Many of the best GPS trackers are more than anti-theft gadgets – they are also monitoring devices that give you accurate travel data of your car. Whether you want to track your fleet, monitor your teen driver, or protect your car from thieves, installing a quality vehicle tracking device is a good start. The best GPS tracker device allows you to remotely monitor your vehicle’s activities via your phone or computer.  And should your car be stolen; you can track it down and recover it.

We found you the best GPS trackers for cars on the market today.

• Best value: Tracki Mini GPS Tracker
• Best overall: Spytec Real-Time GPS Tracker
• Best for new drivers – MOTOsafety GPS Hidden Vehicle Tracker
• Best for vehicle maintenance: Bouncie OBD2 GPS tracker
• Best for fleet management: Vyncs GPS Auto Tracker
• Best anti-theft: CarLock Real-Time Anti-theft Tracker System

Things to consider

Size

Go for a small GPS tracker if you want to discreetly track your car. In cases of car theft, a hidden car GPS tracker could help you recover your vehicle.

Source of power

You have a choice between battery-operated and plug-in GPS trackers. Battery-operated GPS trackers come with their own considerations, such as how often do you have to charge the battery and for how long? On the plus side, battery-powered GPS trackers are easily concealed since they don’t need to be plugged into the OBDII port. Of course, the plug-in GPS trackers get their power directly from the car so you don’t need to worry about battery charging issues. But they are in plain sight and can be tampered with.

Storage case

This is especially important for car gps tracker devices that are placed on the car’s exterior and are subjected to the elements as well as dirt or mud on the road. Check that your external car tracker has a sturdy waterproof case for those rainy days.

Extra features

Some additional features may require a paid upgrade, while others are free with some models. For instance, is the SOS function available in your tracker? Are the SIM card, data plans, and road assistance included in the price? And, it is important to check your car tracker warranty period and terms.

Tracki Mini Portable GPS Tracker

This budget mini GPS tracker is one of the bestselling models on the market at less than $20. It is easily concealed in your car, motorbike, child’s backpack, or pet collar. The package includes a magnet, belt clip, key chain, and velcro for easy installation. You can set up geofencing and also monitor a full range of driving and route activities, such as speeding and location. These alerts are sent to your phone via SMS or to your email account. Additionally, the company offers a lifetime warranty and a free device replacement if you lose your tracker. This low monthly fee gps tracker requires a monthly subscription to unlock bonus features.

Features:

• Tiny gps tracker device measuring just 1.8″ by 1.6″ by 0.7″
• Includes international SIM card
• The replaceable battery lasts 2-3 days with real-time updates, more if you only get 4 updates daily.

Spytec GL300 GPS Tracker for Vehicles

This battery-powered GPS tracker offers fast, real-time tracking for cars, assets and family members via an app your phone, tab, or PC. And you can set up geofencing to receive alerts anytime your vehicle goes beyond a set geographical area. Measuring just 3’’ in length, the Spytec mini portable gps tracker can be discreetly placed anywhere in your car – the glove compartment, seat pocket, console, even under a seat. You can also buy a magnetic case if you want a more discreet placement on your chassis or bumper. Overall, one of the best hidden GPS trackers for cars at a mid-range price.

Features

• Tracker is motion-activated only
• Real time location tracking if you sign up for the month-to-month service
• Dedicated app for iPhone and Android devices

Optimus 2.0 GPS Tracking Device

This car tracking device generates and updates your vehicle’s location, speed, and movement data every 30 seconds. You can use the dedicated app to view and manage this data on your Android or iOS devices. You can also configure the Optimus 2.0 GPS Tracker to send alerts for low-battery, geofence violations, or SOS emergencies. The Optimus GPS tracker for vehicles is compact and comes with a strong magnetic waterproof case that you can use to attach the tracker to the bottom of the car – or wherever you want to conceal it.

Features:

• Battery-operated vehicle tracking device
• SOS button for emergencies 
• Two service subscription plans 
• Real-time gps tracker with 30-second updates
• Unlimited historical data for subscribers

Bouncie OBD2 GPS tracker

Bouncie GPS tracker is a solid choice if you want to pay more upfront and less in monthly charges: – just $8 a month in this case. Bouncie is both a GPS tracker and a vehicle health diagnostic tool. This no-battery GPS tracking unit plugs into your OBDII port from which it can access your car’s detailed diagnostic information such as engine trouble codes and oil and fuel levels. At the same time, you will receive location and trip history information as per your settings in the dedicated app. Monitoring your teenage driver is easy- the app provides easy to understand route reports, which are color-coded to display good or bad driving behaviour.

Features

• Roadside rescue provided
• 15 second auto-refresh
• Dedicated app compatible with both iOS and Android mobile
• No activation fees or cancellation penalties

MOTOsafety GPS Hidden Vehicle Tracker

This teen driver’s GPS vehicle tracker is great if you wish to reinforce safe driving habits in your new drivers. For starters, you will periodically receive a driving report card that scores your new driver’s habits, such as speeding, harsh braking, and rapid acceleration. Plus, you can set up geo-fences and curfew alerts on the free mobile app. The model also plugs into your car’s OBDI port and requires no battery or recharging.

