Kardinal
Kardinal provides a route optimization API for developers and their agents, with a web interface also listed.
What Kardinal is
Kardinal provides a route optimization API for developers and their agents, with a web interface also listed. It builds routes around constraints such as time windows, vehicle capacity, pickups and deliveries, driver breaks, route balancing, and predictive traffic. If a late delivery, cancellation, or urgent stop changes the plan, the API can reoptimize without rebuilding from scratch. Pricing is based on unique stops optimized, not vehicles or API requests, and re-optimizations within 24 hours are free. The Free plan costs nothing, billed one-time, and includes 1,000 stops, all constraints, and Python and JavaScript/TypeScript SDKs. Prepaid packs include 2,000 stops for €99, paid once and 10,000 stops for €299, paid once; larger listed packs are also available. Kardinal includes an MCP server, agentic documentation, and typed schemas for agents. It describes use across delivery, waste collection, field services, transport, and retail operations, and says its deterministic optimization engine is written in Rust.
Good
- Reoptimizes changed routes without starting over.
- Models time windows, capacity, breaks, and traffic.
- Free plan includes 1,000 stops and SDKs.
- Re-optimizations within 24 hours are free.
- Available through API and web.
Watch out
- Larger-volume and scheduling needs require contacting the team.
- Paid packs are prepaid and priced in EUR.
Who it suits
Kardinal may suit developers and operations teams that need to optimize routes under changing conditions and detailed planning constraints. Its agent-oriented tools may be useful for teams building with software agents.
Verdict
Kardinal combines route planning constraints with reoptimization for changing delivery conditions. The free tier includes 1,000 stops, while larger volumes use prepaid packs or require an arrangement with the team.
Plans and prices
From Kardinal's own pricing page, checked 9 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | 1,000 stops · full product · all constraints · no credit card · One-time; not renewed |
| 2,000-stop pack | €99, paid once | 2,000 stops · €0.050 / stop · Prepaid pack |
| 10,000-stop pack | €299, paid once | 10,000 stops · €0.030 / stop · Prepaid pack |
| 50,000-stop pack | €999, paid once | 50,000 stops · €0.020 / stop · Prepaid pack |
| 250,000-stop pack | €2,999, paid once | 250,000 stops · €0.012 / stop · Prepaid pack |
| Enterprise | Priced on request | For millions of stops or sequencing and appointment scheduling · Volume pricing and managed options by arrangement |
The facts
Each one read from Kardinal's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Account location
- Kardinal lists its office at 25 place de la Madeleine, 75008 Paris.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Agent support
- The product offers an MCP server, agentic documentation, and typed schemas for agents.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Constraints
- The engine models constraints including time windows, vehicle capacity, route balancing, pickup and delivery, driver breaks, and predictive traffic.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Engine
- Kardinal says its proprietary optimization engine is written in Rust and controlled from the algorithm to the API.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Industries
- Kardinal describes use across parcel, waste collection, cold-chain delivery, field services, bulky goods, long-distance transport, and retail last-mile operations.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Pricing basis
- Pricing is per unique stop optimized rather than per vehicle or API request, and re-optimizations within a 24-hour window are free.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Product
- Kardinal provides a route optimization API for developers and their agents.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Reproducibility
- Kardinal says the engine is deterministic: the same input produces the same solution every time.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Route updates
- The API can update a route plan as conditions change, including late deliveries, cancelled orders, and urgent stops, without restarting from scratch.checked 9 Oct 2026
- SDKs
- The free tier includes Python and JavaScript/TypeScript SDKs.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Support
- The pricing page directs customers with very large volumes or sequencing and appointment-scheduling needs to contact the team.checked 9 Oct 2026
The company
- Founded
- Kardinal says it was founded in Paris in 2015.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Headquarters
- 25 place de la Madeleine, 75008 Paris, Francechecked 28 Sep 2026
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