How much does a GPS tracker for car or vehicle cost?

When companies or individuals need to geolocate a car, a vehicle or a fleet of vehicles, one of the first questions asked concerns the cost of the solution: “What is the cost of a GPS tracker?” “Is there a subscription to pay?“, and specifically for companies: “What is the return on investment on a fleet of vehicles?“.

The answer is not trivial because it depends on the objective of the GPS tracking, the technology used, the minimum performance desired and the financial model chosen. Also, the overall cost is to be compared with the substantial savings made thanks to the GPS tracker or the GPS tracker fleet (reduced fuel consumption, improved productivity, etc.).

In this article, we will explain these different aspects. This will allow you to estimate the price of a tracking service adapted to your case and available on the market.

To do so, we will answer the most frequently asked questions:

What are the elements to pay for a vehicle tracking?
What is the cheapest GPS tracker for car?
What is the price of a GPS tracker without subscription, without SIM card or with SIM card?
Is it more profitable to buy or rent a GPS tracker for vehicle?
How to reduce the cost of insurance with a GPS tracker for car?

Table of contents

The steps to buy a GPS tracker for car or vehicle

First, let’s break down the price of a car GPS tracker. This is not a simple hardware product like buying a computer mouse. A service accompanies this hardware product.

The price is as follows:

The price of the GPS tracker itself, the material,
The price of the subscription to the application, included or not in the price of the GPS tracker,
The price of the network connectivity for the GPS tracker, included or not in the price of the tracker,
The price of accessories and additional services

Beware, there are pitfalls to be aware of when comparing offers on the market, especially on subscription and connectivity prices which are not always easy to understand and whose nuances can explain price differences.

We help you to avoid these traps on the price of GPS trackers themselves, their subscriptions, their application with more details in this article.

What is the cheapest GPS tracker for car

The choice of a GPS tracker for a single vehicle or for a fleet of vehicles is not simple. Just search for the term “car GPS tracker” in a search engine and you’ll find a plethora of different technical solutions, price models and suppliers, about 2,160,000 results, most of the first results being paid commercial links. The solutions are even more difficult to compare because there are several types of GPS trackers that can be installed in vehicles:

with or without GPS
with or without SIM card
with or without subscription
generalist for all vehicles, or specific to cars / boats / tools / motorcycles / etc.

Comparaison prix du traceur GPS le moins cher

In addition, there is the complexity of the price of the application, which can be just a web application, or a mobile application, or both, to access the information delivered by the GPS tracker, as explained above.

Finally, the price of the GPS tracker’s connectivity to the Internet is different depending on whether you want to use it in France, in Europe, or in the world.

Overall, the cheapest GPS trackers are the ones that have the fewest features or the most constraints on use.

You’ll find Bluetooth (BLE) tags for less than 50€, GPS trackers with LPWAN connectivity (Sigfox, LoRa) between 100 and 150€, or GPS trackers with GSM connectivity (2G, 3G, 4G, LTE) starting at 130€, all inclusive.

Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and are adapted to certain uses. You must therefore identify your needs, for example: the fight against theft, the supervision of a fleet of company vehicles, the reduction of fuel costs, etc.

As you can see, the subject is far from simple. If, after these explanations, you still have questions, you can consult our dedicated article which will help you choose the cheapest car GPS tracker.

What is the value of GPS trackers without subscription and without SIM card?

When you buy a GPS tracker for car, there is always an associated service, at least an application allowing you to access the data measured and recorded by the tracker. The operation and maintenance of this service obviously have a cost, which will be reflected either in the purchase price of the GPS tracker, or in a monthly or annual subscription.

So what about GPS trackers that are offered without subscription or SIM card? These formulas may seem cheaper, but the notions “without subscription” and “without SIM card” are quite tricky. It is important to understand what it means to avoid unpleasant technical and financial surprises.

Is it better to buy or rent a GPS tracker for car?

The market of GPS trackers for cars offers both solutions of payment: buy the trackers or rent them. For individuals, buying is more common, for professionals, renting is the most common.

The best solution is up to you, as it depends on your needs and your financial capacity.
Generally speaking, buying is less expensive than renting. However, leasing will offer you some advantages if the duration of your need is short, if you wish to test the tracking service at first, or if you do not have the necessary cash flow for an immediate purchase, especially in the case of large fleets of vehicles.

We detail in which cases it is advantageous to rent or buy a vehicle tracking system with a simulation.

Is it profitable to install GPS trackers on company vehicles?

The market of GPS trackers for vehicles is growing and it is not for nothing. Installing GPS trackers on the entire fleet is very profitable for these companies, with returns reached between a few weeks and a few months.

The gains are realized on many subjects according to the sectors of activity:

Lower fuel consumption (linked to eco-driving)
Decrease in the number of fender-benders or accidents
Securing cars and tools stored inside
Help operations by locating drivers instantly
Reduce fines after customer complaints
… and many others

How to reduce the cost of your insurance with a GPS tracker for car?

Reduce your car or motorcycle insurance bill. This is what some insurance companies offer, depending on your driving habits.

Contrat assurance conclu pour traceur GPS véhicules

This practice is called PAYD, or “Pay As You Drive”. Several formulas exist, and depending on your practice, it could be applicable to you:

Insurance premium indexed to the distance your vehicle travels: you only pay for what you drive
Insurance price indexed on your driving style, dynamic or soft.

To measure the driving distances and your driving profile, a GPS tracker for car is used, sending the data to the insurance company. The insurance company can then adapt its rates to the actual driving.