GPS tracking is one of the most reliable and the safest platforms that keep you updated about the location of your loved ones and precious assets. If you own commercial vehicles, personal cars, or motorbikes, using a GPS tracker becomes vital for the safety of these vehicles. Even for the safety of individuals, GPS trackers are of much help. Whether you’re going for a long road trip or planning to hike in the national parks this summer, a GPS tracking device in your car or for other purposes proves to be beneficial in many ways.
Safety is the most important reason for buying the best GPS trackers for yourself, as they help to notify the whereabouts of your family members, cars, assets, etc.
When you leave your car in a parking lot and go to work or shopping, you want it to stay there safe and undamaged. Many people have this fear of losing their car when they leave it parked, especially in an unknown area.
You often worry about your kids, teens, and the elderly in the family when they are out. You wonder where they are or when they will reach home.
Sometimes you need to keep a tab on the precious assets as they can be lost or stolen. Assets like a jewelry box, portable machinery, or small furniture can be lost or stolen.
Having the best GPS tracker will solve all the above issues and help you remain stress-free and let you keep all the measures to protect your loved ones and belongings.
Table of Contents
What are the benefits of having the best GPS tracker?
GPS tracking devices can bring numerous significant benefits in your day-to-day life. A few of them are as follows:
Real-Time Location
One of the major advantages of having a GPS tracker is to get the real-time location. Real-time tracking lets you know all the important updates of your vehicle while they are away from you. The information such as knowing the route, speed, location, driving behavior, and fuel consumption can help you make better decisions for the next journey of that vehicle.
Curious about how these little things track you in real-time? Watch this video by BrightSide.
Vehicle and Driver Safety
GPS tracking has overcome the occurrence of theft and mishaps on the roads. Both the driver and the vehicle are safer when they are under the vision of a tracer.
Not only will the drivers be more responsible but also the owners will know the exact location of their vehicles. They will act faster in the case of any emergencies. Whether it’s an engine failure or a road accident the owners will know about the mishaps in time and can send roadside assistance for their driver.
Theft Recovery
Quite often, personal vehicles, be it a car or a bike are more than a mode of transportation. They become an important part of our lives and have sentimental value. In case your car is lost or stolen, you are not just worried about the financial loss, but your emotions are in turmoil too.
When a car or bike is stolen, it must be recovered as soon as possible. Any delay could give the miscreants time to change their car’s license plate or even dismantle it for parts.
Here the GPS tracker comes in handy and helps you in locating your stolen car. If you have smartly hidden the tracker that is not easily detectable then there are chances you may find your car and share the location with the law enforcement agency to retrieve it back.
Asset Tracking
Generally, all the physical items like computers, airbags, jewelry boxes, etc. are assets that need to keep a tab on them. Your precious assets can be lost or stolen. Assets such as portable machinery, equipment, vehicles, plants, tools, gold, silver, or any other form of a tangible asset are traceable through a GPS tracker.
You can keep tabs on the precious asset of your house or office through a GPS tracker. You will mostly find your belongings faster with the help of a GPS tracking device.
Tracking Your Pets
Losing a pet can be the worst nightmare. You might have a super energetic dog or a cat that keeps on wandering everywhere but not near you. Controlling these kinds of pets can be a challenging task sometimes. Your pet could have an innate desire to explore every new area it wanders. Sometimes their curiosity may take them away a little bit too far from your residence, and they may get lost.
When a pet is lost, often it gets hurt or stolen. And if an injured pet is taken to an animal shelter, it is more likely to be euthanized if its owner does not show up after a certain period. To prevent any of the distressing scenarios, it is worth investing in a good GPS tracker for your pets. You will get real-time updates on your pet’s location so you can easily find them as soon as they go missing. These days the GPS trackers are compact and easily attachable to your pet’s collar.
Monitor Fuel Consumption
No one has the power to control the price of gas, but having a GPS tracking system installed in your vehicle will let you observe a vehicle’s fuel consumption. You can analyze your fuel consumption by checking the type of route, distance traveled, and mileage on the tracking device apps. You can guide your drivers for better performance in the future.
Some advanced trackers have a feature in their dedicated app that will cut down the amount of money spent on fuel. It will save fuel consumption by alerting you about vehicle idling, driver speed or behavior, traveling long distances for a destination, and any unauthorized usage. This gives you the ability to optimize driving routes.
