Want to be able to locate your car if it’s stolen or know what’s happening when someone’s using it? Then you need a GPS tracker.
Adding a GPS tracker to your car can significantly enhance your sense of security and provide you with an extra layer of protection in case a thief tries to boost your ride, or if you want to know what someone (i.e., your kid or employee) is doing when they’re using a vehicle. These devices offer real-time tracking, accident alerts, and potential insurance discounts. They’re also effective, as most GPS trackers claim 95 percent accuracy in locating vehicles.
When choosing a tracker, there are several factors to consider, including its real-time capabilities, battery life, ease of use, other features, and subscription costs to find the best device to suit your needs. Always remember to use GPS trackers responsibly and in compliance with local laws. If you’re in the market for a reliable GPS car tracker, here are five top options to consider. Each tracker offers unique features and benefits to suit different tracking needs.
Bouncie GPS Car Tracker
The Bouncie GPS Car Tracker is an onboard diagnostics port tracker with a low monthly subscription of $9. It offers real-time GPS tracking and vehicle health monitoring. This GPS works in passenger vehicles with an OBD2 port from 1996 and newer.
Key features
- Real-time tracking with updates every 15 seconds
- Geofencing capabilities with notifications for vehicle arrival or departure from designated zones
- Accident detection with automatic SMS notification to preset contacts
- Driver insights on speed, acceleration, and braking
Specifications
- Dimensions: 2.4 x 1.7 x 0.9 inches
- Weight: 1.2 ounces
- Power source: OBD2 port
Optimus GPS Tracker
The Optimus GPS Tracker is a real-time GPS car tracker with updates available via a smartphone app and website. It offers notifications via SMS and email, with speeding and geofence alerts. Customizable position updates are available up to every 10 seconds at no extra cost.
Key features
- Real-time GPS tracking on smartphone apps and websites
- Notifications via cell phone, SMS, and email
- Speeding and geofence alerts
- Customizable position updates up to every 10 seconds at no extra cost
Specifications
- Dimensions: 3 x 1.5 x 1 inches
- Weight: 3.3 ounces
- Power source: Battery that lasts up to 2 months reporting at the default 1 minute update setting (a wired option is also available)
Spytec GPS Smart Tracker
The Spytec Smart Tracker is a battery-powered GPS tracker with text alerts and geofencing features. It offers worldwide tracking capabilities at a low cost, with an affordable monthly fee.
Key features
- Real-time tracking with customizable update intervals
- Smartphone app for easy monitoring
- Historical data viewing for performance reviews
Specifications
- Dimensions: 1.5 x 0.7 x 2.8 inches
- Weight: 4.2 ounces
- Power source: Battery that lasts up to 14 days depending on setting
Tracki GPS Tracker
The Tracki GPS Tracker is an affordable device with powerful storage capabilities. The device is lightweight, and it offers unlimited distance real-time tracking with 4G LTE + 3 bands, full USA and worldwide coverage, and an international SIM card.
Key features
- Combined 4G, 3G, and 2G technology, with Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, LTE, and GSM
- Up to five years of location history stored
- Live tracking on map and geo-fence alerts
Specifications
- Dimensions: 1.8 x 1.6 x 0.7 inches
- Weight: 1.26 ounces
- Power source: Battery that lasts two to five days with real-time tracking updates at one- to five-minute intervals, up to 60 days with one to three tracking updates per day in battery-saver mode. An optional, longer-lasting battery is available.
Apple AirTag
The Apple AirTag is a cheap and simple way to locate your car. It relies on the huge network of Apple users for its location data. The small, lightweight device can be tracked via the Apple devices it pairs with.
Key features
- Uses Apple Tag software
- Updates its location when near an iPhone
- Works within the Bluetooth range of about 10 meters
Specifications
- Dimensions: 1.26 inches in diameter, 0.31 inches high
- Weight: 0.39 ounces
- Power source: Battery lasts up to one year in normal use
Factors to Consider When Choosing a GPS Tracker for Your Car
When selecting a GPS tracker for your car, here are some key considerations to keep in mind:
Real-Time Tracking Capabilities
Real-time tracking is crucial for car GPS trackers. It allows you to view your vehicle’s live location on a map, providing instantaneous location data. This is useful for fleet management, business deliveries, and parental monitoring.
Battery Life and Power Options
GPS trackers come in various power options, each with advantages and considerations to keep in mind.
- Battery-powered trackers: offer flexibility but require regular charging or battery replacement
- OBD trackers: easy to install and powered by the vehicle’s OBD port
- Wired trackers: provide constant power but may require professional installation
Ease of Installation and Use
Easy installation and user-friendly interfaces are important for GPS trackers. Most devices are placed on the vehicle using a magnetic case. Plug-and-play devices connect via the OBD-II port and are easy to install. Mobile app tracking uses 4G LTE through employee cell phones and saves on hardware costs. User-friendly app interfaces are important for easy monitoring and data access.
Additional Features
Some GPS trackers offer additional features such as geofencing, driver behavior monitoring, and vehicle diagnostics. Geofencing creates virtual boundaries on maps and sends alerts when tracked devices enter or exit specified areas. Driver behavior monitoring tracks speeding, sudden acceleration/braking, and unauthorized stops/routes. Vehicle diagnostics provide information on vehicle health and maintenance needs.
Subscription Costs and Plans
Many GPS trackers require ongoing subscription fees for their services. The average subscription ranges from $5 to $40 per month, depending on the service and features. Basic subscriptions cost $5 to $15 per month, and advanced subscriptions range from $20 to $40 per month. Factors affecting the cost include hardware versus software, installation, feature richness, maintenance, scalability, data storage, and security.
Disclosure: MotorTrend may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our affiliate links.
