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Best Kids GPS Trackers and Devices of 2023

Best Kids GPS Trackers and Devices of 2023 | SafeWise skip to main content Search for:

We tested kids GPS trackers—including kids smartwatches—to bring you our top five faves.

Jiobit Next

SOS button
10-day battery
Location history
$20 off

View on Amazon

Read Review

Tack GPS Tracker

SOS button
30-day battery
Location history
$12 off

View on Amazon

Read Review

TickTalk 4

SOS button
2-day battery
Location history

View on Amazon

Read Review

Apple AirTag

No SOS button
1-year battery
Location history

View on Amazon

Read Review

By Cathy Habas

Staff Writer, Safety & Security

January 03, 2023

Want to keep your little one safe at school, play, and everywhere in between? We think Jiobit is the best kids’ GPS tracker. Jiobit's parent app provides you with frequent updates and virtual fence capabilities so you can see your kids arrive safely at school and friends’ houses.

But Jiobit's not as feature-rich as some of the other kids GPS trackers on the market, so we'll introduce you to our other favorites too.

Looking specifically for smartwatches? Check out our review of the best kids smartwatches.

Top 5 GPS trackers for kids

Jiobit Next
: Best overall
AngelSense
: Best for kids with disabilities
Tack GPS
: Budget pick
TickTalk 4
: Smartwatch pick
Apple AirTag
: Best for crowded events

Compare best GPS trackers for kids

Product	Best for	Price	Monthly subscription	Max. battery life	Geofences	Two-way talk	Learn more	Read review
Jiobit Next	Best overall	$149.99	$8.99/mo.	240 hours	Yes	No	View on Amazon	Read review
AngelSense	Best for kids with disabilities	$69.99 (sale price)	$39.99/mo.	24 hours	Yes	Yes	View on Angelsense	Read review
Tack GPS	Best for budgets	$79.00	$3.99/mo.	30 days	Yes	No	View on Amazon	Read review
TickTalk 4	Smartwatch pick	$199. 99	$10.00/mo.	62 hours	Yes	Yes	View on Amazon	Read review
Apple AirTag	Best for crowded events	$28.99	N/A	1 year	No	No	View on Amazon	Read review

*Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

Video: Best Kids GPS Trackers Roundup

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Reviews of the best kids' GPS trackers

1. Jiobit Next: Best overall

Best child GPS tracker

Jiobit Next

$149.99 + $8.99

/mo

View on Amazon

*Amazon. com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

The Jiobit Next GPS tracker for kids stands out for its 10-day battery life, learning technology, and small size. Its data is protected by multiple layers of encryption, and Jiobit's the only COPPA-certified device on our list.^1,2

Pros

Risk-free trial

Long battery life (10 days)

Secure, durable attachments

Multiple tracking technologies

Cons

No voice communication

What's new in the Jiobit Next

The Oreo-sized Jiobit Next improves on the original Jiobit with a longer battery life—up to 10 days versus 7 days—and 5G low-power network connectivity that puts less strain on the battery. This means you can check on your kid's whereabouts more often without sapping the battery.

Jiobit's latest iteration also features antenna technology for more accurate indoor location-tracking, plus a new belt or backpack clip.

Jiobit Next learns your child's routine

Jiobit Next has learning technology that will remember your child’s routines, routes, and regular locations. That means Jiobit knows if your child goes somewhere they aren't supposed to or doesn't arrive where they need to be, and you'll get an alert on your phone.

What's missing from the Jiobit Next

There’s no speaker in either Jiobit model, so your child can’t talk to you if they need help, and you can’t listen in to make sure they’re okay. Check out AngelSense or TickTalk 4 for two-way talk.

Learn more by reading our in-depth Jiobit review.

Video: Jiobit GPS Tracker Review

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2. AngelSense Kids’ GPS tracker: Best for kids with disabilities

Best GPS tracker for kids with disabilities

AngelSense GPS tracker was created with one purpose in mind: to help protect children with disabilities such as autism. But it works for any little ones.

Its comfortable design won’t interfere with your kiddo’s range of motion. And it locks tight onto school bags or clothes to stay with them from home to bus to classroom and beyond.

Pros

Two-way calling and listen-in function

Transit alerts, including speed and ETA

Location updates every 10 seconds

Cons

High monthly fees

Standout feature: Regular updates

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.

"My son eloped from school! We knew right away and found him so quickly!!" —Stephanie D., AngelSense customer

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.

