Search for the best car tracker and you will find long lists of devices. The honest answer is that it depends on what you want: find a car that has been taken, help stop it being taken, or simply see where a family car is.
This guide does not rank brands. Instead it explains the types of tracker, the features that matter against the way cars are stolen today, what a tracker really costs, and gives you a scorecard you can use on any product, ours included.
The main types of car tracker
Battery-powered and magnetic trackers
Small units with their own battery, often held under the car with a magnet. There is nothing to install, which is the appeal. The trade-offs: the battery needs recharging, a thief who knows where to look can remove a magnetic unit, and most can only report a location.
Plug-in (OBD) trackers
These plug into the On-Board Diagnostics port under the dashboard and take power from the car, so there is no battery to charge. The weakness is the same as the strength: the port is easy to reach, so a thief can unplug the device in seconds.
Hardwired trackers
A hardwired tracker is connected to the car's electrical system by a professional and hidden inside the vehicle. It cannot be unplugged in a car park, and it can be wired to do more: monitor the ignition, work with a backup battery if the power is cut, or link to an immobiliser. This is the type to look at if theft protection, rather than finding a lost car, is your main goal. The Rubikas tracker is hardwired (12 V or 24 V), not OBD.
GPS-only versus connected trackers
A basic GPS logger records where the car has been but may not send it anywhere live. A connected tracker uses a built-in SIM to send position and alerts to an app in real time. For a stolen car, only a connected tracker is much use.
With or without immobiliser and driver ID
Most trackers only watch. Some systems add an engine immobiliser (so the car cannot be started by anyone you have not authorised) and driver authentication such as a fingerprint reader. If you are searching for a car tracker with immobiliser, you are really asking for a system that can both find and stop the car. For how an immobiliser fits in, see our car immobiliser page.
The features that matter against modern theft
Modern thieves rarely smash windows. Our guide to keyless car theft and relay attacks covers the methods in detail. For a tracker, the practical consequences are these:
- Live tracking with a fast update rate. A position every few minutes is not enough to follow a moving car. Ask how often the location refreshes.
- Tow and movement alerts. A car loaded on to a flatbed never has its ignition turned on. You need a motion sensor that alerts you when the car moves while parked.
- Tamper and power-cut alerts, plus a backup battery. The first thing a professional thief does is disconnect the battery.
- Jammer detection. A jammer blocks the tracker's GPS or mobile signal. A good device notices and tells you.
- A way to act, not just watch. Knowing where your car is helps the police, but it does not stop it being driven away. Remote engine block lets you prevent a parked car being started. The Rubikas block engages when the ignition is switched off.
- Driver authentication. If a relayed or cloned key can start the car, a second check that does not depend on the key, such as a fingerprint, closes that gap.
Subscription versus one-off cost: the honest comparison
Any tracker that sends live location needs mobile data and a server, so someone is paying a running cost. The question is where it is hidden.
| Model | What you pay | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap device, no contract | A low upfront price, sometimes no fee at all | Whether it uses a SIM (and who pays for data), how long data is covered, whether live tracking works without paying later |
| Device plus separate subscription | Device price now, monthly or annual fee later | Total cost over three years, not the device price alone |
| Monthly rental | A fixed monthly price, no large upfront cost | What is included (device, data, app, alerts, updates), contract length, price after the contract |
| Outright purchase with installation | A one-off price, installation paid separately | What happens after the covered term, and whether the price includes VAT |
Whatever you choose, work out the cost over three years, including installation.
Installation: do it yourself or have it fitted?
Battery and OBD trackers are easy to fit yourself, and a thief will find them as easily as you did. Hardwired trackers are better hidden, but need a competent installer who does not cut factory wiring. Ask who fits it and whether they come to you.
Also check with your insurer which trackers they accept, if that matters to you. Requirements vary between insurers, so ask them before you buy.
