Written by Duncan Lambden Reviewed by James Macey Updated on July 4, 2023 On this page 1. Verizon Connect: Best overall 2. Samsara: Best for managing vehicles 3. Teletrac Navman: Best for managing drivers 4. Azuga: Best for efficient routes 5. RAM: Best for affordability Our Methodology Expert verdict FAQs Expand Our site is reader-supported – by clicking our links, we can match you with a potential supplier, and we may earn a small commission for this referral. Our extensive research found that the best GPS tracker for cars is Verizon Connect. It offers the best GPS tracking features, including automatic route optimization, and the best tools – including traffic and diagnostic alerts, to improve driver efficiency.Finding the best GPS tracker for you will still depend on your individual needs. So to help, we've pulled together a list of the top 5 GPS trackers for cars in the US, comparing cost, features, and overall tracking quality. Top 5 GPS Car Trackers These are the GPS tracker providers we recommend based on our research. Use our comparison tool to find the best service for your business.Verizon Connect – Best overallSamsara – Best for managing vehiclesTeletrac Navman “TN360” – Best for managing driversAzuga – Best for efficient routesRAM – Best for affordabilityIf you're looking for something more tailored to your needs, you can also use free quote-finding tool to compare tailored quotes from vehicle tracking system suppliers that can cater to your needs. See how the top 5 GPS trackers for cars compare below. Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward Verizon Connect GPS Tracking Samsara Teletrac Navman TN360 Azuga RAM Pricing (Software) Available on request Pricing (Software) Available on request Pricing (Software) From $25/month Pricing (Software) From $25 to $35/month Pricing (Software) Available on request Best For Best overall GPS tracking system Best For Managing vehicles Best For Pay-as-you-go Best For Efficient routes Best For Affordability Route Optimization Route Optimization Route Optimization Route Optimization Route Optimization Driver Performance Features Driver Performance Features Driver Performance Features Driver Performance Features Driver Performance Features Visit Verizon Visit Samsara Compare quotes Compare quotes Compare quotes Best GPS Car TrackersGPS trackers are specifically designed to help improve driver safety, compliance and efficiency. While they used to be relatively simple devices that came with cars, they've evolved over time into multi-functional devices that can save businesses and car owners time and money.With all of the GPS features that are now possible, here is our list of the top 5 options:Verizon Connect: Best overallSamsara: Best for managing vehiclesTeletrac Navman “TN360”: Best for managing driversAzuga: Best for efficient routesRAM: Best for affordability 1. Verizon Connect – Best overall Verizon Connect Reveal 4.7 Expert research score Pricing $20 - $40 Visit Verizon Verizon Review Quick overview Verizon Connect Reveal is vehicle tracking software that provides daily reports with each driver's statistics, helping you accurately identify trends over time and spot opportunities for efficiency improvement. You'll also get notifications if anyone starts late, drives harshly or idles too long. Such features are ideal for cost saving in these economically pressured times.Verizon Connect is a GPS and fleet management software provider based in Illinois. Parent company Verizon bought Ireland-based Fleetmatics in 2016, California-based Telogis in 2017, and Spanish company Movildata in 2018. These were rebranded into Verizon Connect in the same year. Read more + Read less - Strengths Fast data refresh rate (30 seconds) Advanced driver KPI features Automatic route creation based on driver availability Excellent efficiency features (eg. automatically optimized routes) Weaknesses Typically offers a long contract period of three years Some businesses may not need all its features Pricing See more See less Typical price Prices are bespoke, based on factors like fleet size, package options, and contract length $20 to $40 Per vehicle, per month Gallery See more See less Photo: Check out stats on driver behavior, including a safety score per river, fuel efficiency levels, idling time, and speeding severity. Photo: Get in-depth fuel efficiency reports that give an overview of costs, miles traveled, speeds, and incidents of poor driving. Photo: See where your entire fleet is from a single map view. Zoom in and out for real-time updates on individual drivers. Photo: Draw an area