Video: AngelSense GPS Tracker Review

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3. Tack GPS tracker: Budget pick

Budget pick

Tack GPS Tracker

$79.00 + $3.99

/mo

View on Amazon

*Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

The Tack GPS Tracker costs a little more than AngelSense upfront, but it's our budget pick thanks to a $3.99 monthly fee.

But in many ways, you get what you pay for with this super-simple GPS tracker. It has no audio and no extra features besides one button that activates SOS mode with two quick presses.

Pros

Affordable monthly fee

SOS button

Colorful protective cases

Location history and geofences

Cons

No two-way talk

2-minute updates max

In addition to using GPS, Tack connects to the AT&T LTE network and pings nearby Wi-Fi routers for improved location accuracy indoors and out. There's a lanyard channel on top of the device, and Tack also sells colorful protective sleeves and a fabric pouch perfect for attaching to your child's backpack or sewing into a pants pocket.

You can get location updates every 2 minutes, 10 minutes, 1 hour, or 4 hours. While this is fine for basic updates, two minutes is painfully slow during a true emergency, especially considering competitive devices like AngelSense give 10-second updates.

You get to try the Tack GPS Tracker for 30 days without a subscription, so make sure it works as expected in your area before you commit.

4. TickTalk 4: Best GPS tracker watch for kids

Best GPS watch for kids

TickTalk 4

$199.99 + $10.00

/mo

View on Amazon

*Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

The TickTalk 4 is a GPS tracker that also functions as a kids smartwatch, so your older children should want to wear it. It's a solid investment that should last until your kid is ready for a cell phone.

Check out our full review of the TickTalk 4 in action and hear from our kid tester.

Pros

Step tracker

Messaging and video calling

No distracting games or apps

Geofencing

Cons

Not compatible with all cellular networks

In addition to regular GPS tracking, you can set GPS boundaries (also called geofencing) to keep your kids safe. If they cross a boundary, you’ll get an automatic alert. This feature is especially handy if you’ve got a wanderer. You can see your child's location through the parents' app and check their status live.

Standout feature: iHeartRadio streaming

TickTalk4 doesn't include games, but it does allow kids to stream family-friendly music and stories on iHeartRadio. We think this is a great compromise for limiting screen time while still giving kids an entertaining device they'll want to wear. It also doubles as a fitness tracker thanks to a built-in pedometer.

Video: TickTalk 4 Smartwatch Review

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5. Apple AirTag: Best for crowded events

Best for crowded events

Apple AirTag

$28.99

View on Amazon

*Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

Hear us out on this one—while we don't recommend Apple AirTags as everyday kids location trackers, they're an affordable supplemental gadget capable of pinpointing your child's location in a crowd.

Pros

No monthly subscription

Works worldwide

1-year battery life

Affordable

Cons

Can't track fast motion

No SOS button

No geofencing

No two-way talk

Why AirTags make sense as a secondary kids tracker

AirTags don't cut it as a go-to kids tracker in our book—they have no emergency features and have some tracking limitations, which we explain in-depth in our Apple AirTag FAQ.

But AirTags fill a gap in GPS trackers' functionality thanks to their Precision Finding feature. GPS trackers can show you your child's location within about 16 feet—which isn't always helpful in crowded areas or when trying to find a child who's really good at hiding. Precision Finding can get you to the AirTag's exact location thanks to its directional arrow and inch-by-inch distance countdown.

It's sort of like using the focus dials on a microscope or pair of binoculars: one gives a general view and the other zooms in much further. For best results, use them together.

Affordable . . . sort of

Apple AirTags retail for around $29 each and don't need a monthly service plan. But you need a nearly $470 phone—the iPhone 11 and above—to use the Precision Finding tool.

Learn more in our full Apple AirTag review.

Class action lawsuit against Apple

Two women have filed a class action lawsuit against Apple with the claim that AirTags made it easier for them to be stalked and harassed. There have been a slew of headlines since AirTags launched about bad actors using the devices for nefarious purposes.

Earlier this year, Apple instituted new safeguards to alert people when AirTags are near them, and the company is also working with law enforcement on crime issues related to the devices.

Learn more about the risks of AirTags and how to keep them safe on our YouTube channel.

