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Maps · head to head

Google Maps vs GPS Trackit

Google Maps logo

Google Maps

Maps

Consumer navigation and local search app, distinct from the paid Google Maps Platform developer API

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
GPS Trackit logo

GPS Trackit

Fleet Management

Vehicle tracking for small and mid-size fleets with no long-term contract

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Google Maps has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Google Maps location history (Timeline) is stored to the Google account unless disabled, and many users are unaware of how much of their movement is retained by default.; GPS Trackit month-to-month pricing carries a premium, so measured across three years the total cost usually exceeds a competitor with hardware amortised into a term contract.
  • They diverge on capability: Google Maps covers Turn-by-turn navigation, GPS Trackit covers Live tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Maps and GPS Trackit actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Maps and GPS Trackit differ
AttributeGoogle MapsGPS Trackit
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelFree consumer app, funded by Google's advertising businessPer vehicle per month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryMapsFleet Management

Identical on both: 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 Google Maps

  • Turn-by-turn navigation
  • Local search
  • Offline maps
  • Street View
  • Timeline location history
  • Live transit and incident reporting

Only in GPS Trackit

  • Live tracking
  • Driver behaviour
  • VidFleet cameras
  • Maintenance reminders
  • Self-installed devices
  • Alerts and reports

What people use each for

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

Google Maps

  • Getting turn-by-turn driving or transit directions to a destinationnot GPS Trackit
  • Searching for and comparing nearby restaurants, shops or services with reviewsnot GPS Trackit
  • Downloading an offline map before travelling somewhere with unreliable data coveragenot GPS Trackit
  • Checking real time traffic conditions before or during a drivenot GPS Trackit

GPS Trackit

  • A contractor whose fleet size swings with the season and who cannot justify a three-year commitment on vehicles it may not run next springnot Google Maps
  • A small service business trialling telematics for the first time that wants an exit if drivers or supervisors do not adopt itnot Google Maps
  • A fleet that needs devices fitted the week they arrive, without booking installation appointments across a depotnot Google Maps
  • An operator replacing a vendor mid-contract that wants a stopgap platform rather than another long agreementnot Google Maps

Where each one falls short

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

Google Maps

  • Location history (Timeline) is stored to the Google account unless disabled, and many users are unaware of how much of their movement is retained by default.
  • Local business rankings and prominent ads mix paid placement with organic results, so top results are not purely a relevance ranking.
  • Offline maps expire after a period and must be manually refreshed, which can catch travellers out if they rely on an old download without checking it.
  • Public transit data quality varies significantly by city and country, and is considerably weaker or absent in many smaller or lower-income regions.
  • It is a different product from Google Maps Platform, the paid developer API, and businesses evaluating navigation for their own app need to compare that API's pricing separately rather than assuming free consumer access extends to embedding.

GPS Trackit

  • Month-to-month pricing carries a premium, so measured across three years the total cost usually exceeds a competitor with hardware amortised into a term contract.
  • The feature set is tracking-first, with a shallow maintenance module and no meaningful work order, parts or inventory management, so fleets serious about maintenance need a second system.
  • Compliance tooling is basic, and a fleet that takes on regulated interstate work will find the hours of service capability behind vendors built around the mandate.
  • The integration list is short and the API is limited, so pushing telematics data into payroll, job costing or an ERP normally becomes a manual export routine.
  • Self-installed OBD-II devices are easy to fit and equally easy for a driver to unplug, and the tamper reporting does not make up for the fact that the physical device is within reach of the person being monitored.

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Maps

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited navigation and local search
    • Offline maps included
    • No subscription tier for the consumer app

GPS Trackit

On request
  • GPS Trackit$undefined/month
    • Month-to-month subscription per vehicle with no minimum term
    • Tracking hardware supplied with the subscription
    • Camera hardware and video plans charged separately

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Maps if

  • You need turn-by-turn navigation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want local search.
Google Maps review

Choose GPS Trackit if

  • You need live tracking.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want driver behaviour.
GPS Trackit review

Questions people ask

Is Google Maps or GPS Trackit better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Maps starts at Free and GPS Trackit at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Maps or GPS Trackit?
Google Maps has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Google Maps and On request for GPS Trackit.
Does Google Maps or GPS Trackit run on more platforms?
Google Maps runs on iOS, Android, Web. GPS Trackit runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Google Maps for free?
Yes. Google Maps has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. GPS Trackit starts at On request.
What is Google Maps best used for?
Google Maps is most often used for getting turn-by-turn driving or transit directions to a destination, searching for and comparing nearby restaurants, shops or services with reviews, downloading an offline map before travelling somewhere with unreliable data coverage, checking real time traffic conditions before or during a drive. Of those, getting turn-by-turn driving or transit directions to a destination and searching for and comparing nearby restaurants, shops or services with reviews are not what GPS Trackit is typically brought in for.
What can Google Maps do that GPS Trackit cannot?
Google Maps covers Turn-by-turn navigation, Local search, Offline maps, Street View. GPS Trackit covers Live tracking, Driver behaviour, VidFleet cameras, Maintenance reminders.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Google Maps: Is Google Maps free?

Yes, the consumer app is free with no subscription for navigation, local search or offline maps.

GPS Trackit: Is there really no contract?

The subscription is month to month, but read the hardware terms. Devices are supplied on the expectation they come back, and unreturned units are charged for.

Google Maps: Is this the same as Google Maps Platform?

No, Google Maps Platform is a separate, metered API product sold to developers embedding map functionality into their own apps and websites, with its own usage-based pricing.

GPS Trackit: How does the cost compare to Samsara or Verizon Connect over three years?

Generally higher per vehicle, because those vendors discount in exchange for the commitment. The comparison only favours GPS Trackit if you value the ability to leave.

Google Maps: Does Google Maps track my location history?

It can, through the optional Timeline feature, which is on by default in some configurations and can be reviewed or disabled in Google account settings.

GPS Trackit: Can drivers unplug the tracker?

A plug-in OBD-II device can be removed in seconds. The system reports the disconnection, but enforcement is a management problem, not a technical one. Hardwired units are available for fleets where this matters.

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