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Maps · head to head

CARTO vs Geotab

CARTO logo

CARTO

Maps

Location Intelligence Platform

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Geotab logo

Geotab

Fleet Management

Unlock fleet potential with data

From
$25/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CARTO no prices are published; the committed tiers are all quote-only; Geotab specific pricing amounts not published online; contact sales required
  • They diverge on capability: CARTO covers Spatial Analysis, Geotab covers Real-time GPS tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CARTO and Geotab actually diverge.

Attributes where CARTO and Geotab differ
AttributeCARTOGeotab
Starting priceOn request$25/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Api
CategoryMapsFleet Management
Founded20122000

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 CARTO

  • Spatial Analysis
  • Interactive Maps
  • Data Observatory
  • Workflows
  • APIs
  • Snowflake
  • BigQuery
  • PostgreSQL

Only in Geotab

  • Real-time GPS tracking
  • Vehicle diagnostics
  • Driver behavior scoring
  • ELD compliance
  • IFTA reporting
  • Fuel management
  • Maintenance scheduling
  • Route optimization

What people use each for

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

CARTO

  • Spatial analysis over data already in a cloud warehousenot Geotab
  • Building interactive maps and location dashboardsnot Geotab
  • Geocoding and routing through location data servicesnot Geotab
  • Site selection and territory planningnot Geotab
  • Self-hosted geospatial analytics for regulated environmentsnot Geotab

Geotab

  • Fleet trackingnot CARTO
  • Driver safetynot CARTO
  • Fuel optimizationnot CARTO
  • Compliance managementnot CARTO
  • Predictive maintenancenot CARTO

Where each one falls short

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

CARTO

  • No prices are published; the committed tiers are all quote-only
  • Metered on four separate axes: workflow runs, map loads, API calls and location data service operations
  • API access and tokens are limited on pay-as-you-go and unlimited only from the Strategic tier
  • Self-hosting is available on Enterprise and included only on the Custom tier
  • The 14 day trial explicitly forbids production use

Geotab

  • Specific pricing amounts not published online; contact sales required
  • Custom pricing available for larger fleet volumes

Pricing, plan by plan

CARTO

On request
  • Pay As You Go$null/mo
    • Metered, capped location data services
    • Limited API access and tokens
    • Standard support
  • Enterprise$null/mo
    • Limited location data services with quota
    • Limited API access and tokens
    • Standard or Premium support
  • Strategic$null/mo
    • Unlimited API access and tokens
    • Premium or Elite support
    • Custom branding
  • Custom$null/mo
    • Up to unlimited location data services
    • Unlimited API access and tokens
    • Elite support

Geotab

$25/month
  • Base$25/month
    • GPS tracking
    • Trip history
    • Engine diagnostics
  • Pro$40/month
    • Everything in Base
    • Driver behavior
    • Fuel usage
  • ProPlus$55/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • Active tracking
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose CARTO if

  • You need spatial analysis.
  • You also want interactive maps.
CARTO review

Choose Geotab if

  • You need real-time gps tracking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want vehicle diagnostics.
Geotab review

Questions people ask

Is CARTO or Geotab better?
Neither clearly leads. CARTO starts at On request and Geotab at $25/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CARTO or Geotab?
CARTO starts at On request and Geotab at $25/month.
Does CARTO or Geotab run on more platforms?
CARTO runs on Web. Geotab runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
What is CARTO best used for?
CARTO is most often used for spatial analysis over data already in a cloud warehouse, building interactive maps and location dashboards, geocoding and routing through location data services, site selection and territory planning. Of those, spatial analysis over data already in a cloud warehouse and building interactive maps and location dashboards are not what Geotab is typically brought in for.
What can CARTO do that Geotab cannot?
CARTO covers Spatial Analysis, Interactive Maps, Data Observatory, Workflows. Geotab covers Real-time GPS tracking, Vehicle diagnostics, Driver behavior scoring, ELD compliance.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CARTO: What CARTO pricing tiers are available?

CARTO offers Pay As You Go (monthly, consumption-based), Enterprise (annual commitment with limited quotas), Strategic (annual with unlimited API access), and Custom (annual with full services for large enterprises). Enterprise and higher require contacting sales.

Source
Geotab: How is Geotab priced?

Geotab offers two subscription tiers: GO Core for basic fleet tracking and GO Plan for comprehensive fleet management. Both plans include hardware in the subscription price with no upfront costs or installation fees. Specific pricing is custom-quoted by the sales team.

Source
CARTO: Does CARTO have a free version?

CARTO does not advertise a free tier. The Pay As You Go plan requires monthly payments based on consumption with capped services.

Source
Geotab: Does Geotab include hardware in the subscription?

Yes, both GO Core and GO Plan subscriptions include Geotab hardware at no upfront device cost. Hardware is integrated into the monthly subscription pricing.

Source
CARTO: What is included in the CARTO Strategic plan?

Strategic tier includes unlimited API access and tokens, premium or elite support, custom branding, audit logs, and usage metrics. It requires an annual commitment and custom pricing quote.

Source
Geotab: Is it easy to upgrade between Geotab plans?

Yes, customers can easily upgrade or downgrade between GO Core and GO Plan through the MyGeotab portal, allowing flexible scaling as fleet needs change.

Source
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