Video: Are AirTags Safe? And How to Keep Them That Way

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Other GPS trackers for kids we considered

GeoZilla
Active Halo from Amber Alert
OurPact
Tracki
Samsung SmartThings Tracker and Galaxy Smart Tag
My Buddy Tag
Relay Kids Smartphone

GeoZilla GPS tracker

The GeoZilla GPS tracker offers worldwide GPS coverage and gave reasonably accurate location updates during our tests. But some of the advertised communication features didn't work right. For nearly $20 a month, it's not worth the money.

Read our GeoZilla review to get the full scoop.

Pros

Worldwide coverage

5-day battery

Compatible with iOS, Android, and Apple Watch

Cons

Not waterproof

Poor test performance

Misleading prices

Active Halo from Amber Alert GPS

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.

Pros

Up to 20 safety zones

Frequent location updates

Silent mode

Cons

Expensive price

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.

Standout feature: Sex-offender detection

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

“Given that our society has changed so much, with dual working parents and the emphasis on child safety, we hope to bring a little peace of mind to parents and a little bit of freedom to youngsters who are too young for a cell phone.”

—Mary Anne Keegan, CMO of Amber Alert GPS

OurPact

OurPact is billed as a GPS tracker for kids, but we found that isn't its strong point. Since it's an app on your child's device, if your kiddo sets down their device and wanders away, then OurPact is useless. If you don't have a computer to sync it with your child's device, it's also useless.

Pros

Blocks apps and websites

Monitors screen time

No up-front cost

Cons

Useless if the device isn't with your child

Needs a computer to install

We did love it as an internet activity-monitoring tool to protect your child from online strangers or cyberbullying. You can see what your child is looking at, block websites and apps, and schedule screen time with ease.

Learn more from our full OurPact review.

Tracki

The Tracki is a tiny, no-frills GPS tracker with geofencing and an SOS button. 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.

Pros

SIM card included

Live location-tracking

Geofencing

SOS button

3–30 day battery life

Cons

Monthly service plan is pricey

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.

The Tracki itself costs around $20, but you'll pay that same amount each month for service. If you pay annually, the price lowers to around $10 per month.

Samsung SmartThings Tracker and Galaxy SmartTag

The Samsung SmartThings Tracker was discontinued in October 2021. It used the AT&T 4G LTE network to track anything—including your child's whereabouts. A button on the side let kids notify their parents when they were ready to be picked up or they needed help.

Samsung's Galaxy SmartTag trackers are similar but use Bluetooth instead of cellular technology. That means they have similar pros and cons to the Apple AirTag when used to track a child.

My Buddy Tag

My Buddy Tag has gone out of business.

It was a Bluetooth tracker disguised as a comfy wristband. One feature that set the My Buddy Tag apart was the water safety alert, which was great for pool or lake safety since it could help prevent drowning. We hope to see a similar feature prioritized in other kids wearables in the future.

Relay Kids Smartphone

Previously one of our top picks, Relay switched over to the business market and has no plans to restock their kids' GPS trackers. Only refurbished units are available, and they get scooped up fast. Existing customers shouldn't experience any service issues.

If you can get one, we think you'll like it. This innovative take on a kids' smartphone has GPS tracking, nationwide coverage, and one-touch communication. And its lack of a screen means you don't have to worry about monitoring your kid's screen time. Learn more in our full Relay review.

Final word

We chose Jiobit as our top pick because it offers a good value, boasting generous battery life and accurate location tracking for a low monthly fee.

But you might prefer another tracker based on your family's needs:

AngelSense is feature-heavy and great for kids with disabilities, but it's also the most expensive option.
Tack GPS has affordable monthly fees, and its performance may reflect that. Test thoroughly.
TickTalk4 includes video calling and other communication channels.
An Apple AirTag shows your child's direction and distance relative to you, making it perfect for crowded events or vacation getaways.

With features like geofences, mobile app alerts, and activity tracking, GPS trackers for kids make family outings and their solo adventures a little safer. These simple devices give you the confidence to let them explore their world at a young age.

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

Watch smartwatches in the classroom

We like smartwatches to help keep kids and parents in touch, but your child's device might not be welcome in the classroom. Schools are concerned about distraction, privacy, and cheating.

Be sure to talk to your child's teacher or principal before sending them to school with a smartwatch. And you can help educators out—use parental controls (it's called "Do Not Disturb" on the TickTalk 4) to shut down the device during class.

What to look for in a kids GPS tracker

Whether you’re looking for a kids’ GPS tracking watch or a GPS tracking device you can conceal in a pocket, get to know the basics before making a purchase.

