Top 7 GPS Trackers For Kids: Let’s Explore It

As a parent, ensuring the safety and well-being of your child is of the utmost importance. With the advancement of technology, GPS trackers for kids have become an increasingly popular tool for parents to keep track of their children’s whereabouts. 

GPS trackers for kids provide real-time location tracking, giving parents peace of mind and allowing them to monitor their child’s movements. However, with so many available options, choosing the best GPS trackers for kids can take time and effort. In this article, we will review some of the top GPS trackers for kids with real-time location tracking to help you make an informed decision and keep your child safe.

Let’s Start with GPS Trackers for kids

1. Jiobit Smart Tag

• Price: $129
• Battery life: One week
• Real-time tracking: Yes
• Monthly cost: $8.99 to $16.99 per month
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Cellular, GPS

Our top pick for a GPS tracker for kids is the Jiobit Smart Tag, a compact tracking device that can be attached to a belt or worn using various accessories. The Smart Tag comes with a charging cradle and can last for up to a week on a single charge, depending on usage and settings.

To use the Smart Tag, you must sign up for a monthly subscription, with three different plans to choose from Basic, Plus, and Protect, costing $8.99, $14.99, and $16.99 per month, respectively. Each plan offers real-time location tracking and always-on connectivity. The Plus and Protect plan provides additional features such as unlimited GeoFence locations, pushes, SMS, and email alerts. The Protect plan also includes a safety feature that allows a child to call for emergency services by pressing a button on the tracker.

While the Jiobit Smart Tag offers a range of features tailored to children, it is also one of the more expensive GPS trackers for kids available monthly compared to other devices we tested.

1. Apple Air Tag

• Price: $29 or 4 for $99
• Battery life: 1 year
• Real-time tracking: no
• Monthly cost: None
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, Apple’s Find My Network

The AirTags from Apple are tiny and can be attached to various items like jackets, backpacks, or pockets using numerous accessories. There’s no need to pay a monthly fee; the battery lasts for about a year before it needs replacement. 

Although Apple has made it clear that AirTags are not meant to track pets or children, people may wonder how effective they are for keeping track of kids. AirTags can do an okay job. Still, they require another Apple device to be nearby and connected to the internet to update their location on Apple’s Find My iPhone network. 

For instance, if you want to track your child on a school bus, someone with an iPhone or cellular Apple Watch must be on the bus for the location to update. Additionally, you need an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch for initial setup and a Mac to view the AirTag’s location later on. If you use a Windows or Android device, AirTags won’t work for you. While AirTags may be suitable for tracking lost items like keys or backpacks, better options are available for tracking children.

1. Invoxia cellular GPS tracker

• Price: $129
• Battery life: 4 months
• Real-time tracking: Yes
• Monthly cost: $39.90/year after the first year
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, GPS, and LTE

The Invoxia Cellular GPS Trackers for kids have a physical appearance resembling a lengthy USB drive rather than a typical tracking device. Its plain exterior contains all the necessary hardware for LTE and GPS connectivity and a battery that can last up to four months.

For a fee of $129, you can acquire the tracker and one year’s worth of service. Upon the expiration of the first year, an additional $39.90 is required for another year’s worth of service.

You can activate alerts when the tracker arrives at or leaves a specific location using the Android or iPhone app. For instance, you can create an alert that notifies you when your child reaches school or comes home. However, the alert’s promptness depends on how frequently the tracker reports its location.

Invoxia has introduced a new feature called Real-Time Boost, which transmits the tracker’s location every 30 seconds for the following half-hour. This feature is only operational when the tracker performs its next planned location update, based on how frequently you have it set to update its location.

Furthermore, there is a button on the tracker that a child can push to send their present location.

Suppose you are content with charging the device via a micro USB connection and do not mind receiving alerts every five minutes. In that case, the Invoxia Cellular GPS Trackers for kids may be viable. Nonetheless, its size makes it more suitable for placement in a backpack.

1. Garmin Bounce

• Price: $150
• Battery life: 2 days
• Real-time tracking: Yes
• Monthly cost: $10/month
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi, LTE

This month, Garmin has introduced a new smartwatch for kids called Bounce. In addition to real-time location tracking, the watch features communication capabilities, health and sleep monitoring, games, and more. 

