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Best GPS Fleet Tracking Software and Systems for 2021

By Andrew Martins,
Business News Daily Staff
| Updated
Jan 26, 2021

After extensive research, we recommend these vendors as the best GPS fleet tracking systems and software for small businesses, including awards for the best value and best safety features.
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Real-time fleet insight
Online safety coaching for drivers
Driver-centric approach
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Best Software
Contract structure: Minimum 1-year required
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Best Value
Contract structure: No long-term contracts or cancellation fees
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Best for Small Businesses
Contract structure: 3-year required
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Best Reporting Features
Contract structure: Minimum 1-year required
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Verizon Connect
Best for Midsize Fleets
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Contract structure: 3-year required
NexTraq
Best Safety Features
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Contract structure: 3-year required
After extensive research, we recommend these vendors as the best GPS fleet tracking systems and software for small businesses, including awards for the best value and best safety features.
Updated 01/26/21

This page has been updated with a new section on the pros and cons of tracking your fleet via GPS.

GPS fleet tracking software and systems are necessary to monitor the vehicles and driving behavior of professional drivers. Fleet tracking software is a management system that uses GPS to keep track of the activity of company assets such as vehicles, equipment and workers. The software is the standard technology used in commercial motor vehicle operations. 

We've researched top providers to find the best options in 2020. You can view our top GPS fleet tracking services below, or check out our guide to choosing a GPS fleet tracking system first.

 

Find the Right GPS Fleet Tracking Software for Your Business

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Our Reviews

Azuga: Featured Sponsor

Azuga combines traditional GPS fleet tracking with driver visibility, gamification and rewards that focus on offering driver-centric benefits designed to improve safety and ROI. The service gives you a complete picture of what's happening on the road. In addition to location, Azuga provides details on drivers' speed, idling, stops and hard braking. Additionally, it highlights when and where any risky events occur. It also offers updates on vehicle health and diagnostics. The software is comprehensive, easy to use, and scalable for fleets of all types and sizes. There are no contracts with Azuga.

Samsara: Best Software

Contract structure: Minimum 1-year required The best GPS fleet tracking software is a company whose platform dwarfs industry competitors. By prioritizing a sleek, intuitive design, Samsara can provide businesses with the support and experience needed to integrate a new tool into their workflow. The best telematics software also makes it easy to understand the relevant data. This way, you can focus less on trying to understand data, gaining insights from information coming into your system and more time to run your business. Samsara was founded in 2015 by MIT researchers, so it's a relatively new company. This fresh perspective on the GPS fleet tracking industry has resulted in a company built on feedback from users. It has a sleek interface and intuitive dashboard setup. Samsara also provides advanced fleet tracking features, like dashcam integration. June 2020: Samsara recently announced the launch of a new feature intended to encourage safer driving. The driver safety score feature captures unsafe driving behavior, including tailgating and distracted driving, helping to reduce hazardous behavior among drivers in your fleet. Samsara has also implemented a driver efficiency score, which helps monitor fuel usage and offers drivers tips to reduce costs. Another new feature is an enhanced route performance tool, which offers smarter route tracking and additional route details. July 2020: Samsara and Navistar have partnered to develop a new integrated fleet management solution specifically for international trucks, called International 360. The platform includes a direct integration of telematics data with the Samsara platform, so existing users can leverage their familiar GPS fleet tracking solution for reporting. Additionally, Samsara's fault codes will be integrated into Navistar's OnCommand Connection platform, with the goal of streamlining vehicle maintenance and diagnostics. Samsara has also announced the development of its AI dashcam, saying it will soon be available.
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GPS TrackIt: Best Value

Contract structure: No long-term contracts or cancellation fees Our pick for best value prioritizes cost without sacrificing quality. There are many telematics providers out there that have robust programs but that come at a high cost. Finding a solution that doesn't break the bank but still provides decent services can be a challenge. This value pick is ideal for businesses that haven't used fleet tracking before and are looking to introduce it to their fleet. It's also ideal for companies currently working with a solutions provider that are looking to cut costs and migrate to a new service. GPS Trackit provides flexible solutions. It doesn't require long-term contracts, provides good hardware and even has a 30-day, money-back guarantee. There are a lot of inexpensive GPS fleet tracking options on the market, but GPS Trackit excels as a company that provides good service at a low price. It provides a range of safety reports, on-board temperature repots, speed and driver behavior reports, and other vehicle diagnostic indicators. This company also has a great online reputation with the Better Business Bureau and other telematics reviews websites we analyzed. GPS Trackit earned our best pick for value thanks to its solid services and ideal price point.
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Teletrac Navman: Best for Small Businesses

Contract structure: 3-year required Teletrac Navman provides small and midsize businesses with robust fleet tracking services. Overall, it offers great services in areas such as software usability, safety features, reporting options and overall ease of use. You can monitor driver behavior, improve fuel efficiency and optimize routes. The company also includes some service perks, like free hardware installation. Part of what separates Teletrac Navman from its competitors is its scalability. Its low vehicle minimum requirement means it can work with fleets of all sizes. It provides industry-standard 36-month contracts and offers compliance for ELDs, IFTA and DVIR. Its software platform is also one of the best we reviewed. It has an intuitive interface and data overlays to inform small business owners about traffic and bad weather.

