Best GPS tracker for kids in – Buying Guide

Children will not be home forever, and when they leave, the best GPS trackers will be useful. Whether it’s back to school or those times when your kids just want some fresh air, equipping them with an easy-to-carry tracker can keep you up to date on where they are. And who doesn’t want one less thing to worry about now?

Whether you choose a child’s watch or something that fits in a backpack, look for a device that will accurately update your child’s location when you need it. Other features – be it an SOS alarm that can alert parents and other family members when there is a problem or a bidirectional call – can separate the best trackers from the rans as well.

We consider all of these factors to find the best GPS trackers for children. (And if you are an elderly relative and not a young person who wants to track, these devices, or variations aimed at older users, will work the same way.) This is what we found in our search for the best child GPS tracker.

Our Top Pick

10 Best Gps Tracker For Kids Review

What is the best GPS tracker for kids?

Jiobit has been the best GPS tracker for kids, thanks to a kid-proof design that can withstand the elements, though the company has started taken orders on a new version. The original Jiobit seamlessly with the smartphones you or a caregiver might carry around, so you not only know the location of your child but who they’re with — a valuable feature if you rely on a nanny or babysitter and want to check in on how everyone is doing.

features. But the supporting app for the updated PocketFinder+ isn’t that well organized, which can be frustrating for parents.

The Apple Watch SE is an intriguing option thanks to Apple’s Family Setup feature for tracking the location of someone wearing an LTE-enabled model of the smartwatch. Given the Apple Watch’s cost, though, we’d only recommend it for older kids or aging parents who’d benefit from a tracking device and want something that looks stylish.

You may consider getting a standard GPS tracker instead of one designed specifically for kids, but we’d caution against that. The best GPS trackers for kids are designed specifically to be worn and sometimes operated by children. Dedicated GPS trackers, which may be more fully featured, can be overwhelming for youngsters to use. For example, the Spot Gen3 ($150) offers pinpoint accuracy in a durable device, but younger kids would have a hard time knowing which button was which — including an emergency button that sends location data to rescue personnel. 

Our Favorite GPS Trackers

	AMBER ALERT	HEREO V2	TRAX 4G	LG GIZMO WATCH	ANGELSENSE GUARDIAN	JIOBIT
Monthly fee	$15-25.00	$4.95	Varies	Varies	$39.99	$8.99
Contract	None	None	6/12/24 months	2 years	1 year	2 years
Style	Attachment	Wristwatch	Attachment	Wristwatch	Attachment	Attachment
Waterproof	Splash-proof	Splash-proof	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Calling	Two-way voice	None	None	Two-way voice	Two-way voice	None
Update frequency	5 minutes	Real-time	Real-time	When initiated	30 seconds	Real-time
Acceleration alert	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No

Why Use a GPS Tracking System?

Of course, there’s a lot of reasons why a digital nomad might want to use GPS tracking system:

• Stolen or lost baggage tracking
• Search and rescue
• Mapping your trips
• Tracking kids, pets or a vehicle
• Locating your keys, wallet, or phone

In this location tracker review we’re going to provide some insight into a range of considerations that will govern your decision-making process when it comes to buying a personal GPS tracker.

Not all GPS tracking systems are created equal, and people use them to address different needs –and because of this the location tracker technologies under the hood will differ, too.

In this guide we cover devices that use Bluetooth, WiFi, international cellular/GSM, and satellites to log and report their location.

Personal GPS Tracker Criteria

We’ve isolated some key areas to consider before you pick up your own personal GPS tracker.

Those criteria are:

• Unit price
• Required subscriptions
• Uses (search and rescue, lost keys, baggage tracking, vehicle tracker, etc.)
• Tracking technology (Bluetooth, GSM or satellite connectivity)
• Frequency of location updates
• Battery life
• Mobile app or online dashboard
• Device functions
• Online reviews

Best GPS Location Trackers

After a lot of online research to compliment what our friends tell us, we decided to review the following personal GPS tracker units:

• Spot Gen3
• ResQLink
• GL300 Series (3)
• LugLoc and GeGo (2)
• Whistle 3 Pet Tracker
• Tile

Worst GPS Location Trackers

The truth is, no small GPS tracker for travel is going to be perfect. Some have limited features, others have costly subscription fees, and a lot of them lack range or are too confusing to use. And some are just useless bricks that lie to you.

