The Best Gps Trackers For Kids Recommended By Parents In 2025

1 month ago

With back-to-school play upon us, parents and caregivers are apt emotion immoderate separation anxiety. If your kid isn't yet fresh for a smartphone, nan accent of not having your kid instantly successful eyesight mightiness beryllium higher. Thankfully, GPS trackers tin show you child's location.

After speaking to experts and parents, we've selected nan champion GPS trackers and devices to show your child's location. Our apical prime goes to the Apple Air Tag, presently connected waste for $24, owed to its ease-of-use and meticulous tracking. We went hands-on pinch immoderate of nan champion devices connected nan market. Read connected to find which GPS locator is correct for you and your family.

Also: The champion parental power apps to support your kids safe

"As a mother, ensuring nan information and well-being of my kid is of utmost importance," Dr. Kaitlyn Siu, a kid neurologist and laminitis and CEO of Teach Your Kids Code, told ZDNET. "However, I would equilibrium nan request for information pinch respecting [my child's] privateness and autonomy, utilizing nan locator arsenic a instrumentality for bid of mind alternatively than for changeless surveillance."

What is nan champion GPS locator for kids correct now?

ZDNET said to parents and professionals for illustration Dr. Siu to find nan champion GPS trackers and devices to enactment alert of your child's location. Our prime for nan champion GPS locator for kids wide is nan Apple AirTag since it's reasonably priced and uses Apple's broad Find My web for meticulous tracking.

Though much expensive, we besides liked nan Garmin Bounce and Xplora XGO3 smartwatches.

The champion GPS trackers and devices for kids successful 2025

Why we for illustration it: The Apple AirTag is an affordable and meticulous solution to support way of your child's location. It useful pinch nan Find My app and seamlessly integrates pinch nan Apple ecosystem.

Apple's AirTags are astir nan size of a quarter, and location are countless accessories you tin usage to connect nan mini locator to a jacket, backpack, aliases moreover gaffe it into your child's pocket. The instrumentality uses an easy replaceable CR2032 artillery lasts that lasts astir a year.

The AirTag offers a coagulated performance. However, 1 caveat is that an AirTag requires different Apple instrumentality to beryllium adjacent and connected to nan net to stock its location pinch Apple's Find My network. For example, if your kid doesn't person an Apple instrumentality pinch cellular capabilities, search a young kid connected nan schoolhouse autobus requires personification -- astir apt different student aliases nan autobus driver -- to person an iPhone aliases cellular Apple Watch. If location aren't immoderate Apple devices connected nan bus, nan location can't update.

Review: Apple AirTag

Who's it for: The AirTag will champion service families already utilizing Apple products.

ZDNET contributor Jason Cipriani tested retired placing AirTags connected his children's backpacks and recovered that he could still way them during a schoolhouse day. "One backpack was located astir 30 minutes prior, and nan different had conscionable had its location reported 2 minutes earlier I'd checked," he wrote. "Presumably, a coach walked by their backpack pinch an iPhone successful their pocket, aliases 1 of nan students' iPads picked up nan tag's Bluetooth awesome and reported it backmost Apple, which successful move lets maine position nan location successful somewhat real-time."

Of nan customers who purchased an AirTag astatine Best Buy, 96% said they would urge it to a friend. The device's wide reappraisal standing is 4.8 retired of 5 stars.

Who should look elsewhere: If you're not already an Apple merchandise user, you'll want to cheque retired our different recommendations.

Apple AirTag specs: Price: $29 aliases 4 for $99 | Battery life: One twelvemonth | Real-time tracking: No | Monthly cost: None | Connectivity: Bluetooth, Apple's Find My Network

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Why we like it: Garmin's latest kids' smartwatch, nan Bounce, offers real-time location tracking, connection features, wellness and slumber tracking, and games.

Also: The champion Garmin watches

Who's it for: This is simply a awesome prime for parents wanting to support way of their kids while introducing smartwatch tech successful a controlled environment.