Increase Productivity
Fleet management companies can increase their efficiency and productivity by using a GPS tracker. There will be fewer phone calls as they can easily trace their vehicle through a GPS tracker. They don’t have to disturb their drivers to know their location updates or delivery status.
Safeguard Elderly and Teenagers
Everyone in our family wishes to be independent whether they are teenagers or the elderly. People with both of these age groups need special care for their safety. Teenagers usually are very enthusiastic and up for any adventure that comes into their life. This mindset can also get them into trouble or the places where they should not go. They are also more often involved in road accidents than any other age group, especially due to their lack of skills.
On the other hand, elderly people mostly have the problem of dementia – a progressive disease that causes memory loss and impacts thinking abilities. Both of these categories of people are likely to get into a troublesome situation as soon as they leave the house. To prevent them
Having a GPS tracker is an ideal solution to reduce unwanted stress and help locate your family member in case of an emergency. Be carefree about your family members, especially the elder members and teenagers of the family while knowing their whereabouts. You might not get worried when they are late to come home as you would be aware of their locations. Putting the GPS tracker in a car, backpack, or pocket will help you find them easily.
Get Help in Emergencies
If you or your loved ones meet with an accident in an unknown area, you can check your location and inform your dear ones about your location to get quick help in such kinds of emergencies. GPS tracking is a great tool that may help lower your anxiety levels in the case of emergencies like these.
Time Management
You often wonder where your spouse is or why your kids are still not back home. You plan your day according to the presence of your family member at home. By using advanced GPS tracking, you can easily track your family members’ location. It will help you to manage time with your family and plan accordingly.
You can also save your time by knowing about the busy streets in the town. This is especially helpful for fleet managers. They can inform and save the time of other drivers if they find out that one is stuck in a traffic jam.
Check Your Travel History
Check your tracking history through the GPS tracking system if you want to recall a past visit or an appointment. You can go through all your past appointments and meetings by checking the locations you visited.
Improves Customer Service
If you are involved in delivery service, then knowing the conditions of the routes is going to be beneficial. You can give quick service to your customers if you know the right path to your destination. GPS tracking can help you know the correct paths of the city.
10 Best GPS Trackers [Reviewed]
In this day and age, we have numerous GPS trackers available in the market. It is irrefutable that all the GPS trackers available in the market can be helpful for tracking. But it was an equally challenging task to choose the best trackers with multifaceted features for our list. We have selected the best GPS trackers based on all the necessary factors mentioned above. To discover more, check out our curated list of the 10 best GPS trackers:
Disclaimer: The purpose of this article is to LIST the best products in the market, and not to review or rank them. All the products listed here have several unique features catering to a wide range of customer requirements.
While compiling this list, we evaluated the devices based on their cost, subscription plans, battery life, size, and installation process. We considered factors like the countries they offer coverage in, ease of use of their application, security, or other unique features they offer. We also looked into add-on services these vendors provide – lifetime warranty, 24/7 customer support, installation help, and more.
The intention is to inform and educate the reader on the variety of options available in the market.
Family1st Portable GPS Tracker
If you are looking for a cost-effective real-time GPS tracker with long battery life, the Family1st Portable GPS tracker is a good choice for you. It comes with loaded features along with a powerful battery. With a sturdy design and simple user interface, the Family 1st is one of the most cost-effective GPS trackers in the market. It provides you with tracking and security solutions with minimal maintenance and durability. This tracker is compatible with Alexa and can work on simple voice commands. You can access and monitor the data through a pc, tablet, or mobile app (Android/iOS)
The battery life of this GPS tracker is 2 weeks with continuous usage. It would last a total of 6 months if kept in sleep mode.
This GPS tracker works on 4G cellular technology that will help you in faster tracking. With its in-built buffer, the tracking works perfectly in areas where most other trackers may not work.
To get the best out of this tracker, you need to pay a monthly subscription of $19.95. You do not have to sign up for a whole year in advance to get this rate. Moreover, there is no contract cancellation fee as the company offers a 30-day no-hassle cancellation policy.
The Family 1st GPS tracker comes at the price of $28.95 in the market. The company offers you 24×7 Email tech support and a lifetime warranty.
