Consider a situation where one of your family members is out in a car and you want to know where they are without calling them. How would you do that? GPS is the best way to track any vehicle. Are there any good GPS trackers? Yes, there are plenty of them and we have compiled seven best-hidden GPS trackers for cars. Spytec GL300 is best among all.
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Best Hidden GPS Tracker For Car
1. Spytec GL300 – Best For Investigator
Spytec GL300 is one of the most reliable and best-selling GPS trackers in the market. It is a versatile tracker that can be used in cars, backpacks, and many more. Like most of the latest GPS trackers, it uses the 4G LTE network for connectivity. We like the small compact design which is easy to hide inside a car. You can hide it under the seat, trunk, dashboard, or any other enclosed space.
The way spy tec STI GL300 real time vehicle gps tracker has been designed it can only be placed in some kind of compartment. There are no adhesive or screw holes to fix the tracker permanently. We think it is a good thing because you can maintain the tracker as well as recharge it whenever required. You require Spytec app to receive the data from the tracker. The app allows you to track the essay 24/7. Also, the data is updated every 5-60 seconds depending on the subscription which allows you to track the live location of your vehicle.
The tracker users for a 4G LTE network for connectivity. When the connection is good can track the vehicle accurately. However, when the signal is weak like in remote locations the accuracy may vary up to a mile. The tracker works perfectly if you are in a city. You will have to buy a subscription in order to get the most out of the tracker. There are three types of subscription basic, premium, and Elite. You can choose any one of them depending on your requirement.
- You can get email alerts.
- Almost 2 weeks of battery life.
- It provides an accurate location in good signal areas.
- Extra features are available with premium and Elite subscriptions.
- The app is very easy to use.
- The unit is not waterproof.
Bottom Line
We would recommend this product if you own several cars or a fleet of vehicles for business. Also, we would recommend that you go for the subscription if you want to talk about several vehicles.
2. LandAirSea 54 – Best Waterproof Unit
The first thing that impressed us the most is the compact size of the tracker. Probably it is the most compact GPS tracker on our list. The tracking uses magnets so that you can fix it on any metal surface of the car. Also, since it is a waterproof unit you can even fix it under your car. This is the main reason we think it is the most durable hidden GPS tracking device that anyone can use. It is perfect for private investigators.
There is no requirement of wiring or any kind of drilling for the installation of the tracker. Just find a metal surface and stick the tracker. We extensively tested it on rough routes to see if the tracker remains in place. Even if the road is bumpy the tracker stays. Like any other tracker, it also uses its own app for the smartphone. Using any 4G network it provides the accurate location of your vehicle.
During testing, we used the geofencing feature of the app. We created a parameter around the car. Once the car left the parameter we received a timely alert on our phone via both SMS as well as email. We were also able to track the live location of the car accurately. In order to test the durability of the tracker, we exposed it to the water and also some shocks. Even in such situations, the tracker was able to give an accurate location.
- It provides an accurate location.
- The unit is waterproof.
- The installation is easy due to the magnetic mount.
- Geofencing feature is available.
- Costly monthly subscription.
- The battery life is around 1.5 to 2 weeks only.
Bottom Line
This type of GPS tracker is perfect for investigators. Due to its compact size and magnet mount, it is easy to deploy onto a target’s car. Also, we believe it is the best waterproof hidden GPS tracker for cars.
3. Vyncs – Best For Transport Business
Vyncs takes the GPS tracker to the next level. Using the tracker you not only track the vehicle but you can also know how the driver is performing. You can know minute details like their speed, acceleration, fuel, and many more. If you are the owner of a fleet of vehicles we would recommend you try this GPS tracker. It is specifically designed for vehicle tracking as it uses OBD cable and power cable. With a compact size of 2.40 x 1.90 x 0.90 inches it is easy to hide it under the hood. The driver wouldn’t realize it was there.
Thought the device uses OBD extension, it works with both non-OBD compliant vehicles as well as the OBD complaint. We tested the unit with both light and heavy vehicles. The installation is pretty straightforward. Take look at the manual if you have any doubts. Once installed, it provides data using any 4G data network. We were really impressed with the app and software of the Vsyncs. It is really powerful for a fleet manager. You manage almost any size of the fleet right from the dashboard of the app. You can learn about fuel consumption, determine the delivery time, and do much more.
When the signal is good, the vehicle tracks accurately to several meters. Yes, due to its design to gather different types of data, it is not possible to install almost anywhere on the vehicle. It has to be near the OBD extension port or the power. Also, since it is a professional-grade tracker, you can expect higher subscription costs. We wouldn’t recommend it for an individual but for a business that owns a fleet of vehicles, it is the best hardwired GPS tracker for car.
