8 Best Personal GPS Tracker Devices

8 Best Personal GPS Trackers – Security Expert Picks For 2023

Are you someone who is always on-the-go, but wants to keep track of your loved ones, pets, or valuable assets? Or maybe you’re a business owner who needs to monitor your employees and vehicles while they’re out in the field. Whatever the reason, personal GPS trackers will allow for real-time tracking of what matters most to you. Pretty cool right? As GPS tracking experts, we understand the importance of finding the best personal GPS tracker for your specific needs. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the top-rated devices with a range of features, from real-time location tracking, geofencing alerts, and advanced two-way communication. Now, let’s take a closer look at the best personal GPS trackers and find the perfect device for you!

What Is A Personal GPS Tracker?

A personal GPS tracker is a device that enables you to locate an individual, asset, or item using GPS data from Global Positioning Satellites orbiting in space. Some personal GPS tracking systems only store location data, while others have a transmitter that allows real-time viewing of GPS data. These devices are commonly used to improve safety and security. Applications include tracking family members, pets, lost items, and vehicles. As well as, providing real-time location data for hikers, wandering seniors, and children.

How A Personal GPS Tracker Works

Personal GPS trackers can be attached to a car, person, or asset, where the GPS data can then be reviewed in real time via web-enabled device (active GPS) or downloaded at a later time (Passive GPS). Personal GPS tracking works by giving users detailed information on the precise location, speed, arrival/departure addresses, and more.

SpaceHawk GPS – Best Personal Tracker For Car

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SpaceHawk is the first portable GPS that can be used for everything from catching a cheating spouse to tracking business vehicles.

What makes SpaceHawk stand above other tracker devices such as Geozilla GPS and the Brickhouse Security Spark Nano are the awesome features. First of all, with unlimited updates every 3 seconds, no other vehicle tracker on the market updates as fast as SpaceHawk. However, the most impressive feature of this product is the housing design. Why? SpaceHawk is the only product that is small, waterproof, and engineered with a powerful magnetic mount. This makes it easy to put the tracker inside or outside any vehicle!

For less than $100, the SpaceHawk GPS locator will allow you to discover the truth about what any driver is really doing. So if you want to secretly track service vehicles, cars, or assets without them knowing, SpaceHawk is the personal GPS tracker we recommend.

Check out real customer reviews on SpaceHawk car GPS tracker by CLICKING HERE!

Features:

Waterproof + Magnetic Mount
Rechargeable Battery
Location History Updates Every 3 Seconds
Super Easy Tracker App (iOS + Android)
Free Tech Support

Specifications:

Dimensions: D: 2.275″ H: 0.945″
Battery Life: 1-3 Weeks

Spot X With SOS Protection – Best Personal GPS Tracker For Hiking

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Perfect for the avid hiker and adventurer, the Spot X personal GPS tracking devices offer worldwide coverage if you find yourself in remote locations. With this mini GPS tracker, you can connect with search and rescue services at the push of a button via the GlobalStar satellite network wherever you travel.

An average of 120 to 150 people die each year from hiking accidents, and another four to five thousand suffer injuries on trails from incidents like falling off of trails, encountering bad weather, or exposure after getting lost. If you’re ever lost without cellular coverage, the Spot X is, without a doubt, a leader among GPS location trackers. This rugged personal tracker has a nice, easy-to-read widescreen and QWERTY keyboard for sending short messages like GPS coordinates and emergency needs to first responders.

Excited to climb that mountain? Take the Spot X with you! A 4.1-star rating on Amazon from over 800 reviews shows the device is a trusted GPS tracker for hiking, keeping lovers of the outdoors connected when it matters most.

Check out a detailed product review on Spot X portable GPS trackers by CLICKING HERE!

Features:

240-hour battery
Location updates every 5, 10, 30, or 60 minutes
Multiple subscription plan options
SOS button
Rechargeable battery

Specifications:

Dimensions: 2.9 x 0.94 x 6.54 inches
Weight: 7oz
Connectivity: Bluetooth, Satellite
Display size: 2.9 inches

Tile Mate – Best Bluetooth Tracker For Personal Items

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Even for its small size, the Tile Mate blows away the competition in smart finders because of its extended battery life and premium features!

