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6 Best Car GPS Trackers to Protect Your Car from Theft

American Motors Review Team
Written By American Motors Review Team
Last updated: Feb 19, 2025, 09:08 PM
Affiliate Disclosure ↓

Picture this: you step out of a store, and your car isn’t where you left it. Panic sets in as you realize it’s been stolen. Now, you’re stuck with a police report and a sinking feeling in your gut.

A woman driving a car with a smartphone in a mobile holder displaying a car GPS tracker app, monitoring the location of another vehicle in real-time.

A GPS tracker helps you locate your vehicle in real-time and can also alert you to the moment something suspicious happens

Parking in a crowded lot or leaving your car in an unfamiliar neighborhood can leave you anxious about its safety. What if something happens? What if someone tries to tamper with it? This is where a GPS tracker steps in.

The Spytec Car GPS Tracker doesn’t just tell you where your car is; it keeps an eye on it even when you can’t. And if anything suspicious happens, like unexpected movement, you’re the first to know. We voted it best overall out of six popular trackers. Curious about the runner-up? Find out which brand took second place below!

View all Contents
  • Choosing the Best Car GPS Tracker: A User's Guide
      • My Personal Picks
      • What You Need to Consider When Choosing a Car GPS Tracker
    • A Personal Note
  • Car GPS Tracker FAQs
  • Why Trust Us?
  • Contributors
  • Related Reviews

Our Top Picks

  • Spytec Car GPS Tracker: Best Overall (Shop Now) →
    Read more about this car GPS tracker ↓
  • Brickhouse Security Car GPS Tracker: Runner-Up (Shop Now) →
    Read more about this car GPS tracker ↓
  • Trak-4 Car GPS Tracker: Best Battery (Shop Now) →
    Read more about this car GPS tracker ↓
  • Bouncie Car GPS Tracker: Best Extras (Shop Now) →
    Read more about this car GPS tracker ↓
  • Optimus Car GPS Tracker: Easy to Use (Shop Now) →
    Read more about this car GPS tracker ↓
  • LandAirSea Car GPS Tracker: Value Pick (Shop Now) →
    Read more about this car GPS tracker ↓

6 Best Car GPS Trackers of 2025

Spytec Car GPS Tracker

Best Overall
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In 2023, every 31 seconds, someone’s car was stolen in the United States. Want a tracker with worldwide coverage? Whether you’re monitoring your vehicle or keeping an eye on your teen, the Spytec Car GPS Tracker will give you up-to-the-minute updates through its user-friendly iOS/Android app.

Moreover, you can set up boundary notifications, so you’re alerted if the tracker leaves a designated area and receive speed alerts if a driver is going too fast. Your vehicle’s just left the parking lot? You’ll know in seconds! You can then share the car’s live location with the authorities, giving them the precise information they need to recover your vehicle quickly. Of course—like all best-selling GPS trackers—it requires a subscription for full functionality. Plans start at a mere $14.95 per month. The subscription ensures you have up-to-date data and 24/7 customer support, making the recovery process much faster. We voted this GPS tracker best overall for its friendly user interface and affordable monthly subscription.

Why It Ranks Top
  • Best-seller—5,000+ bought in past month
  • Real-time tracking with global 4G LTE coverage
  • Boundary notifications and speed alerts
  • Time Machine feature to review tracking history
  • Lifetime warranty for added peace of mind
What to Note
  • Requires a monthly subscription (cheaper than replacing a stolen car, right?)

Brickhouse Security Car GPS Tracker

Runner-Up
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The Brickhouse Car GPS Tracker offers an extended battery life of up to 140 days, making it ideal for long-term tracking. With subscription plans starting at $17.99 per month, it provides discreet monitoring for cars, motorcycles, trucks, and other valuable assets.

Moreover, the tracker offers useful features like speed alerts and geofencing, so you’re instantly notified if something’s up with your vehicle. Like the Spytec, it offers international tracking with full 4G LTE coverage, ensuring you can monitor your vehicle from anywhere in the world. In short, both the best overall and runner-up trackers provide reliable, real-time updates, but the Spytec’s once-off price is three times cheaper!

Why It Ranks Top
  • 4.5-star rating—1k bought in past month
  • Extended battery life of up to 140 days
  • Full 4G LTE coverage for real-time tracking
  • Speed alerts and geofencing for added security
What to Note
  • Premium package monthly subscription is pricey (but offers location updates every 5 seconds!)

Trak-4 Car GPS Tracker

Best Battery
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Do you want a tracker that lasts up to 18 months on a single charge? The Trak-4 Car GPS Tracker makes tracking your vehicle fuss-free, with no hassle of activation or cancellation fees. In just minutes, you’ll be able to keep track of your vehicle from your phone, tablet, or computer via email and text alerts. With it, you’ll have top-tier cell-network coverage and get real-time updates, including in-motion pings ranging from one minute to one hour. This way, you’ll receive alerts when your car moves, so if it’s lost or stolen, you can track its movements easily.