November 2020: To help businesses transition to electronic fleets, Teletrac Navman has released the Electric Vehicle Readiness Tool. The tool integrates with Teletrac Navman's advanced suite of fleet management and tracking platforms, analyzes telematics data, and makes recommendations on how you can cost-effectively incorporate electric vehicles into your fleet. It also offers useful fleet information like cost comparisons, CO2 and fuel savings, and charger details.

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Quartix: Best Reporting Features

Contract structure: Minimum 1-year required Our pick for the software with the best reporting features is a company that goes above and beyond the standard reporting features other companies in the industry offer. With Quartix, businesses can stay up to date on their fleet with real-time metrics. Users can analyze fuel consumption, driver scorecards, vehicle history, maintenance reports and a host of other reports. It is one of the few players in this industry that provides driver analysis. Many companies offer vehicle-based safety and fuel reporting. With Quartix, you can pin those data types to drivers. This kind of flexibility is ideal for businesses looking to beef up their analytics.
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Verizon Connect: Best for Midsize Fleets

Contract structure: 3-year required Verizon Connect excels as a highly scalable service. Verizon rolled three major GPS fleet tracking companies (Telogis, Fleetmatics and Verizon Networkfleet) into one service offering, providing businesses everywhere with varying fleet tracking options. Verizon offers international telematics services, so you know your software is backed by solid GPS technology. Midsize fleets are larger than a typical small business fleet and require more features and services. More vehicles means more drivers, and that means more data flowing into a dispatcher. Verizon Connect provides fleet managers with the tools to manage all areas of their fleet. Verizon is one of the largest communication companies in the world, so your services are backed by a big company's reputation. It also means you'll be able to set up services that are ideal for your business. Verizon Connect, like many companies we reviewed in this industry, doesn't post its pricing online. While it most likely has its own basic service plans, there's also likely more wiggle room to get the exact services you need for your business. This flexibility, added to the breadth of Verizon Connect's services, makes it ideal for businesses with midsize fleets. August 2020: To help businesses mitigate risk and improve driver safety, Verizon Connect recently launched Integrated Video for Fleet, an extension of its Integrated Video for Reveal product. This feature uses AI and machine-learning to capture near real-time driving events and video analysis, and it is especially helpful for midsize businesses to monitor and protect their larger fleets. We will take this new integration into consideration during our next GPS fleet tracking evaluation. February 2020: The Better Business Bureau rating of Verizon Connect has recently improved to a B. Prior to this, the company had received an F rating. The BBB cites the reasons for its rating include a failure to respond to one customer complaint and the length of time it takes to respond. We will take this information into consideration when we next update our GPS fleet tracking reviews.
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NexTraq: Best Safety Features

Contract structure: 3-year required Our pick for fleet tracking software with the best safety features is NexTraq. Safety is an important aspect of fleet management, as it provides fleet managers with insight into driver performance and is often tied to other fleet management aspects, like fuel performance and maintenance. NexTraq provides businesses with solid GPS fleet tracking services and robust safety features. NexTraq users can track driver behavior, understand fleet safety trends, prevent mobile device use while vehicles are in motion and educate drivers through an online platform. It provides comparative driver analysis, so you'll understand a driver's performance in relation to other drivers in your fleet. This can help you provide incentives to top performers and coach inexperienced drivers. It's also good for drivers because it can protect your fleet in the event of an accident or other incident. In addition to these safety features, NexTraq provides a complete fleet tracking service with alerts and reporting, near-real-time tracking, and a wide range of other services. April 2020: NexTraq's mobile apps, NexTraq Connect and NexTraq View, have gotten a refresh. When users update and open the apps, they can expect to see new home screen icons to access the apps, a more modern look with new fonts, and a dark mode viewing option. While the dark mode is currently only available for Android devices, a dark mode option is expected to be unveiled on iOS soon.
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Costs of GPS Fleet Tracking

The total cost of your GPS fleet tracking service can vary depending on several key factors – specifically, the kind of hardware you want, how many devices you need, and what features you are looking for.

