How to Choose a Tracking Device

What is the best tracking device?

Is it an AirTag? Does it always come with a subscription? Are they actually accurate?
There's a lot of questions when it comes to GPS tracking.

In this blog post, we'll have a look at the features we think you should look for, if you're wanting to start tracking your car, bike, or boat.
There are many options, but hopefully our little guide can help you just a bit 💛

AirTag vs. GPS

Firstly, we need to cover something very essential: AirTags are not GPS-trackers. They are bluetooth trackers and there are a lot of differences between them and GPS trackers.

AirTag is a bluetooth tracker, which means:

It relies on nearby Apple devices within a fixed radius (Around 30 metres).
It's very precise and live in cities because there are devices everywhere.
Around 1 year battery life with BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy).
There's usually no subscription, since bluetooth is "simple" tech.
It's cheap!

Gemstone is a GPS tracker, which means:

It uses nearby satellites to triangulate its position and send these via cell towers.
It's quite precise across almost unlimited distances (global~).
You decide the tracking settings and when to receive the location update.
Up to 6 years of battery life with just one track a day.
There's usually a subscription because of the built-in SIM card (although not Copehagen Trackers).
It's... not cheap. But very powerful.

Keychain with keys on a white background and a desert scene with a truck in the background.

You might guess which tracking device you would use for these two scenarios

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So, What's the Best Tracking Device?

Answer yourself the following questions and find out!

1. Why are you tracking?

Comic strip of a man in pajamas searching for keys in a messy room.

Finding your keys.

The alarm rings for the 80th time - You're late for work - While you're brushing your teeth, you're head is halfway in the shower - The cereal package rips and corn flakes fly everywhere - You grab the first pairs of shoes at the door and...

WHERE. ARE. MY. KEYS?!
If this scenario fits you, you might need a bluetooth tracker.

All jokes aside, bluetooth trackers are amazing for finding small items, and helping you in the day-to-day. It's a personal assistant that always knows where your wallet is. For those of us who may be a little distracted, the bluetooth tracker offers some peace of mind against our own forgetfulness.

Protection against theft.

On the other hand, if you have a really nice car which is only driven in the summer months and stored elsewhere, a bluetooth tracker might not do the trick.

Long-term storage can mean that the car is stored far away from nearby devices, and if the car is stolen, an AirTag will alert the thief's phone that "an AirTag is following" them.

The best theft-prevention is using a GPS tracker.

Essentially, choosing between an AirTag and GPS tracker can be summed up to this: Is the location-device meant for theft-prevention or finding small items?

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2. What are your priorities?

Hopefully you've come a little closer at choosing your tracking device, at least it should be more clear whether a bluetooth or GPS tracker best suits your needs!
Now comes a "couple" of considerations for the device itself.

Size & Battery-life

Bluetooth technology is simple, but GPS trackers are not. You need more hardware for GPS trackers, which means that they are bigger. But you also get bigger batteries...

Here are the type of batteries and the expected size of the tracker:

Coin cell batteries (AirTag = ≈220mAh): Around 1 year battery - small.
Lithium batteries (Gem stone = 4400mAh): Up to 6 years battery - medium.
AA batteries: Easily exchangeable - medium.
OBD trackers: Powered directly by the vehicle - small to large.

Durability

Consider the environment in which the tracker will be placed. Look up what IP-rating the device you're looking at has.

For bikes, boats, or outdoor equipment, weather proofing is essential:

IP67-rating: The device is protected against rain and brief submersion
IP68-rating: Fully waterproof for extended submersion
Vibration resistance: Important for use-cases such as dirt bikes, where vibrations may damage the inside components.

Coverage & Subscription

If you're planning on bringing your tracker abroad, we urge that you consider the tracker's network technology. The type of network can make a big difference in the experience of the product.

Bluetooth network = Signal depends on presence of other similar devices.
2G Network = The former industry standard for cellular networks. It is slowly being phased out by network operators, for example, Deutsche Telekom plans a full shutdown by June 2030.
3G Network = Global shutdown is currently in progress and will be finalised in 2025.
4G Network = The current industry standard for cellular networks.
5G Network = The fastest cellular connection, but more limited in coverage.

Going for an LTE network (G)?
Please look at the SIM-card conditions for the device.
Why?

Using cellular/LTE tracking (G), means that the tracking device will have to use satellite roaming - like your cell phone. These often come with a subscription... well, not all.

For some tracking devices, you even have to buy and insert your own SIM card!

Alerts & Features

Other iseful features for your tracking device can also include:

Movement alerts: If the tracking device has an accelerometer, it will be able to know when it is moving, and start tracking.
Geofencing: Get alerts when the tracker leaves a defined area.
Position history: Be able to see where you asset has been.

Have a look at what the manufacturer offers and if there are any monthly fees.

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3. Making your decision

In all honesty, the best tracking device doesn't exist.
There is only the best tracker for your tracking needs.

A €30 Bluetooth tracker is perfect for locating keys but useless for tracking a stolen bike. A GPS tracker is perfect for theft-recovery and peace of mind, but doesn't fit into a wallet.
By clearly defining your requirements you'll be that much closer to making a choice, and try to also consider who you're buying from:

Manufacturing: In which country is the product made?
Subscription: Are there any hidden fees or monthly subscriptions?
Support: Tracking devices can be quite complex, so what are previous customer's experience with getting help after having purchased?

Ready to explore tracking solutions?

Consider what matters most for your situation and choose accordingly! And if you need any guidance, we'd be happy to have a look at just specific situation 🟡