The Best GPS Tracker for Cars (Review & Buying Guide) in 2019

One of the stumbling blocks that can put off many people off investing in GPS tracking devices is the assumption they are complicated to use. Spy Tec have taken that notion and thrown it out the window with this extremely easy to use device.

For one thing, the device itself is absolutely tiny, measuring about 3 inches in length and weighing about 8 ounces. As far as GPS trackers go, that’s tiny! Despite it’s small size however it, it’s good to see this model has a good battery life, with a lifespan of about 2 weeks between charges – more if you use the device intermittently.

In use it’s nice and simple too, with the bundled software synching with Google Maps when relaying information. That is useful to see, as Google Maps is, by and large, the template map app that we all know and recognize. Taking advantage of that familiarity makes the product easy to use. Real time updates are provided every 5 seconds for pinpoint accuracy, and it is possible to set up Geo-Fencing, meaning you get an alert by text or e-mail if the vehicle leaves a set area.

All in all in then, this is a very useful model that comes bundled with a range of useful features and a middle of road price of around 50 bucks.

Our next product comes from Vyncs, and is a pretty high tech little device, with a range of interesting design points. One of the more interesting things about this model is not actually a design point or a feature however – instead it is the fact that it is an active GPS tracker without a monthly fee. A little more on that in a minute.

In the meantime, lets discuss the practical aspects. This model does not use a battery as it plugs directly into the car itself, specifically into the OBD-II port. That means that maintenance is virtually non-existent, as there is no need to recharge. You do need to have a bit of cunning to hide the device however, or a car thief could just rip it straight out.

This device accesses a 3G mobile data network to connect itself to your laptop or tablet device. That is why there is no monthly fee (hooray!) but it can mean that mobile data outages can lose the signal (boo!) and you may struggle in more rural areas for a 100% connection.

You do by the way pay a $10 activation fee that lasts for a year. At that level, the unit updates every 180 seconds. If you want closer to real time updates then prepare to spend a little more, with 15 second updates – the most frequent – coming with a yearly charge of $129.

This is another of the type of GPS tracker that is very straightforward to use. Simply fire it up (and ensure the battery is charged) and then secrete it somewhere inside the vehicle – in the glove box, in the trunk, anywhere you like. You can then access the tracking software for real time updates on the location and speed of the vehicle at any time.

You can also use it as a digital watchdog. You can, for example, set a geographic area that if the car leaves you will receive an alert. Set that area to be the size of your neighborhood, and get an alert every time the vehicle rolls of that area. You can do exactly the same for speed, getting an alert every time the vehicle tops 80mph for example.

The device has a price tag a little over 50 bucks, whilst the monthly subscription charge for real time updates stands at $19.99 – pretty good value on both outlays compared to some other models. Just bare in mind this unit utilizes the 2G mobile network (not the newer, faster 3G networks). 2G is not as widely available as it used to be, so it could be an idea to check you local coverage (usually with T-Mobile) before taking the plunge on this model.

First thing to state is that this product is not endorsed in any way by the Transformers or by Optimus Prime himself. So whilst this unit won’t transform into a cool fighting robot that shoots lasers out of its palms, it is a very efficient little GPS tracker.

The tracker unit itself is absolutely what you expect for a premium level product here. It’s black, it weighs a few ounces, it’s the size of a cigarette lighter, etc etc – it’s the same as most of the others we have seen already. It even has a similar battery lifespan of around 10 days depending on unit use.

So what’s the stand out with this model? Well, the feature that makes it different from many other GPS vehicle trackers is the App you use to monitor the vehicle location and driving history. Optimus Tracker describe it as a no nonsense app, and they aren’t kidding. It’s a very straightforward app that’s very easy to use. You can also manage every aspect of the device from it. So not only do you see vehicle history log, you can also set up alerts for the vehicle entering or leaving a set area or going over a specific speed limit. The device also sends alerts reminding you to charge the battery, which is a pretty useful feature actually.

There are a number of useful features in this GPS tracker from Trak4, which all shout out to a model that has been very well though through. Lets start with something a little different from any other model we’ve seen so far and that is the case on the device. Many other GPS trackers can have additional weatherproof cases purchased for them – this model comes already built into one. That means that out the box it can be mounted anywhere including to the exterior of a vehicle or trailer.

Inside the case is another stand out feature, an incredibly high capacity battery. At the lowest monitor level (one “ping” or location report per 24 hours) the device can last a full year on a single charge. It uses the 3G mobile data network (with 2G as a fall back option) meaning it should be able to find a signal just about anywhere in the continental United States.