Features

• Dedicated app for iPhone and Android devices
• Works in the United States, Canada, and Mexico 
• Submits a daily report card and route data
• Affordable gps tracker

Vyncs 4G GPS Auto Tracker

This sturdy GPS tracker comes at a great price tag and useful features making it ideal for commercial vehicles. To start with, the GPS tracker’s long battery life means the battery can last for up to 12 months. So, regular battery charging is one less thing to worry about. While it lacks some of the features present in other models – you have the option to purchase additional features separately. The car gps tracker device comes with a sturdy, weatherproof case, so it is safe to be mounted inside and outside your vehicle. It uses a 3G cellular connection and the package includes a SIM card for a quick setup. So, you can set it up right away to receive your car’s route history and geofence alerts via SMS or email. 

Features

• When GPS is unavailable, employs the use of cell-trilateration to give an approximate location
• Needs a paid subscription
• Vehicle gps tracker configure updates from 1 minute to 1 hour
• No contract, cancellation or activation fees

CarLock Real-Time Anti-theft Tracker System

This is among the best anti-theft GPS trackers for cars. While it also performs other tracking functions, if your vehicle is at risk for theft, then this is your best bet. The vehicle tracking system will alert you whenever unusual vibration is detected (like when a person is using a power tool to break into your car). Other alerts include attempted use of cloned or stolen keys, when your car is being towed and whenever your engine starts. 

Also, the unit plugs into your OBDII and monitors your car’s location and health in real-time. So, you can access the driver’s safety score report to identify any bad habits, such as hard braking, sudden sharp turns, and over speeding. And, the unit also monitors your battery and will send you alerts if it is running low.

Features

• Anti-theft alerts
• With one of the lower monthly subscriptions in the market,
• Dedicated app compatible with both iOS and Android mobile 
• Subscription required to unlock some features

Trak4 Mobile GPS Tracker for Tracking Cars, Assets and Equipment

This sturdy GPS tracker comes at a great price tag and useful features making it ideal for commercial vehicles. To start with, the GPS tracker’s long battery life means the battery can last for up to 12 months. So, regular battery charging is one less thing to worry about. While it lacks some of the features present in other models – you have the option to purchase additional features separately. The car gps tracker device comes with a sturdy, weatherproof case, so it is safe to be mounted inside and outside your vehicle. It uses a 3G cellular connection and the package includes a SIM card for a quick setup. So, you can set it up right away to receive your car’s route history and geofence alerts via SMS or email. 

Features

• When GPS is unavailable, employs the use of cell-trilateration to give an approximate location
• Needs a paid subscription
• Vehicle gps tracker configure updates from 1 minute to 1 hour
• No contract, cancellation or activation fees

PrimeTracking Personal GPS Tracker

If you are all about family safety, then this wearable GPS tracker is for you. You can place it on your family member’s cars, luggage, backpacks – or whatever else you want to track. Plus, the unit has an inbuilt SOS function that can be used in case of emergencies. It performs all the expected tracking and alerts functions of a GPS tracker for a car. These include vehicle location data, movement data, and diagnostics. And for the safety of your teen driver, geo-fence and curfew setting can be done on the app.

Features

• Uses 4G LTE connectivity for fast and accurate location data 
• Small gps trackers measuring 3″ by 1.5″
• Uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that can be fully charged in 2.5 hours
• Dedicated app is compatible with both iOS and Android mobile. 
• Uses 4G LTE connectivity for fast and accurate location data 

COMPARISON OF THE BEST GPS TRACKER DEVICES FOR CARS

	Product Name	Description	Subscription	Type
Best value	Tracki Mini Portable GPS Tracker	Super compact GPS concealable in the car, motorbike, child’s backpack, or pet collar	$19.95/month	Battery powered
Best overall	Spytec GPS Tracker	Best hidden GPS trackers for cars at a mid-range price.	$19.95/month	Battery powered
Best for vehicle maintenance	Bouncie OBD2 GPS tracker	Both a tracker and a vehicle health diagnostic tool. Low monthly fee GPS tracker	$8/month	OBD port plug-in
Best for new drivers	MOTOsafety Teen GPS Vehicle Tracker	Driving coach for new drivers with a daily report card and route data	$19.50/month	OBD port plug-in
Best for fleet management	Vyncs GPS Auto Tracker	No monthly fee real-time GPS tracker for your vehicle or fleet	$0/month	OBD port plug-in
Best anti-theft	CarLock Real-Time Anti-theft Tracker	Real-time tracking system that monitors your vehicle and alerts you of suspicious activity	$9.60/month	OBD port plug-in

Final Thoughts

Whether you want to track your fleet, monitor your teen driver, or protect your car from thieves, installing a GPS tracker will give you the data you need. Hopefully, this guide has given you the information you need to find the best GPS tracker for your needs. Knowing which features are important to you should ease your buying decision.

Thinking about installing a garage door opener? Check out our guide for the best on the market and where to get them.