Compared to the best overall, this tracker is more budget-friendly. Subscription plans start at just $6.99 a month if prepaid annually. Moreover, this tracker lets you choose ping rates from one minute to one hour, allowing you to balance battery life with tracking detail.

Why It Ranks Top
  • Long battery life, up to 18 months on a single charge
  • Easy setup—start tracking within minutes
  • Reliable email and text alerts for geofencing and battery status
  • Affordable subscription plans starting at $6.99 per month
What to Note
  • Tracks within the US; no worldwide coverage (ideal for US vehicles)

Bouncie Car GPS Tracker

Best Extras
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Want a tracker with built-in accident notifications? How about automatic reminders for license renewals, vehicle registration, and tire rotations? The Bouncie Car GPS Tracker offers detailed updates every 15 seconds, ensuring you always know exactly where your vehicle is. With its intuitive app, you can easily view your car’s location, route history, and speed. Of course, the tracker supports geo-fencing, allowing you to set up custom zones and receive notifications when your vehicle enters or leaves these areas. 

Moreover, if your vehicle is involved in an accident, this tracker will automatically send an SMS alert to your chosen contacts, helping you respond quickly in an emergency. Compared to other trackers like the Spytec, this tracker offers monitoring with added features like accident alerts and maintenance reminders. Although it requires a $9 monthly subscription, there are no hidden fees, and you can cancel anytime.

Why It Ranks Top
  • 4.7-star rating—3,000+ units sold this month
  • Real-time updates every 15 seconds while driving
  • Geo-fencing for customized zone notifications
  • Built-in accident notifications for immediate alerts
  • Tracks vehicle health and maintenance reminders
What to Note
  • Limited to North American coverage (US, Canada, Mexico)

Optimus Car GPS Tracker

Easy to Use
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Need real-time updates every 10 seconds? No problem. The Optimus Car GPS Tracker is all about giving you control without the hassle. Want to know if your vehicle is speeding or if it’s entered a restricted area? You’ll get an instant alert straight to your phone or email, thanks to the powerful app that keeps things simple and user-friendly.

Battery life? It’s solid. You get up to two weeks on a single charge with one-minute updates, and if you need it to last longer, just tweak the settings. Plus, with no long-term contracts, it’s easy on your wallet with flexible and affordable plans starting at $15.95 per month.

Why It Ranks Top
  • Customizable real-time updates as frequently as every 10 seconds
  • Instant alerts for movement, speeding, and geofencing
  • Easy-to-use app for straightforward tracking and reporting
  • Battery life—two weeks on a single charge
What to Note
  • Tracking is limited to the USA and Canada (perfect for North American tracking needs)

LandAirSea Car GPS Tracker

Value Pick
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The LandAirSea Car GPS Tracker is a top choice for monitoring vehicles, assets, and loved ones in real-time with full global coverage. In terms of power, the tracker plugs directly into your vehicle’s OBD-II port, providing discreet and continuous tracking without complicated installations. The standout feature of this tracker is its ultra-fast location updates every three seconds, ensuring you’re always aware of your vehicle’s whereabouts. You can track and map movements using the SilverCloud app, which integrates with Google Maps, and even access historical playback for up to a year. 

With a subscription starting at just $8.95 per month, this tracker provides affordable tracking with the flexibility to cancel anytime. Plus, with a lifetime warranty, you can trust that this USA-made device is built to last.

Why It Ranks Top
  • Real-time global tracking with updates every 3 seconds
  • Geo-fencing and tamper detection for enhanced security
  • Access to one-year historical playback for detailed tracking
  • Lifetime warranty and USA-based customer support
What to Note
  • No internal battery, so it only works when the vehicle is on

Choosing the Best Car GPS Tracker: A User's Guide

According to the NICB, in 2023, 1,020,729 Motor Vehicles Were Reported Stolen in the United States

It’s a staggering statistic, isn’t it? Every 31 seconds, someone’s car is stolen somewhere in the United States. Imagine stepping out of your home or workplace, only to find your vehicle missing. The panic sets in, and all you can think about is how to get it back.

A GPS tracker isn’t just a gadget; it’s peace of mind. With a reliable tracker installed in your car, you’ll know exactly where your vehicle is at all times. If someone tries to steal it, you can act immediately—tracking its location in real-time and providing law enforcement with the precise coordinates to recover it quickly. It’s like having a virtual security guard that never takes a break. Ultimately, why leave the security of your vehicle to chance when you can have real-time protection at your fingertips?