According to Amazon reviews, these are the worst GPS trackers currently on the market:

• Waldo Smart Unit Luggage Tracker
• Trax Play GPS Tracker for Kids
• TrakDot Lost Baggage Tracker

Reason being –they didn’t do the one thing they’re purpose built for very well. The three most prominent complaints for these worst-performing GPS trackers for kids and luggage were battery life, they were overpriced, and reviewers claim inconsistent location reporting due to poor connectivity.

If you’ve had a good experience with either of these localizador GPS units, feel free to set the record straight in the comments.

How A GPS Tracker Works

A GPS tracking device for kids features a simple design that keeps you aware of where your child might be:

1. Your kid will wear a device that comes with a GPS reader.

The reader will link up to GPS satellites that help people find their location in any part of the world. The device comes in a nice finish that your child will enjoy wearing and most of the devices come with features that ensure your child is monitored at all times—and that they stay in the agreed safe zone.

2. The GPS device comes with a code that you can look up online.

The code can found on the side of whatever tracker your child is wearing. It comes with a series of numbers and letters to create a code that you can look up online.

3. The reader also works with a mobile network.

A GSM mobile network will work with the tracker. This helps to transfer information to a device’s GPS location. It gives you a faster response every time, so you know precisely where your child is or is going.

4. You will use a mobile app on a phone or tablet to get information on what your child is doing in real time.

The features of your app will vary based on the tracker you use.

5. The readout then lists details of where your child is located. This includes information that is updated frequently.

Like the importance of a good battery life, the support that you will get out of a GPS tracker is important for keeping your children protected. Watch for how well the tracker works and that you see how it can be made ready for use.

What Does The Tracker Feature?

The GPS tracker that your kid will wear should be made of a sturdy and secure case that is easy to display. Many of these trackers come with a convenient watch-like appearance although some straps or bands may be used too. Either way, such a device is easy to prepare without looking complicated.

The tracker can also come with a flexible body. It might be easy to adjust with a strap that fits onto your child’s wrist or other part of the body to keep it from slipping off.

Tamper Alerts Are Important

You can find some GPS trackers for kids that come with tamper alerts. This works in that an alarm will be sent to your mobile device if your kid tries to take off the tracker or adjust it in some way. With this, you will know where to go regarding where the child is located. Also, you can use this to figure out if any further corrective measures should be used to take care of any problems your child gets into.

Review Your Child’s History

A tracker can also analyze where your child goes during a typical day. It can review where the child goes by saving information on where they are every minute or so. The timing varies based on the tracker being used, but it all creates an effective and easy to use a layout that is convenient and helpful.

The history lets you see how your child moves along on the school bus and from one part of the school building to the next. You will know what is going on while seeing that nothing wrong is happening during the day.

What About Contacts?

You can also make it easier for you to communicate with your child at any time thanks to contacting features on some trackers. Such features work primarily for ensuring your child can contact you if there are any concerns at school or elsewhere.

To make this work, you would have to program a series of contact numbers into a watch or other device. When your child presses a proper button, a signal is sent to a mobile device linked to the tracker. This lets the user know that the children are asking for something.

Works For A While

You will not have to worry about a tracker’s battery running out quickly. Most trackers have a battery life that can run for days at a time. The battery can be quickly charged through a wall outlet when it is not in use.

How About The App?

The app that links to a GPS tracker should be easy to use. The app will review information on the GPS location of something in real time. This is thanks to the GPS and GSM signals working together to relay information in a quick and seamless way.

As you use your app, you will get quick access to everything that is on the tracker. This includes details on how your child is moving from one place to the next. The quality setup of this tracker gives you more control over how you monitor your child.