Working with low-power Bluetooth rather than cellular service, this model from the Tile brand can potentially reach up to 3-years of battery life. That will, of course, go down if you’re always using it as a key finder on iOS or Android smartphone apps or using the Tile on your keys as a phone tracker when it’s lost in the couch.

There are several reasons to avoid competitors like the Samsung SmartThings tracker. For one, a monthly subscription is required to keep track of everything because its realtime tracking operates on a cellular network. For another, you need to be quick! The SmartThings tracker has only 7 days of battery.

That’s only part of the reason it’s received 4.6 out of 5 stars from over 12,000 Amazon ratings! Other premium features come with a subscription, but Tile’s features don’t offer cellular connectivity; they offer insurance! Beginning at $2.99 a month, you can insure items up to $100 in value or insure higher-ticket items up to $1000 for just over $8 a month! That’s something we haven’t seen before in a mini GPS tracker!

Check out a detailed product review on Tile Mate smart finders by CLICKING HERE!

Features:

Water-resistant
250 ft range
3-year battery life
Lost & Found feature
Insurance plan

Specifications:

Dimensions: 1.49 x 1.49 x 0.28 inches
Battery: non-replaceable
Weight: 0.304 oz

Tractive – Best Personal GPS For Dogs And Cats

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We love our animals, and we know you do too, so we just had to introduce you to the p-awsome Tractive pet GPS trackers!

GPS units for cats and dogs ensure our furry loved ones can be found if they ever wander too far. Designed specifically for pets’ collars, these pet trackers can go everywhere your little friend does. For up to 7 days of battery life, you can receive instant alerts when they travel outside your property lines and follow their every movement outside of your home from a smartphone or tablet.

And if you have elderly pets, one of the main reasons to buy this pet GPS device is the activity tracker! Measuring how active your pet really is can offer great insights into their health. See how long they played and how many calories were burned each day to let you know if they really deserve those scraps from the table!

For a low price of $49.99 and low monthly payments for cell service, it’s a small price to pay for the safety of your furry family members. Feel the security of worldwide coverage and 365-day location history with premium features at only $9 a month. The Tractive is one of the highest-rated GPS pet trackers on Amazon, sitting at 3.9 stars out of 5 with over 2,700 reviews.

Check out a detailed review to learn more about Tractive pet GPS trackers by CLICKING HERE!

Features:

Water-proof
Custom virtual fences
Activity tracking
2-3 second updates
Tracker app

Specifications:

Dimensions: 2.8 x 1.1 x 0.67 inches
Weight: 1.23 oz
Battery: Lithium polymer

AngelSense – Best Medical Alert System For Alzheimer’s

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Extra features like the included sensory-safe protective sleeve of the AngelSense portable GPS trackers make them the perfect tools in device and function to care for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.

Ensuring your elderly loved ones don’t remove some strange new gadget like a GPS watch because their Alzheimer’s disease won’t let them recognize its importance is quite a hard thing. With the included protective sleeve and non-removable pins, these personal location trackers won’t go anywhere, making it obvious why the AngelSense has maintained a 4-star rating on Amazon. AngelSense also has many other options for keeping tracking devices secured on an adult or child with special needs, such as an undershirt or waterproof belt.

This GPS locator is a true leader in today’s best deals in tracker devices. A fall can happen at just about any moment, and the easy-to-use panic button can notify you of these important medical alerts! With an auto-answer 2-way call feature, you can offer immediate reassurance that help is coming.

Even though a care facility will have a medical alert system in place, it likely won’t cover areas outside the facility. Getting lost in strange places is a real-life tragedy, but when connected to GPS and 4G cellular service, your family members and patients can enjoy their independence while under your watchful care. That’s why it earned a 4-star rating from over 500 reviewers.

Check out a detailed review to learn more about AngelSense GPS tracking devices by CLICKING HERE!

