Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Vehicle GPS Tracker in Canada

Your vehicle is one of your most essential tools in everyday life; it provides transportation for you and your family, gives you the ability to move cargo or maybe you just enjoy driving for pleasure. For those living in Canada vehicles are even more essential as they allow you to move around during the winter, which may not be possible otherwise. Regardless, it is important to protect your vehicle and there are few tools better for vehicle security than a GPS tracker. In today’s blog we will be providing you with a helpful guide for choosing the best GPS trackers available to Canadians.

What are the benefits of vehicle GPS trackers?

As previously mentioned, one of the main functions of a vehicle GPS tracker is security. With a GPS tracker you can check the position of your vehicle in real time so in the event your vehicle is stolen it can assist police in recovering your vehicle. That real time tracking can also have other uses, for example if you have a teen driver in your home, you can monitor when and where they are using the vehicle. You can also use geofencing which can send you notifications when the vehicle leaves or enters specific locations, a feature that is extremely useful for parents or business owners. GPS trackers can also provide vital data on driving habits which can allow you to coach teenagers or employees in order to promote safe and efficient driving.

Types of GPS Trackers

There are several major types of GPS trackers to be mindful of, each using a different method for GPS tracking.

Cellular GPS Trackers

These trackers make use of cellular networks to determine their location and are effective anywhere there is cell service. They often require a monthly subscription to cover the cost of cellular data which can vary based on individual trackers and cell carriers.

Satellite GPS Trackers

These trackers operate on a dedicated satellite network which grants them the ability to operate in remote locations where there are no cell signals. These trackers tend to be more expensive than their cellular counterparts and are best utilized when you expect vehicles to regularly move through areas with no cell signals.

Bluetooth Trackers

These are small trackers that rely on a Bluetooth signal in order to provide location information. Unfortunately, this means that they only update when someone with a compatible phone is nearby which can make them unreliable in providing real time tracking data. However, they are small and therefor easy to conceal and relatively inexpensive when compared to other GPS trackers.

Power Source

Another factor that needs to be taken into consideration when you are choosing a GPS tracker in Canada is how it draws power. There are three main ways that you can power a GPS tracker.

ODB-II Plug-In

These trackers are installed directly into your vehicles ODB-II diagnostic port, something that is standard on all vehicles since 1996. They draw continuous power from the vehicle and do not require a battery, they are also easily visible and easy to remove.

Hard-Wired

These trackers are installed directly into your vehicles power supply so they can draw continuous power. These trackers require electrical knowledge to install but are somewhat concealed and hard to remove.

Battery Powered

These trackers run off of a rechargeable internal battery which gives them a power source independent of the vehicle should it have power difficulties. They are also the easiest to conceal of all the GPS trackers as they can be placed pretty much anywhere in the vehicle.

Features

You will also want to make sure that your GPS tracker has the features you are looking for. Some features that are useful are real-time tracking, geofencing, app compatibility, push notifications, driving behavior reports, cloud data backup and even engine remotes.

We hope we have been able to provide you a useful guide for choosing a vehicle GPS tracker in Canada. If you have any questions about GPS trackers, please feel free to contact us.

The Spy Store specializes in high-quality, professional-grade, security and surveillance equipment and is the biggest store of its kind in Canada.

The Spy Store has been in business for over 20 years and has four locations, two in Vancouver, one in Surrey, BC, one in Calgary, AB, and a large online store.

If you have any questions about this article or would like to talk to us about security or surveillance equipment, please contact us.