- Wired tracker.
- It provides a lot of information in addition to location.
- Well designed companion software and app.
- It helps save a lot on fuel expenses.
- You can say it is completely hidden.
- Higher subscription charges.
Bottom Line
Looking at the design and the way it functions, it made for a business rather than an individual. However, it is still one of the well designed hidden GPS tracker for car. You can also expect good customer support due to a quality brand.
4. Tracki 2020 Model Mini – Best For Live Tracking
Tracki is one of the most popular brands when it comes to a hidden GPS tracker for car. There are several different GPS trackers in the market but this particular model is one of the most compact trackers that you can buy. Dimension is just 1.7 x 1.5 x 0.6 inches which suggests it is almost as big as coin of a quarter dollar. Due to its magnet mount, you can deploy on any metal surface of your car.
After installation, we downloaded the companion app of Tracki. The app is pretty basic but provides the required data. On contrary to other GPS trackers it uses a 3G network for data transmission. I think it is a good thing because the 3G network has wider coverage than 4G. Even in areas with the weak network we were able to track the vehicle just because of the 3G network. Yes, the older generation network has its own drawback. You will have to deal with slower internet connectivity. The location was updated in 4-6 minutes rather than in 5-60 seconds.
We also looked at the subscription charges of a tracker. If you compare the charges it is much lower than other hidden GPS tracking device. Even the cost of the GPS unit is much budget-friendly. Though the product is good, there were two things that we didn’t like. Firstly, the battery life is only one to two days if used for 24/7 live tracking. But the manufacturer says, with 5 to 10 minutes of tracking per day you can extend battery life up to 30 days. Secondly, it is not weatherproof, hence you will have to take care of the tracker during rainy days.
- Easy to install.
- Lower subscription fees.
- It uses a replaceable battery.
- It is budget-friendly.
- The location update rate may be higher in low network areas.
Bottom Line
If you are looking for a budget-friendly GPS tracker that provides you a means to track your vehicles accurately than it is a perfect option. It is not weatherproof and has a low battery life compared to other GPS trackers but it is a good option.
5. PRIMETRACKING -Best Unit With App
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If you want a GPS tracker that can be moved to other vehicles whenever you want, you can go for PRIMETRACKING Personal GPS Tracker. It is a pocket-friendly GPS tracker that is perfect for personal use. It is almost like the Spytech GL 300. Almost similar in design. You can fit into a glove box, trunk, under the seat and or any other enclosed place. There is no magnet, or adhesive if you want to fix it beneath the car.
Prime Tracking has a very good app that provides not only the current location but also shows the history if you want to know where your car has been in the last few days. It can locate your car even if it is Mexico or Canada as it is compatible with all the major telecom operators in the North American peninsula. In a city where there is a good 4G signal, it can track your car quite effectively. We also tested the tracker in remote areas where there are inconsistent signals. The live location tracking is a struggle but location does get updated when there is an adequate signal.
Yes, the geofencing features are available with the tracker. It does send you SMS or email whenever the car is out of the set parameter area. Prime tracking offers 24 x 7 monitoring services if you want. It costs between $9-20 per month depending on the package. However, there is no additional activation cost or fees.
- It is very easy to use.
- More than two weeks of battery life.
- Provides live tracking.
- Geofencing.
- No activation or any contract fees.
- Not waterproof.
Bottom Line
If you are looking for a GPS tracker that has no contract or activation fees, the PRIMETRACKING Personal GPS Tracker does present a very compelling case. We believe it is the best hidden gps tracker for car no monthly fee. There are charges only if you buy their monitoring services.
6.Optimus 2.0 Bundle – Most Durable unit
Most of the GPS trackers that we have mentioned here either have a mounting system or not. But the Optimus 2.0 can be used in both ways. If you want to just place it in our car so that you can remove it later or use the twin magnet case if you want to place it under your car. The size of the tracker is bigger than other cases which are 3.2×1.5×1.8 inches but it is easy to hide it with the help of a magnet case.
We tested the accuracy of the GPS by using it in a car. With a strong 4G network, it performs just like any other quality GPS tracker. The app has all the necessary features like SMS or email alert, geofencing, and various driving reports. The tracker also has SOS if you plan to use the tracker for keeping your family safe. There is no contract fees which makes one of the most affordable GPS trackers. It is another best hidden gps tracker for car no monthly fee. However, if you want you can buy there monitoring services which cost around $20 per month.