Product Highlight
- Cost-effective device
- Low monthly subscription cost
- Best for personal tracking
- Handy and doesn’t require any installation
- Great customer support
- Good battery life
- Real-time tracking and alerts
Battery & Specs
- Size: 2.8” x 1.8” x 1.1”
- Weight: 3.60 Oz
- Battery: 2400 mAh Li-Polymer
- Battery Type: Internal and Rechargeable
- 2 weeks active battery life with 1-minute update
- 6 months sleep mode battery life at one update per day
Optimus 2.0 4G LTE GPS Tracker
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The Optimus 2.0 4G LTE GPS Tracker is a value-for-money device that comes at $39.95. It comes with a plethora of features. You can get custom alerts for low battery, Movement, Speeding, Leaving or Entering Areas, SOS Button, Driving Reports, etc. You can receive the alerts via email or mobile app. You can change the real-time tracking from 60 seconds to every 30 or 10 seconds.
The dimensions of the device are (9.02×5.24×2.99) inches, and the weight is 2.5 ounces. With a size as a deck of cards, it is strong enough to place under your car inside a water-resistant magnetic case.
The battery of this tracker can last up to two weeks on a single charge.
Optimus offers a $19.95 per month subscription fee, with coverage in the U.S. and Canada. You can cancel the subscription anytime with no extra charges.
Product Highlight
- Low subscription cost
- No contract, no cancellation fee
- Alerts for geofences, low battery, SOS, and more
- Google Maps integration
Battery & Specs
- Size: 3″ x 1.5″ x 1″
- Weight: 3.3 Oz
- Battery: Lithium Polymer batteries
- Battery Type: Internal and Rechargeable
- 2 weeks of active battery life with 1-minute updates
LandAirSea 54 Magnetic GPS Tracker
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LandAirSea 54 Magnetic GPS tracker is a small, compact, and portable GPS tracker. It is one of the best waterproof GPS trackers out there.
It uses 4G LTE to transfer location updates about the target. It is a compact GPS tracker and can easily fit in a purse, bag, pockets, etc. It is easy to use, and one can customize it according to one’s needs.
The best part of the GPS tracker is its battery life. It comes with a rechargeable battery that lasts up to two weeks on a single charge. Moreover, you can use this GPS tracker for discrete tracking as its LED lights can be disabled, and won’t grab any attention.
It comes at a reasonable price of $29.95, and its monthly fee is just $19.95.
Product Highlight
- Real-time Alerts
- Compact in size
- Accurate location
- Location sharing with friends
Battery & Specs
- Size: 2.25″ x 2.25″ x 0.8″
- Weight: 8 Oz
- Battery: Lithium-ion battery
- Battery Type: Internal and Rechargeable
- 3 weeks of active battery life with 3-minute updates
- 6 months battery life on Sleep mode
Matrack MA-Asset Classic GPS Tracker
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The strong built-in magnets in Matrack’s MA-Asset Classic tracker with a long battery life of 3 years (with 2 pings every day) offer a good option to track all your assets, including cars, boats, ATVs, golf carts, trucks, trailers, and more. The built-in magnets also make it easier to install the tracker anywhere you want.
The device also offers a Geofencing feature, where you can create multiple safe zones, and ensure that your asset is not in any dangerous area, or is used for unauthorized or illegal activity.
Matrack also has a repo mode that starts aggressive tracking. If your asset is lost or stolen, you can avail of this feature and recover your asset faster.
The device also offers various insightful reports that can help you manage money and time.
Matrack MA-Asset Classic GPS tracker is available at the price of $50 with a monthly subscription starting @$7 only.
Product Highlight
- 1-minute installation
- Built-in magnets
- The waterproof and weatherproof device
- Geofence alerts via email and SMS
- Aggressive Tracking mode in emergency
Battery & Specs
- Size: 2.87″ x 2.4″ x 1.69″
- Weight: 7.02 Oz
- Battery: 3.6V Lithium, 13Ah
- Battery type: Internal and Rechargeable
- 3 years battery life at 2 updates per day
Amcrest GPS GL300 Portable Mini GPS Tracker
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Amcrest is a real-time compact GPS tracker. It is a water-resistant device and is barely larger than a matchbox. And therefore, you can use it to track vehicles, children, pets, and many more. You can enjoy peace of mind while this GPS tracker sends you accurate location updates.
Moreover, you can use several features to enhance your tracking experience. For instance, you can drop virtual Bond re over the map and receive notifications whenever a car passes by. It has a decent battery life which lasts up to 10 to 14 days with a single charge.