Features:

Realtime GPS tracking
Behavior monitoring
2-way autoanswer
Panic button
Geo-fences

Specifications:

Dimensions: 1.73 x 2.4 x 0.63 inches
Weight: 0.704 oz
Battery: Li-ion, 48hr charge

Apple AirTags – Best For Tracking Your Personal Items

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The Apple AirTag has become so popular for its low price, small size, ease-of-use, and a long-lasting battery that “AirTagging” it has broken into meme-territory!

Low-power Bluetooth and Ultra-wideband location tracking enable the extended battery to last for nearly a year with standard use, and it’s meant to go wherever you do. Many accessories have been built around this tiny device, like the poppy tracker watch for kids and pets’ collar tags, making it a favorite choice for families and pet owners.

Unlike the Geozilla GPS location tracker, the AirTag requires no monthly plan to report its position. Realtime location updates from these GPS trackers for vehicles, kids, pets come through the AirTag’s Bluetooth connection to any passing iPhone, instead. For these reasons and more, it has an impressive amount of reviews on Amazon, sitting at over 99 thousand with a 4.7-star rating!

Check out a detailed review of the popular Apple AirTags by CLICKING HERE!

Features:

Bluetooth tracking
Device alarm
Replaceable battery
IP67 water and dust resistance
One-step setup

Specifications:

Dimensions: 1.6 x 1.6 x 0.31 inches
Weight: 0.39 oz

Jiobit – Best Personal Tracker For Child

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The Jiobit realtime GPS tracker for kids is an easy-to-use and long-lasting device that comes with multiple locking mechanisms offering a wide range of mounting options.

Where the Jiobit really shines is when it’s used for tracking special needs children. With the multiple mounting options, the Jiobit can be placed just about anywhere on a child’s person, backpack, belt, or shoes so it can remain out of reach for sensory-sensitive kids and hard to take off.

Parents and guardians using the Jiobit know why it has a 4-star rating with over 2000 reviews! For children just getting started on bus rides or walking home from school, the Jiobit is a handy device to provide peace of mind to parents and guardians. Smart geofences notify you when your child has left trusted locations like school or Grandma’s house and let you turn on live tracking modes so you can find them quickly.

Learn more about Jiobit realtime GPS personal trackers by CLICKING HERE!

Features:

7-10 day battery5G cellular connection
Geofences and Live Tracking mode
Water-resistant
Government-level encryption

Specifications:

Dimensions: 1.96 x 1.45 x 0.47
Weight: 0.8 oz
Connection: Bluetooth, WiFi, Cellular, and GPS

Brickhouse Security Spark Nano 7 – Best Personal GPS Under $20

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The Spark Nano is one of the world’s leading GPS trackers for vehicles and personal safety.

Since 2005, Brickhouse Security has been a trusted name in spy gear, providing the best of the best when it comes to nanny cameras, counter-surveillance devices, and GPS tracking units.

Fleet managers often subscribe to the premium plan with 5-second updates because they rely on these trackers for commercial applications like dispatch and routing, API access, and a 15% discount on future devices. Field reporters and parents alike use them for personal safety with geofencing features and a panic button.

This car tracker has a 4.4 rating with close to 4 thousand reviews, and it’s listed as the #3 tracker sold on Amazon. All of the devices’ great features and customer service reliability ensure their place at the top of the list. The Primetracking personal GPS tracker, a competitor using the same hardware as the Nano and offering 10-second updates, comes from a much younger company and is listed at #61.

Check out a detailed product review of the Brickhouse Security Spark Nano by CLICKING HERE!

Features:

Panic button
Waterproof magnetic mount
60, 30, or 5-second updates
Speed limit alerts
Optional extended 140-day battery

Specifications:

Dimensions: 3 x 1.58 x 1 inches
Dimensions of magnet mount: 3.5 x 2.5 x 2 inches
Weight: 15.2 oz

Features To Consider When Buying A Personal GPS Locator

From tracking spouses to kids or commercial fleets, there are some common features to consider when buying a tracker.

Battery Life: There’s actually a large difference in the power draw between cellular services and low-energy Bluetooth signals. You’d think that the battery life of the AirTag and the Tile would be constrained by their size, but Bluetooth uses so much less power that they can be powered by the smallest of batteries. Connecting with cell towers drains batteries much faster, but much more data can be collected and relayed back to the user through apps and web platforms.