Bounce uses location search to show parents their child's existent whereabouts successful nan Garmin app and beryllium notified erstwhile their kid leaves pre-approved areas.

In addition, you tin position wellness metrics for illustration sleep, steps, and progressive minutes to support an oculus connected your increasing child. Garmin besides includes activity-related games wrong nan watch truthful kids tin unlock rewards for gathering goals aliases responsibilities, for illustration completing a chore.

LTE connectivity, disposable from Garmin for $10 per month, allows your kid to matter and sound connection up to 20 parent-approved contacts.

Parents connected Reddit who person bought nan watch for their kids opportunity it's awesome pinch notifications and location updates, particularly for school-bound kids.

Who should look elsewhere: Garmin's smartwatch has a batch of bells and whistles. Parents and caregivers who want a much minimal locator should support shopping. The work besides requires a subscription.

Garmin Bounce specs: Price: $150 | Battery life: Two days | Real-time tracking: Yes | Monthly cost: $10 per month | Connectivity: Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi, LTE

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Why we for illustration it: The SyncUp Kids Watch 2 is cleanable for kids still excessively young for a smartphone but mature capable to attraction for a gadget.

Who's it for: This instrumentality is different awesome action to safely present your kids to smartwatch tech. It includes a camera, and your kid tin usage nan instrumentality to nonstop and person messages. With nan task manager, a genitor tin adhd chores aliases different tasks for their kid to attraction connected aft school, on pinch real-time location tracking.

The interface is playful and easy for a kid to usage and includes a "School Mode" that disables other features during people clip to limit distraction.

One T-Mobile reviewer who gave nan instrumentality 5 stars said, "The only group allowed to interaction nan watch are group by you, nan parent. It's a bully measurement to entree your kids erstwhile they are away, but it besides lets them consciousness for illustration they are increasing up some.

Who should look elsewhere: The SyncUp Kids Watch 2 mightiness beryllium easier to get started pinch if you're already a T-Mobile user. The instrumentality is costly astatine $174, but if you adhd a statement to your T-Mobile account, you tin get nan watch for free.

In addition, if you'd for illustration a much minimal search device, you should look elsewhere.

Also: The champion smartwatches for kids

SyncUp Kids Watch 2 specs: Price: $174 | Battery life: 8 hours of talk clip | Real-time tracking: Yes | Monthly cost: No | Connectivity: 4G LTE

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Why we for illustration it: Verizon's Gizmo Watch 3 is simply a location search instrumentality pinch typical features to thief your kids enactment connected task.

Who's it for: This is simply a awesome action if you for illustration T-Mobile's SyncUp Kids watch, but you're subscribed to Verizon.

You tin nonstop and person messages and calls, and it has a built-in camera. You tin adhd up to 10 trusted contacts for your kid to pass pinch while wearing nan watch. The bearer besides offers a camera-less type of nan watch.

You'll besides get real-time search and geofence support to person alerts erstwhile your kid leaves aliases arrives astatine a circumstantial location. Similarly to nan SyncUp Kids watch, you tin create tasks for your kid and group up schoolhouse mode to forestall them from utilizing nan watch astatine schoolhouse aliases during different activities.

"We bought nan Verizon GizmoWatch astir 2 years agone for our kiddos, past aged 6 and 8," said Kendra Paulson, who is simply a freelance writer. "We unrecorded connected a subject base, and while it is beautiful safe here, we wanted to person a measurement to pass pinch our girls while they were retired riding bikes and playing successful nan neighborhood. I tin glimpse astatine nan Gizmo representation and spot wherever my kids are, and we tin matter and telephone backmost and forth, truthful it's for illustration having a starter telephone that straps to their wrist."

The Gizmo watch costs $150 and person a one-time $35 activation interest from Verizon.

Who should look elsewhere: Like T-Mobile's kids watch, Verizon's Gizmo watch will activity amended for existing customers, different you'll request to motion up for a cellular plan.

Verizon customers besides opportunity nan artillery life is shorter than advertised.

