Autocar product test: What GPS tracker is best?

Autocar says: 5 stars

Recommended - iTrack FS100 

Price: £65

Buy from: Amazon

Min monthly payment: £4.79

The iTrack is the same hardware as the TruTrak, and the compact device takes up very little space and will fit a 12V battery even if it’s in a really awkward place in the car. It offers a comprehensive app with full tracking information, geofencing features, speed alerts and more. We found the set-up and customer support were very good, too. Only the purchase price lets it down.

Autocar says: 4 stars

Best budget buy - Shield GPS  

Price: £28.99

Buy from: Amazon

Min monthly payment: £4.99

The Shield GPS is an OBD device that requires a separate SIM card, but it’s easy to activate when the SIM is installed. The phone app has journey tracking and live location, plus speed alerts and geofencing so that it sends an alert if the tracker goes outside of your chosen area. It’s a good price, and the monthly fee is reasonable, too. However, none of our OBD devices will be good for older cars that may not have the necessary port, which is a chief reason why we favour those that fit directly to the battery.

Autocar says: 4 stars

Amatrac AM-T22

Price: £49.99

Buy from: Amazon

Min monthly payment: £2.50 (SIM card only)

The Amatrac plugs into your car's OBD port, so it doesn’t need charging at all. It took us a while to set up the tracker, which you can do only after you’ve purchased a SIM card. There’s no subscription, but you have to keep the account topped up to keep the tracker live. Once working, it offers live tracking, historic data and various alerts; but while the features are comprehensive, the app itself is more complicated to figure out than some others. 

Autocar says: 4 stars

Carlock Advanced Real-Time Tracker

Price: £39.90

Buy from: Amazon

Min monthly payment: £6.95

This tracker fits into your car’s OBD port. It's easy to activate and use, but it’s a chunky device and can be hard to hide back behind your dashboard or interior trim. You may need the extra £9 extension cable to make it fit. It will alert you when the car is started or exceeds a pre-set speed limit and offers accurate location and journey tracking. The phone app is the best here for ease of use and functionality. 

Autocar says: 4 stars

Rewire 104 Pro

Price: £79.99

Buy from: Amazon

Min monthly payment: £5

This magnetic, waterproof tracker is seriously chunky and can be attached to the underside of your vehicle (which is good, as it’s so big that it will take up most of your glovebox). The app shows journey history, an instant walking route back to the tracker and a live location. It needs to be recharged every 90 days, though, or much more often than that if you use the live tracking mode, which uses the battery more quickly than the low-energy mode that records the location every minute or two.

Autocar says: 3 stars

Streetwize GPS tracker

Price: £48.55

Buy from: Amazon

Min monthly payment: £10 every 120 days

The Streetwize is a basic tracker that gives a live location via text message rather than offering full map tracking as you get with most alternatives, although you can pay for extra functions. The SIM card is pre-installed, making it easy to activate and get it working, and there’s no monthly contract. It does have to be topped up with at least £10 every 120 days to keep the account active, though. You can attach it to your 12V battery with the supplied cables, which is our preferred method of powering a tracker; otherwise you’ll have to charge it every month or so.