If you own an RV or a trailer, you need a GPS tracker to know where it is at any time of the day or night. GPS trackers make it possible to ensure the security of any trailer.
We’ve done the research and recommend the Trak-4 as our top pick. But there’s more… in this article, we present our top four picks for GPS trackers for trailers and a buyer’s guide.
Table of Contents
Best Overall – Trak4 GPS Tracker
Top Features
- Low monthly cost of $7
- Long Battery Life – Up to 18 months on a single charge
- Email & text alerts
- Geofencing
The Trak4 tops our list because of its unending list of features. If you are managing trailers across North America this is the product for you. It is ready for use out of the box and works perfectly well both indoors and outdoors.
It is a super compact GPS tracker with tons of features. The device plugs into the vehicles OBD port.
One of the biggest advantages of the Trak4 is that it will use Wi-Fi and Cell signals for geolocation when a GPS signal is blocked (inside garages, buildings, etc).
PROS
- Extended battery life – Rechargeable internal battery lasts 12-18 months on a single charge with daily reporting.
- Attach to anything – Mount to your vehicle/trailer/equipment or simply place inside a pocket or compartment.
- Weatherproof made for indoor/outdoor use – Rugged commercial housing, but still small and handy.
- Optimized for USA – Works within the USA and features top-tier cell-network coverage.
CONS
- Infrequent update rate – not as real-time as other trackers
- Poor usability – no LED indicators for example
User Reviews
The Trak4 is one of the most popular GPS trackers. The battery life is amazing at up to 18 months. The downside is the infrequent updates that some customers feel is a gap. As well usability of the product is not very good – for instance there’s no user manual.
Best no monthly fees: Reiwour 4G Magnetic GPS Tracker
Top Features
- No monthly subscription
- Can keep tracking history for 180 days
- No activation fees
The Reiwour 4G Magnetic GPS Tracker helps you forget about any monthly subscription fees you have to pay to use other travel trailer trackers. It comes with a SIM card with a one-year subscription, and you only need to renew the service once a year.
A feature worth noting about the Reiwour GPS tracker is its historical track playback. It keeps records for up to 180 days, which you can access through the mobile app or web app. With a notification alert every 30 seconds, you can manage a fleet or track a stolen travel trailer. The battery on a full charge will last about 20 days at this alert frequency.
PROS
- No monthly subscription
- Can keep tracking history for 180 days
- Real-time tracking through web and mobile app
- Relatively long battery life
- Magnetic attachment
- No activation fees
- Geofence crossing alert
CONS
- Short battery life
- Poorly-written manual
- A little bit inaccurate.
User reviews
Apart from the short battery life, which could have been better, many users are happy with the Reiwour. Documentation and usage are a challenge, but many users have found their way around them. The customer support is excellent. Those who have problems with it are happy with the services they received from the company.
Best solar powered: GlobalView Solar GPS Tracker
Top Features
- Data encryption technology for privacy
- Solar-powered with a back-up battery
- Magnetically attaches to the trailer
Choose the GlobalView Solar GPS Tracker if you need worry-free, reliable tacking for your travel trailers and RVs. The battery life is not a problem anymore as the tracker depends on solar power to recharge the long-life battery. It uses a magnetic attachment to easily cling to the back or top of a trailer you want to track.
PROS
- Real-time tracking through mobile app and web app
- Data encryption technology for privacy
- Solar-powered with a back-up battery
- Magnetically attaches to the trailer.
- No activation fees
CONS
- Expensive
- Monthly subscription fees applicable
User Reviews
The GlobalView Solar GPS Tracker is a relatively new product in the market with just one review on Amazon. All indicators show that this a great product that will soon become popular among fleet managers. Its solar power technology is the highlight of the day since users do not have to worry about recharging it.
Budget pick: Amcrest GPS GL300 GPS Tracker
Top Features
- Affordable
- Real-time simulation with SMS and email alerts
- Free lifetime customer support services
Tracking a stolen travel trailer should not be an expensive task. This very affordable GPS tracker lets you know the location of your trailer in real-time. With the Amcrest, only pay for what you use. That is to say, the monthly subscription fee depends on the alert frequency that is ideal for you. You can choose to get updates after every 60, 30, 15, or 5 seconds. The battery life also depends on the working modes. The more frequently you get updates, the shorter the battery life.
PROS
- Affordable
- Real-time simulation with SMS and email alerts
- Geofence crossing alert
- Compact and portable
- Relatively long battery life of up to 14 days at 60 seconds updates
- No activation and cancellation fees
- Comes with a pre-installed sim card
- Free lifetime customer support services
CONS
- High monthly subscription fees
- Use is limited to areas with 4G coverage only.
User Reviews
We can comfortably say that many users are happy with the Amcrest. It has an overall rating of 4.3 out of the possible 5 after over 600 reviews. Users praise the product for good performance, high accuracy, and excellent customer support. Despite the relatively low initial purchase cost, many users find the subscription fees too high. Overall, this 4G GPS tracker delivers as promised by the manufacturer.
How We Picked the Best Products for This Article
Many factors affect your decision when shopping for a reliable GPS tracker. In this article, we accounted for anything that can influence your choice and put it all together. Here are the key things that we considered:
Battery Life
Battery life tells you how long you can effectively track a utility trailer or any other asset before the tracker gets offline. Some travel trailers may not have a source of power to recharge the GPS tracker’s battery. For that reason, we have included solar-powered trackers and others with long battery life.
Price and Subscription Fees
The initial price of any GPS tracker is significant when shopping. It should not be expensive to acquire the tracker and also pay monthly subscription fees for the services. You better choose a tracker without monthly subscription fees to help in tracing your RV trailer. Our list has the best combination for you.
Performance
You want to pay for what gives you the best value for the money. GPS trackers for trailers should give you real-time location information. That is particularly important if managing a fleet or tracking a stolen travel trailer. Our list features only trackers with this capability, among other alerts that you can set as you wish.
Attachment
How are you going to attach the tracker to the trailer? You can either choose magnetic coupling, bolt-on, or adhesive methods. We have all these options in the GPS trackers on our list. Just choose what works for you.
Size
The size of a GPS tracker of choice should be small for easy handling. The compactness is also a key factor if you planned to hide it out of view. We accounted for the compactness of all trackers.
How to Hardwire a GPS Tracker on a Trailer
You have received your GPS tracker ready for mounting onto a trailer. So, what next? You may not have the expertise to do it, especially when it involves hardwiring. Remember that every tracker for your utility trailer or personal car requires power to operate. Some may be USB-powered, others solar-powered, and others need you to do the wiring.
It is pretty easy to mount any GPS tracker onto a trailer. Just use adhesives to attach it if you have picked one that does not require wiring. It is even easier for you if your tracker uses magnetic attachment and does not require a direct link to the battery. What this video tutorial for hardwiring a tracker.
Conclusion
Make it easy to manage your fleet or track a stolen travel trailer by installing a GPS tracker. With that small device, you get location information and other useful information that lets you know where the trailer is at any time of the day or night. In this article, we have presented the best trackers on the market for the job to make it easier for you to shop for one.
Our picks for the top GPS trackers are:
- Best Overall: Trak4 GPS Tracker
- Best no monthly fees: Reiwour 4G Magnetic GPS Tracker
- Best solar powered: GlobalView Solar GPS Tracker
- Budget pick: Amcrest GPS GL300 GPS Tracker
