GPS tracking offers look almost identical at first glance: a map, movement history, reports and a price per vehicle. The differences only show up after you sign, usually when you need something that was never mentioned. Here is a list of questions worth asking any provider up front.

First of all: decide what you actually want to measure. A system meant to stop fuel from disappearing is not the same as a system meant to show a shipper where the vehicle is. If this is not defined at the start, you will end up comparing the prices of solutions that do different things.

1. What exactly is included in the monthly price

The most important question and the most common source of disappointment. Ask for explicit confirmation of what is included in the amount: the device, the SIM card and data transfer, reports, notifications, the mobile app, user accounts, support. With some offers, reports or history beyond thirty days are a separate package.

2. How long the contract lasts and what happens at the end

Ask about the minimum term, the termination conditions, and what happens when it expires. For longer contracts, ask to be told the total cost through the end of the period, not just the monthly installment.

3. Who owns the device

There are three models: you buy the device, the device is included in the subscription, or it is leased. Each is legitimate, but it changes the math. If the device is yours, ask who covers the cost of replacing it when it breaks. If it is not yours, ask what happens when you terminate the contract.

4. Whether the price covers all of Europe

The device sends data over the mobile network. As soon as the vehicle crosses the border, transfer goes over roaming. With some offers this is included, with others it is charged separately, and with others the vehicle simply stops being visible while abroad.

This is the most common hidden difference between offers that look similar. A six-euro offer that only covers Serbia and an eight-euro offer with coverage across Europe are not the same offer. If your vehicles travel abroad, ask for this to be stated in the offer in writing. Our overview is on the Price of GPS vehicle tracking page.

5. Who installs it and how much that costs

Ask whether installation is included, where it takes place, how long it takes, and whether the vehicle has to come to them. For a fleet that is constantly on the road, the option to install at your own location or in several cities is not a minor detail.

If you are planning on sensors, ask about their installation separately. A fuel probe requires opening the tank and calibration, which is a different job from installing the base device. More on that on the Sensors for GPS tracking page.

6. How long the data is kept

Movement history is only useful once it is long enough. If it is kept for thirty days, you will not be able to compare this season with the last one, or reconstruct a dispute with a client from three months ago. Ask how long it is kept, whether that is included in the price, and whether you can export the data.

7. Whether it connects with what you already use

If you have an ERP, invoicing software or transport management, re-entering data by hand eats up most of the savings. Ask whether an API exists and whether access to it is charged extra. We wrote about connection options on the Integrations page.

8. What support looks like and in which language

Ask about support hours, channels, and how quickly they respond. Also ask whether training is included, because a system nobody in the company knows how to use delivers nothing. Our approach is described on the Support and training page.

9. Whether it also covers the tachograph

If you have vehicles above 3.5 tonnes, downloading data from the tachograph and driver card is a legal obligation with deadlines of 28 and 90 days. If the same system handles that, you avoid a second provider and a second device in the same vehicle. More detail on the Tachograph page and in our article on deadlines for downloading data.

10. What happens when you sell the vehicle

Fleets get renewed. Ask whether the device gets moved to the new vehicle, who does that, and whether it is charged. For companies that replace a few vehicles a year, this becomes a permanent line item.

What to watch out for in an offer

  • A price with no mention of coverage. If it does not say whether it applies abroad, ask in writing.
  • No price until you leave your details. A legitimate model, but it makes comparison harder. Ask for a ballpark figure right away.
  • A demo on someone else's data. Ask for a trial period on your own vehicles. Fifteen days is enough to see how the system performs on your routes.
  • Promised accuracy with no conditions attached. A probe's accuracy depends on calibration and the shape of the tank. A number with no context means nothing.

How to compare two offers

The fairest comparison comes from reducing everything to the total cost over two or three years, for the exact number of vehicles, with all the sensors you need and with installation. Make a table with columns: device, installation, monthly subscription, roaming, sensors, reports, support, contract length, moving the device.

Once that is filled in, offers that looked similar usually pull apart. And the reverse happens too: an offer that seemed more expensive per month turns out cheaper overall. The goal is not to pick the cheapest offer, but the one that still fits your fleet a year later.

Frequently asked questions

Is a cheaper monthly subscription always the better deal?

No. A lower subscription often means you pay for the device separately, that reports or sensors are an add-on, or that the price only applies to Serbia. Compare the total cost over two to three years.

Why does it matter whether the price covers all of Europe?

Because the device sends data over the mobile network, so outside Serbia the transfer goes over roaming. With some offers it is included, with others it is charged separately, and in some cases the vehicle stops being visible.

How long does installation take?

The base device is installed quickly. Fuel sensors require opening the tank and calibration, so that is a separate item in both time and price. Ask for that to be broken out in the offer.

Is a trial period worth it?

Yes. On your own vehicles and your own routes, within a couple of weeks you see what no presentation can show: what the signal is like on your routes and whether the reports answer your questions.