With the location tracking feature, parents can use the Garmin app to keep track of their child’s current location and receive notifications when they leave approved areas. For an additional $10 per month, the LTE connectivity feature allows for two-way texting and voice messaging with up to 20 pre-approved contacts. 

The watch also provides useful health metrics, including sleep, steps, and active minutes. It includes activity-based games to incentivize kids to meet their goals and responsibilities set by parents, such as completing chores.

1. SyncUp Kids Watch

• Price: $174
• Battery life: up to a week
• Real-time tracking: Yes
• Monthly cost: $10
• Connectivity: 4G LTE

There are devices available for children who are not yet old enough for a smartphone but responsible enough to handle a gadget, such as T-Mobile’s SyncUP Kids Watch and Verizon’s GizmoWatch. The SyncUP watch costs $174, but you can get it for free if you add a line to your account. The service costs $10 per month, enabling you to communicate with and track your child in real-time using T-Mobile’s network.

The SyncUP watch offers similar features to a regular smartwatch, including a camera and messaging capabilities. It also has a task manager that allows parents to assign chores or other tasks for their child to focus on after school. The user interface is designed to be playful and easy for children to navigate. Parents can use the School Mode to disable additional features during class time, ensuring their child is not distracted by the device.

If you’re looking for a device that can track your child’s location and enable two-way communication, the SyncUP Kids watch is a practical choice.

1. Verizon gizmo watch (Disney edition)

• Price: $200
• Battery life: Up to 3 days (standby) or 1.5 days of constant use
• Real-time tracking: Yes
• Monthly cost: $10
• Connectivity: GPS, Cellular

The GizmoWatch from Verizon has been available for several years. However, I tested the Disney version, which offers more features than the Verizon GizmoWatch 2 but also costs $100 more. With animated characters from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars, the watch provides an engaging user experience. When checking the weather or receiving notifications, the characters react in lively ways on the home screen.

Similar to T-Mobile’s SyncUP Kids watch, this watch allows you to send and receive messages, take calls, and comes with a built-in camera. You can also set up ten trusted contacts for your child to communicate with while wearing the watch. Additionally, you can benefit from real-time tracking and geofencing features to receive alerts when your child enters or leaves a particular location.

With the SyncUP Kids watch, you can set up tasks for your child, activate school mode to prevent them from using the watch during school hours, and much more. Remember that Verizon charges a one-time $35 activation fee for both GizmoWatch models.

1. Xplora X5 Play

• Price: $150
• Battery life: 72 hours (on standby)
• Real-time tracking: Yes
• Monthly cost: $7.99/month
• Connectivity: Cellular, Wi-Fi, GPS

The Xplora X5 Play smartwatch employs multiple technologies, such as GPS, Wi-Fi, and GSM triangulation, to accurately track your child’s location. To ensure your child’s safety, you can create safe zones around important places like home and school through geofencing, and if your child leaves these designated areas, you will receive notifications.

The watch is available in three colors (blue, black, and pink) and has several features, including voice calling from pre-programmed contacts, text messaging, emojis, a camera with 4 GB of storage, and an SOS mode. However, no games are available on the watch, but games can be accessed through the GoPlay app. By taking 1,000 steps, your child can earn Xcoins that can be exchanged for prizes on the GoPlay store, which requires a smartphone or tablet to access.

A SIM card is required for the watch’s cellular functions and is included with the purchase. The SIM card works with most mobile carriers except Verizon. Moreover, a yearly subscription for at least one year is necessary, which costs around $8 per month.

Conclusion

Ensuring the safety and security of children is of utmost importance for parents, especially when they are not around. GPS trackers for kids have emerged as a popular solution to keeping track of children’s whereabouts in real time. This article has highlighted some of the best GPS trackers for kids that offer reliable location-tracking features and other functionalities that parents might find useful. 

While choosing a GPS tracker for kids, it is important to consider factors such as ease of use, battery life, accuracy, and overall cost. By investing in high-quality GPS trackers for kids, parents can enjoy peace of mind knowing that they can monitor their child’s location and stay connected with them at all times.