Range: Devices utilizing Bluetooth to locate lost items like your keys or wallet have limited ranges of between 10 to 50ft. If you decide to splurge and pay for realtime location services with a device using an activated SIM card, you can rely on popular carriers like Verizon, T-Mobile, or AT&T to provide coverage indoors or out.

Subscription Costs: No one wants another monthly subscription, but being able to find your kids, car, or pets when they’re in trouble can significantly relieve worry. We’ve found devices with plans ranging from under $10 to up to $50. Often, you can save with yearly subscription plans that may also include more features, so consider how much you’ll use the tracker.

Special Features: What is it you’re tracking? If you need to watch over a fleet of trucks, you may need a car GPS tracker with access to vast amounts of data like the Nano or the Primetracking Pro GPS tracker. If you need a GPS tracker for kids or elderly loved ones, the AngelSense and Jiobit are ideal for their geofencing and sensory-safe deployments.

How We Test, Review, And Rate GPS Surveillance Products

How do we know that these devices are among the best in the industry? We test the hell out of the products. Among the factors we look at, we put a major focus on usability and device function. If a personal location tracker is too hard to operate, who will use it? Each device we put on this list could be used by any seasoned investigator or concerned parent putting their kid on the bus for the first time.

Another matter under scrutiny is reliability. How long has the device been on the market, and how many reviews do they have? Do they answer customer questions? Customer feedback provides great insight into the company and the product.

Versatility is something else to look at. Could it be used on a person, on farming vehicles, cars, and trucks? What about in a backpack, purse, or pocket? Is it waterproof? Is there an app for it? These are the questions we ask at Tracking System Direct when testing each product to help buyers get the GPS device right for them!

Personal GPS FAQs

Can You Put A GPS Tracker On A Person?

Yes! Many trackers are designed to be worn or carried by people, though you’ll always want to check local laws on doing this covertly.

How Much Does A GPS Locator Cost?

Trackers can range in price from around $20 to $150. Here are some of the best-rated models on Amazon:

Tracki: $16.88
LandAirSea 54: $29.95
Optimus 3.0: $39.95
SpyTec: $39.95
Bouncie: $77

Do Personal GPS Tracking Systems Work Internationally?

Yes, some GPS units do over international coverage. However, most personal tracking devices only work in the United States, therefore you need to check coverage before you buy! Not all tracking units work across borders, so make sure you’re device comes with an international roaming SIM card before you travel!

How Do Personal GPS Systems Work And What Functions Do They Offer?

Personal GPS trackers use satellite technology to track and locate objects or people with GPS units. They offer several functions like real-time location tracking, geofencing, alerts, and monitoring. Some advanced models also feature two-way communication, Wi-Fi, and 4G LTE cellular connectivity.

Do Personal Tracking Devices Require Subscription Costs, And How Much Do They Cost On Average?

Yes, most personal GPS trackers require a subscription to access real-time tracking features and alerts. Subscription costs depend on the manufacturer, tracking features, and cellular connectivity. On average, monthly subscription costs range from $10 to $50.

Can GPS Trackers Be Used As Luggage Trackers, Fitness Trackers, Medical Guardians, Or Car Trackers?

Yes, personal GPS trackers can be used for various purposes, including luggage tracking, fitness tracking, medical guardians, and car tracking. Some advanced models also offer 4G LTE cellular connectivity for real-time tracking, monitoring, and alerts. Pet GPS trackers are also available for tracking your pets in real-time. The active battery life of a personal GPS tracker depends on the model and can last from a few days to several weeks on a single charge.

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Ryan Horban

Sales VP & GPS Tracking Expert at Tracking System Direct

Ryan Horban is the Senior Editor at Tracking System Direct, with over 15 years of experience in the GPS tracking industry. Besides being an award-winning photographer based in Southern California, Ryan is also a devoted family man and writer, featured in numerous photography publications. He is passionate about discussing GPS technology and sharing photography tips.