on a map to set limits on where drivers are allowed to travel. Then get alerts when drivers exceed these limits with technology known as "geofencing." Pros Rapid automatic route optimization Suited for large fleets 24/7 customer support Cons Quite pricey Only offers longer contracts While Verizon is one of the pricier systems on the market (scoring a 2.5/5 for its cost), its tracking offering is the absolute best that we've encountered during our research, scoring a 5.0/5. It offers everything you'd want – various alerts (for things like idling, speeding, harsh driving, and more), traffic alerts, and automatic route optimization.It also has some great features, like integration with Garmin satnavs, robust Verizon phone apps, and asset tracking, scoring it a 4.9/5 for features. The only reason it's not a 5.0/5 is due to the fact that the panic button is a bit trickier to implement.Latest updates as of April 2023 include an Asset Summary Report that details key information such as how many hours vehicles are operated for, the distance they are driven and fuel consumed over a given period, allowing you maximum visibility of your fleet. Discover the most efficient way to track your car Verizon Connect is our top pick for GPS tracking. Learn more about its tracking systems by visiting Verizon's website. Visit Verizon Get curated prices from Verizon 2. Samsara – Best for managing vehicles Samsara 4.6 Expert research score Pricing From $27/month Visit Samsara Samsara Review Quick overview Samsara is our top pick for organizing dispatches because it allows fleet managers to choose the optimal vehicle and route for jobs and calculate predicted departure times according to traffic conditions, time on site and travel time. It also provides preventative maintenance scheduling so fleet managers can effectively monitor vehicles and reduce downtime.Samsara is top-tier Internet of Things (IoT) solutions provider, and pioneer of the Connected Operations Cloud, which enables fleet businesses to leverage IoT data to gain actionable insights and optimize their operations. In 2023, Samsara partnered with Motormax to offer enhanced fleet vehicle safety using automated 360-degree video telematics. It’s headquartered in San Francisco, where the company was founded in 2015. Read more + Read less - Strengths Increases dispatch efficiency Excellent driver management tools 30-second to one-minute data updates 24/7 customer support Weaknesses Three year minimum contract Hardware such as panic button sold separately Pricing See more See less ProductPricing (per device, due upfront) Vehicle Gateway (ELD) $1584 for 3-year license Cargo Monitor $162 for 3-year license Environmental Monitor $324 for 3-year license Panic Button $54 Pros Automatic route optimization Rapid refresh rate (30 seconds) Great for large fleets 24/7 customer support Cons 3 year minimum for contracts Fairly expensive No hardwire option for trackers When it comes to vehicle tracking, Samsara is a very close second to Verizon Connect, scoring a 4.9/5. The only reason for this 0.1 point distinction is that Samsara has a 30 second to 1 minute refresh rate, while Verizon promises a 30 second refresh rate. Otherwise, Samsara offers a great set of features, like Geofencing, traffic alerts, and route optimization.Samsara falls a bit short when looking at its offering of other features, scoring a still respectable 4.0/5. It's lacking satnav integration and a hardwired option, both of which are quite handy when considering GPS offerings. And, like Verizon, it scores a 2.5/5 for pricing. 3. Teletrac Navman – Best for managing drivers Teletrac Navman TN360 4.5 Expert research score Pricing From $25 Get Free Quotes TN360 Review Quick overview The TN360 shows a detailed breakdown of driver history and the ability to manage driver behavior. This is done through various features including a leaderboard system, automatic alerts for dangerous driving, and reporting to analyze journeys or specific events.Teletrac is one of the world’s largest fleet solutions providers, boasting over 25 years of history in GPS tracking. It was founded in the UK in 1988 as Trafficmaster, offering drivers road congestion information. In 2015, Teletrac merged with Navman Wireless, a GPS navigation device manufacturer based in Taiwan. In 2020, it expanded its services to connected solutions, fortifying its ground in advanced fleet management.Today Teletrac Navman monitors almost 500,000 vehicles across six continents, with US headquarters in California. Read more + Read less - Strengths Top-tier driver monitoring tools, including