Best Vehicle GPS Trackers of 2019: Reviews, Comparisons, Pros & Cons

Despite it being light and tiny, Trackimo is actually a powerful, well-designed tracking device with a battery life as long-lasting as those of the expensive trackers in the market. To preserve power, it utilizes a motion-activated sensor, automatically going to sleep whenever the device stops moving and waking up again once it has moved. If you only need to monitor one car, you can have Trackimo’s GPS tracker installed into your vehicle so that it derives power from your car’s own electrical system instead of their own battery. This means there is no need to recharge it when batteries run low.

Unlike most trackers, Trackimo uses four different tracking technologies (GPS, GSM, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth) to accurately locate anything worldwide, indoor or outdoor, offering you peace of mind without you breaking the bank.

Aside from tracking vehicles, Trackimo’s device is actually designed for a variety of many other uses. This is evident in the goodies you get aside from the tracker in the box delivered to you: a silicone case that makes Trackimo water-resistant, a lanyard, an optional Velcro backing, a magnetic attachment, and a magnetized mini screwdriver to help you switch those out. Additionally, Trackimo also offers a vehicle kit, which includes a power stabilizer and regulator to ensure constant power supply and optimal performance for the device.

For tracking young drivers, Trackimo features a clearly labeled SOS button, which, once activated, alerts authorities or certain individuals chosen by the user through sending an alert message via SMS or email, containing the user’s exact location including directions. Trackimo’s app is also known to be the best of any of the GPS trackers; it’s extremely easy to create geofences, check location history, adjust settings, and toggle alerts.

Overall, Trackimo easily outperforms several other GPS trackers that cost up to two or three times as much, being free to use for the first 12 months and only $5/month after that, making it the most cost-effective way to track and protect your vehicles and your loved ones.

BrickHouse sells a variety of security equipment including spy cameras, vehicle trackers, and night vision cameras, so it’s a good place to shop if you’re looking for a range of security equipment. The company’s GPS tracker itself is a powerhouse of features for vehicle tracking, offering users

Vyncs is for users who find charging and paying monthly fees annoying. This model does not use a battery as it plugs directly into your car, specifically into the OBD-II port. That means maintenance is virtually non-existent as there is no need to recharge. The Vyncs Car OBD Link and Car GPS Tracker is a full-service vehicle tracker that relies on the 3G wireless connection from a SIM card with a 1-year data plan.

This device accesses a 3G mobile data network to connect itself to your laptop or tablet device. That's why there is no monthly fee, but it can mean that mobile data outages can lose the signal and you may struggle in more rural areas for a 100% connection. Tracking inaccuracies may be common in these cases.

Aside from the usual GPS tracking features like geofences, tracking history, multiple device management, and more, Vyncs introduces driver coaching for teens, engine diagnostics, roadside assistance, vehicle maintenance reminders, and zone departure/arrival notifications, and many other unique services, making this model stand out from the rest.

For an activation fee of $10, you get location updates every 180 seconds, which is subpar compared to most GPS trackers. So much can happen to a stolen vehicle in 3 minutes, if you think about it. If you wish the updates were more frequent, you pay $30 a year for updates every minute, $80 for updates every 30 seconds, or $129 for updates every 15 seconds.

Still, Vyncs continues to receive great reviews and positive feedback from customers, especially from parents monitoring teen drivers.

Another vehicle tracker ideal for parents of teen drivers, MOTOsafety helps monitor and coach drivers. Along with location tracking, the unit also keeps track of speed, harsh braking, and rapid acceleration. Parents are encouraged to review their teen’s daily driving habit “report card.

Available as an OBD attachment or a hardwired box, MOTOsafety can also track basic car maintenance and alert you when something may need a review or replacement. The software also tracks the amount of gas in the tank, so your car will never be running on empty. And interestingly, aside from geofence alerts, a route replay function shows detailed analysis of trips.