The best GPS tracker is comfortable and fun for kids to use, durable enough to last all day, and accurate in its readings. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

User-friendliness: Choose a tracker that’s easy for you and your child to use. It shouldn’t interfere with their range of motion or get in the way.
Age range: Check the recommended age range on any tracker you’re considering. Some have anti-tamper features for older kids if you’re worried they will remove it.
Durability: Kids play rough, so be sure their tracker can withstand all the roughhousing, horseplay, and hazards kids can throw at it. Look for waterproof models that can handle puddles and spills too.
Range: Not all GPS devices are created equal. Those that use cellular 4G LTE tracking can handle long range connections if your kids visit somewhere out of state while Bluetooth devices are meant for close range.
Alerts and notifications: Look for a device with adjustable settings to avoid false alarms or blowing up your phone. Your device should be customizable to let you check on your kids when you want and notify you when there’s trouble.
Panic button: Some kids GPS devices come with a panic button that let your child alert you when something’s wrong or they need help.
Two-way communication: This feature lets you speak to your child through their tracker like an intercom so you can ask them where they are or if they need help.
Games: Features like games and step counters give kids more motivation to wear their tracker. After all, the device isn’t helpful if your child doesn’t want to wear or use it. Just make sure the games aren't too distracting.
Real-time tracking: When you need to know where your child is, this is the most important feature. You can adjust the settings in your tracker’s app to send an updated location to you every minute to every fifteen minutes.

Parent survey statistics

How often do parents lose track of their kids?

One minute you’re cruising through the grocery store with your kid in tow, the next minute your little one has disappeared without a trace. At least one in three parents have been there.

How often do parents lose their kids in public? And how does this affect parents’ decisions about purposely letting their children out of sight or keeping tabs on them with a GPS tracker? In October 2021, we surveyed 1,000 parents with kids between the ages of 7 and 17 to get some answers.

Survey Results: All parents

Our surveyed parents reported the following:

One in three parents have lost a child in a store.
Around 32% have lost a child at a crowded event.
Over one in five have lost a child at a park.
Nearly one in five have lost a child for more than an hour.
Nearly one in five have called police about a lost or missing child.

We wanted to understand how these scary situations affected parents’ willingness to let their kids roam free. According to our survey, the average parent lets their kid do the following:

Walk home alone at age 12
Take public transportation alone at age 14
Play outside unsupervised at age 11
Stay home alone at age 13
Trick or treat unsupervised at age 13
Have a cell phone at age 12

Those ages didn’t change for parents who had lost a child at least once, with one exception: cell phones. Parents were more likely to allow their children to have a cell phone by age 10 if the following applied for them:

Had a special needs child
Had lost their child in a store
Had lost their child at a crowded event
Had lost a child at a park
Had called police about a lost or missing child

Parents with only one child were less likely to have lost their child in all circumstances. Parents with at least one special-needs child were more likely to have lost a child.

Survey Results: Parents of children with special needs

Surveyed parents with at least one special needs child reported the following:

Nearly one in two have lost a child in a store.
More than 50% have lost a child at a crowded event.
Over two in five have lost a child at a park.
Over one in three have lost a child for more than an hour.
Nearly two in five have called police about a lost or missing child.

With a kids GPS tracker, you and your child won’t become a scary statistic. If your child slips away in a crowd or is late coming home from a friend’s house, you can look up their exact location before your imagination runs wild.

Around two-thirds of all parents think their oldest child wouldn’t mind them tracking their location. If your child seems too old for our recommended kids GPS trackers or smartwatches, consider installing a parental control app with location-tracking on their phone.

GPS trackers for kids FAQ

While helicopter parenting is rarely necessary, there are some cases that call for giving your child a GPS tracker. For example, a GPS device can help parents with kids who live in multiple households or have special needs keep tabs on their whereabouts. Toddlers and little tykes may also benefit from a small tracker on their shoelace or clothes in crowded places.

Watch our video to learn more: Why kids GPS trackers are a great alternative to a cell phone

Of course. GPS trackers use the same technology we have in our phones. Bluetooth, GPS locating, and cellular signals are the main methods these devices use.

Most charges last for a couple days. If you plan to use a tracker every day, charge it at night when they get home just like you would charge your cell phone.

Geofencing is a feature found in many different types of GPS trackers. It allows you to draw digital boundaries around trusted areas like schools, homes, and neighborhoods. When your child enters or leaves that area, you’ll get a notification.