Costs typically involve an upfront fee for each hardware device and then a monthly service fee for the tracking service capabilities. Pricing starts at around $100 for hardware devices, with monthly subscriptions starting somewhere between $15 and $25. Some plans allow you to rent the hardware and will add that cost into your monthly fee. 

The average service agreement ranges from 12 to 36 months. Only a few companies we reviewed offer month-to-month plans, which allow users to cancel at any time. This flexibility is something to look for if you only need GPS fleet tracking for a short time. Some companies also offer free trials or money-back guarantees, which allow businesses to try out the tracking system risk-free. 

Pros and Cons of Tracking Your Fleet via GPS

Employers and fleet managers should be aware of the many advantages and limitations of using GPS fleet tracking services. Weigh the pros and cons to determine if these services are right for your business.

Pros

GPS fleet tracking offers several advantages, like improved driver safety, vehicle management and fuel management. The software is especially useful for helping employers maintain legal compliance and ensure their drivers are being safe on the road. With added tracking features like dash cameras and driver ID readers, you can gain extra insight into your fleet's operations.

GPS fleet tracking software includes alerts and reporting features that can help you make important business decisions. By tracking driver performance, route trends, and fuel consumption, your business can optimize fleet performance and save money.

Cons

There are two potential disadvantages of using GPS fleet tracking software: low employee morale and significant upfront costs. Your team may be uncomfortable with the monitoring system and view it as a lack of trust. Be upfront with your employees about how and why you are tracking them – focus on the benefits of the software. You can also potentially mitigate this limitation by using GPS tracking software data for performance-based incentives.

GPS fleet tracking software can also be expensive, which is a big disadvantage to some small businesses. However, the long-term benefits of optimizing routes and cutting fuel costs often outweigh the initial cost of the software.

Key takeaway: GPS fleet tracking can improve driver safety, fuel consumption, and vehicle health, but it can also have hefty upfront fees and reduce employee morale.

What Is GPS Fleet Tracking?

GPS fleet tracking is a management system often used by businesses in transportation industries (trucking, car services, etc.) to monitor their company assets (vehicles, equipment, workers). GPS tracking systems (telematics) allow companies to not only know where their merchandise and equipment are in near real time, but these solutions also provide useful details like driver performance and fleet data. A telematics solution can help your business reduce costs (like fuel consumption), manage vehicle maintenance, monitor your mobile workforce, and maintain driver safety and compliance.

GPS Fleet Tracking FAQs

What are the advantages of GPS fleet tracking software?

GPS fleet tracking offers several advantages like improved driver safety, vehicle management and fuel management. By tracking driver performance, route trends, and fuel consumption, businesses can optimize fleet performance and save money.

What are the disadvantages of using GPS fleet tracking software?

There are two potential disadvantages of using GPS fleet tracking software: low employee morale and significant upfront costs. Your team may be uncomfortable with the monitoring system and view it as a lack of trust. Be upfront with your employees, though, about how and why you are tracking them – focus on the benefits of the software.

GPS fleet tracking software can also be expensive, which can be a disadvantage to some small businesses. However, the long-term benefits of optimizing routes and cutting fuel costs often eventually outweigh the initial upfront cost of the software.

What should you look for in a GPS fleet tracking software?

While certain features (and benefit of those features) depends on your business's unique needs, standard GPS fleet tracking software should include driver safety tracking, navigation and communication options, fuel card integration, dashboards with trending key metrics, and ongoing customer support. The best GPS fleet tracking solutions are easy to use and often have additional features like alert systems and mobile access.

What to Expect in 2020

As with many other tracking services, we expect artificial intelligence to continue its integration with GPS fleet tracking software in 2020. 

Technological advancements like augmented reality will be a key trend we expect to see in the future. An immersive experience of the real-world environment, with computer-generated sensory input like video or haptic feedback, may soon enter the realm of fleet tracking. Using windshields as screen displays for traffic alerts or mapping fleet routes could become a reality in the years to come. 

We also expect GPS fleet tracking software to become more affordable in 2020. GPS technology is normal in transportation industries and becoming less expensive, opening up its use to businesses of all sizes.  

May 2020: In a review of more than 100 million miles of driving data by commercial fleets using Teletrac Navman GPS fleet tracking solutions, the company found a significant change in driving behavior during the first 36 days of the federal declaration of emergency due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

These changes included a 20% decrease in the average distance driven. Additionally, there were signs that drivers were behaving more recklessly, including a 17% increase in speeding, a 10% increase in failures to stop at stop signs and a 15% increase in "harsh cornering" (turns taken at high speeds or sharp angles). The data covers the period of March 13 to April 17 and was first reported on May 19.