The scorecard: use it on any car tracker
Give each line a tick, a cross or "ask". A tracker that cannot answer the "ask" lines is telling you something.
| Question | Why it matters | Tick, cross or ask |
|---|---|---|
| Is the location live, and how often does it update? | You need to follow a car while it moves | |
| Does it alert on tow or movement while parked? | Flatbed theft never starts the ignition | |
| Does it alert on tamper and power cut? | Disconnecting the battery is a standard first step | |
| Does it detect GPS and mobile jamming? | Jammers are used to hide stolen cars | |
| Is there a backup battery? | Keeps reporting after the power is cut | |
| Can it be hidden and hardwired, rather than plugged in or stuck on? | Harder to find and remove | |
| Can it prevent the car being started? | Tracking helps recovery, an immobiliser helps prevention | |
| Is there driver authentication (such as fingerprint)? | Closes the gap left by a relayed or cloned key | |
| Are data, app and alerts included in the price? | Avoids surprise fees later | |
| What is the total cost over 3 years including fitting? | The real price | |
| Who installs it, and does it leave factory wiring uncut? | Protects reliability and your car's warranty |
How Rubikas scores against the checklist
Here is the same scorecard answered for the Rubikas system, including the gaps.
| Question | Rubikas |
|---|---|
| Live location | Yes, location refreshes every 3 seconds, on the iOS, Android and web apps |
| Tow and movement alerts | Yes, a built-in motion sensor detects tow and movement, even with the ignition off |
| Tamper and power-cut alerts | Yes |
| Jammer detection | Yes, both GPS and GSM jamming |
| Backup battery | Yes, built in, so the device keeps reporting if the power is cut |
| Hardwired or plug-in | Hardwired to a 12 V or 24 V supply, concealed in the car. Not OBD, so it cannot simply be unplugged |
| Prevent the car being started | Yes, with the engine block (Rubi Protect and Rubi Secure). It engages when the ignition is switched off |
| Driver authentication | Yes, with the fingerprint reader (Rubi ID and Rubi Secure), up to 7,500 registered drivers |
| Data, app and alerts included | Yes, built-in eSIM, apps and all alerts are in the monthly price |
| Cost | Monthly rental, not a one-off device purchase (details below) |
| Installation | Certified installers fit it at your address anywhere in the UK, in around 45 to 60 minutes, without cutting factory wiring |
Rubikas is not the cheapest route: it is a monthly rental, so over several years it costs more than a bare-bones device with no ongoing service. If you only want a rough idea of where a family car is, a simpler tracker may be enough. If you want to stop the car being taken, not just follow it afterwards, the extra layers are what you pay for.
What it costs
Monthly rental prices include VAT, per car, on a 24-month rental:
- Rubi Track (tracker): £12.99 a month
- Rubi Protect (tracker and engine block): £16.99 a month
- Rubi ID (tracker and fingerprint reader): £19.99 a month
- Rubi Secure (tracker, engine block and fingerprint reader): £21.99 a month
Installation is a one-off fee from £70 + VAT (tracker only) to £125 + VAT (all three units). The monthly price covers the device, mobile data, the apps, every alert and software updates. Contracts of 12 or 36 months are also available, and after the contract the service continues at £9.99 a month. An outright purchase option also exists, as a one-off payment with installation charged separately. Ask what is covered after the purchase term. Current prices are on the configure page, and the car tracker page has the full specification. For bikes see motorcycle tracking, for vans and fleets vehicle tracking.
Frequently asked questions
How do I track my car?
You need a device in the car that finds its position by satellite and sends it over the mobile network to an app. A connected tracker shows live location, trip history and alerts on your phone.
What is the best hardwired vehicle tracker?
There is no single best, because it depends on what you need. Use the scorecard above: backup battery, tamper, tow and jamming alerts, and a link to an immobiliser are the questions that matter.
Can an AirTag track a car?
It can show roughly where a car is if other phones pass nearby, but it was designed to find lost items, not to protect vehicles. It has no tamper, tow or jammer alerts, no backup power link to the car and no way to prevent the car being driven off.
How accurate are car trackers?
Good ones that use several satellite systems are typically accurate to a few metres in open conditions. The Rubikas tracker is accurate to around 2 metres in the open. Accuracy falls in multi-storey car parks, tunnels and underground.
Do I need a subscription for a car tracker?
A tracker that reports live location needs mobile data and a server, so there is always a running cost somewhere, whether it is a separate subscription or included in a rental. Compare the total cost over three years.
Will a tracker stop my car being stolen?
A tracker alone helps you find and recover a stolen car. To make theft harder, add a layer that stops the car starting, such as an engine block or fingerprint authentication, and combine it with good habits. No single product makes a car theft-proof.
Want to see which package suits your car? Build your Rubikas package or call +44 7444 619588.