driver fatigue management Provides real-time data updates Powered by battery or solar Useful reporting and data presentation Weaknesses Lacks advanced hardware features like cargo temperature and engine temperature monitoring Doesn't provide weather updates No panic button Pricing See more See less Starting price Prices are bespoke, based on factors like fleet size, package options, and contract length From $25 Per vehicle, per month Pros Short contract length Innovative reporting feature, Users can write search terms such as: 'Show me fuel consumption by vehicle for the past 7 days?' and it will automatically generate a report and chart graphic Unique driver fatigue measurement system Cons No hardwire for trackers No temperature sensors Lacks general product features Teletrac offers a couple of different systems, but the TN360 is the highlight here. Earning a 4.9/5 for tracking, it compares well to Samsara, Verizon, and Azuga, which also pulled almost perfect scores.However, Teletrac does trump those three when it comes to price, scoring 3.4/5 over its competitors' 2.5/5. While none of them have concrete pricing, Teletrac's range does seem to be lower than its competitors'. Its feature score of 3.8/5 is also fairly solid, due to its solid app, hardwired option, and fuel purchase data log. 4. Azuga – Best for efficient routes Azuga 4.4 Expert research score Pricing $25 - $35 Get Free Quotes Azuga Review Quick overview Azuga provides the best route for your drivers based on business priorities, even for routes with multiple stops. When it's never been more important to cut costs, Azuga is a handy tool for fleet managers trying to conserve fuel and driver resource.Its vehicle tracking technology is best for fleet managers who need detailed data on fuel usage to make the best decisions for business efficiency.Azuga is much smaller than Verizon Connect or Teletrac Navman, powering just over 6,000 commercial fleets worldwide. Global mobility company Bridgestone acquired Azuga in August 2021. Read more + Read less - Strengths Suggests efficient driving routes Insightful fuel usage reports Monitor driver activity with geofencing Weaknesses Not compatible with third-party sat navs No crash reporting 3 year contract minimum Pricing See more See less Price range Prices are bespoke, based on factors like fleet size, package options, and contract length $25 to $35 Per vehicle, per month Pros Excellent route optimization Great for vehicle maintenance metrics Strong driver management functionality Cons Quite pricey 3 year minimum contract length Driver management features could be expanded Azuga ties for second with Samsara when it comes to tracking, also scoring a 4.9/5, with its only downfall being that the alerts aren't as robust as other platforms. One of its most unique features is the ability to customize refresh time from anywhere between 30 seconds and 59 minutes, letting your drivers go with as much or as little oversight as they need.Looking at price, Azuga scores 2.5/5, which isn't amazing, especially when its other product features aren't as robust as Verizon's or Samsara's. It's missing a hardwired option, and satnav integration, and the panic button is within the mobile app.After a recent update, their FleetMobile integration has features that track safe driving and speeding to create an overall driver score, as well as the option to add features such as vehicle health monitoring, navigation, tracking, parked vehicle location and third-party apps. 5. RAM – Best for affordability RAM 4.3 Expert research score Pricing From $11 per month Get Free Quotes RAM Review Quick overview RAM Tracking offers the chance to pay less per month for a longer commitment. For a 5-year contract, it's around $11 per month, and for an 18-month contract, you can expect to pay around $17 per month.Its core offering for fleet managers is a somewhat basic but cost-effective vehicle tracking dashboard. It's best suited to managers of smaller fleets who don't need complex data analytics and vehicle maintenance insights.Beginning in 2004 in the UK, RAM Tracking has expanded into Canada and the US markets to provide telematics for the vehicle industry. As well as automobile tracking devices, the firm also produces dashcams. Read more + Read less - Strengths Map view live vehicle tracking Weather updates from Google Maps Hardwire and cloud options available Comprehensive driver scoring system Weaknesses Won't plan the best routes for your drivers No vehicle maintenance tracking No engine temperature monitoring No messaging feature Pricing See more See less