My Personal Picks

1. Spytec GPS Tracker

Best Overall Car GPS Tracker for Recovering Stolen Vehicles Quickly

Here’s a Quick Look at the Spytec GPS Tracker:

Spytec GPS GL300 Tracker

Why Choose It?

  • Tracks vehicle location in real-time with global coverage
  • 64% of customers give it a 5-star rating
  • Trusted brand known for reliable tracking devices
  • Excellent value with features like geofencing and speed alerts
  • Voted “best overall” GPS tracker by American Motors Review Team

2. Brickhouse Security GPS Tracker

Best Car GPS Tracker for Long-Term Tracking With Extended Battery Life

The Brickhouse Security car GPS tracker sold on Amazon

Image courtesy of Brickhouse Security

Why Choose It?

  • Provides reliable real-time tracking with international 4G LTE coverage
  • 78% of customers give it a 5-star rating
  • Trusted brand known for strong security solutions
  • Excellent value with long battery life and flexible subscription plans
  • Voted “runner-up” by our review team for vehicle tracking and security

What You Need to Consider When Choosing a Car GPS Tracker

1. Tracking Capabilities

Do you need worldwide coverage, or are you solely concerned with tracking in the US? The Spytec Car GPS Tracker, our best overall pick, offers worldwide real-time tracking with 4G LTE coverage. Most importantly, it offers low monthly subscription costs.

2. Battery Life

Battery life is important, especially if you don’t want to worry about frequent recharges. The Brickhouse GPS Tracker, our runner-up, stands out with its extended battery life of up to 140 days, thanks to its included extended battery pack. This makes it an excellent choice for long-term tracking, especially if you need to leave your vehicle unattended for extended periods.

3. Easy to Use

I hate complicated setups. Thankfully, the Spytec Car GPS Tracker offers an intuitive and user-friendly app, even for beginners. So, if you want a tracker that’s easy to set up and navigate, the Spytec is an excellent choice.

4. Subscription Costs

Consider the ongoing costs associated with your GPS tracker. Both the Spytec and Brickhouse trackers require a subscription for full functionality. The Spytec offers competitive pricing with nifty features, while the Brickhouse provides flexible plans that suit various budgets and needs.

Speaking from experience, there’s nothing worse than stepping outside and realizing your car has been stolen. Ultimately, a small monthly subscription fee can literally buy peace of mind.

A Personal Note

Let’s face it—driving today is more complicated than it used to be. Roads are busier, cars are more advanced, and security threats are everywhere. That’s why, in my opinion, every driver should have three essential tools: a GPS tracker, a car diagnostic tool, and a dash camera. But if I had to choose one to prioritize, it would be the GPS tracker, hands down.

Why the emphasis on a GPS tracker? When a car is stolen, every second counts. Whether it’s keeping tabs on your vehicle’s location, getting real-time updates, or setting up geofences to know when your car leaves a specific area, a GPS tracker gives you control and peace of mind. It’s your car’s best defense on the road. Having a GPS tracker isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity.

Car GPS Tracker FAQs

What is the most best-selling car GPS tracker?

The best-selling car GPS tracker often varies depending on the market and the time of year. However, as of recent trends, the Spytec Car GPS Tracker is one of the most popular and best-selling models due to its real-time tracking capabilities and wide range of features. In fact, 5,000 units of this tracker sold this month alone.

When would you choose the Brickhouse GPS Tracker over the Spytec GPS Tracker?

You might choose the Brickhouse GPS Tracker over the Spytec Car GPS Tracker if you need extended battery life for long-term tracking without frequent recharging, as the Brickhouse model offers up to 140 days of battery life. Additionally, if you prefer a more rugged, waterproof design that can withstand tough conditions, the Brickhouse tracker is a solid choice. It's also a great option if you want a tracker that’s easy to attach and secure with its magnetic case.

How accurate are GPS trackers for cars?

GPS trackers for cars are very accurate, often pinpointing a vehicle's location within a range of 3 to 10 meters. High-quality GPS trackers, especially those using advanced technology like 4G LTE and multi-satellite systems, can provide even more precise location data. Factors like signal strength, obstructions (such as tall buildings or dense forests), and the quality of the tracker itself can affect accuracy, but most modern devices are reliable enough for both personal and professional use.

Is a car GPS tracker worth the investment?

A car GPS tracker is definitely worth the investment if you want peace of mind and added security for your vehicle. Whether for personal use or managing a fleet, the protection and insights they offer make them valuable.

Which car GPS tracker has the most affordable subscription plan?

The Trak-4 Car GPS Tracker offers one of the most affordable subscription plans, starting at just $6.99 per month (as of this writing) if prepaid annually. This makes it a budget-friendly option for those looking for reliable GPS tracking without a high ongoing cost.

Contributors

American Motors Review Team
American Motors Review Team
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