How we reviewed GPS trackers for kids

To get the best results for our lineup, we tested some of the best kids' GPS trackers ourselves. We got products like AngelSense, Jiobit, and Relay in-house to give them a spin.

We tested each of these for features like location accuracy (hide and seek, anyone?), portability, and tracking range.

We also wanted to make sure we picked products kids actually wanted to use. So features like games and activity tracking earned extra points in our testing.

Learn more from our methodology page about how we conduct reviews like this one.

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Jiobit Pet and Child Tracker Review

Jiobit Pet and Child Tracker Review | SafeWise skip to main content Search for:

By Alina Bradford

Senior Writer, Safety & Security Expert

June 03, 2021

The Jiobit Next GPS tracker is a top child and pet tracker in our books. It’s tiny, easy to use, reliable, and customizable. Even more important, it’s durable and difficult to remove if you need it to stay hooked to a belt loop or backpack strap. We loved that you need a special tool to remove it—tiny humans won’t be able to ditch Jiobit when they want to give you the slip.

After trying Jiobit out on a reluctant test subject (hint: he meows), we can confidently say this tracker is a great pick for human- and fur-baby parents alike.

Pros

Multiple tracking features

Adjustable alerts

Smart design

Cons

No two-way talk

Required subscription plan

Compare Jiobit subscription costs

Info current as of 06/03/21. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

You’re required to sign up for a subscription plan when you buy a Jiobit. The subscription gives you access to a data plan that includes national US cellular data.

The price of the subscription plan depends on if you sign a contract or not and how long the contract lasts. With a two-year contract, you get the best deal at $8.99 per month. A six-month contract will snag you a monthly rate of $12.99.

If you hate contracts like we do, then opting out will cost you $14.99 per month in subscription fees. Even at the worst rate, Jiobit is still much cheaper than its biggest competitor AngelSense, which is a whopping $39.99 per month.

On top of the required subscription, you can sign up for Jiobit Plus for an extra $3 per month. This added service gives you SMS and email notifications and an extended timeline to see where Jiobit has been in the past 30 days. It also gives you access to Portal, which is a website dashboard for Jiobit.

Cancellation fees

If you decide to cancel, Jiobit will charge you an early termination fee of 25% of the remaining contract. You can suspend your subscription for up to three months for free and $1.99 per month per device after that.

With the month-to-month subscription plan you can cancel whenever you like. Unfortunately, canceling terminates the SIM card in your Jiobit after six months, and it can’t be reactivated.

What's in the box

Jiobit Next Location Monitor
Charging dock
USB charging cable
Secure Loop, Hem Lock Clip, Integrated Loop, and Strap Clips

Easy setup

Setting up Jiobit is so easy your kid could probably do it. You just scan the QR code with your phone, click it into its charging base, and connect it to your Wi-Fi.

From there, you pick one of the four different clips it comes with and attach the Jiobit to a coat, backpack, pet collar . . . There's really almost no limit to where you can attach this tracker.

Jiobit can be used on animals that are five pounds or more. We picked the collar of a cat named Milo for our Jiobit. Milo likes to roam, so we figured he would be the perfect test subject for our Jiobit review. Milo was curious about the new bobble on his collar but soon forgot about it.

Setup tip

Can’t get Jiobit to connect with your phone? Try restarting your phone. It worked for us in a pinch.

Customizable tracking

When it comes to tracking, Jiobit has everything we could ask for, including maps, directions to the missing tot, and customizable alerts. If you have a toddler that likes to disappear like fish-shaped cheese crackers during snack time, then you’ll love this device.

You can customize when you get alerts depending on how far the device is from your phone. You can also customize how far the Jiobit can travel outside of the trusted area, from 100 to 800 feet, with its Geofence feature. If you like, you can get notifications when your child or pet arrives at trusted locations that you designate too.

The blue line on the dashboard of the Jiobit app gives you a visual indication of how far away the Jiobit is from your phone. When the line turns red, that means that the Jiobit, and your little one, have moved too far away. You can also see the location of the tracked tot on the dashboard map.

Finding the escape artist

After tracking Milo, we found that he stays close to home most of the time. A quick trip to visit his buddy in the neighbor's yard was about as far as he traveled outside his acre-sized yard.

If your sneaky kiddo likes to hide around the house or under clothing racks at the store, Jiobit can make an irritating buzzing noise. Just go into the app and tap the Ring Jiobit option. Think of it as a super stressful game of Marco Polo. Either you'll find the crafty kiddo by tracking the sound, or your kid will run to you begging for the alarm to be turned off. Either way, the missing child is found.