Also: The champion kids' phones for keeping you successful touch

Verizon Gizmo Watch 3 tech specs: Price: $150, positive a $35 activation interest | Battery life: Up to 3.5 days (standby) aliases 1.5 days changeless use | Real-time tracking: Yes | Monthly cost: No | Connectivity: GPS, Cellular (4G)

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Why we for illustration it: The Xplora XGO3 watch uses GPS, progressive Wi-Fi, and GSM triangulation to supply real-time location tracking. It besides offers geofencing, truthful you tin group up information zones astir cardinal locations for illustration location and school. If your kid wanders retired of these pre-marked areas, you will beryllium notified.

Review: Xplora XGO3

Who's it for: The XGO3 offers a reliable measurement to support way of your kids but adds immoderate other fun.

The watch doesn't person immoderate games, but games are disposable via nan GoPlay app. For each 1,000 steps that your kid takes, they will gain 1 Xcoin, which tin beryllium saved up and redeemed for existent prizes successful nan GoPlay store. To do so, you'll request to entree a smartphone aliases tablet. Verified customers opportunity it's an intelligent measurement to gamify wellness and fittingness for small ones.

ZDNET writer Maria Diaz tested nan watch connected her girl and said it gave her bid of mind. "From my testing, nan GPS search successful nan XGO3 is reliable, particularly because I tin group up circumstantial information zones wrong nan Xplora app, for illustration for location and school, and beryllium notified erstwhile my kid leaves those areas," she wrote successful her review. "The app besides shows humanities search data, which is useful erstwhile you request to callback past activities."

Who should look elsewhere: A monthly subscription is required to usage nan watch and its services. The prices scope from $10 to $14 per period excluding tax.

Xplora XGO3 specs: Price: $99 | Battery life: 72 hours (on standby) | Real-time tracking: Yes | Monthly cost: $10-$14 per period | Connectivity: Cellular (SIM card), Wi-Fi, GPS

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Our proposal for nan champion GPS locator for kids is Apple AirTag. However, immoderate of nan options connected this database would make bully GPS trackers and devices for kids. It conscionable depends connected what you want, and which features are a privilege to you.

GPS locator device	Price	Battery	Real-time tracking?
Apple AirTag	$29	One twelvemonth	No
Garmin Bounce	$150	Two days	Yes
SyncUp Kids Watch 2	$174	One week	Yes
Verizon GizmoWatch	$150	Up to 3 days (standby) aliases 1.5 days of changeless usage	Yes
Xplora XGO3	$100	72 hours (on standby)	Yes

Choose this GPS tracker...	If you want...
Apple AirTag	The champion wide locator for astir people. There's nary monthly fee, and nan artillery lasts astir a year.
Garmin Bounce	A smartwatch loaded pinch features and real-time tracking. Parents tin usage location search connected nan Bounce to position their child's existent whereabouts successful nan Garmin app.
SyncUp Kids Watch 2	A wearable watch for kids nether T-Mobile. The wrist-worn gadget costs $174, but you tin get it for free if you adhd a statement to your account.
Verizon Gizmo Watch	A wearable watch for kids nether Verizon. You tin create tasks for your kid and group up schoolhouse mode to support them from utilizing nan watch astatine school.
Xplora XGO 3	A GPS watch that encourages kids to play outside. With geofencing, you tin group up information zones astir captious locations, for illustration location and school.

If you're buying a GPS locator for your kids, you should see nan following:

Privacy: Keeping your child's accusation and information is of nan utmost value pinch immoderate tech device, truthful we looked astatine trackers and devices pinch privateness features for illustration encryption, parental controls, and two-way connection truthful you tin interaction your child.
Real-time tracking: We included trackers and devices that person real-time GPS tracking, which uses outer signals to find nan precise location of nan device, truthful you cognize precisely wherever your kid is astatine immoderate fixed moment.
Battery life: A search instrumentality serves small intent if it's retired of battery, truthful we looked astatine devices pinch agelong artillery lives truthful you don't person to recharge constantly.
Price: These search devices tin scope dramatically successful price, but we tried to support each products nether astatine slightest $200.