The program will also let you know about any cases where your child might be going somewhere outside of an agreed limit. By using your app, you can program a geographic limit that your child is intended to stay within during a certain part of the day. The program will remind you of times when your child strays outside of that range. This is vital for times where your child might try and wander off somewhere.

Especially Vital For Those With Special Needs

GPS trackers for kids are particularly important for parents whose kids have special needs. These include mental concerns like autism or physical issues relating to mobility among other problems. A tracker helps to see that a child is safe in school or any other place one is expected to be in at a time.

With a GPS tracker, you can save time and worry as you know where your child is at all times. You just have to look up information on the tracker through your mobile device. This lets you know what is happening with your child right away.

You must use this especially if your child struggles with maintaining their attention. It is easy for a child to get lost because they are not paying any attention when doing something. By using a tracker, you will know if your child is going somewhere one is not supposed to be in. Remember that your child might not be fully aware of how they are not supposed to go into certain areas.

Teach Responsibility and Discipline

GPS trackers are great to have for your kids but what makes them great is that they can teach your kids how to be more responsible and careful. By using a tracker, you are keeping a careful eye out on your child to see that he or she is not doing anything wrong.

A tracker is also useful if your child has behavioral issues where they tend to run off to different places. With this, you will keep a closer eye on where your child is even when you are not there. This is all about seeing that your child is not going to get out into some place that you do not want one to be out in.

You can use this to encourage a kid to follow proper instructions while outside of the house and to not sneak out of school or go places that one is not supposed to head out to. This is surely important to look into as you need to keep your child safe and protected at all times.

Best of all, you can avoid having to worry about problems relating to tracking down your child or getting someone like a police officer to help you out if the worst case scenario of your child being lost comes about. This saves you money as you do not have to use any outside resources for monitoring your child. You will see where your kid is no matter what happens.

Look at what makes GPS trackers for kids useful and you will see how important they can be when keeping your kids protected. Watch for how these trackers work and you will see what makes them so important for protecting your child. They are easy to use and will keep you aware of what your child is doing and where they are at all times.

How we test GPS trackers for kids

In the past few years, we’ve tested a half-dozen kid-friendly GPS trackers; initially we also tested alongside a trio of generic GPS trackers. (Some of the kid trackers we initially tested are no longer available, as they relied on AT&T’s since-discontinued 2G network; we’ve removed reviews of those products from this guide for the best GPS tracker for kids.) We conducted tests in both New York and the San Francisco Bay Area, using trackers to follow young children both from afar and to find them in a crowd.

To see what each tracker offers, we enable all push notifications and test all voice features, except for ones that would trigger 911 emergency calls. We also keep an eye on how the batteries in each device held up as we traveled from spot to spot.

We go through the companion apps for each tracker, taking note of the features that are available and testing them with the GPS tracker itself. We also research the monthly service cost for each tracker we review.

Do these GPS trackers for kids also work for seniors and pets?

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Kids aren’t the only members of your family that you may want to keep tabs on. Trackers can also help you be aware of where seniors and pets are. And as you might imagine, the companies that make the best GPS trackers for kids also have devices better suited for older members of the family or pets that might run off.

In the case of Jiobit’s tracker — both the original version and the Jiobit Next — it looks neutral enough so that either kids or grandparents can wear it without standing out, and so Jiobit sells the same device at the same price for people of all ages. For pets, Jiobit includes a fabric pouch attachment that can fasten onto a pet collar, but the tracker and service plan cost the same.

As noted above, Lil Tracker’s watch for seniors comes in a more conservative black color and costs a little more than the version for children, at least for the 2G version of the tracker. 4G Lil Tracker watches costs $129 for seniors and children alike. The company has a version of its tracker for pets, but it’s listed as sold out as of this writing.

The Apple Watch SE has a stylish design that appeals to seniors, and the LTE version of that smartwatch costs the same no matter who’s wearing it.

If you’re interested in reviews of dedicated products for pets, our sister site PetsRadar looks at the best pet trackers for cats and dogs.