The price of this device is just $39.99, and its monthly fees start from $19.99.
Product Highlight
- Compact size – smaller than a matchbox
- Intelligent Battery Alerts
- Motion and SOS Alarm
- Weather-resistant
- Supports up to 20 geofences
Battery & Specs
- Size: 3” x 1.5” x 1”
- Weight: 3.52 Oz
- Battery: Li-Polymer, 2600 mAh
- Battery type: Internal and Rechargeable
- 10-12 days active battery life for 1-minutes updates
- 2 weeks battery life on sleep mode (no activity)
Americaloc GL300 GPS Tracker
The Americaloc GL300 is a real-time GPS tracker that comes at the price of $109. It has the exceptional feature of sending more alerts than any other GPS tracker in this price category. The real-time tracking option comes along with the (10, 20, 30, and 60) seconds increment options. It has more utility features that include Geo-fencing, and an SOS button. You can get alerts on movement, parked, speeding, device on/off, low battery, entering or leaving the preset zones, and the front button pressed.
You can check 1 year of tracking history. The data is accessible from a PC, tablet, or phone and the apps are available in App Store and Play Store.
Americaloc GL300 has a long battery life that works on CAT M1 Technology. It can be hardwired for cars that don’t have an OBDII port.
The monthly service fee of GL300 is $24.95, but paying for the year takes it down to $19.99 per month.
The dimensions of this GPS device are (2.7×1.51×0.92) inches and the weight is 2.24 Ounces. It comes with a one-year warranty.
Product Highlight
- Real-time Alerts
- Motion, Low Battery alerts
- Geofences
- Accurate location
- Long battery life
Battery & Specs
- Size: 7” x 1.51” x 0.92”
- Weight:24 oz
- Battery: Lithium-ion battery
- Battery type: Internal and Rechargeable
- 10-14 days of active battery life with one-minute updates
Invoxia Cellular GPS Tracker
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Whether you want a GPS tracker for your kid, car, pet, or precious belongings, you can never go wrong with this device. Though it is a little expensive initially, it is cost-effective in the long term. For instance, you will have to spend $103.00 to purchase the device. But it will give you a one-year subscription free. And then charge $29.90 per month.
The GPS tracker works throughout the USA effortlessly. It offers 24/7 protection to your cars, motorcycle, bikes, trucks, teens, boats, and many more. You can install this device within a few minutes without any professional help.
The company has no hidden fees and no long-term contracts, and therefore you can enable or deactivate your plan anytime.
Product Highlight
- Anti-Theft & Geofencing Alerts
- Sim Card & One-Year Subscription Included
- Proximity Radar
- Lightweight, Compact, And Discreet
Battery & Specs
- Size: 1.75″ x 1.6″ x 0.6″
- Weight: 1.26 Oz
- Battery: 3,5000 mAh
- Battery Type: Internal and Rechargeable
- 2-3 active battery life with 1-5 updates every minute
- 3 months battery with one update per day
Trackimo 3G GPS Tracker
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Trackimo 3G GPS tracker is one of the most reliable trackers that offers worldwide coverage, indoor and outdoor. This dependable connectivity makes it the best fit for those who travel a lot, and need to keep their vehicle or luggage safe. The device is small and can be easily attached or kept hidden.
Trackimo also comes with various alerts such as Geofence, SOS, speed, and move alerts. All these alerts are communicated to you through the companion app which you can download on any iOS and Android device.
Through the app, you can access data of up to 100 Trackimo devices – with just one account. The device is waterproof and comes with a 1-year warranty.
You can buy the tracker along with 1 year of GSM service for $198.90.
Product Highlight
- Worldwide 3G connectivity
- Indoor and outdoor tracking
- SOS, Geofencing, Speed, and Motion alerts
- Live tracking with 1-minute updates
- 1-year warranty on the device
Battery & Specs
- Size: 1.8” x 1.6” x 0.7 “
- Weight: 1.4 Oz
- Battery: 600mah Lithium-ion battery
- Battery type: Internal and Rechargeable
- 4 days of active battery life with 1-minute updates
- 1 month save mode battery life with 6 updates per day
Jiobit Location Monitor
The Jiobit is one of the smallest and high battery backup GPS trackers available in the market. Jiobit operates on its own company network that gives you the freedom from not choosing a third-party service provider.