Customers report that they’ve saved up to 30% on their insurance rate for using MOTOsafety. MOTOsafety plugs into the diagnostic port under the car’s dashboard and costs $19.99 per month.

Sadly, Google Maps, which the MOTOsafety uses, does not have accurate speed limits for every location, deeming the “report cards” inaccurate. For accuracy, parents have to manually enter the speeds of streets and highways, but that would be too time-consuming and would require knowledge of local streets. Plus, MOTOsafety’s software doesn’t remember these changes the next day! That means daily report cards will stay inaccurate if the user doesn’t fix these speed limits on a daily basis. Aside from that, the acceleration function can also unfairly lower a daily report card grade. Teens complain that the acceleration monitor is so sensitive that it sends alerts when the driver enters a freeway.

There are about 10% of customers though who encounter significant issues trying to get this GPS to function properly. Many of these are being used in cars. Since this GPS tracker is hardwired into the vehicle system, the fault seems to be a compatibility issue between the device and the vehicle. However, there are no reports of which vehicles are incompatible or why.

Overall, MOTOsafety is still a good GPS tracker with enhanced car information and is one of the cheaper options for that purpose.

Like some of the previously mentioned trackers, Zubie is focused on new driver training. Safe driving monitoring includes alerts for excessive speed compared to posted limits, hard braking, acceleration, and of course, real-time GPS tracking. But more than that, it’s also perfect for fleet managers who want to stay on top of their drivers with geofence, moonlighting, tampering alerts, vehicle health alerts, driver performance reports, fleet insights dashboard, maintenance tracking, and driver apps. Additionally, a feature called Fuel Finder locates the cheapest fuel near you and send you alerts to check engine lights, worn batteries, oil changes, and low fuel.

Zubie contains an OBD-II port, and it is very easy to plug on your car. All you have to do is to find your car’s OBD port, and the rest is simple. After plugging it, enter your car’s VIN number and set the activation code provided by the device.

Although feature-rich, Zubie’s app needs to be improved by its developers in terms of functionality. Changing the driver for a specific trip is a pain and cannot be done after the trip occurred: this is very annoying. A related problem is that the driver scoring seems to works only one out of five times. In terms of tracking capabilities, Zubie can't always find you on the map, and they are not up to date with the speed limits on the roads. Speeding and hard braking alerts can be inaccurate, and there are hour-long lags in location updates. Complaints about tech support and response times are also common.

This all-in-one fleet tracking solution concept is revolutionary, but Zubie has a lot to work on to live up to its offerings.

While most vehicle trackers are used for security or monitoring, Mileage Ace is for costing and tax purposes. This tracking device is neither meant to plug into an OBD port for vehicle health and instantaneous tracking, nor is it meant to hide somewhere for discreet monitoring.

It provides 99% accurate mileage logs helping you audit this against gas consumption and other details against mileage. It’s completely tamper-proof, with logs uploaded into IRS trusts ensuring a protected deduction from an audit. As soon as the vehicle ignition turns on, the Mileage Ace Pro activates and uploads data online via WiFi. You can then view or retrieve this information through its online platform, which logs the data per user. All logging is automatic and easy to export from the web interface.

Each trip includes start/end date times, as well as start/end addresses, exact miles driven, and the GPS-tracked path to ensure there's no wasted time on any trips. It’s free for the first 30 days.

Because data is stored to the device and then uploaded, the tracking is super accurate and can be stored for years without reporting back to the database. That data then forms the basis of detailed trip logs which can be used for tax documentation.

The unit comes with a free 30-day subscription. After the free period, the monthly subscription options are available for as low as $13/month for location services and about $0.20 daily for mobile data. Real-time tracking is available but comes at an added cost. Standard accounts start at $15.49 per month plus $0.19/day for the cellular data. You can add real time tracking for $2 per month at five minute intervals or $4 per month at one minute intervals.

