Choosing a GPS Tracker for Kids: (My 2018 Ultimate Guide)

When looking for the best GPS Tracker for Kids, make sure you follow these simple yet weird tips or else you might be in for a big shock. GPS Trackers can vary greatly in terms of design and function, ease of use, battery life, you should pick one based on your intended usage. This guide will walk you through what you should look for in a GPS Tracker as well as the top GPS Trackers recommended by GPSTrackerInfo.com.

Unlike other reviews online, this review is part personal review as well as part meta-review (we research the web and are reporting what other people are stating about the best GPS Tracker). Save time with this article instead of researching it all for yourself.  Read below for great GPS Tracker information and new releases for this year.

This article does not review phone apps or handheld GPS. Click here to see those reviews.

These are the TOP 3 GPS Trackers for Kids for 2018:

1. The Yepzon Freedom Advanced 3G WiFi GPS Tracker and Personal Alarm System is a great tool for parents who want the safety of the GPS Tracker for Kids along with an extra safety feature that the personal alarm provides.

2. The VTech Kidizoom Smartwatch DX  is a wearable GPS Tracker for Kids. It is the best wearable GPS tracker (watch) for kids.

3. The next generation  Spy Tec GX350 Mini Portable Real Time GPS Tracker is your budget option.

What to look for in 2018

1. Brand DOES Matter!

In most cases GPS the Tracker for Kid’s brand really matters. Name brand GPS Trackers are, on one hand, more expensive than cheap GPS Trackers but, on the other hand, will give you less headaches as well as last longer.

The big brand GPS Trackers have better customer service and are higher quality smartwatches. When dealing with the safety of your child, why risk it just to save a few dollars? The problem is the chipset in the watch was not quality hardware. It just didn’t do what it advertised. We were pretty disappointed with the review and did not include it here.

2. Don’t Ignore the Battery!

Battery life on smartphones and watches is increasing as battery technology improves. Only a few years ago batteries lasted, max – a few days. Now some of the better batteries last over 2.5 weeks! By the end of the year, 3 week batteries are likely. A general rule of thumb is to always keep the battery fully charged whenever possible.

3. Map Upgrades

GPS trackers for the kids usually are tied in with a service contract. For a monthly fee you subscribe to a service that provides software tracking as well as the backend services, maps and notifications or alerts. So, in most cases, you don’t have to buy separate maps as you sometimes do for vehicle navigation trackers. As smartphones become universally prevalent, more and more services provide high-quality maps via their apps.

4. Geo Fence

Parents can set up the watches in a variety of modes, depending on how often they want to be notified.  So their children are monitored within the geofence zone that they set up which can be circles or the path that their child takes when they walk home. As long as they stay within the boundaries there is no need for any alerts or notifications. Some of the GPS trackers for Kids. This option is one of the more powerful options that I was impressed with my assessments of each unit.

Urban vs. Rural

Most of the GPS Trackers for Kids will work in any area with direct access to the sky. They are for general use. You wouldn’t expect them to be very accurate if  you were in a dense forest. Even if they have GPS & cellular capabilities since it often has poor signal areas. When hiking or in an enclosed area you will need the next generation of GPS tracking. Our hiking GPS guide provides an in depth analysis of GPS for hiking and camping.

My 3 Top Recommendations – IN DEPTH REVIEW

Below are the top GPS Tracker for Kids that would be great for almost any use. Their ratings were based on features, quality, battery life, and price.

#3 Spy Tec GX350 Mini Portable Real-Time GPS Tracker

The next generation  Spy Tec GX350 Mini Portable Real Time GPS Tracker for Kids has the capability to access to multiple satellites and send its position, speed and direction through the 2G cellular network directly to your App. The tracker is designed with a thicker case to house the bigger battery. The whole unit is still pretty small though, about the size of a pager. >>Read More on Amazon Here

The app comes with several features including:

  • 24/7 customer support
  • Geofencing – gets texts when the tracker leaves or enters an area.
  • SOS
  • Real-time notifications Track via google maps
  • Access via their website – no app to install.

The battery lasts up to 2.5 weeks! You charge the tracker with a micro USB cord. It is water resistant but not waterproof.

A subscription service starting  is required and has covered only in the US. Since it uses 2G technology you should check the CDMA 2G coverage in your area.

The Spy Tec GX350 Mini Portable Real-Time GPS Tracker received 4 stars on online reviews and was stated to be “well crafted,” “a good everyday carry GPS Tracker,” and “Works great. Keeps charge according to specifications.” Given its low price, the Spy Tec GX350 Mini Portable Real-Time GPS Tracker is a great tool for anyone who needs a great GPS Tracker for Kids and an excellent battery life without breaking the bank.