The Jiobit App provides you with real-time location data. It has the option of push notification based on the tracker’s location and tethering notifications if the tracker’s location is too far away.
Jiobit is suitable for all types of tracking. You can track your pets, family members, assets, vehicles, etc. through this tracker.
The battery life of Jiobit is up to 20 days. Currently, the price of this tracking device is $129. It comes with a $14.99 per month subscription plan. You may cancel your subscription anytime but it will also terminate the SIM that cannot be reactivated.
Product Highlight
- Real-time tracking
- Custom Geofences and smart alerts
- SOS mode, 911 emergency Dispatch
- Can add trusted contacts
Battery & Specs
- Size: 1.96” x 1.45” x 0.47”
- Weight: 1.76 Oz
- Battery:
- Battery Type: 1 Lithium Polymer batteries
- 7 Days with constant tracking
Garmin etrex Touch 35
Garmin etrex is a 2.6-inch color capacitive touchscreen GPS tracker. This is a real-time tracker through which you can set multiple activities profiles. You can set up profiles for multiple activities such as climbing, hiking, geocaching, etc. The device gives you immediate access to customized profiles so you can set up your chosen activity at your fingertips. Enjoy the great outdoor activities and have a great time with your family knowing you have kept safety as a priority through this device.
It also features an altimeter, barometer, and three-axis electronic compass. It’s a water-resistant device with built-in mapping that covers more than 250,000 preloaded geocaches and coverage in the U.S. and Canada.
This GPS tracker has an in-built 4 GB memory to hold more maps. The long battery life gives you flexibility when you’re on the go.
It uses GPS and GLONASS satellites for faster positioning. GLONASS satellites position approximately 20 percent faster than GPS receivers. Using both GPS and GLONASS means the receiver can lock on to 24 more satellites than using GPS alone.
This GPS tracker is currently available at the price of $386.94.
Product Highlight
- Touchscreen
- Built-in mapping
- Electronic Compass
- Barometric altimeter
Battery & Specs
- Size: 2.3” x 4.0” x 1.3”
- Weight: 5.6 OZ
- Battery: 2AA Batteries
- Battery: Replaceable
- 16 hours of active battery life with continuous use
The Bottom Line
Using the best GPS trackers is no more a style statement. It has become a necessity to protect your family and assets in the present day. Knowing where your loved ones are and the whereabouts of the family possessions 24×7 will give you a huge amount of satisfaction and keep your mind free from worries in various situations.
People use GPS trackers for various other reasons. Fleet management companies use it for their drivers and vehicles. Boat owners can also use GPS trackers to know the location and status of their boats.
The above-mentioned 10 models were amongst the best GPS trackers available in 2022. These were selected based on their size, battery life, weight, connection speed, subscription fees, types of alerts, extra features, price, and durability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can we connect a GPS tracker to multiple devices such as computers, tablets, or cell phones?
A: Yes, mostly the GPS trackers can connect to your cell phone, tablet, or computer. You can also connect your tracker to more than one device at the same time.
Q: How heavy can a GPS tracker be?
A: Generally, a GPS tracker weighs from 50 to 100 grams.
Q: Can we use a GPS tracker on vehicles other than a car?
A: GPS trackers are compact enough to install or mount to any vehicle. The trackers are used to connect people whether it’s a family or a business. You can use it on your vehicles, assets, kids, pets, or anything that moves.
Q: How often do we have to charge a GPS tracker?
A: Most models’ battery lasts up to 14 days after full charging and using the default settings. The default settings may include 60-second update intervals. The more frequent an update will be the faster the battery will drain. This is why most of the trackers have the option of sending you low battery alerts. Some advanced trackers also provide you with larger batteries.
Q: What is the Geofence feature in GPS trackers?
A: Almost every company that is selling a real-time GPS tracker is providing a Geofence feature in it. The app allows you to set up designated zones (Geofences), which will notify you when the vehicle exits or enters that area. While most apps let you configure circular zones, some will let you set any shape for the area, so your notifications can be more specific.
Carson Rogers is a technology writer and reviewer. With over 5 years of experience in the industry, he has established himself as an expert in the technology niche. His passion for all things tech and his keen eye for detail enable him to provide thorough and insightful product reviews that help readers make informed decisions. Carson enjoys hiking in his free time when he's not busy reviewing the latest gadgets. His love for the outdoors also inspires him to write about tech gadgets that are useful and make life convenient.