So you are interested in GPS tracking devices? Let’s start by getting down to the facts of GPS trackers, what they can and can’t do, including a brief history of GPS, the different types of trackers available on the market, and why this ubiquitous technology might benefit you.
All The Basics: What Can a GPS Tracker Do?
The Global Positioning System or GPS offers incredible benefits to individuals, families, and businesses. Much of the technology in our daily lives (mobile phones, tablets, smartwatches, fitness trackers, etc.) has unequivocally demonstrated the value GPS delivers in finding our way around the world, discovering new things, and connecting with friends and family. Using this same geo-positioning technology, GPS trackers typically serve more specific and dedicated purposes. For example, you may want to monitor personal valuables, closely follow your teenager’s driving habits, or track company assets, such as a whole fleet of vehicles or expensive equipment.
Who created GPS?
GPS tracking was first developed for military and intelligence applications in the 1960s. Finding more applications and wanting more accuracy, additional satellites were launched in the decades that followed. By the mid-1990s, the full constellation of 24 satellites was in orbit around the earth, and public interest in its use was increasing. Today the U.S. government keeps 31 GPS satellites operational, and a civilian receiver is typically accurate to within a few meters under open sky. Now, the benefits of GPS in personal navigation and dedicated tracking are firmly part of our daily walk with technology.
How does GPS work?
Dozens of GPS satellites circle the globe in medium-earth orbit, each transmitting a unique signal that GPS devices receive and decode. Multiple satellite connections are required to triangulate a GPS device’s precise location and altitude. Essentially, the GPS device calculates the distance to each satellite by measuring the time it takes to receive back a transmitted signal. For a GPS tracker to share its location in real-time, it must be connected to a cellular network, which (like your mobile phone) requires a monthly subscription to send and receive data.
Can I get a GPS implant?
Let’s face it: Movies have often set our technology expectations at unrealistic levels, especially around GPS trackers. While GPS trackers are small (the circuitry component is about the size of your fingernail), they do require additional components to work properly. This includes an antenna to communicate with orbiting satellites, a power source or battery, and typically some cellular or mobile communication components to share location data. With all those components, GPS trackers are typically about the size of a deck of cards depending on the application and requirements. The myth that a pill, a fake tooth, or a capsule injected in a person’s arm or neck could provide long-lasting or reliable tracking is Hollywood at its imaginative best.
Three More Facts Worth Adding in 2026
Fact 9: recovery odds depend far more on what was stolen than on how fast you call. National Insurance Crime Bureau figures for 2025 show about 79 percent of stolen passenger vehicles recovered, against 41 percent of motorcycles and just 23 percent of ATVs.
Fact 10: vehicle theft is falling, and that does not help you individually. Reported thefts dropped to 659,880 in 2025, down 23 percent year on year, but around 21 percent of those vehicles were never recovered. A falling national rate is no comfort if yours is in the unrecovered fifth.
Fact 11: a microchip is not a tracker. The pet microchip most people picture is a passive identity tag with no battery and no transmitter. It can be scanned when an animal is found, but it cannot report a location, which is why every real pet tracker is an external unit worn on the collar.
| Common belief | What is actually true |
|---|---|
| A GPS tracker can be blocked easily | Jammers exist and are illegal to operate in the US, and a good tracker flags the signal loss rather than going quietly silent |
| Trackers work anywhere on earth | GPS positioning is global, but reporting that position back needs a cellular or satellite link |
| A microchip can locate a lost pet | It identifies only, and has to be physically scanned |
| You can track a car from its VIN | A VIN is a static identifier, it broadcasts nothing |
| Free live tracking exists | Live location needs a paid connection; the free options are all short range or phone dependent |
Interesting GPS Tracker Facts You Never Knew
GPS trackers are designed to match the needs of your particular use case or desired application. Factors such as size, power source availability, and live or interval reporting all come into play as you consider your needs or environmental constraints—but, even with all that, they can do more than you may realize.
Tracking what’s most important
GPS trackers can be used to keep track of the most important things in your life. This can include family (people and pets!) and valuable possessions such as vehicles or expensive equipment. GPS trackers allow you to monitor these assets through mobile apps or a web browser. They also offer the ability to record location history, speed or distance traveled, specific events or locations, etc., for historical safekeeping or data analysis.
Get notified when it matters
GPS trackers can also be customized to alert you to specific events. For example, with a particular device, a user can create an alert and receive an instant email or text notification when that object moves or if it moves beyond a specific area or user-defined perimeter. This means you can be quickly notified if Fido leaves your yard or if anyone takes a valuable piece of equipment.
Are There Dangers in Using GPS Tracking Technology?
As a newer technology—especially one with distinct undercover agent vibes—it’s only natural that there can be hesitation around using GPS trackers. Here are some questions we have heard from new customers.
Should I be concerned about signal radiation or exposure using a dedicated GPS tracker?
Physical proximity or exposure to GPS tracker transmission signals are no different than the mobile phone you carry around (in much closer proximity) in your purse or pocket.
What are typical privacy laws surrounding the use of GPS trackers?
While you want to educate yourself and understand privacy laws regarding the use of tracking devices, in most places, it is your right to use GPS trackers to monitor your own property.
Can a GPS tracker be traced back to the owner?
Not likely. Each device would have a unique serial number or other unique identifiers that only the manufacturer could potentially associate with the owner. If you suspect you are being unlawfully tracked, don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement agency.
GPS Trackers: All Benefit
GPS trackers offer terrific benefits with little to no additional work or maintenance. All you need to do is install the device and let it go to work protecting and monitoring what matters most to you. Check out which GPS trackers meet your needs and experience what this amazing technology can bring to your life.
If you are still choosing rather than troubleshooting, our general roundup of the best GPS trackers is the better starting point.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a GPS tracker be detected?
Yes. A battery powered unit can be found by physical search, and an active transmitter can be picked up by an RF detector while it is sending. Placement and reporting frequency both affect how easily.
How long does a GPS tracker battery last?
Anywhere from about ten days to five years, and the difference is almost entirely how often it reports. A unit sending its position every minute cannot last years; one checking in daily can.
Does a GPS tracker work without cell service?
It can still calculate where it is, but it cannot tell you until it reaches coverage. Most trackers log positions offline and upload the trail once signal returns.
Is GPS tracking accurate enough to find a stolen vehicle?
Yes, in normal outdoor conditions it is accurate to within a few metres, which is far more than police need to act on. Accuracy suffers indoors and underground.