With this hidden GPS tracker device major attraction is the separate magnet case. It is not just a case that allows you to fix the tracker under the car but it also protects the tracker. The manufacturer has not specified if it is waterproof but we did test it with a little splash of water and it still worked. We suggest you not to do something like this if you decide to buy.
- Provides live tracking.
- Geofencing.
- Battery capacity is good.
- It also provides driving reports like speeding.
- Separate magnet case.
- Not waterproof.
Bottom Line
If you plan to use the tracker in both discrete and open manner, the Optimus 2.0 Bundle GPS Tracker lets you do that because of the quality magnet case.
7. Trak-4 – Best Unit With High Battery Capacity
Trak 4 is something different than other GPS trackers in terms of design. It has screw holes that allow you to fix the hidden GPS tracker device permanently to your vehicle. Also, it is rugged and can survive any kind of route. Looking at the qualities, we believe it would be perfect for vehicles traveling on long routes like 4×4 off road cars, pickup trucks, etc. Even the battery is designed for long tours. With a single charge, it can run up to 18 months.
During testing, we realized that it requires you to drill holes to fix the unit at some secured place on your vehicle. However, you can also keep it under the seat, or in a glove box if you want. But due to its bulky size which is around 4.10 x 2.25 x 1.10 inches, you can aspect it to stay hidden. We took a closer look at the app. It covers most of the areas that you need from a hidden GPS tracker for cars. It has geofencing and provides regular updates on the location of your vehicle via email or SMS.
We tested in different areas and with varying signal strengths. It provides an accurate location but does have a slower ping rate compared to other trackers. It has a ping rate ranging from 1 minute to an hour which is much slower compared to other trackers which have 6-30 seconds of ping rate. We won’t recommend it if you plan to use it live to track.
- It can be used on rugged roads.
- Higher battery life.
- No contract.
- Lower monitoring rates.
- Slower ping rates.
- It is not easy to hide.
Bottom Line
The Trak 4 is recommended if you are looking for a vehicle tracker that has a higher battery capacity. There is no other GPS that has such a high battery capacity.
Buyer’s Guide – What To Consider ?
For effective tracking of a car, there are few things that have to be right. Two of the most important is the GPS and wireless connectivity. For connectivity, you are at the mercy of telecom operators but you can choose the right GPS. There are some aspects of GPS that you must know before making a purchase. They will help you identify not only the best-hidden GPS tracker for cars but also the most effective for your car tracking requirements. Let’s look at them one by one.
1. Design
You will find two types of GPS in terms of design. Firstly, you will find GPS trackers that are standalone devices. You don’t need to install them. Just place them in a space where it remains hidden. The second type is the one that can be fixed. These types of trackers either use magnets adhesive or screws for installation. Both types serve their own purpose. Standalone ones can be used for quick deployment and can be retrieved easily once the work is done. The other can be permanently fixed to a vehicle that needs tracking every time it’s out. Trucking businesses use such hidden GPS tracker for car. While looking at the design you also have to look at the size of the tracker. If you specifically want to use it for investigation you want it to be as small as possible. You want something that is easy to slip into the pocket. Based on the needs, the type of GPS you need changes.
2. Connectivity
Another important aspect that you have to keep in mind while buying a hidden GPS tracker for car is how the tracker connects to the companion app or software so that you can see the location of your vehicle on a map. Most of the GPS trackers we have tested use SIM to connect with 4G networks. With some GPS trackers, you do get an option of connecting with WiFi or Bluetooth but we would recommend only SIM compatible trackers. The 4G network has much wider coverage which allows you to track your vehicle in almost any state. Yes, 4G trackers do have a monthly charge but they are minimal averaging around $6-9. And if you buy an annual subscription it costs even less. You can always check with the seller about the rate you will have to pay for the connectivity and monitoring subscriptions.
3. App
The app is another crucial aspect of GPS tracking as it will be the center of every activity. Using the app you will be able to see the exact location of the vehicle on a map. Some of the hidden GPS tracker for car also offer details like speed, past routes, and even fuel consumption. All the trackers that we have tested have companion apps and they are available for both Android and Apple devices. Also, the apps are available for free. Some of the apps do have full-fledged software to manage a fleet of cars or vehicles. The Vyncs is the best example of it. While buying you have to look at the type of data it provides. If you want to know more than just the location of the vehicle, you need a GPS tracker that provides the details via its app.
