Best GPS Trackers and Tracking Devices for Kids in 2025

 The AngelSense GPS tracker is our winner for best overall kids GPS tracker thanks to unique emergency and recovery features. If you're looking for something a little more versatile, consider the Gabb Watch 3e for location tracking, secure messaging, and fun fitness games.

Rounding out our list are the budget-friendly Tack GPS Plus, the international Tracki, and the all-hands-on-deck SecuLife S4. 

GPS trackers help keep your little one safe at school, play, and everywhere in between. They allow you to keep tabs on your kiddos and ensure their safety with location tracking and timely alerts. The best kids GPS trackers—including all the options on our list—also include an SOS button so your child can ask for help in an instant. Let's take a look at what else they can do.

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After 10-plus years of testing and wearing family safety devices, we know that a good kids GPS tracker does more than pinpoint your child's location. Consider these factors when choosing the best GPS tracker for your family.

AngelSense is our pick for the overall best GPS tracker for kids because it's the only device that combines accurate location tracking with timely alerts and emergency recovery tools.

AngelSense uses artificial intelligence to learn the child's typical routine and alerts parents when they go somewhere unusual. If your child does go missing, you can instantly talk to them thanks to automatic call pick-up. Live tracking mode provides location updates every 10 seconds, and you can share a tracking link with law enforcement, family members, school staff, or anyone else on the lookout. 

• Go ahead and buy AngelSense if your child has previously gone missing or is at a high risk for elopement.
• Keep shopping if you need to keep monthly costs low.

We've tested several generations of the AngelSense tracker, including the AngelSense Watch. Our team has always been impressed by their quality, comfort, and accuracy. The brand also offers a helpful onboarding call to introduce each feature and answer any questions you may have

We like the variety of alerts AngelSense can send, including transit alerts that tell you when your child is on the bus or in a car, how fast they're going, and when they're expected to arrive. You can also set up safe zones and get notified when your child leaves that area, but AngelSense takes a lot of the guesswork out of this by intelligently analyzing your child's routine and sending you alerts when they leave a particular place earlier or later than usual.

During our testing period, we appreciated the consistent updates that AngelSense sent throughout the day via push notification, text, and email. AngelSense logs location data in a diary so you can see where your kid has been throughout the day.  We found the AngelSense parent app easy to use thanks to intuitive navigation.

AngelSense’s great features do come at a price, however. Plans start around $45 and go up from there depending on whether you pay up front or in installments. You don't have to pay for the device itself, but there's an activation fee of $19 or $59 depending on the plan. 

To learn more, check out our full reviews of the AngelSense GPS Tracker and AngelSense Watch.

The Gabb Watch 3e is our pick for best GPS kids smartwatch because it accurately tracked most locations during our tests, helps kids communicate while protecting them from strangers, and includes a fun game that inspires kids to get moving. It's a good solution for kids who are ready to be responsible for their first smart device. 

• Go ahead and buy the Gabb Watch 3e if your child has outgrown a basic tracker but is too young for a phone.
• Keep shopping if you want to keep upfront costs low. 

While testing the Gabb Watch 3e, 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, but the GPS locator didn't turn out to be helpful in a crowded event. Since they were able to call each other, it wasn't an issue.

The battery lasts up to 48 hours if the watch isn't used much, but our testers were impressed that it still lasted about a day with a lot of activity. When the battery is low, parents get a notification. Our testers think the battery life isn't an issue as long as you remember to charge the watch at night, and they say the new magnetic charger is super slick.

We like that parents can view their child's 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.

It's also one of the easiest kids smartwatches to set up since it comes with its own SIM card. Plus, Gabb is one of only two COPPA-certified devices on our list and the newest model (Gabb Watch 3) includes IP68 water resistance and an ultra-strong Gorilla Glass 3 screen to withstand whatever kids put it through.

Learn more in our full Gabb Watch review, or check out the rest of our favorite kids smartwatches.  

