5 Best GPS Tracker OBD

5 Best GPS Tracker OBD Systems: Expert Picks

Looking for the best OBD tracker for your car, fleet, or teen driver?

We researched and tested the top models from the market in our shop and spent way too much time researching OBD trackers on Amazon to bring you the top 5 GPS tracker OBD systems.

We tested each of these location tracking devices for usability, accuracy, added features, and value for money.

Ready to find the best tracking system available today?

Let’s jump in.

Reviews of the Best OBD2 Trackers in 2024

1. Plug & Play – Best Overall Car OBD2 GPS Tracker 2024

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The Plug-And-Play OBD2 GPS tracker is our top pick for the best OBD2 tracking device of 2024. It’s got the best overall features of any tracker we tested, and it’s the best deal available on the market in terms of price.

If you’re just looking for an affordable device that doesn’t require a PhD to operate or a mortgage to purchase, this is it.

Unlike every other tracking device on this list, it gives you a full 365 days of location tracking free.

So, not only do you get to see your vehicle’s real-time location, driver behavior, and historical data, you get all of this without needing a paid subscription for a full year.

A few of the advantages you get with this tracker that you don’t get with any other are:

Fast Updates: This location device is by far the fastest available. It sends updates every 3 seconds. Most devices send location updates every 60 seconds or so, which is fine most of the time. But if there’s ever an emergency, or god forbid, theft, you’ll want to see the location in as close to real time as possible.

Tech Support in the USA: We have a soft spot for companies that still offer tech support with real human beings in the USA. We really appreciate it. We got a USA-based agent on the horn in no time.

Passes the Grandma Test: It’s ready to go in seconds with no PhD required. Just plug it in, download the app, and you’re ready to go with no subscription fees for an entire year. 

The up-front cost is a bit higher than other GPS tracking devices, but you’ll actually save money in the long run with no subscription fees. Some companies charge up to $30 per month for a subscription, which comes out to about $360 per year on top of what you pay for the device. 

With the Plug-And-Play tracker, you’ll save money in the long run.

2. Kayo GPS Tracker – Best Plugin Car Tracker With Trial Period (14 Days)

Next up is the Kayo plugin GPS tracker. It’s perfect for busy fleets that need more than just location tracking services.

What we liked most about the Kayo tracker is that it not only showed us our vehicle’s location, but it also showed us vehicle health metrics like:

• Total miles on our vehicle
• Oil change alerts
• An air filter replacement alert
• Tire rotation & balance alert
• Idle time
• Speeding alerts

This could be extremely valuable for a busy fleet of vans or trucks.

This information could improve your driver behavior and optimize routes, and it could also help reduce wear and tear, improve maintenance scheduling, and reduce repairs or downtime.

You can even set parameters like “alert me when my drivers go over 55 miles per hour”, and it’ll send you a notification right to your phone whenever your drivers get a little gas pedal happy. So you can text them “hey buddy, slow down there” and avoid accidents.

The device costs less than $100 and it’s only about $5 per month, so you can’t beat it.

3. LandAirSea Sync – Best GPS Tracker OBD For Small Business Vehicles

The LandAirSea Sync is our top pick for small businesses, because it lets you track your entire fleet from a single subscription starting at $8.95/month.

With the LandAirSea, you can:

• See where all of your vehicles are in real time
• See historical location data
• Set up safe zones and get notifications any time your vehicles leave those zones (known as geo-fencing)
• Share the exact location of the vehicle along with its speed in real time (known as Sharespot)
• Get notifications for speeding or harsh braking

And you can do this with all of your vehicles under one subscription plan. You won’t need to have a plan for each device. That’s huge savings in the long run.

NOTE: The LandAirSea sync was also the most accurate of all the trackers we tested. It showed our vehicle’s location to within 6 feet from all the way across town. 

Plus this all comes with USA-based tech support, which could be a godsend for busy companies that need solutions as soon as problems arise (and they always do).

4. MotoSafety – Best OBD2 Car Tracker For Teen Driving Safety

If you’re the parent of a teen driver and need a device that gives you peace of mind, encourages safe driving, and might even lower insurance premiums, we recommend the MotoSafety OBD2 car tracker.

It’s the only GPS location device built with the help of law enforcement and driving instructors to help improve teen driving and avoid accidents.

Just plug it into the OBD2 port on your kids car, and you’ll get instant access to their real-time location and driving habits right from your phone.

But it goes just beyond location tracking, you’ll also get these safe driving features, too:

A Safe Driving Report Card: This feature gives your teen a driving grade and also keeps track of things like speeding incidents and harsh braking incidents.

