How Much Does a GPS Tracker Cost?

You are probably here because you are searching for a GPS tracking device that not only best fulfills your requirement but is also economical, which has left you thoroughly confused. Given the vast choices of GPS tracking devices in the market, it can be daunting to make the right choice. Apart from the plethora of features that GPS tracking devices offer, their cost also depends on every term of contact, location updates, and add-on services.

Using a GPS device for your personal use has an array of benefits. It offers you improved safety, instigates lesser fuel costs, and resembles scope for greater theft recovery. These benefits also apply to fleets making use of GPS. It also includes better productivity and execution of operations along with lesser operational costs due to effective utilization of resources, thanks to the GPS in question.

However, the costs at which a GPS device is valued cannot be generalized. Cost is an essential factor that, to some extent, decides the sale of the product- are the features beneficial? Is it worth the price? How do you know if you’re opting for the correct service?

For the sake of comparison, here is a list of the best GPS tracking devices with their device cost as well as subscription value.

It is important to note here that although three of the above-mentioned devices fall under the same cost category, they offer very different services. For example, Family1st also offers a 30-day trial period, no contract, and no cancellation fee, while Americaloc offers 2 FREE months to your first service purchase. GPS tracking device vendors have different offerings and you need to choose the one that works for you.

In this article, we will cover the features of a good GPS device and the factors that affect its cost so that you can make a smarter choice. 

Factors that Impact the Cost of a GPS Tracking Device

Some key factors that come into play while discussing the price of this tracking device are discussed below:

1. The length of the agreement the customer enters into with the service provider impacts the amount they pay for the same. The longer the contract, the lesser you need to pay. This includes the costs of installation, hardware, and monthly use in the cost generated per month. With every additional feature, you opt for, the cost of GPS devices and service increases.
2. The type of GPS tracker you opt for has much to do with the amount you pay. The options include Plug and Play GPS Devices, Hardwired GPS Devices, and Smartphone App Tracking. The Plug and Play GPS Device is a favorite among users; you just have to plug it into your vehicle’s port. It is cost-effective and does the job very well. On the other hand, the Hardwired GPS Device is suited for specific vehicles, including those that are too old to be incorporated with developing technology, and those that have too many add-on features in the first place. The third option is the simplest; it is the most affordable and friendly to use. You just have to install an app on your phone for this to work. 
3. The cost of a GPS service package also differs based on the number of devices you choose. Several companies offer package deals and discounts if you buy more than one device from them. 
4. The company you choose as your service provider has a great influence on the money you pay at the end of the day. There are companies like Family1st that offer plenty of top-notch features at a very low monthly subscription. Therefore, choosing the brand itself is a decision you should take after careful thought, by considering its costs, reviews, and warranty plans, among other factors. 
5. The cyclical prices may also depend on the manner of the service the GPS device provides you, in terms of updates. The lesser the period is between updates the more you are bound to pay for it. For example, a customer receiving updates every minute will have to pay more than a customer receiving updates every fifteen to thirty minutes instead. 
6. There are GPS tracking services that seem cheaper on the surface but have hidden charges for activation/deactivation, cancellation of service, contract fees, warranty fees, and other hidden service charges. 
7. Coverage: Another factor that affects GPS device costing is coverage. Some service providers offer coverage in only their state or country, while others offer internationally. Of course, if you opt for a tracking device that operates on a global scale, prices are bound to increase drastically. Features like these directly impact the costs of buying a GPS device.

Features of a GPS tracking device that help you:

You already know that real-time location information from a GPS-tracking device can help you find your assets, vehicles, equipment, family members, and pets. Although a GPS tracker cannot completely protect the assets or people you are tracking, it can assist you in sending them the help they need in case of an emergency. This also ensures minimal loss and damage, and easier and faster recovery. 

Here are some other features of a good GPS-tracking device:

• Structural specification: GPS tracking devices that are available in the market today are compact in size and sturdy. Most of them are weather and waterproof, have 4G/LTE connectivity, and some also support indoor Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. These devices often come with a companion app that can be easily downloaded on any mobile device of your choice, allowing you to access the location within seconds.
• Alerts and notifications: Through these companion apps, you can set up alerts and notifications according to your preferences. For example, if you are tracking your teenager’s car, you can set an alert for speeding or other unsafe driving habits. These alerts are sent to you through your preferred method – SMS, email, or app notification.
• Geofencing: Geofencing is a location-based system that makes use of Wi-Fi and GPS to initiate a pre-programmed action. It allows you to set up a virtual boundary around a target location in GPS-enabled software, for example, an area of two hundred feet drawn in Google Maps. Whenever a registered tracking device enters or exits this boundary, a response will be triggered. Geofencing technology is essentially a marketing strategy that allows businesses to observe customers entering into their boundaries of sale. The feature is especially useful in tracking teens, kids, elderly family members, and pets. 
• Driving behavior: One of the best features that GPS tracking devices can offer us is monitoring driving behavior. According to the National Safety Council, despite the pandemic lockdown, no less than 42k people have died in road accidents in 2020. What is surprising is that even though the total number of miles driven during the year is significantly less as compared to 2019, there has been an 8% increase in fatal car accident injuries. For this very reason, in the past decade, many transportation and traffic regulatory bodies have advocated and mandated the use of GPS-tracking devices to prevent accidents. Most modern-day devices have sensors that help to identify instances of unnecessary acceleration, hard braking, and other unsafe driving habits. 
• Efficiency: Implementation of GPS tracking devices for commercial and personal use has proven to reduce costs and make business operations as well as life more efficient. If you know the location of your vehicle, you can easily assign it to a job. With the help of location tracking, you can also optimize the best route to your destination, thereby saving on fuel. 
• Roadside assistance: You don’t get to choose where your car breaks down; if you’re lucky, it may happen in a public location, somewhere safe. Nevertheless, this may also happen in isolated, unsafe areas that may be hard to navigate through on your own. However, the availability of a good GPS network can have a tremendous influence on the response time and how you deal with such a breakdown.

Depending on what kind of GPS device you opt for, what features you look for in this product, and what you intend to use this service for, prices will fluctuate in the market. A good GPS device does its job well in the long run and delivers the outcomes with accuracy and precision. Some features to look out for to distinguish a stable, reliable service provider from others would be the warranty, customer support, and emergency services they offer. Nevertheless, there are many service providers with reliable customer reviews in the market like Family1st, and you are bound to find a product that suits you.