Best GPS Trackers and Tracking Devices for Kids

Want to keep your little one safe at school, play, and everywhere in between? The best GPS trackers for kids can help you keep tabs on your kiddos and ensure their safety with location tracking.

The AngelSense GPS tracker was designed for kids with special needs in mind. It has two-way talk, a listen-in function, transit alerts, and location updates to pinpoint your child when needed.

Our budget pick, Track GPS, is a bite-sized device that has advanced indoor tracking that can even sense elevation and tell you which floor it's on. Tracki is the size of a memory card, but can log an impressively long location history and includes motion alerts for high-speed movement. SecuLife S4 comes with a built-in SIM card to make setup easy. Like our top pick, AngelSense, the SecuLife S4 has a two-way talk feature that allows you to talk with your kiddos from the app. 

While we tried to limit this lineup to standalone GPS devices, check out our review of the best kids' smartwatches for even more options. Our in-depth reviews and product testing can help you find the right tracking device for kids for your family and lifestyle, whether you've got kids with busy schedules, special needs, or newfound independence.  

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Kids' GPS trackers can be tucked into smartwatches or pocket-sized devices with carrying accessories. They should be comfortable and fun for kids to use but durable enough to last all day and send accurate location reports. 

After 10-plus years of testing and wearing family safety devices, here's a peek into our process of choosing and testing the top kids trackers on the market to help you find the best GPS tracker for your family:

AngelSense sends consistent updates throughout your day, so you can feel assured of your child's safety. Check in, listen in, and hold onto your peace of mind while your kids go about their day.

Beyond plenty of tracking capabilities—from safety-zone setup to 10-second updates—AngelSense’s Listen-In function lets parents listen to how their child’s day is going, ensuring they’re not mistreated, neglected, or lost.

With AngelCall two-way voice, you can talk to your child at any time, and they don’t need to worry about buttons or clicking on anything to chat. Plus, you can see what your child has been up to with diary logs that input data every 30 seconds.

AngelSense’s great features do come at a price. Plans start around $30 and go up from there, depending on whether you pay up front or in installments.

This wearable GPS tracker isn't just for kids, either. We recommend AngelSense for people with dementia prone to wandering off.

Read our full review of AngelSense.

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The GPS tracker in the Gabb Watch makes it easy to find your kid any time, whether they're at ball practice or the park. You can view their location in real-time on the MyGabb app or schedule automatic location updates every 15 minutes or so. You can also set up “safe zones”—like school, home, or friends' houses—and get notifications when your child enters or leaves these areas.  The idea is that you can let your guard down a bit and not worry about your kid’s whereabouts unless you get that “exiting safe zone” ping.

While testing the Gabb Watch 3, our tester took her son to a community event at a Botanical Garden to see how location tracking, calling and texting worked in a crowded place with a spotty cell connection. The cell connection worked fine when making a call or sending texts, which was great, but the gps locator was way off, which is not helpful if you're trying to pinpoint your child at a crowded event. Since they were able to call each other it wasn't an issue.

The battery only lasted about a day even though it says it should last 48 hours. However, when the battery is low, you get a notification, so that's helpful. As long as you remember to charge the watch at night it's not an issue and the new magnetic charger is super slick.

Tack has two GPS trackers available, both with similar abilities. The standard Tack tracker starts at $59 and works in over 30 countries. Or if you and your family travel often, you can opt for the $79 Global version that operates in over 185 countries. 

But what really won us over about Tack's pricing was its monthly plans, which start at $3.00 per month. However, that cost-cutting price needs to be paid up front with the device, leaving you with a hefty initial purchase and a year of service minimum. 

From your online account or companion app, you can set up geofence zones and change the frequency of location check-ins. The Tracki's battery lasts up to 72 hours with minute-by-minute check-ins. If you check in once a day, the battery can last more than a month. You can also purchase replacement batteries as needed. 

The Tracki itself costs around $60—but it's often available on Amazon for around $19. You'll pay an extra $20 each month for service; however, if you pay annually, the price lowers to around $10 per month. 

It's about the size of an AirPods case, making it ultra-portable without all the distractions of other solutions like a smartwatch. If your child needs your help, they can call you through the tracker or activate the SOS button. 

In an emergency (or whenever they press the emergency button), the SecuLife S4 will contact the adults in the order listed in the app. So if you aren't available at that moment, it will call the next adult down (your spouse or their grandparents, for example). 

Because the SecuLife S4 has a SIM card inside, you'll need to pay for cellular service every month. The brand has an option to pay annually (around $24/month) or month-to-month for $29 per month. 

Child GPS trackers like Active Halo from Amber Alert make the darkest scenarios a little brighter.

This child tracking device uses 4G LTE to track location, send alerts, and detect speed. The Amber Alert GPS locator helps you keep tabs on your child’s whereabouts at all times.

You can program up to 20 safe zones and get updates on your child’s location every five minutes. To prevent distractions during school, you can place the device in silent mode.

All of these features come at a price, though—the Amber Alert GPS Locator is one of the most expensive devices on our list.

Amber Alert GPS is the only device that alerts you if your child is close to a registered sex offender’s address.

AngelSense is our top pick for the best kids' GPS trackers. We love its features for parents and kids with special needs, like the sensory-sensitive design. But it's also a handy device for anyone watching over small children or even older adults. Although its monthly price is the highest of the bunch, that price includes the confidence of constant location updates and quick access to your loved ones. 

Our other picks—Gabb, Tack, Tracki, and SecuLife—are small but mighty. They all offer accurate location reporting using multiple methods beyond GPS, geofencing, and a mobile app to manage your settings. 

So whether you're sending your kids off to school on their own for the first time or going on a family outing together, GPS trackers are handy for parents with youngsters who are too little for their own devices. 

Want to keep track of more than just your kids? Check out our full lineup of the best GPS trackers for any situation.

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