Portable trackers are an increasingly popular option for those looking for a more affordable and discreet way to track a vehicle.
I used this personal GPS tracker for a month and it did a great job of tracking my driving trips.
With a lightning-fast 4G LTE network, our GPS LTE tracker offers an honest and secret way to track vehicles, teens, spouses, pets, seniors, luggage, and all other valuables.
Family1st.io
The Family 1st GPS tracker is tied to a specific vehicle. When you activate it, you set up an account and provide the IMEI number that comes with the tracker.
That allows the tracker to be followed via GPS. When you or your loved one are driving, you simply bring the tracker with you and it records your trip.
This device can be easily hidden on a vehicle. It doesn’t require any permanent installation.
This makes them a valuable asset for those who want to keep an eye on their car without breaking the bank.
The tracker is accurate in that it followed me and knew that my vehicle was currently parked in my garage.
I could pull up the Reports feature on my computer or the phone app to see exactly where I went, along with the speed I traveled, my direction, and where I stopped at stop lights or parked in parking lots.
This would be invaluable information for someone whose car was stolen with the tracker inside or for a lost senior driver or new driver.
For example, years ago my daughter got lost at night in an unfamiliar part of town when she was a new driver (and there was no such thing as GPS yet), and we had to hunt her down via her recollection of the landmarks she had passed (we found her, but having her real-time location data would have made it so much less worrisome!).
The Family1st tracker does have some reports that only come with an upgraded subscription package. Still, you can see the Travel Log with the basic tracker / package.
Family1st Tracker Pros And Cons
Pros
- Easy to activate and set up are amongst one of it’s best features.
- Long battery life – per Family 1st, “Don’t worry about frequent charging. Our GPS tracker has an extended battery life, ensuring continuous tracking without intrusion.” As an experiment, I left the tracker turned on and in my vehicle for an entire week and it still had just under 50 percent battery life left at the end of the week.
- Easy to use – just turn it on and go.
- Indoor tracking with WiFi possible.
- Real-time location updates.
- You can set up a geofence with smart alerts for a restricted area and the device will immediately send an alert via text message or email if the tracker leaves that defined area.
- SMS alerts if the car reaches excessive speed, harsh braking, late night driving and more.
- If the tracker is in your car and the car is stolen, the police should be able to find it via the device’s track history.
- Lifetime warranty: Family1st stand by their products – they provide unlimited support and a lifetime warranty.
- Low battery alerts
- Rechargeable battery
- 6 months sleep mode (battery lasts 6 months in sleep mode)
- Low monthly fee: basic monthly subscription plans start at $51.90.
- 30-day money back (full refund).
- No hassle cancellation policy. No cancellation fees and you can cancel anytime.
- Works in the USA, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada and Mexico
- 24*7 Tech Support: Family1st’s tech support specialists are available 24*7 email support. They also have phone and live chat available from 9:00AM – 5:00PM PT. Their phone number is 1-855-462-7819.
Cons
- Reports are intuitive to use, but some reports are only accessible if you have n upgraded subscription plan.
- The tracker only tracks the particular vehicle it is assigned to – it’s not a “personal” tracker. It does not track the person – or even the tracker – if it is in another car. I tried taking the tracker along while driving in my husband’s car and it didn’t record anything.
- Price – the tracker costs $29.95 to purchase in 2024, plus you have to pay monthly for a monitoring plan. There are free apps that can be set up on a phone that can track the phone’s location in real time, however they may not have the same features.
