Free GPS tracking – how it works and what you get

What free GPS tracking means

SaveTrack has a plan with no monthly fee for tracking. On the free plan you get the vehicle position and nothing else, refreshed every 5 minutes. No mileage log, no route history, no zones, no notifications.

There are two conditions and we name them upfront: you need your own GPS device and your own SIM card with data. We provide the software, the server and the storage – that is the part that costs you nothing.

What the free plan does not include

So that nobody ends up disappointed, let's be blunt. The free plan is position only. It does not include:

• a mileage log – neither automatic nor for tax purposes, • route history and distance driven, • zones and alerts (geofencing), • reports, driving style and eco score, • a SIM card and data – those you arrange yourself.

Everything listed above is part of the paid plan from €6 a month. The free plan answers one single question: where is my vehicle. If you need anything beyond that, it is the right moment to look at the paid plan – not because we want to sell, but because the free plan technically cannot do it.

Why it can be free

Every GPS tracking setup rests on three costs: the device in the vehicle, the data connection it uses to send the position, and the server and software where the data is stored and displayed.

The first two never disappear – neither hardware nor mobile data is free. The third one we can carry, provided the position is sent at a calmer interval. That is exactly why the free plan uses 5 minutes instead of 60 seconds: fewer records mean less load on the server and less data used.

There is no catch in it. If someone promises you tracking at no cost at all, device and data included, it is worth asking where that money actually is.

What you need to arrange

Your own device. Ideally a professional unit able to send data to a server – at SaveTrack we work with Teltonika units. If you already have one from a previous solution, it can usually be reused.

Your own SIM with data. At a 5-minute interval the volume is low, so even the cheapest data plan will do. When choosing, consider whether the vehicle travels abroad – then a SIM with data across the EU is useful.

Configuring the unit. The device has to be pointed at our server. You get the settings and the procedure after registration; it is done once and then needs no further attention.

The 5-minute interval – when it is enough and when it is not

The interval determines how often the position is refreshed. Five minutes is plenty for knowing where the vehicle is right now, or for checking that it is parked where it should be.

It is not enough when you need a continuous route with accurate distances. With a 5-minute step the bends between two points get "straightened out" and the distance driven comes out shorter than it really was. For a mileage log, where the kilometres matter, that is significant.

It is equally insufficient for real-time dispatching or for monitoring driving style. Those need the paid plan with a 60-second refresh.

Who the free plan suits

It makes sense if you have one or two vehicles, already own a GPS unit and mainly want to see where they are. It is also good for trying things out – you find out whether tracking suits you at all, without committing to anything.

It suits less well the companies that deal with a mileage log for tax purposes, report distances or need accurate routes. There the imprecision of a sparse interval shows directly in the numbers.

Switching to the paid plan is possible at any time and you are not tied in.

How it differs from the paid plan

The paid plan starts at €6 per vehicle per month and solves exactly what the free plan inherently cannot: the position every 60 seconds, meaning a continuous route and accurate distances.

You also do not have to deal with hardware or a SIM – with annual payment the GPS unit is free, with monthly payment it costs roughly €51 to €78 depending on the model. Europe is included and there is no lock-in. A loyalty discount then gradually lowers the price from €6 to €5 and down to €4 per vehicle.

Put differently: on the free plan you save the monthly fee and pay for hardware and data. On the paid plan it is the other way round.