Milo didn’t necessarily hate the alarm, but he couldn’t figure out where the sound came from. The alarm made it easier to figure out if he hid under the bed or behind the dresser. Very helpful.

Still can’t find them? Tap the Directions option on the Jiobit app dashboard, and it will tell you exactly how many feet you are from your child or pet, along with a street address and how long it will take you to reach them.

Useful “Care Team” feature

If more than one person is in charge of the safety of your kiddo or pet, they can easily track Jiobit on their phone too. All you need to do is send them an invitation to join your child’s Care Team. All they need to do is accept and download the Jiobit app.

Handy alert button to call for help

If your kid ever needs help, they can press the Alert Me button on the bottom of the Jiobit. If you’re afraid the button will trigger by accident, you can change how many presses the button needs before it sends an alert. You can change it to a double-click or triple-click. If your kid thinks it’s funny to alert you for no reason, you also have the option of turning the button off.

Alert button messages can be sent to everyone in your Care Team or just a few folks. It’s completely customizable and easy to change as often as you need. Just toggle the switch next to the Care Team person’s icon.

No escape from this device

Is the Jiobit tracker easy to remove? Heck no. There’s no need to worry about your tike getting rid of their tracker and going on an excursion.

We tried to pry the clip off the collar (when it wasn't on Milo) and it wouldn't budge. Those clips are tough. We scuffed it up some, but no breaks. The only thing that worked at removing the Jiobit was the removal key that it comes with.

If you want the device to be easy to remove, don’t worry. There are different clips you can customize it with.

Great for caretakers and seniors

We’ve mentioned how great Jiobit is for pets and kids, but we also wholeheartedly recommend it for seniors that would like to contact friends or family with just the push of a button or for those caring for relatives with Alzheimer's.

Varied battery life

How long does Jiobit’s battery last? Well, that depends. Jiobit says the battery lasts up to 168 hours. We found that it varies from user to user.

The battery will last longer if the following happens:

The pointy part points at the sky (it also gets a better signal this way).
It's in a trusted place.
The Bluetooth on your phone stays on when the Jiobit is close.
Your Wi-Fi is strong.
You don’t use Live View too much.

Plus, the longer you use Jiobit, the better it retains its charge. This is because it’s constantly using AI to learn your kid or fur baby's routines during the first week or so. During our first few hours of use, the battery went down around 5% and a total of 10% in the first 24 hours. So during the first week you may want to plan on charging it every couple of days.

We really like that Jiobit will alert you when the battery gets to 20%. Want alerts sooner? You can customize the alerts. Just toggle on the option to get alerts when the Jiobit battery is charged too.

Strong durability and weak warranty

Milo took his Jiobit in wet grass, drizzle, dirt, and who knows what else—and the device still worked perfectly. With an IPX8 rating, Jiobit works in up to five feet of water for up to 30 minutes. So it’s probably not the best pick for a day at the waterpark.

Jiobit comes with a one-year warranty on workmanship defects. It won’t cover normal wear and tear or other more extreme cases like your dog chewing on Jiobit.

Jiobit vs. other kid GPS trackers and wearables

*Order 2 or more & get $15 off each device.

**Amazon.com price as of 06/03/2021 at 9:00 a.m. (MT). Read full disclaimer.

Final word

Jiobit Next is our favorite tiny GPS tracker. We love it for kids, pets, and seniors. Not only can it track those you love; they can also use it to get help with the press of a button. While we aren’t fans of contracts, we do like that the company at least offers the option of a month-to-month subscription, even if it costs twice as much.

Learn more about our other favorite GPS trackers.

How we reviewed Jiobit Next

For our Jiobit review we knew it was important to try out this kid tracking device first-hand. We spent hours tracking a not-quite-one-year-old cat named Milo to see how well the device worked in real-life situations.

In addition to hands-on testing, we also scoured user reviews and professional reviews, and relied on our many years of experience as safety experts to determine the usefulness of this product.

To learn more about how we test products, check out our Safewise methodology page.

Jiobit FAQ

Simply send an email to [email protected].

It’s water resistant, so it can hold up to splashes or getting caught in the rain. Don’t wear it swimming unless it’s a quick dip in a shallow pool. It can be used in water up to 5 feet for just 30 minutes.

Jiobit’s Live Mode updates every few seconds.

