Best GPS Tracker for Cars in 2020 – Review and Buying Guide

In view of cars and trucks’ value, it is quite strange that they are not monitored as closely as they should be. For instance, if you buy a car for one of your family members, how do you ensure that it is being driven safely? It can be hard to tell unless it returns home with its paint scraped off or half a tree embedded in its bonnet.

Then come those who maintain vehicle fleets for their businesses; even if it is just one car, it still represents a significant portion of the capital invested in the market. If you wish to monitor your vehicle and how it is being driven, a GPS tracker is your way to go. It provides absolute accuracy for driving logs and can give your exact location as well in just a moment, depending on the model of your vehicle.

We have compiled the best car GPS trackers available in the market, to help you pick the one that suits your needs the best without costing you an arm and a leg.

10 Best GPS Tracker for Cars Reviews

1. Spy Tec STI GL300 Real-Time Vehicle GPS Tracker

2. Vyncs GPS Tracker

3. Amcrest AM-GL300 Real-Time GPS Tracker

4. Optimus Tracker GPS Tracker

5. Trak4 Mobile GPS Tracker

6. CarLock – Real Time Car Tracker and Alert System

7. Logistimatics Mobile 200 GPS Tracker with Audio Monitoring

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8. Optimus Tracker GPS Tracker with Magnet  Case

9. TKSTAR 90 Day GPS Tracker

10. AES RG T90 GPS Tracker

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Best Car GPS Tracker – Buying Guide

Having gone through the best car GPS trackers in the market, we have identified around ten best models. Now the question arises, how can you decide what is the best one for you?

In the following section, we will look at some features that must be kept in mind when choosing the best car GPS tracker for yourself.  We have also answered some of the most frequently asked questions about this device, so keep reading!

Features to Consider When Buying  a Car GPS Tracker

1. Battery Life

This is perhaps the most important feature when considering any GPS tracker device. Often small tracking devices have small batteries and need to be charged at least once a week. Larger units have bigger batteries, and can hence go on for months but are also difficult to hide. This problem can be avoided altogether by simply going for a device that hooks up to your car itself and gets a constant power supply.

2. Real-Time or Delayed Time

This depends on your preference if you need to know the exact location of your car instantly, or you are okay with getting the information with a delay of ten minutes. The results will get more accurate as you move towards real-time monitoring. However, the bill will also rise accordingly.

3. Size of the Device

Most GPS car trackers are small devices, and the smallest one is the size of a Zippo cigarette lighter. It is easier to hide smaller devices both inside or outside the car, but the size also influences the device’s battery life.

Why Should I Use a Car GPS Tracker?

There are three primary reasons why you should be using a GPS  tracking device.

Recover a Stolen Vehicle:

There is less than 50% probability of getting a stolen vehicle back, and this also varies largely from state to state. However, if your car has a GPS tracking device, this probability will rise dramatically. When you call the cops to report about your car theft, it depends on them and your luck largely if it will be found or not.

However, if you report about your stolen car to cops and tell them the exact location of your car as well, there is a much better chance of recovering it.

Monitor Usage of Your Vehicle by Family:

Most families have shared vehicles, where husbands/wives and kids all use the same car. A GPS tracker is a great thing to have to keep an eye on the driving habits of your kids or whoever you share it with and get to know when there has been over speeding or harsh breaks.

Monitor Usage of Vehicle for Businesses:

Having a business, you will just be as worried about your vehicles as well. A GPS device is a great thing to monitor your staff and keep a check on their whereabouts.

What Types of Tracking Systems Are Available?

Primarily, there are two types of GPS tracking systems – active and passive. Both have their upsides and downsides, which we will look over in this section.

Active Style:

An active GPS tracker transmits data using a satellite uplink. This means real-time information can be received at just a click of a button or using an app or website. You can check the exact location of your vehicle, and can also track the car’s entire journey to check where it has been, if it exceeded any speed limits or if there were any harsh breaks, etc.

The disadvantage of active GPS car trackers is that they usually have a paid subscription attached to its satellite network.

Passive Style:

Meanwhile, a passive tracker does not transmit any data. Rather, it stays connected to the GPS satellite network over earth and stores all movements made by the vehicle, internally. This means that the device has to be removed from your vehicle and attached to a tablet or laptop to retrieve information. The information can be downloaded with a complete history of vehicle movements.

The downside of such trackers is obvious that there is no real-time tracking, and this type of device can not be used to find a missing car. However, they come at a much lower price and have no monthly subscription.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ 

Q. What is a car GPS Tracker?

A. It is a device that pinpoints your vehicle’s location by using the Global Positioning Satellites.

Q. How do car GPS trackers work?

A. GPS trackers work just like Sat Nav devices do, i.e., by communicating with the satellites in earth’s orbit, and download the exact location of your vehicle. Once it has received your car’s location, it communicates with you or your laptop or phone, using a data network to send the coordinates on the app or website being used, in most cases, Google Maps.

Q. What is the accuracy level of car GPS trackers?

A. According to many, car GPS trackers are a fantastic thing to have given their accuracy and the immense amount of convenience they provide to find your missing car. A high-end tracker model will give the vehicle location within 8ft. Of its actual location. Cheaper models may be less accurate comparatively, but broadly speaking, it does give nearly accurate results most of the time.

Q. Is GPS car tracking legally allowed?

A. Broadly, yes, it is legal with some exceptions, though. If you do not own the car, you are not legally allowed to track it. Moreover, tracking someone else’s car without them knowing is also illegal. These are the general rule which may further vary depending on each state, and it is highly recommended first to have a conversation with your local law enforcement to get all the queries cleared.

Q. Where should the GPS tracking device be placed on my car?

A. This is a very good and important question. Many people argue that GPS devices should be placed outside the vehicle, having the advantage that there are fewer chances of the thief spotting and removing it.

Meanwhile, if it does not have strong magnets and a tough case, it may get removed itself, so be cautious. A smaller GPS device can be hidden easily either under seats in the vehicle cabin or even in a glove box.

Our Top Pick

In terms of money and all other aspects, out favorite one from the list above is the Spy Tec GL300 Vehicle GPS Tracker. It already is a very popular product in the range, and having investigated its features and specifications, we know why. Firstly, it is a very small device that can be placed easily in the vehicle. It syncs with Google Maps, has a fairly long battery life, and a Geo-fencing feature that monitors the location of your vehicle at all times.

Above all, it is extremely easy to use the device, and when all that comes at such a reasonable price with a monthly subscription of $25, it is great value for money. We got sold to all these reasons, and have easily named it the best GPS tracker you can find in the market today!