4.Tracking Accuracy
One that you want from a hidden GPS tracker for car is accuracy. It cannot be flawed because it can cost you your car or in the worst-case loss of life. Since most of the trackers make use of 4G networks, you can be sure that data is accurate. Most of the telecom operators are trying to improve the 4G infrastructure so that they cover even the remote areas in the country like the USA and Canada. It’s your choice which operator you use but we advise you to use the operator that has the best coverage in your region. One more thing you can do to improve the accuracy is to use a tracker that has good battery life. Accuracy may get affected if the battery runs out too quickly during live tracking. At the low battery, GPS may struggle to offer the right data.
5. Geofencing
Geofencing is a great feature to have if you are concerned about your car being stolen or someone from your family taking your car without permission. With geofencing, you set a security parameter for your car. You designate a region where your car should be and as soon it leaves the area, you are notified via SMS or email. Most of the GPS trackers that we have tested have this feature. Notification updates may vary depending on the GPS tracker, connectivity and the monitoring subscription are using. The ones we have mentioned in the post provides immediate notification. So you can go for any of them if you are particular about getting a GPS tracker with geofencing.
6. Battery Life
Most of the machines have that one part which is like the heart of the machine. GPS is a battery. If the battery is full and healthy, GPS will continue to function perfectly. Once the battery gets low, tracking accuracy will go down as well as it may lose connectivity. Hence, you want a battery that has high capacity and doesn’t require recharging too often. Fortunately, the manufacturers understand this. That is why almost all the GPS we have tested had battery life of around two to three weeks. Trak-4 has a battery life of 18 months which is the highest among all the trackers.
7. Durability
You might plan to install the GPS beneath the car. In such a situation, GPS is exposed to elements like dirt, heat, water, and many more. You want your GPS tracker to withstand all. Not just survive the extreme elements but also it must continue to offer the location of your vehicle. The good thing is most GPS trackers today are waterproof. Especially those which can be installed on the outer body of the car. LandAirSea 54 is the best examples of waterproof hidden GPS trackers for cars. The tracker must be waterproof as well as it must be able to take shocks and dirt. For this, you have to look at the quality of the material used for the housing. The Optimus 2.0 Bundle comes with a magnet case that is specifically designed for durability.
8. Subscription Cost
As far as there is no contract or activation fee if you go for the trackers that we have mentioned on our list. But they do have options for paid monitoring services. If you buy these services you have access to extra features which includes live tracking as well as alerts. Make sure you contact the manufacturer about the services they offer. Each has its own features and packages. As far as the prices are concerned, they can range from $ 6-30 depending on the company and the services they offer in a package.
FAQs
1. Does the GPS tracker for cars work if installed underneath the car?
Yes, GPS trackers work perfectly if placed underneath the car. However, make sure that the mount it uses is of good quality. We recommend a GPS tracker that uses a magnet mount.
2. Is GPS tracker legal?
As long as you are using it for tracking your own car or vehicle it is legal. As far as the legality of using a tracker on a third party vehicle you have to check your state laws.
3. Which is the best place to hide the tracker in a car?
There are several places where you can hide the tracker in your car:
– You can hide in the dashboard.
– Underneath your car.
– In rear or front bumpers.
– If there is a place, you can place it in the brake light.
– Inside the car seat cushion.
– Behind the glove box.
– Over the pedals.
– Trunk has a lot of hiding spots.
4. How can you find the tracker in your car?
Well, you can do a manual check of all the spots like we have mentioned in the above question. You can also buy an electric sweeper which detects the devices that emit radio signals.
5. Can you use Bluetooth for a GPS tracker?
Yes, you can use a GPS tracker with Bluetooth connectivity. However, the Bluetooth device will have to be connected to the internet so that you can constantly monitor the exact location.
6. Do cars have tracking devices for repo?
Yes, they do have it if it is a newly bought car. And since most of the cars are bought with finances, dealers tend to use GPS trackers.
Final Thought
While buying GPS trackers you will have almost similar-looking options. Way to find which is best for you is to look at what you want to get out of the GPS tracker. Whether you are a business owner who has a fleet of vehicles, you are a car dealer or an individual who wants to keep his family safe, all have different purpose GPS trackers. So try to invest only in what you need.
Spytec GL300- Editor's Choice
Summary
We would recommend this product if you own several cars or a fleet of vehicles for business. Also, we would recommend that you go for the subscription if you want to talk about several vehicles.
Hard wired is probably a better option since the magnetic ones need to be recharged and remounted, they can also fall off at times when going over speed bumps.