NexTraq
  • Vehicle routing problem optimizationnot NexTraq

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

NexTraq

  • The NexTraq brand has been absorbed into Michelin Connected Fleet, so the product name, the account team and eventually the platform underneath you are all subject to a consolidation plan you have no say in.
  • Michelin is merging three separately engineered telematics products, which historically means feature freezes on the older platforms and a migration that existing customers pay for in disruption rather than cash.
  • The feature set is mid-market and unexceptional, so it rarely wins a technical evaluation against Geotab or Samsara on capability alone.
  • Contracts bundle hardware into multi-year terms, so a fleet that shrinks or is acquired continues paying for devices, and early exit triggers hardware recovery costs.
  • The integration ecosystem is small and the API is not a selling point, so connecting telematics data to job costing or payroll usually means custom work or scheduled file exports.

OpenRouteService

  • Free tier limited to 500 Isochrones requests per day
  • API restrictions exist but details not fully documented on main page
  • Specific pricing tiers and costs not published on primary website

Pricing, plan by plan

NexTraq

On request
  • NexTraq$undefined/year
    • Per vehicle subscription with hardware bundled into the term
    • Multi-year agreements are standard
    • ELD and dispatch modules priced as tiers

OpenRouteService

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the OpenRouteService review.

Which should you pick?

Choose NexTraq if

  • You need vehicle tracking.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want hours of service.
NexTraq review

Choose OpenRouteService if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want user interface.
OpenRouteService review

Questions people ask

Is NexTraq or OpenRouteService better?
Neither clearly leads. NexTraq starts at On request and OpenRouteService at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, NexTraq or OpenRouteService?
OpenRouteService has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for NexTraq and Free for OpenRouteService.
Does NexTraq or OpenRouteService run on more platforms?
NexTraq runs on Web, iOS, Android. OpenRouteService runs on Web.
Can I use OpenRouteService for free?
Yes. OpenRouteService has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. NexTraq starts at On request.
What is NexTraq best used for?
NexTraq is most often used for a north american trades or field service fleet that wants tracking, dispatch and eld compliance from one mid-market vendor, an operator already buying michelin tyres and fleet services that can negotiate telematics into a wider commercial agreement, a fleet replacing an ageing tracking system that values an owner with a large corporate balance sheet over a venture-funded challenger, a distribution business needing straightforward fuel and idling reporting to justify a driver behaviour programme. Of those, a north american trades or field service fleet that wants tracking, dispatch and eld compliance from one mid-market vendor and an operator already buying michelin tyres and fleet services that can negotiate telematics into a wider commercial agreement are not what OpenRouteService is typically brought in for.
What can NexTraq do that OpenRouteService cannot?
NexTraq covers Vehicle tracking, Hours of service, Fuel and idling reporting, Maintenance scheduling. OpenRouteService covers Core Functionality, User Interface.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

NexTraq: Is NexTraq still a separate company?

No. Michelin bought it in 2017 and has folded it into Michelin Connected Fleet, together with Masternaut in Europe and Sascar in Brazil.

OpenRouteService: How much does OpenRouteService cost?

OpenRouteService is free to use and open source. The free tier includes up to 500 Isochrones requests per day. Specific pricing for higher usage tiers is not published on the main pricing page.

Source
NexTraq: Will my NexTraq system be migrated to a different platform?

Assume so, eventually. Ask directly what the migration timetable is, what happens to historical data, and who bears the cost of re-fitting or re-configuring devices.

OpenRouteService: Is there a free version of OpenRouteService?

Yes, OpenRouteService is completely free to use and built on open source technology. All services are presented as free to use and based on user-generated and collaboratively collected geographic data from OpenStreetMap.

Source
NexTraq: Does buying Michelin tyres get me a better telematics price?

It is worth testing. The commercial logic of the acquisition is bundling vehicle services, and that is where discounting is most likely to be available.

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