Is CalAmp or Samsara better?

Neither clearly leads. CalAmp starts at On request and Samsara at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.

Which is cheaper, CalAmp or Samsara?

CalAmp starts at On request and Samsara at On request.

Does CalAmp or Samsara run on more platforms?

CalAmp runs on Web, iOS, Android. Samsara runs on Web, Mobile.

What is CalAmp best used for?

CalAmp is most often used for a software company or system integrator wanting telematics hardware and a data api to build a custom fleet application on top of, a fleet needing basic gps tracking, driver behaviour and diagnostic alerting without a full bi-grade analytics suite, an asset-heavy operation needing non-powered trailer and equipment tracking alongside vehicle telematics, a buyer specifically wanting a hardware-plus-cloud vendor rather than a software-only platform layered on third-party devices. Of those, a software company or system integrator wanting telematics hardware and a data api to build a custom fleet application on top of and a fleet needing basic gps tracking, driver behaviour and diagnostic alerting without a full bi-grade analytics suite are not what Samsara is typically brought in for.

What can CalAmp do that Samsara cannot?

CalAmp covers GPS tracking hardware, Telematics Cloud platform, Driver behaviour monitoring, Asset tracking. Samsara covers Real-time GPS tracking, AI dash cameras, ELD compliance, IFTA reporting.

Fleet Management · head to head

CalAmp vs Samsara

CalAmp

Fleet Management

Fleet telematics hardware and software provider that went through Chapter 11 restructuring in 2024 and is now privately held by its former lender

From: On request
Rated: -

Full review Website

Samsara

Fleet Management

The connected operations cloud

From: On request
Rated: -

Full review Website

The short version

Each has a real cost: CalAmp the company underwent Chapter 11 restructuring and a change of ownership in 2024, and any multi-year contract should factor in the risk and uncertainty that follows a recent bankruptcy, even a fast one.; Samsara no price is published for any plan; every tier on the plans page offers only a Get pricing button, and no contract length or hardware cost is stated
They diverge on capability: CalAmp covers GPS tracking hardware, Samsara covers Real-time GPS tracking.
Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CalAmp and Samsara actually diverge.

Attributes where CalAmp and Samsara differ
Attribute	CalAmp	Samsara
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android	Web, Mobile
Founded	Unknown	2015

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Fleet Management).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in CalAmp

GPS tracking hardware
Telematics Cloud platform
Driver behaviour monitoring
Asset tracking
Partner API access
Diagnostic alerts

Only in Samsara

Real-time GPS tracking
AI dash cameras
ELD compliance
IFTA reporting
Driver safety coaching
Maintenance scheduling
Fuel efficiency
Route optimization

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

CalAmp

A software company or system integrator wanting telematics hardware and a data API to build a custom fleet application on top ofnot Samsara
A fleet needing basic GPS tracking, driver behaviour and diagnostic alerting without a full BI-grade analytics suitenot Samsara
An asset-heavy operation needing non-powered trailer and equipment tracking alongside vehicle telematicsnot Samsara
A buyer specifically wanting a hardware-plus-cloud vendor rather than a software-only platform layered on third-party devicesnot Samsara

Samsara

Real time GPS tracking of vehicle location and engine healthnot CalAmp
AI dash cameras with in cab driver coaching and safety alertsnot CalAmp
Trailer and powered equipment tracking for asset recoverynot CalAmp
Fleet maintenance planning and fuel usage analysisnot CalAmp

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

CalAmp

The company underwent Chapter 11 restructuring and a change of ownership in 2024, and any multi-year contract should factor in the risk and uncertainty that follows a recent bankruptcy, even a fast one.
Pricing is entirely unpublished and combines hardware and subscription costs, making direct comparison against software-only telematics competitors harder to do cleanly.
It has historically leaned on a software partner ecosystem rather than a single polished end-user product, so the buying experience and interface quality vary depending on which partner application sits on top of CalAmp data.
Newer, well-capitalised competitors such as Samsara and Motive have captured significant market share with more unified hardware-software products, and CalAmp market position has weakened relative to them.
As a private company since 2024, financial transparency that public-market buyers previously had access to (quarterly filings, analyst coverage) is now reduced.