Our Methodology

To help you find the right GPS fleet tracking services, we researched and analyzed dozens of options. Here is a roundup of our 2020 best picks for GPS fleet tracking services and explanations of how we chose them.

Locating the Best Services

Our review process involves putting ourselves in the mindset of a small business owner and gathering data that would be readily available to potential business customers. We conduct our research by visiting company websites, calling customer service representatives and considering online reviews from customers.

Choosing the Best Services

To find the best GPS fleet tracking services for small business, we started by analyzing over 50 companies. We compiled this list by looking at major industry players, considering individual review requests, analyzing reputable review websites and searching for GPS fleet tracking companies. We narrowed this initial list down by analyzing the service, including the reputation of the company, how long it has been in business, the breadth of reporting features the solution offered and whether the service was geared toward small businesses.

Researching Each Service

In our next round of research, we scrutinized the service's tracking and safety features, its dashboard and user interface, the pricing and contract structure, and whether the company earned a review in the past. This left us with 13 remaining companies.

Our Best Picks

We determined six best picks from this list of 13 based on standout features in each company. We did a deeper dive into various service aspects, like contract length, software usability, installation fees and setup, software refresh time, minimum vehicle requirements and customer service. After determining the final six best picks, we conducted sales calls and product demos. We examined the finalists' cancellation policies, support options and overall customer service. For companies that didn't offer demos, we analyzed video overviews of the software provided by the companies.

Andrew Martins
Andrew Martins
Business News Daily Staff
See Andrew Martins's Profile
I am a former newspaper editor who has transitioned to strictly cover the business world for business.com and Business News Daily. I am a four-time New Jersey Press Award winner and prior to joining my current team, I was the editor of six weekly newspapers that covered multiple counties in the state.

Full List of GPS Fleet Tracking Services

Advanced Tracking Technologies is a GPS fleet tracking system with strong customer service and a range of tracking options.
Brickhouse Security is a GPS fleet tracking service with month-to-month service and many basic tracking features.
Budget GPS offers ignition reports, idle reports, geofencing and speed alerts, and traffic updates. Businesses can enroll in budget GPS without signing a long-term contract, and Budget GPS provides resources to make your fleet more efficient. The software updates every 20 seconds, so you always have an accurate location of your driver.
BudgetGPS provides small businesses with a low-cost GPS fleet tracking option.
CalAmp is a GPS fleet tracking service with high-quality software and breadcrumb trail features.
Fleetio provides fleet tracking services for small businesses.
Fleetmatics is a popular GPS fleet tracking service with an informative dashboard and comprehensive tracking options. Learn more in our review.
Telogis is a GPS fleet tracking system with multiple features and a high customer service score. Read our review to find out more.
Verizon Networkfleet's GPS fleet tracking software is easy to use, and its hardware can provide plenty of tracking information. Read our review to learn more.
Zonar offers GPS fleet tracking services for mass transit, vocational and freight industries. This fleet tracking service provides fleet optimization, driver productivity data, compliance information and verified pre- and post-trip inspections. Zonar also offers fuel efficiency tracking.
FleetWave offers fleet management software designed to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
Btracking offers GPS fleet tracking services and can install the trackers in about 30-45 minutes, according to the company's website. Features of Btracking's services include vehicle diagnostics, a driver scorecard, maintenance tracking and more.
ClearPathGPS offers vehicle tracking for fleets of any size. It's also upfront with its pricing and flexible in its agreement structure.
Fleetistics is a GPS fleet tracking service with customizable software that can tell you just about anything about your vehicles.
Omnitracs is flexible GPS fleet tracking software with a modern interface for simple, intuitive use. You can manage fuel consumption, driver safety and route optimization on Omnitracs' software.
Onfleet is GPS fleet tracking software designed especially for small businesses making local deliveries. Its mobile app is simple and intuitive, with no accompanying hardware to install.
Rhino Fleet Tracking is a GPS fleet tracking system with many features and month-to-month service.
Featured Sponsor
Azuga provides fleet tracking services for small businesses, with easy-to-install hardware and robust software features.
GPS Insight provides a fully customizable dashboard and a standard suite of GPS fleet tracking services for all business sizes.
Geotab offers fleet tracking services and GPS resources for small businesses across the globe.
Features of Trackimo's GPS fleet tracking service include the ability to track multiple devices, a low annual service cost and alerts when users enter or exit locations.