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Where is the child? Smart watches, apps and trackers will tell you

Imagine: you went to the mall with the whole family, got distracted for a minute, and the child disappeared somewhere. With luck, he is waiting where he lost sight of you, but what if he himself went looking for you and wandered off to who knows where?

Or: lessons ended an hour ago, five minutes from school to home, and the child never returned. Of course, he could go out with classmates and forgot to warn, but what if someone took him away on the way home? nine0003

It's hard not to worry when you don't know where your child is. Most likely, it will later turn out that everything is in order with him, but no one will restore your nerves. However, today this problem is not so difficult to solve, because there are many child trackers with which you will always know where the child is. Let's see what options there are for tracking the location of children so that you can choose the appropriate option.

What are the types of baby trackers

Let's make a reservation right away: trackers are different, and it is impossible to say unequivocally that one type is better than another. The choice here depends on the age of the child, on whether he walks alone or only with you, whether he has a smartphone, and so on. After all, it is one thing to make sure that the baby does not ride too far on the scooter during your walk together, and it is quite another to look after an independent and freedom-loving teenager.

Radio beacons for the little ones

If your child is still small and you don't let him go for a walk alone (or let him go, but only near the house), a radio beacon that can be found within a radius of several hundred meters may be enough for you. When the baby is lost, it is enough to press the button on the remote control, and the beacon will start emitting sound signals. Some models allow you to set an alarm if the child moves away from the remote control at a distance greater than the permitted. nine0003

Unlike GPS trackers, which determine the location with an accuracy of several meters, such beacons allow you to quickly find a child in a small area, even in a crowded (though not very noisy) place. On the other hand, if the child has time to go far from the remote control, the connection with the beacon will be lost.

Benefits of baby beacons :

Easy to use.
Compact.
Works well in a small area.
The most budget option. nine0024

Disadvantages of baby radio beacons :

Short range.
No panic button.
Not effective in noisy environments.

GPS trackers: key rings, pendants, clothespins

If your child is already walking or going to school on his own, you will need a GPS tracker. The lightest and most compact options are key rings, pendants and clip-on trackers. They can be worn as decoration or attached to a child's backpack and clothes. If desired, such a device is easy to hide from prying eyes, and some models are fixed so that they are almost impossible to remove. nine0003

The functionality of mini trackers varies from device to device. The simplest ones allow you to track the location of the child and set the boundaries of the territory in which he should be at one time or another. If he leaves a safe area (for example, school or home), you will immediately receive a notification.

Many trackers have an SOS button - it's big and noticeable (and often the only one on the device). In case of danger, even a baby can press it, and you will immediately receive a notification with its coordinates. Some models will send an audio recording from the microphone along with the alarm so that you can assess what is happening around the child. Also, if the tracker has a built-in microphone, audio can also be requested from the parent app. nine0003

Some devices have unique features. For example, one of the trackers known to us, in addition to the location of the child, is able to determine which of the relatives he is currently with. Another device in the parent app uses augmented reality to help you navigate. If you look around through the tracker application, it will show in which direction the child is.

The main disadvantage of key chains and clothespins is that if your child leaves a backpack or a jacket to which the tracker is attached and runs away to play, you will see the location of things, not the child. An older student can deliberately get rid of the tracker so that they do not follow him - he will not have the motivation to keep the gadget with him. nine0003

In addition, GPS trackers are relatively expensive and require an Internet connection over a cellular network to operate. So you will also have to be puzzled by the monthly subscription fee.

Pros of children's GPS trackers :

Easy to use.
Compact.
There is a panic button.
Attach securely.

Disadvantages of children's GPS trackers :

Can be removed with clothes or backpack. nine0024

Smart watch for a child

A smart watch, unlike key fob trackers, is worn by a child on the wrist. That is, lying where he threw a backpack or jacket, they most likely will not. In addition, as a rule, the set of functions in them is wider: using the watch, you can make calls, including video calls, send SMS, count steps, play educational games, and so on. So, such a gadget is more interesting for children - this is a huge plus.

When in danger, a child can press the panic button in the same way, and in case someone tries to take the watch away from him or he loses it himself, some models of watches have a built-in sensor for removing from the hand. Another important advantage of such devices (compared to a telephone) is that even in a noisy environment, the child will not miss a call. nine0003

One of the popular gadgets to help keep track of the location of the child is a children's smart watch. Accordingly, the quality of devices and applications for them varies greatly. Therefore, before buying a gadget, study user reviews.