Samsara

No price is published for any plan; every tier on the plans page offers only a Get pricing button, and no contract length or hardware cost is stated
Safety, Telematics and Equipment tracking are sold as separate plan families, so a fleet needing all three buys three plans
Weather risk visibility and the 30 plus risk detections with context and patterns require Safety Enterprise rather than Safety Premier
AI fuel lifecycle insights, TMS integrations and route performance tools require Telematics Enterprise rather than Telematics Premier
Proactive maintenance tools and real time diagnostics for trailers and equipment require Advanced Tracking rather than Standard Visibility

Pricing, plan by plan

CalAmp

On request

CalAmp Telematics Cloud$undefined/year
- Hardware and subscription priced together, no published rate
- Cost varies by device type, data plan and partner/direct sales channel

Samsara

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Samsara review.

Which should you pick?

Choose CalAmp if

You need gps tracking hardware.
You work on Web, iOS, Android.
You also want telematics cloud platform.

CalAmp review

Choose Samsara if

You need real-time gps tracking.
You work on Web, Mobile.
You also want ai dash cameras.

Samsara review

Questions people ask

Is CalAmp or Samsara better?: Neither clearly leads. CalAmp starts at On request and Samsara at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CalAmp or Samsara?: CalAmp starts at On request and Samsara at On request.
Does CalAmp or Samsara run on more platforms?: CalAmp runs on Web, iOS, Android. Samsara runs on Web, Mobile.
What is CalAmp best used for?: CalAmp is most often used for a software company or system integrator wanting telematics hardware and a data api to build a custom fleet application on top of, a fleet needing basic gps tracking, driver behaviour and diagnostic alerting without a full bi-grade analytics suite, an asset-heavy operation needing non-powered trailer and equipment tracking alongside vehicle telematics, a buyer specifically wanting a hardware-plus-cloud vendor rather than a software-only platform layered on third-party devices. Of those, a software company or system integrator wanting telematics hardware and a data api to build a custom fleet application on top of and a fleet needing basic gps tracking, driver behaviour and diagnostic alerting without a full bi-grade analytics suite are not what Samsara is typically brought in for.
What can CalAmp do that Samsara cannot?: CalAmp covers GPS tracking hardware, Telematics Cloud platform, Driver behaviour monitoring, Asset tracking. Samsara covers Real-time GPS tracking, AI dash cameras, ELD compliance, IFTA reporting.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CalAmp: Is CalAmp still in business?

Yes. It completed a fast Chapter 11 restructuring in 2024, eliminating roughly $230 million in debt, and is now privately held by Lynrock Lake Master Fund LP.

Samsara: How much does Samsara cost?

Samsara does not publish pricing online. Pricing is customized based on fleet size and specific operational needs. Contact sales to discuss your requirements and receive a quote.

Source

CalAmp: Does CalAmp sell directly to fleets or through partners?

Both, but a significant part of its business is providing hardware and data APIs to software partners who build the end-user fleet application.

Samsara: Does Samsara pricing scale by fleet size?

Yes, Samsara pricing scales based on fleet size with tiers for 1-5 vehicles, 6-29, 30-499, 500-4999, and 5000+ assets. Specific rates for each tier are not disclosed online.

Source

CalAmp: Is pricing published?

No. Hardware and subscription costs are combined and quoted, varying by device type, data plan and sales channel.

Samsara: How can I get Samsara pricing information?

To obtain pricing, use the 'Talk to sales' button on Samsara's website or visit their pricing page. The sales team will discuss your operational needs and provide a customized quote.

Source

Samsara: Does Samsara offer a free trial?

No free trial is mentioned on Samsara's available pages. Contact the sales team to discuss evaluation options and pricing for your fleet.

Source

CalAmp vs Samsara

CalAmp

Samsara

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in CalAmp

Only in Samsara

What people use each for

CalAmp

Samsara

Where each one falls short

CalAmp

Samsara

Pricing, plan by plan

CalAmp

Samsara

Which should you pick?

Choose CalAmp if

Choose Samsara if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on CalAmp

More on Samsara

Keep looking

Other head to heads