Pricing Bespoke Based on fleet size, package features, and contract length Pros Short contract lengths One of the cheapest systems out there Great driver behavior tracking Cons No driver messaging capabilities No route optimization RAM is the cheapest platform on this list, scoring 4.6/5 in price. This doesn't compromise its GPS tracking prowess, however, as it still scores a hearty 4.6/5 in tracking. The only fault is the lack of automatic route optimization, which is admittedly a bit of a blow.However, a 4.5 in product features is also quite solid, attributed to its hardwire option, asset tracker, and smartphone app. The only missing pieces are a panic button and integration with Satnav devices.What's great about RAM is that they are constantly updating their product. Some of the latest updates in 2023 include the addition of geofencing, congestion zones, a customer marketplace with pre-negotiated deals for other products and user notifications to quickly see relevant information. How Did We Find the Best Fleet Management Software?Our team of independent researchers looked at a selection of the best and most popular fleet management systems. After finding all the information we need, the researchers then compare each platform against its competitors, allowing us to find the cream of the crop. The criteria we look at include:Price: Simple enough – the platform with the lowest price tag scores the bestTracking: How robust and effective are the platform's tracking features? For example, how quickly does the tracking map refresh, does the map factor in traffic, etc.Driver Management: Tracking and logging the behavior of each of your drivers. Does Driver #3 idle his vehicle for too long? Does Driver #4 tend to speed?Vehicle Management: Checking up on the health of your vehicles. Are they in need of maintenance? Are they well protected against theft?Product Features: What else can the product do? Can it sync up with third-party satnavs? Is there a phone app?Customer Support: Again, easy enough – look at the options available and see what each platform offers its customers when it comes to their support resourcesAfter factoring in all this information, alongside the scores they received, we were able to calculate a final overall score for each fleet management system. Expert VerdictThere are plenty of great GPS car trackers on the market, but if we had to pick, our favourite is Verizon Connect. It's not the cheapest platform out there – that accolade goes to RAM – but it's got the best tracking features of all its contemporaries, scoring a solid 5.0/5. This doesn't mean it's the only choice out there, of course.Even fleet managers will find that some systems better serve their needs than others. That’s why it’s always important to compare quotes from local fleet management providers to find the best option for you. Just fill in this short form and we’ll get you quotes from the best suppliers in your area. Frequently Asked Questions Is it against the law to put a tracking device on someone’s car? The short answer is that putting a tracking device on someone else’s car is almost definitely illegal. The police can do this if they have a tracking permit for a particular case, but civilians can’t normally track other peoples’ cars. Which GPS car tracker is the best? From our research, we've found Verizon Connect to be the best GPS tracker. It scores a perfect 5.0/5 when it comes to vehicle tracking, as it has every feature you'd want from a GPS tracker. These include:Scheduling and dispatching driversAutomatic route optimizationLive tracking with a 30 second refresh rateTraffic updates Where is a good place to hide a tracker in a car? Depending on what kind of tracker it is, there is a wide number of places you can hide a GPS tracker in a car. If it's magnetic, you can hide it under the wheel opening, or under the car's hood. Otherwise, you can just put it somewhere in the glove box or trunk. Written by: Duncan Lambden Software Expert Duncan (BA in English Textual Studies and Game Design) is one of Expert Market's local Software Experts. His articles focus on ecommerce platforms and business software that allows small businesses to improve their efficiency or reach, with an emphasis on invoice financing, project management, and customer relations. Reviewed by: James Macey Senior Business Software Researcher James thinks all businesses can improve if they use the right technology. At Expert Market, he utilises his 4+ years experience as a researcher to offer specialised advice on a wide range of categories from CRM to Fleet Management.