Some models, for example, have problems with location stability, cell signal loss and other bugs. And more recently, it turned out that millions of children's watches from different brands are generally not protected from cybercriminals. Anyone can find out the location of the child, the history of his movements and other personal information, or even hijack the parent's account and impersonate him. nine0003

Do not forget about the safety of the device itself. Remember that the child will wash their hands, fall and play without removing the watch. So if the model is not sufficiently shockproof or waterproof, it will quickly become unusable. At the same time, most gadgets are not cheap, and again, you will have to pay a subscription fee to connect.

Advantages of a smart watch for a child :

Always with a breath.
There is a panic button.

Cons of smart watches for a child :

Some models do not work well.
Not cheap.

Smartphone app

If you have an older child who already has their own smartphone, the most affordable and convenient way to look after them is with a dedicated app. A teenager will not have to carry an extra device with him, and you will not have to spend money on it. In app stores, you can find trackers without additional features. However, a full-fledged parental control program would be a much more universal solution. It will allow you not only to know where the child is, but also to monitor his safety online, and at the same time solve the problem of gadget abuse. nine0003

Google Play and the App Store offer both completely free parental control applications and inexpensive licenses and subscriptions. The first ones are more profitable for the family budget, but the set of functions in them is most likely limited. And if the authors of a free app make money from ads, you should keep in mind that adware can be very careless with your data.

In general, when choosing both devices and programs, it is worth remembering cybersecurity. Therefore, we recommend looking for information about the manufacturer before buying or downloading anything. If vulnerabilities have recently been found in its products that have not yet been fixed, it is better to abandon it. And even better - immediately choose a reliable solution from a well-known manufacturer that pays due attention to security. nine0003

Pros of baby location apps :

Inexpensive.
Installed on the child's mobile device.
Many useful features besides location tracking.

Cons of baby tracking apps :

Smartphone or tablet required.

Keeping your child safe is easy

As you can see, it's not that hard to avoid worrying about where your child is. There are many devices and applications that will tell you about its location. The main thing is to approach the choice responsibly and explain to the child why the tracker will simplify life for him too. And it will be possible with a calm heart to give him the necessary level of freedom. nine0003

Locate your child's phone - free GPS app

Do you know where your child is right now?

Our teenage kids are more independent than ever and enjoy this high degree of freedom. The frantic rhythm of today's life, when both parents work and cannot spend much time with their children, contributes to the greater freedom and independence of children. Children are becoming more independent, and parents are finding it increasingly difficult to keep track of them. nine0003

The deteriorating public safety in cities, the ever-increasing number of crimes against teenagers forces us to constantly worry about the safety of our children when they are not with us. On the one hand, we must respect the desire of our children to be free, on the other hand, we must protect them from all the dangers of the modern world.

Control your child wherever they are

KidControl is a free GPS tracker app for your phone that allows you to track your child's location with their mobile phone or with their GPS Smart Baby Watch. With KidControl you will always know where your child is and if everything is okay with him. KidControl will help you stay calm and keep your child safe anywhere and anytime! Watch the video on how to connect children's watch to Kidcontrol. nine0003

You can always see your child's location on the map

How can I find my child's phone number? The KidControl service uses advanced GPS geolocation technologies to display the location of your child's phone on a map as accurately and up-to-date as possible. You can track where your child's phone is at any time from any computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone connected to the Internet. You'll have peace of mind with constant access to your child's location. nine0003

View your child's travel history

If you're worried about where your child goes, the travel history will show you where they've been. You can view a detailed history of the child's movements for today and yesterday.

Send a help signal with location to all loved ones

The built-in SOS button will instantly send a help signal to all adult members of the KidControl service. The map shows who and when pressed the alarm button. If you accidentally press the SOS button, by pressing the alarm button again within 10 seconds, you can cancel the signal. nine0003

Remote notification of low phone charge.

Surely you are familiar with the situation when you cannot get through to the child, because he once again did not put the phone on charge on time and went to school with a dead phone.
With the help of KidControl we solved this problem. The application will send you a message about a dead battery and the need to put the child's phone on charge.

Does the child say that his phone dies in a few hours? nine0013

If this is true, you can find out by looking at the battery usage graph. The graph shows what time they put the phone on charge and when they took it off. According to these data, you can also judge what time the child goes to bed and gets up.

The need to control the child in order to prevent problems

Being a teenager means making bold discoveries, the desire to do things one's own way, intransigence, rejection of authority, challenging the adult way of life, the desire for adventure.

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