Xplora XGO3 and Xplora app connected iPhone

When we trial smartwatches, we typically travel nan aforesaid regular for each 1 to spot which performs champion when tested successful nan existent world.

Daily wear: We deterioration nan smartwatch arsenic our superior watch, pinch communications, applications, and different elements being tested arsenic if it were our only smartwatch.
Application action and performance: One facet that makes smartwatches different than modular watches is nan support for applications. We load up nan watch pinch apps and past trial nan capacity and functionality of those applications. For example, Apple peculiarly excels successful nan area of third-party exertion support.
Workouts: Smartwatch makers person embraced wellness and fittingness truthful we return smartwatches retired for moving pinch GPS, rowing connected nan Hydrow, biking connected trails, and stepping pinch nan family. GPS and bosom complaint information is tracked and past we measure nan accuracy against proven GPS sports watches.
Sleep and activity tracking: Sleep search has improved pinch smartwatches complete clip and we measure and comparison them to smart rings and different watches. Nighttime is besides a bully clip to complaint your smartwatch, truthful you whitethorn take not to usage your watch to way slumber truthful your watch tin service faithfully each time and into nan night.

For a deeper look into our testing process, cheque retired our comprehensive smartwatch testing methodology.

Latest news astir GPS trackers

Skechers launched nan Find My Skechers sneaker statement pinch a hidden Apple AirTag slot. The shoe's insole lifts to uncover a typical integrative compartment for nan tracker.
School buses successful Allen Parish, LA will beryllium outfitted pinch GPS trackers. Through a business pinch tech institution SamSara, nan trackers tin show parents a bus' location, if it's delayed, and immoderate imaginable mechanical issues.

The instrumentality uses a outer web to find its location. A GPS locator converts these outer signals into information specified arsenic velocity, time, and position truthful that you tin spot precisely wherever nan instrumentality and, successful turn, your child, is.

No, Fitbit makes GPS-enabled activity trackers for kids, but not location trackers pinch real-time location tracking.

Privacy concerns and morals are nan main concerns astir GPS search devices successful general, particularly erstwhile it comes to search children. ZDNET asked parents really they felt.

"As my daughters turn older and yet caput disconnected into nan world connected their own, it will transverse my mind wanting to cognize wherever they're astatine and whether they're safe," said genitor and Ling App co-founder Kanyarat Nuchangpuek.

"On nan different hand, it bothers maine that I could beryllium crossing a statement peeking into their backstage lives. It's akin to uncovering retired that your mother publication your diary. It's an penetration of privateness and whitethorn besides deter my children from experiencing life successful their ain way. Having to wonder, "Is mommy watching?" shouldn't beryllium a earthy thought."

Regardless of your choice, it's a bully thought to protect your data, particularly erstwhile it involves your child's location.

Also: How to find retired if an AirTag is search you

For example, erstwhile signing up for an account, usage a unsocial and analyzable password -- preferably stored successful a password head -- to adhd a furniture of protection to your account.

If you're unsure astir a merchandise aliases service, ever beryllium judge to publication done nan company's privateness policy.

The AirTag uses Bluetooth to thief find items, but it's constricted if your kid isn't adjacent Apple devices. The AngelSense useful anyplace pinch cellular sum and is specifically designed for kids. It offers real-time GPS tracking, including two-way sound and SOS alerts.

Unfortunately, galore GPS trackers and devices for kids require an further subscription payment. This is particularly existent if nan instrumentality requires an app pinch precocious features aliases a wearable that provides LTE connectivity.

Be judge to facet this other costs into your last decision.

Latest updates:

In our August 2025 update, we performed important layout and transcript changes. We besides added a latest news conception connected GPS trackers.

Other GPS trackers to consider

A smartwatch pinch its show surface showing a telephone from mom

For much connected GPS locator news and reviews, cheque retired our speedy tips connected how to GPS-track a phone and why we emotion Garmin's eTrex Solar tracker.

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