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 Trackimo 2021 as our top pick. But there’s more… in this article, we present our five top picks for GPS trackers for trailers and a buyer’s guide.
Best Overall: GPS Tracker Trackimo 2021 Model
Top Features
- Real-time trailer tracking
- Preloaded with SIM card that has a one-year subscription
- Five different RV trailer tracking modes: GSM, GPS, Wi-Fi, A-GPS, and Bluetooth.
The Trackimo 2021 tops our list because of its unending list of features. If you are managing trailers across borders and overseas, then this is the best pick for you. It can work in the US, Canada, and 190 other countries. 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. Track your RV trailer in real-time with your preferred alert range at no monthly fees for the first year. This utility trailer GPS tracker comes loaded with a 3G sim card with a full-year subscription for international data. You only have to pay $5 per month after the first year.
PROS
- No activation fees
- Real-time trailer tracking
- Relatively long battery life of up to 6 months on standby mode
- Works in the US and 190 other countries
- Preloaded with a SIM card that has a one-year subscription
- Low-subscription fees, which start after one year of use
- Compact and lightweight
- Five different RV trailer tracking modes: GSM, GPS, Wi-Fi, A-GPS, and Bluetooth.
- Geo-fence crossing, over speeding, and SOS alerts.
CONS
- Relatively expensive
- Short battery life at a 1-minute alert frequency
User Reviews
Many users praise the Trackimo GPS tracker for its usefulness in tracking many other things, not just utility trailers. The tracker provides all the necessary information, and its one-year free subscription is worth noting. However, it has been criticized by other users for its inaccuracy and short battery life. A small percentage of Trackimo users have also complained about poor customer support.
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.
Best for battery life: CalAmp TTU-720 GPS Tracker
Top Features
- No monthly fees
- Long battery life of up to 5-years
- Magnet, bolt-on, or adhesive attachment
If you want to track your utility trailer not just for one-time use, then you will likely need a product whose battery can last long enough. The CalAmp GPS tracker boasts a battery life of up to five years. It means you place it on the travel trailer, RV, or any other thing you want to track and forget about recharging. A once-in-a-while check-up may be necessary!
CalAmp GPS tracker will also not bother you with monthly subscriptions. It comes with a 3-year subscription. An annual fee is applicable after the expiration of this initial subscription, but it is relatively low.
PROS
- No monthly fees
- Long battery life of up to 5-years
- Magnet, bolt-on, or adhesive attachment
- Its use is accepted internationally
- Perfect GPS tracker for a long-term deployment
- Multipurpose – can monitor trailers, boats, heavy equipment, etc.
CONS
- Battery is not rechargeable.
- Lower update frequency of up to two times a day
- Relatively big in size
User Reviews
The CalAmp GPS Tracker performs as expected, according to what users say about it. It accurately sends location information once a day, but some users are not happy with this update frequency. It makes it difficult to track stolen travel trailer on the move. Choose any other GPS trackers on our list for more frequent updates. Some users also find the CalAmp difficult to set up, but the customer support is excellent. The representatives readily offer guidance as needed.
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: GPS Tracker Trackimo 2021 Model
- Best no monthly fees: Reiwour 4G Magnetic GPS Tracker
- Best solar powered: GlobalView Solar GPS Tracker
- Budget pick: Amcrest GPS GL300 GPS Tracker
- Best for battery life: CalAmp TTU-720 GPS Tracker