In summary, the Mileage Ace is a reliable tool to use for those who consider tracking mileage to be very important to your business. It records the highest in accuracy when it comes to collecting and keeping mileage data. This means you get peace of mind when it comes to an IRS audits. Moreover, it does more than just log mileage. You still get the benefits of a GPS tracker, which includes location updates reports on routes taken.

LandAirSea 54 has about the same size as a roll of Scotch tape, which makes it practically unnoticeable especially in certain areas, like under the frame of a vehicle. With a strong magnet built in, it attaches in a flash to a wide range of metal surfaces, including the frames of many automobiles. Made up of a waterproof body, LandAirSea 54 can work even during heavy rains or underwater. Its battery life lasts you up to a week. Time intervals for tracking updates vary from once every 1 minute up to once every 3 seconds. Monthly tracking plans require no contract agreement and comes with unlimited data.

The companion software enables users to print activity reports, showing the speed, stops, addresses, times, and the number of miles driven for one vehicle or a fleet of vehicles. And like most trackers, it also sends push notifications for low battery, speeding, arrivals, and departures.

Sadly, use outside of the US will require your device to be preprogrammed for international access. You’ll have to specify this at the time of purchase. Pricing varies depending on the “international zone” your country belongs under, all of which actually costs more, unlike other trackers that offer worldwide service without roaming fees like Trackimo.

Oddly, for a vehicle tracker, LandAirSea 54 does not include a hardwire option, so it might not be suitable for large businesses looking for complete fleet management solutions or diagnostic reporting. It does work well for a family who wants to track a child, record outdoor travels, monitor where a teen driver is going, track the vehicle of a small business, or heaven forbid, track a cheating spouse.

Backed with 2G and cellular trilateration, Trak4 is a 3G tracking device offering you a well-thought-out system that will provide you reliable information through your phone, tablet, or computer. Where GPS is not available, such as when it is inside buildings or garages, the device has those fallbacks in place to still update you with an approximate location report.

Trak4 is also weatherproof. You don’t have to buy a separate case to protect it from the elements or worry about bad weather conditions. Mount it anywhere on your car, or use it anywhere—indoor, outdoor, or out on the field. It even works well in marine environments and on boats!

The tracking software is easy to use. Simply sign in to your account to locate your vehicle within seconds. Trak4 keeps a log of speed and past locations so you can set up alerts based on these factors as well.

The huge downside to Trak4 is its location update intervals. You can only choose among their monthly or annual subscriptions that, although super affordable, are not as close to real-time tracking than all the other trackers in this list. Only hourly, 15-minute, and 2-minute reports are available. Imagine tracking a stolen car or a speeding teenager and having to wait 2 minutes at a time for updates.

The device is white, marked with a sticker that makes it discoverable and identifiable. Users may want to take extra steps in hiding this if they’re after covert tracking. Also, Trak4 doesn’t have a companion app, so that means you have to login to their website on your desktop to view information.

If you are not so keen about using an app with your tracker and waiting an hour or 2 minutes for location updates, then you’ll find your match in Trak4.

CarLock is an OBD-II device designed to offer advanced real-time car tracking with an alert system. Like MOTOsafety and Zubie, CarLock’s system monitors and alerts clients via phone when their vehicle is moved or if an unusual vibration is detected. This security feature is available even when the device is disconnected. CarLock also tracks harsh acceleration, sharp cornering, and hard braking and gives drivers monthly safety scores for their performance. The software is also equipped with a virtual mechanic that actively monitors the health of a vehicle and notifies clients in advance if their car battery is running low or draining fast. Included in the system is a detailed trip tracking feature that enables clients to monitor where their car has been.

The biggest difference we have found out with CarLock and other OBD-II connectors is that it has its own network and doesn’t need to be connected to your phone or the app all the time. CarLock’s SIM services in the device connects your car directly to their cloud system and provide you the updates in real time. CarLock cloud serves as the link between the CarLock device installed in the vehicle and the CarLock app on the client’s phone. The device tracks the location of the car using GPS positioning system where collected data is sent to the CarLock cloud using a mobile network.

