Thanks to modern technology, GPS devices have gotten significantly smaller in the past few decades, making them more convenient for everyday use. These GPS tracking devices are easily concealed or mounted, which makes it possible to take them everywhere. And lasting battery life (like our AssetTrack Mini Tracker with a 5-year battery life) allows you to track something long-term.
GPS tracking protects far more than vehicles. Verizon Connect found 72% of users rate GPS tracking extremely or very beneficial, and for goods in transit the stakes are high, with Verisk CargoNet logging a record $454.9 million in US cargo theft losses in 2024.
Small, lightweight GPS devices are exactly what you need to track your most valuable assets and your favorite people. Here are 5 things you may not have thought of that you can track with a small GPS device:
1. Your Child
The beauty of GPS devices is the peace of mind that comes with it. This is especially true of tracking loved ones—it’s easy to track children and pets with small GPS devices!
In a world where anything can happen, it can be nerve-wracking to let your children go off on their own, even if they’re just walking to school. Of course, no one wants to be the helicopter parent, but you also need to find a way to ensure the safety of your kids.
If you’re not interested in allowing your little one to have a cell phone, a GPS device stowed in their backpack is a convenient way to keep an eye on their location. With today’s modern technology, small GPS devices weigh almost nothing, so sticking one in your child’s lunchbox or backpack won’t be distracting to them and will assuage your parental worries.
What the 2025 Theft Data Says About What Is Worth Tracking
Vehicle theft in the United States fell for a second year running. The National Insurance Crime Bureau recorded 659,880 vehicles reported stolen in 2025, down 23 percent on 2024 and the lowest annual total in decades, after the figure passed one million in 2023.
The number that matters for this list is not the theft rate though. It is the recovery rate, and it varies enormously by what was taken. Roughly 79 percent of stolen passenger vehicles come back. For recreational vehicles the picture inverts: 58,957 were reported stolen in 2025 and about 63 percent were never recovered. Motorcycles recovered at just 41 percent, and ATVs at 23 percent.
In other words, the items most people do not think to track are exactly the ones least likely to come home on their own. That is the case for putting a tracker on the bike and the quad, not just the car.
| What you are tracking | Recovered without help | Why tracking changes it | Logistimatics fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car or truck | About 79 percent | Plate readers and patrols already find most cars, so tracking mainly buys speed | Mobile-200 or Road Wired |
| Motorcycle | About 41 percent | Small, easily loaded into a van, rarely spotted again once moved | Protect Plus |
| ATV or off-road vehicle | About 23 percent | Often stolen from land with no cameras and no witnesses | AssetTrack Mini |
| Luggage | Not tracked nationally | Airline systems only tell you where a bag was scanned, not where it is | MicroTrack Pocket |
| Packages | Not tracked nationally | Carrier scans stop at the door, which is where most losses happen | SmartLabel |
2. Your Car
Putting a GPS in or on a car might be one of the most obvious uses. Whether it’s for personal or business use, you often want to follow a driver’s movements or keep track of your car’s location. Additionally, GPS trackers can be easily hidden inside a car, which is ideal for anti-theft measures.
Depending on what you’re looking for, there are small GPS devices that can send current locations, show live movement, or give you a history of recent trips—right to your phone or computer! If you’re looking to track your new teenage driver, this is a great way to do it without worrying about a cell phone dying or being turned off.
When it comes to a company truck or car, it is vital to document trips, movements, and locations. GPS makes it easier to keep track of employees and shipments, settle legal debates, and submit reports.
3. Your Luggage
Maybe you haven’t considered it before, but luggage can be one of the most important things to track. If you’ve ever had your luggage lost or stolen, you know how stressful it can be to continue a trip without your belongings or worry about whether you’ll ever get your laptop back.
Tracking your luggage gives you the power, allowing you to keep tabs on your stuff even when it’s out of sight. But it does more than that: When you are able to access the location of your luggage via GPS device, it can also help airline employees or authorities locate your bags a bit faster.
4. Your Motorcycles or Other Off-road Vehicles
If you’re an adrenaline junkie, putting yourself on motorcycles and dirt bikes may be a regular thing for you. But it might also mean extra stress for your loved ones.
Regardless of who is going on the all-day four-wheeling trip, someone at home needs to know your location. If your phone dies or you want to leave yours in the car, having a GPS device on your dirt bike may be the best way to keep your location available while having the time of your life.
5. Your Packages/Deliveries
Small GPS tracking devices are perfect for keeping track of valuable assets. Expensive equipment or large shipments are things you definitely don’t want to leave to chance.
You can stick a GPS device onto the equipment itself to see its location from start to finish—or place the GPS on the trailer or inside of the box truck! Whether they’re personal or professional, you can take the stress out of important deliveries by tracking their whereabouts.
If you and your family are moving, it could be a good idea to get a GPS for the moving truck, especially if you aren’t driving it yourself. Having access to your belongings’ live location assists you in the timing and scheduling of your family’s arrival and moving in. Plus, you aren’t leaving anything up to chance—after all, your whole life is in that moving truck!
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GPS trackers can help you get a handle on any situation, big or small. Using these tracking devices is one of the easiest ways to add extra security and protection to your material belongings while giving peace of mind to your loved ones. There are a lot of factors that go into choosing a GPS device; narrow it down by checking out the options we have available.
The companion piece to this one is Best Car GPS Tracker in 2026: Bouncie vs. Vyncs vs. Covert Alternatives.
If your situation is slightly different, Golf Cart GPS Tracking: The Complete Guide for 2026 may fit it better.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal to put a GPS tracker on my own vehicle?
Yes. Tracking property you own is legal across the United States. It becomes a legal problem when you place a tracker on a vehicle you do not own or share, and consent rules differ by state, so check your own before tracking anything belonging to another adult.
Do I need a separate tracker for every item?
Yes for live GPS, because each unit has its own cellular connection. If several items travel together, a single tracker on the vehicle carrying them is usually the better spend.
Will a tracker work if the thief takes it somewhere with no signal?
Live reporting needs a cellular connection. A good tracker stores its position and reports the moment signal returns, so you get the trail rather than nothing, but you should not expect a live dot in a shipping container or an underground unit.
What is the cheapest item on this list to protect?
Packages. A disposable BLE tag such as SmartLabel needs no subscription at all, which suits a one-way trip where you are never getting the tag back.