Our Assessment: Excellent Buy – 9/10

Overall, the Spy Tec GX350 Mini Portable Real Time GPS Tracker is an excellent choice as a GPS Tracker for Kids where you may not have access to them every day. Let’s face it, your child will not likely charge their GPS tracker every day. So you will have to remember. This device solves that problem with the strong battery.  

This tracker can be easily stored in your child’s backpack.  It is a great price (roughly average in terms of prices) that we evaluated and it is fairly durable. This is a must with some of the abuse (dropping their bags on the ground, etc) and it can easily withstand the everyday use that it will experience in a backpack.  

#2 TickTalk 2 Touch Screen

The TickTalk 2 Touch Screen Kids Smart Watch is a wearable GPS Tracker for Kids.  Track where your kid is on your iPhone or Android phone. The TickTalk uses WiFi + GPS + LBS 3-way locators to provide the accurate location information for indoors and outdoors. This is better than just a regular GPS tracker. The watch works on the T-Mobile network.

The app comes with several features including:

  • Phone calls & text messages & voice messages capability – key difference from other trackers we evaluated.
  • Super hearing
  • DND – do not disturb – great for when in school
  • Touchscreen
  • SOS
  • History tracker -parents can playback via the app.
  • Scheduling
  • Alarm clock
  • History – 24-hour view of their travel in a log displayed on the map for the activity tracker.
  • “Things To Do” has been added to this next generation model.There are 50+Things To Do Reminders that parents can setup for their child.
  • Great for T-Mobile existing users – Comes with a free SIM card. It will not work with AT&T network since they are no longer using the 2G network. this is not a problem anymore since T-Mobile range is pretty extensive and covers the vast majority of the US.

The battery lasts up to 2 days which is on the shorter side of battery life for active trackers. It only lasts 3 hours for actual talk time. You charge the tag with a micro USB cord. It is water resistant as with most GPS trackers for kids.  >>Read More Here

The TickTalk 2 Touch Screen received 3 stars on online reviews and was stated to be “well crafted,” “Setting up the watch was really easy,” and “Great fit, great features, great quality.” Given its low price, the TickTalk 2 Touch Screen is a great GPS Tracker for Kids that is higher quality than other watches and is very user-friendly.

Our Assessment: Great watch for kids – 8.5/10

Overall, the TickTalk 2 Touch Screen Kids SmartWatch is a great GPS Tracker for Kids. The TickTalk (version 1) did have problems that have been fixed in the second, upgraded version.  The features are not as extensive as some of the other trackers but it provides parents another excellent tool for their peace of mind as you will easily communicate with your kids via cellular call, SMS so you can text them while they are in class. You can’t do this with other GPS trackers.

The watch is a great price (roughly average in terms of prices) that we evaluated. You will want to get a screen protector with this as, with a regular phone, it will likely become scratched, especially since your child will be wearing it. Also, remember to charge it 4+ times per week.

# 1 Yepzon Freedom Advanced 3G WiFi GPS Tracker and Personal Alarm System

The app comes with several features including:

  • GPS & Personal Alarm System – the system works with your child’s phone to notify you of the SOS alert
  • Multiple technologies for tracking redundancy
  • Multiple devices and users
  • International integration with built-in SIM card so you won’t have to worry about changing your data plan

The battery lasts up to 48-72 hours.  You charge the tracker with a charging cord as with most other trackers.. The tracker is water resistant but not waterproof.

A  service plan starting is really cheap and but there is no yearly contract. It operates in the US & 27 countries in Europe.  >>Read More Here

The Yepzon Freedom Advanced 3G WiFi GPS Tracker and Personal Alarm System received 4 stars on online reviews and was stated to be “Works as advertised!!” “We have tested it and are happy to report it works like a champ,” and “Peace of Mind” Given its low price, the Yepzon Freedom Advanced 3G WiFi GPS Tracker and Personal Alarm System is a great tool for parents who want the safety of the GPS Tracker for Kids along with an extra safety feature that the personal alarm provides. This is a huge plus and adds significant value that most other trackers don’t provide. The Aegis can be a great survival GPS Tracker as well given its rugged features.

Our Assessment: Excellent Buy – 9.0/10

Overall, the Yepzon Freedom Advanced 3G WiFi GPS Tracker is an excellent choice as a GPS Tracker for Kids. The features, technology are extensive which offer parents an excellent tool for their peace of mind as you will easily be able to locate and make sure your kids are safe. One of the best-known features is its sex offender proximity warning which is unique to this GPS tracker.  The tracker can be easily stored in your child’s backpack. 

Conclusion

Within this article, we reviewed what you should look for in the best pocket GPS Tracker as well the GPS Trackers for kids on the market today. Based upon your needs, the ordering might or might not be accurate for you. Take our guidelines into consideration when you are buying a GPS Tracker. If you have any recommendations, leave them in the comment box below.

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