Car GPS Trackers
How to choose a car GPS tracker
Hardwired, OBD or magnetic
Hardwired connects to the vehicle's electrical system, so there is nothing to recharge, and it can go somewhere a battery unit could not. It takes an installation, either your own or an auto electrician's, and a unit fitted properly out of sight is what a thief does not find. OBD plugs into the diagnostic port under the dashboard and takes two seconds, which makes it the easiest option for a fleet or a car you want to monitor rather than protect. Magnetic battery units go on and come off without touching the vehicle, which suits a trailer, a machine or a hired car, and need charging on whatever interval their reporting rate produces.
App or SMS
App and web trackers give you a live position on a map plus a history of trips with times, routes and speeds, and need a data plan on the SIM. SMS trackers work with no app and no account: you text the tracker and it texts back a location link, which needs nothing but a SIM with credit and suits occasional checks rather than continuous tracking. Set up the alerts before you need them: a movement alert when the vehicle should be parked, a geofence around home or the yard, and a speed alert if someone else is driving.
Compare the types
 Hardwired |  OBD plug in |  Magnetic battery |  Bluetooth tag | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fitting | Wired to vehicle power, usually by an auto electrician | Plugs into the diagnostic port in seconds | Sticks to any steel surface, no installation | Goes in the glovebox or under a seat |
| Power | The vehicle, with a backup battery on some models | The vehicle | Internal battery, recharged on your reporting interval | Replaceable cell |
| Live map | Yes, over 4G | Yes, over 4G | Yes, over 4G | No, updates when a phone passes |
| Suits | Theft protection on a car you keep | A fleet, or a car you monitor rather than protect | A trailer, machine, hired car or second vehicle | Finding a car in a car park, not recovering a stolen one |
| See | Hardwired trackers | OBD2 trackers | Magnetic trackers | Bluetooth tracker tag |
Buying guides
GPS Tracker Buying Guide AustraliaHow it gets power decides everything
Hardwired, OBD2 or magneticJump to this section of the GPS Tracker Buying Guide
Counter-Surveillance Buying Guide AustraliaHow to find hidden cameras, bugs and trackers
Related
GPS Trackers Asset Trackers GPS Tracker Detectors Dash Cams
Common questions
Will it drain the car battery?
Hardwired units draw a small standby current, far less than a dash cam in parking mode. If a vehicle will sit unused for weeks, check the listing for a low voltage cut off. OBD and magnetic units draw nothing from the car when it is off.
Can I see where it has been?
App based units keep a trip history you can replay, with times, routes and speeds. SMS units send a location when you ask and keep no history.
Does it need a SIM card?
The 4G units do: any Australian prepaid SIM with a small data allowance, or one included with the unit. The app and web tracking on these units carry no subscription. Bluetooth tags have no SIM and rely on phones passing nearby.
How do I find a tracker someone else has fitted to my car?
With a detector rather than a tracker. A magnetic probe lets you sweep wheel arches, bumpers and the underbody without a hoist. See GPS tracker detectors and the counter-surveillance guide above.
Is it legal to use a GPS tracker in Australia? Australian law
Tracking your own vehicle, boat, trailer, tools or stock is lawful, and so is tracking a child or a dependent adult you are responsible for. Surveillance devices laws differ by state and territory, and tracking another adult or their vehicle without their consent is generally not allowed. If a vehicle is shared, tell the other driver the tracker is fitted, and only use a tracker's microphone for conversations you are part of.