CarLock’s app is also fluid, clean, and easy to navigate. At the bottom you’ll notice a green “unlock” symbol, which indicates whether the location is locked or not. If you’ve just parked your car up and want it to be tracked if it’s stolen, just press the lock symbol. Once you’ve locked it, the CarLock system will look out for any movement. If someone makes off with your vehicle, you will see the exact and live location via the app. A red vignette will surround the map if this happens. If you find locking and unlocking cumbersome, the app has an AutoLock Scheduler that allows you to set the times you want the vehicle to be monitored. It also works in a variety of countries abroad too, so you don’t have to worry if your car is heading toward the nearest ferry port. The location of the vehicle is updated every 30 seconds when the car is moving and every 30 minutes when it's stationary, although customers have complained about inaccurate motion sensing and excessive tracking update delays.

CarLock costs about $60 to purchase the OBD device and $9 per month to maintain the cellular connection. Overall, CarLock offers a modern car tracking and alert system that gives clients the ability to track their vehicle in real time. Its tracking features allows owners to track their vehicles and driver habits while offering 24/7 vehicle protection worldwide

Logistimatics Mobile-200 has a cool trick up its sleeve to stand out. Aside from built-in magnets on its case and its default 30-second location updates, Logistimatics Mobile-200 is the only vehicle tracker in this list that features a built-in microphone. That's for a device worth $50 and service worth $15 a month. SIM card is already included. Just install the tracking app on your phone, activate the tracker, and it's ready for use.

Listen to what is happening inside the vehicle with live audio monitoring. Simply text the device (each one has a unique number), and the device calls you straight back. You then get a one-way audio connection through your phone, allowing you to hear everything that happens inside the car. The monthly service already includes 2 hours of live audio, but if 2 hours isn't enough for you, just add $3 an hour.

Location reports may not be as precise, and battery life is average unlike advertised. On regular device usage, power lasts anywhere from five to six days only. And sadly, as disappointing as it sounds, its unique audio monitoring feature is not as impressive as it sounds. The audio had so much static that you're lucky enough to make out a string of three to four words in a row even in an airtight cab with little to no road noise inside. It's literally impossible to hear any type of conversation.

In terms of device features, Logistimatics Mobile-200 does not have much to offer for vehicles especially apart from the geofencing, weatherproof case, smart alerts, and route playback. But for basic tracking functionality, this is a great deal, considering its 30-second default updates.

Probably one of the most expensive in the list, the SilverCloud Overdrive can give you tracking updates for your car or fleet for as quick as 3 seconds but for a hefty price. Aside from the device and the plans’ pricing, LandAirSea requires an activation fee of $30, additional fees for international tracking, and $40 if you need a reactivation due to a canceled or deactivated data plan. This little but heavy device (weighs 16.8 oz) can be secured to your drone with LandAirSea’s separate magnet mount kit, worth another $60. The kit gives the GPS tracker a waterproof feature so that it is not damaged by various weather conditions.

Dizzying expenses aside, the Overdrive is able to provide accurate vehicle location within 2.5 meters. This surveillance tracking device is also completely user-friendly and is ready to use in just minutes. Multiple vehicles can be tracked without having to download separate software programs. Additionally, maps are available in both 2D and 3D views to provide you with a more in-depth look at the surrounding area. This can be especially helpful in determining where the vehicle is located and where it may be heading.

Aside from its unlimited historical playback, the SilverCloud Overdrive’s greatest strength lies in its powerful battery, which lasts 30 days, but this highlight does not make the Overdrive an apt contender for the best vehicle tracker as most vehicle trackers in the market can be hardwired to vehicles.

With more power than other models and no need for additional cases or extended battery packs, the Overdrive is the clear choice only when battery life is the most significant concern.