The Tack GPS Plus is our pick for the best budget-friendly kids GPS tracker because its monthly rates are well below $10. In fact, it costs up to 95% less than AngelSense. The $60 device fee is middle-of-the-road compared to other options on our list, but we think the monthly savings makes up for it.

Fortunately, affordable doesn't mean "cheap." Tack GPS Plus offers high-quality location tracking, even in tricky areas like indoors. 

• Go ahead and buy Tack GPS Plus if you need to prioritize low monthly fees or indoor tracking.
• Keep shopping if two-way talk is important to you.

We noticed this GPS tracker trades some of the more kid-focused features for advanced locating capabilities. Along with GPS tracking, it also works with Wi-Fi and IoT to keep it accessible indoors and in areas with a poor cell signal. That IoT (Internet of Things) connectivity keeps the battery drain to a minimum, stretching it to 30 days between charges. 

It doesn't have two-way talk, but the Tack GPS Plus still offers essentials like an SOS button, safe zones, and location history. From the Tack app, you can share your child's location and permissions with trusted adults such as your spouse, their grandparents, and other guardians. 

One major downside is the location update interval. If your child is missing, every second counts, but Tack GPS only updates every 60 seconds emergency mode (Premium plan required). Other devices update more frequently, such as every 10 seconds with AngelSense. 

On the positive side, the Tack GPS Plus works in more than 120 countries. Note that there's a more basic version (Tack GPS) that works in 30 countries and doesn't include indoor tracking. We recommend spending $20 extra for the Plus device. 

Get more details in our full Tack GPS review.

 We chose Tracki as the best kids GPS tracker for international use because it works in around 190 out of 195 countries worldwide. It's a fairly no-frills tracker, but it comes with essential features like safe zones, an SOS button, and high-speed movement alerts.

• Go ahead and buy Tracki if you need a tracker that can keep up with your family's travels.
• Keep shopping if two-way talk is important to you. 

It's small enough to fit inside a child's pocket, or you can attach it to the included lanyard, keychain, or belt clip to turn it into a wearable tracking device for kids. The Tracki also comes with a silicone cover to protect it from water damage.

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. 

Get all the details in our full Tracki review.

We chose the SecuLife S4 as the best GPS tracker for families with multiple kids because it caters to various ages. Teens may benefit from speed alerts, while younger kids can use the two-way talk feature instead of a cell phone. Parents can track all devices in the same app rather than getting different brands for each child. We also appreciate that other trusted adults can receive notifications and SOS calls, which makes it a little easier to look after a large family. 

• Go ahead and buy SecuLife S4 if you want other guardians to get alerts and SOS calls.
• Keep shopping if you want to keep monthly fees to a minimum. 

We appreciate that the SecuLife S4 comes with a built-in SIM card to make setup easy. The tracker is 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. 

One unique thing about SecuLife S4 is its SOS phone tree. When your child presses the SOS 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). 

SecuLife sells other GPS trackers for kids, but they don't all have the same features. We like the S4 because kids can initiate a phone call to their primary guardian without pressing the SOS button. Other models, like the S11, receive phone calls but can't place them. 

 At only $27.25 upfront, the S4 comes with many of the same options you'd find in an AngelSense tracker but for a fraction of the price. The S4 works in Canada, the US, and Mexico.

Learn more in our full SecuLife S4 review.

In May 2024, we surveyed 1,000 parents about their top kids safety concerns. Abduction was the most worrisome issue for parents, while getting lost and accidental injury were less concerning. Kids GPS trackers can help in all of these scenarios, but only if they have the right features and a high level of accuracy.

Therefore, we started our research by looking for GPS trackers that include an SOS button, safe zone alerts, and two-way talk. We compared products across more than a dozen specs to find the right balance of features and price. 

We also tested the location tracking accuracy and battery life of AngelSense and the Gabb Watch 3e. For trackers we didn't personally test, we relied on customer reviews to help us make a judgement call. Over the years, we have also tested trackers that are no longer available, including Jiobit, Relay, and Samsung SmartThings Tracker. 

Learn more about how we rank and review.

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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