Ultimate Guide To Mini GPS Trackers: Asset And Vehicle Tracking in 2022

What are small GPS trackers used for?

They might be small, but they have big features! Mini trackers can be used for all sorts of things. People stick GPS trackers on their dog’s collar, their car dashboard, or even crane machines. Most businesses use mini GPS trackers to keep an eye on valuable assets or their vehicles.

What is vehicle tracking?

It’s a way of tracking your vehicles using a device attached to the car, van, or truck. Any vehicle can be tracked. Like asset tracking, the GPS devices give you live updates and other data so you can keep an eye on your vehicles.

Since vehicles are more complicated to track and are valuable to the business, these devices often have extra features to help improve your operations.

Best mini GPS trackers for vehicles

The best types use GPS to track vehicles and keep you in the know. We’ve narrowed down the top trackers you need to get. Which tracker is best for you depends on what you’re using it for! Keep reading to find out which one is right for you.

Best self-install vehicle tracker: Atom

• Self-install
• Location alerts
• 30- day journey history
• App for your drivers

Atom is quick to install and easy to use. Vehicle tracking is vital for businesses, so it’s great to find one that doesn’t mess around. Atom is installable in a few quick minutes.

Live location data is a must-have and Atom more than provides. See your vehicles live on a map thanks to accurate GPS data. This can be seen on your phone, tablet, desktop and laptop. Even if you’re away from the office, you can still keep an eye on your vehicles using your mini GPS tracker.

Where are your drivers going? You can’t have eyes everywhere! Atom gives you a journey history for each driver over 30 days. Look back and check that your drivers are going where they need to be. Spot unauthorised use and kick it to the curb!

Atom has a handy feature for your drivers too. They can check their mileage and journey history on an app. The app also shows them any speeding incidents, so they know where they can improve and how you’re scoring them.

Best vehicle tracker for fleets: Kinesis Pro

• Detailed driver reports
• Geofencing
• Live location data
• Use with fuel cards

Kinesis Pro is a powerhouse of vehicle tracking. You will need to have it professionally installed, but the tracker itself is hardly noticeable.

Like Atom, you get the much-needed live status updates from accurate GPS data. There are even stop and play icons to let you know if your vehicle is parked or on the go.

More than any other business, fleets need to know how well their drivers are performing. Kinesis Pro has one of the most detailed report systems we’ve seen, making it one of the best for every type of fleet.

Using the online system from the mini GPS tracker, you can download tachograph data, monitor your vehicle’s temperature, check how your drivers are performing and much, much more.

Really the only drawback here is that some fleets won’t need all this data, but thankfully it doesn’t cost a ton and there aren’t many that can compete with Kinesis Pro for the price. The tracker has an initial installation fee, then a monthly subscription which can be as low as £9.60 per tracker.

Best features of vehicle tracking

There are many reasons why fleets need to track vehicles. But every business can benefit from the joys of vehicle tracking. We’re not kidding! Using mini GPS trackers opens the door to better driving and it can help speed up vehicle recovery. Let’s dig into the details.

Driver reports to improve your business

Having great drivers is the number one wish of every fleet manager and small business. Better drivers lower your fuel costs and reduce your number of insurance claims.

But how can you get your drivers up to snuff? How do you know who your best drivers are? Get a tracker with in-depth driver reporting. See if anyone is speeding or even breaking harshly. All these bad habits can soon pile up.

Recover your stolen vehicle

Are your trucks getting to the depot on time? Has your car been stolen? A vehicle tracker is the best way to have eyes where you need them. The service from Kinesis Pro has a 95% success rate for stolen vehicle recovery. Send the location data to the police and get your car back faster.

Give your customers live updates

Everyone loves to know when to expect a delivery or arrival. Let your customers know when your driver is on the way and where they are. It’s the fastest way to give your customer service a boost!

What is asset tracking?

• Track an item’s location
• Get alerts if something is up
• Keep an eye on your pricey assets

Some things you don’t want to leave to chance! Popping a small tracker onto an object is the best way to keep an eye on it. This can help you out if the item is stolen or lost.

What if you already have great security and aren’t worried about losing your assets? Sure, the odds might be in your favour, but it only takes one incident before you’re wishing you bought the tracker anyway.

Typically, asset trackers will cost you a small fee every month. We think that’s well worth the money for the peace of mind they offer, especially when you get a tracker with great features.

Best wireless GPS asset tracker: Neon

• Battery life: up to 5 years
• No professional installation needed
• Customisable alert system

Neon is an easy to install and use mini tracker for many business types. The tracker itself is smaller than a smartphone or matchbox, so it’s pretty hard to see when you get a good spot for it.

This mini tracker has a whopping battery! Choose from 3 up to 5 years of battery life. Unlike many other trackers, you don’t need to hammer this thing with new batteries all the time. Let it do its thing and you’re good to go.

What about installation? Some of the fancier trackers insist on having a professional do the job. With Neon, you don’t need that. It’s really easy to do with the instructions sent. Saves time waiting around for someone else to do and it saves money too.

How much is Neon? That depends on how many you get and the provider. Neon is one of the more affordable mini GPS trackers because it is self-install and no-nonsense. Don’t take our word for it, though. Compare trackers and see which one is right for the job.

Runner up: Verizon Connect

• Battery life: up to 10 years for nonpowered devices
• Self installation
• Usage history data

Verizon is one of the biggest names in the bizz for tracking assets. With that big name comes with some big features. This tracker can help you see when your equipment is being used. If you’re not using the equipment, then you either don’t need it or there’s another problem at work. Verizon is handy to solve these issues.

This small GPS tracker has a bigger battery than most. You’ll get the longest battery life with non-powered devices (e.g. trailers and skips). The battery life goes down quite a bit when we’re talking about vehicles.

While Verizon is popular, it also means that their customer service line is often swamped. Verizon is also one of the pricier asset trackers, because of its features and brand name.

How much your trackers cost depends on what type of thing you’re tracking and how many trackers you get. If you want to keep costs down and don’t need tons of fancy reporting, think about getting Neon instead.

Some businesses only needing to track nonpowered devices that don’t move much will probably get a lower price than others. To get the best deal, compare trackers and find what works for you.

Best features of asset trackers

Getting a great asset tracker for your business is easier said than done. Many asset trackers are more basic, while others have extra features that offer high value for the price. These are the features that you need to look out for:

Geofencing for easy tracking

Get notifications when your asset leaves or gets inside an area you choose on a map. This is called geofencing in vehicle tracking. If your machine leaves your warehouses, you’ll know about it as it happens.

Disconnect notifications to stay alert

Disconnect alert! What if someone removes the tracker? What if the tracker loses signal? Some asset tracking devices can tell you. Don’t go to work the next morning to the bad news your asset is gone. Get an alert so you know when someone is up to something fishy.

Live location data to stay in the know

Where is your asset? Live location data is the number one feature of asset tracking. We recommend getting a tracker that uses GPS so you can check on your asset from your device at any time.

Some trackers use barcodes or Bluetooth. There are benefits to these if you just want the help with warehouse inventory, but GPS is the king of asset tracking.

Where to get a GPS tracker

Trackers are everywhere. Finding the right small GPS tracker for your business can be tough, because there are so many different types and features. We make finding your tracker easy. Click below to do a quick comparison.