The tracking software is easy to use, and can be used on a laptop – you simple sign into your account and you can locate the vehicle in seconds. It also keeps a log of speed and past locations and you can set up alerts based on these factors too. The initial outlay is a shade under 50 bucks whilst the monthly subscription runs from $5.99 to a little under $20 depending on the frequency of vehicle reports you need.

This is the 6^th model of GPS tracker that we’ve looked at on our list so far – I know right, it doesn’t seem like that many does it? Probably because we’re having so much fun. Anyway, so far the vehicle trackers we’ve looked at so far have been designed to do exactly that – track the vehicle.

This model from CarLock though is a bit of a different beast. Yes, it can track the vehicle and you can access your account through the CarLock app to see the log of the vehicle activity. What this product is more about though is providing security. It plugs into the car OBD (On-Board Diagnostic) Port, which makes it a more sensitive tracker than many others on the list. That means whilst it can send alerts if the vehicle crosses certain geographical lines or speeds, it has another trick up it’s sleeve.

It can send you alerts if the engine starts or even if it senses vibration – the kind of vibration that, for example, power tools may produce if a thief is using them to break into or steal your car. That is a level of security you do not get from many other products, making this more of an electronic watchdog than a simple GPS tracker.

This device has a cool trick up its sleeve to help it stand out from the crowd. On the surface it is a pretty bog standard GPS Tracker. It clocks in with a price tag of around 50 bucks, and you get what you expect for a 50 buck tracker. So an internal battery with a lifespan of about 2 weeks between charges. A tracker unit that’s small and easy to place – and also has built in magnets, making it even easier to find a discrete location on the vehicle.

Is monitoring is via an I-Phone and Android compatible app or you can log in on a web browser, and the tracker provides 30 second updates on vehicle location. So far, so similar – and that’s when you notice the internal microphone.

Yep, that’s right – the Unique Selling Point on this little baby is the fact that it not only transmits vehicle location, it transmits live audio too. You simply text the device (each one has a unique number) and it 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.

How cool is that, huh?

Hey, remember the GPS tracking device from Optimus Tracker we looked at above? Course you do, we made that hilarious joke about the Transformers and Optimus Prime?

No? Well we though it was funny.

This product is exactly the same; it’s the Optimus 2.0 GPS tracker. Scroll back up to see the specifics, but this is a pretty good little device (as we outlined in the earlier entry). The difference here is that for a few extra bucks the Tracker unit comes bundled with a very useful magnetic case.

Not just any magnets in fact, these are made of Meodymium which is strongest type of magnet commercially available. If you want to mount your tracker on the outside of the vehicle then, you should certainly consider taking up this great value offer.

Our penultimate item is this GPS tracker from TKSTAR. It has a price tag a bit below what you would expect to pay for a premium model, and correspondingly some of the top end features are missing. On the other hand though TKSTAR have managed to bundle in an incredibly powerful 5000mAh battery.

That battery, combined with the way this unit works, gives a lifespan of up to 90 days, a very useful amount of time. It should be noted that the device works a little differently from other models. What you do here is download an app and then when you want to know the vehicle location you text the device. It replies with Google Maps coordinates that you enter in the app for a pinpoint location.

The external shell of the tracking unit is both water and dust proof and constructed of tough plastic, so you’ll have little worries of damage occurring during use. So like we said, it’s a bit of a basic model. But for the money it does exactly what it says it will – but it doesn’t do much else either.

From one of the cheaper, more basic models we will be seeing out our list with this bad boy, the Mack-Daddy of GPS Trackers. It also, by the way, has a Mack-Daddy price tag of a shade under 200 bucks, easily making it the most expensive item on the list.

What do you get for that? Well you get a very powerful battery that can give up to 90 days of tracking (based on driving 1 hour per day in that time period). You get a very tough case that has incredibly strong, 70 pound magnets attached – so you can stick this anywhere on the car and have no worries that it’s going to disappear.

In operation, you can download an app or access the company web browser and get real-time updates (with 20 second update time) for real accuracy. Or, for a quick check on vehicle location simply text the device and it sends you a link. Click the link and your phone opens Google Maps to the exact location of the tracker – or at least to within 2.5 meters, which is excellent accuracy for a device of this size.

Like we said it’s not cheap – but you can’t deny this is a very high quality car tracking system.