Safe Driving Coaching Program: This program includes quizzes, blogs, and other external resources to help teach your teen how to get their license and keep it.

Helpful Alerts: We all know that kids don’t pay attention to vehicle maintenance (and expect you to pay for it). The MotoSafety app shows you maintenance schedule alerts, so they can keep on top of things and plan for future maintenance like an oil change.

The only downside to the MotoSafety GPS tracker is that it’s a bit pricey. It’s $25 per month for a subscription, but we think it’s worth the peace of mind and safety features that you get.

5. BrickHouse Security’s TrackPort – Best Price On Amazon

BrickHouse Security’s TrackPort tracker is a great “entry-level” OBD2 tracking device for personal GPS tracking on a budget.

We don’t recommend it for businesses, but if you just want basic tracking features for an elderly parent or teen driver, this tracker is a lot cheaper than other products on the market. It’s less than $20, so you can’t expect much, but for the price, it’ll do the trick.

You’ll get all of the tracking features you need like real-time location (only every 60 seconds) and historical location tracking, but nothing much else.

If you’re on a budget, start with this one and upgrade later.

What Is The Difference Between A 9-Pin And 6-Pin OBD2 Connector?

The main difference between a 9-pin and a 6-pin OBD2 GPS tracker is the type of diagnostic port they connect to. These trackers are built for different types of vehicles, each with its specific diagnostic connector. OBD2 (On-Board Diagnostics) is a standardized system in vehicles that allows for self-diagnostics and reporting, which helps you monitor your vehicle’s performance.

Here is the main difference explained in more detail:

• 9-Pin OBD2 GPS Tracker: This type of tracker is mainly designed for use in commercial vehicles, such as heavy-duty trucks and buses. The 9-pin connector is typically found in vehicles that adhere to the J1939 protocol, a higher-layer protocol based on the CAN bus, which is widely used in heavy-duty and commercial vehicles.
• 6-Pin OBD2 GPS Tracker: The 6-pin OBD2 GPS tracker is less common and is used mainly in some older commercial vehicles or specialized vehicles that utilize the J1708 protocol, an older standard for data communication between various electronic control units (ECUs) in heavy-duty vehicles.

When choosing a GPS tracker for your vehicle, make sure to identify the correct diagnostic port and protocol compatibility to ensure proper functioning and data communication. Most standard passenger vehicles use the 16-pin OBD2 connector, which is different from the 9-pin and 6-pin connectors mentioned above.

What To Look For When Buying An OBD2 GPS Tracker

We put together this quick guide on what to look for when buying an OBD2 GPS tracker, so you could get a feel for the features that matter most before buying a product. We find that most customers don’t quite understand the features they need to look for, and this leads to them purchasing the wrong products. Get educated! Here’s what to look for when buying an OBD2 GPS tracker:

Live GPS Tracking

This is the most important feature. Real-time tracking allows you to monitor the location of your vehicle at all times.

Geofencing

Geofencing lets you set boundaries and receive alerts when your vehicle enters or exits certain areas. You can think of these as “safe zones”.

Vehicle Health Monitoring

Some OBD2 trackers can monitor the health of your vehicle, providing you with alerts for issues like low battery or engine problems.

Driving Behavior Monitoring

This feature tracks your driving habits, such as speeding or harsh braking. It’s one of the most important features for businesses and teen drivers. We highly recommend purchasing a tracker with behavior monitoring.

Technical Support

GPS trackers for vehicles are overall easy to use, but you might have a small learning curve. So, you will want to purchase an OBDii tracker that comes with free technical support for the life of the product.

Check out a complete video review of the best OBD2 trackers on YouTube!

Testing OBD2 GPS Tracking Devices – How We Evaluated Products

At GPS Tracker Shop, we pride ourselves on offering our customers only the best OBD2 trackers on the market. We carefully test each product before adding it to our list of the top 5 OBD2 tracking devices. Here’s a breakdown of our testing process:

• We first evaluate the tracker’s ease of use, including installation and app setup.
• Next, we test the tracker’s accuracy and reliability, ensuring it provides accurate location data.
• We also evaluate any additional features, such as trip history, maintenance alerts, or driver behavior monitoring.
• We test the tracker’s compatibility with a range of vehicles, including both gasoline and diesel-powered models.

Finally, we consider pricing and subscription options to ensure our customers get the best value for their money.

That’s how we make sure you get the best product possible from us.

Frequently Asked Questions