GPS Trackit is a low-cost telematics platform with great features for small business. It offers month-to-month services, a money-back guarantee, and online transparency about its pricing and contract structure. It's a great value pick because of its low cost and flexible service offering. Just because it's value, though, doesn't mean it sacrifices anything in terms of its features. This company offers full ELD compliance, safety features and vehicle diagnostics. It also has great reviews with the Better Business Bureau. 

GPS Trackit allows small business owners to use the same powerful features larger companies have enjoyed for years. This means smaller fleets can benefit from the insight this type of technology provides. It's also a great way to meet the requirements of the ELD mandate that was recently enacted. GPS Trackit is a full-fledged solution and platform for small business. It provides fleet managers with access and insights that prove to be competitive in the industry. 

Pricing and Contract 

GPS Trackit is a transparent company. Many companies we reviewed tried to hide their pricing information or make you go through the sales process in order to learn what their plans are. GPS Trackit is one of the few companies that lists its pricing and contract structure directly on its website. It doesn't have any contract requirements. 

Instead, to commit to its services, you pay $23.95 per month. There are no activation fees, and GPS Trackit offers a 30-day, money-back guarantee. This is a marquee feature that not many companies provide. In fact, most of the companies we reviewed do not offer any kind of money-back guarantee. One of the few other companies we evaluated that does offer a money-back guarantee was Onfleet, our best pick for value. 

With no contract requirement and a money-back guarantee. GPS Trackit is one of the most flexible fleet tracking solutions we reviewed. It has a strong platform with refresh times ranging from 30 seconds to one minute, depending on your plan. There's no vehicle minimum, so you'll be able to partner with GPS Trackit even if you only have one vehicle in your fleet. This adds to the overall flexibility of the service. 

GPS Trackit doesn't sacrifice quality in its flexibility. It has a very robust compliance offering, providing support for ELDs. This can help you ensure HoS and better understand your driver's hours. You can read more about this company's compliance offering here.

Features and Services 

  • Hardware and installation: GPS Trackit's offers both OBD II port device hardware and more advanced hardware. The company says its advanced hardware is easy to install, and most customers install the device themselves. This can be done by hooking up the hardware to various information centers throughout the vehicle. You can read more about the installation process and watch a GPS Trackit installation video here.

  • Safety: GPS Trackit provides multiple reports on your fleet. You can view drivers safety reports, vehicle health reports, onboard temperature reports, speed reports and other vehicle diagnostics indicators. The reporting features of GPS Trackit's software are impressive. It's why GPS Trackit is such a strong value pick – it doesn't sacrifice quality despite its price. You can read more about the company's safety reports here.

  • Fuel performance: In addition to several safety reports, you can analyze and optimize your fleet's routes to make the most out of your fuel. You can view driver behavior and safety through a fuel efficiency lens, prevent idling and coach drivers to be more fuel efficient. GPS Trackit also offers fuel card integration, so you can closely manage fuel spending, control access and monitor your fleet's fuel consumption. You can read more about fuel management here.

  • Maintenance: Like the company's safety reporting features, there are reports for vehicle diagnostics. It can handle basic management of vehicle diagnostics, like airbags, brakes, coolant, cruise control, ignition, oil pressure and other marquee diagnostics. You can also troubleshoot engine issues and set alerts to manage preventative maintenance. You can read more about vehicle diagnostic reports here.

  • Alerts: GPS Trackit's software works on tablets and mobile phones, so you'll be able to manage your fleet from anywhere. You can set alerts for idling, speeding, ignition, maintenance reminders and driver behavior. You can also customize your alerts around driver behavior, so you can stay up to date on the most pertinent information in your fleet. You can read more about alerts here.

  • Customer reviews: GPS Trackit is one of the few companies we reviewed that has an A+ with the Better Business Bureau and is also accredited by the business rating agency. Many companies we reviewed were either accredited and had low scores or weren't accredited and had high scores. As of the date this review was written, there were no complaints on the company's page either. GPS Trackit garnered good reviews on other telematics review sites as well. This company has one of the strongest online reputations of any company we reviewed. 

Pros and Cons

  • Pros
    • GPS Trackit is a low-cost solution with robust features.
    • There are no long-term contract requirements with GPS Trackit.
    • GPS Trackit has excellent reporting features and a good online reputation. 
  • Cons
    • GPS Trackit is a transparent company that provides good services. We didn't find any major drawbacks to partnering with this company, although it's important to think critically about your business's needs before deciding which fleet tracking service to partner with. 

Ease of Use 

GPS Trackit has a solid platform. It can be used on desktop and mobile devices, so you can check in on your fleet from anywhere.  Its dashboards feature maps, metrics and include all the relevant information for your fleet. It also breaks down key metrics and analytics into simple graphs and dashboards so you can get the most relevant insights out of your data.

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