Softwr

Fleet Management · head to head

CalAmp vs Motive

CalAmp logo

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 reviewWebsite
Motive logo

Motive

Fleet Management

ELD compliance, AI dashcams and spend management for North American commercial fleets

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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.; Motive contracts are multi-year and per vehicle with hardware embedded, so a fleet that shrinks keeps paying for units that are sitting in a yard.
  • They diverge on capability: CalAmp covers GPS tracking hardware, Motive covers ELD compliance.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CalAmp and Motive actually diverge.

Attributes where CalAmp and Motive differ
AttributeCalAmpMotive

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), 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 Motive

  • ELD compliance
  • AI dashcams
  • GPS tracking
  • Driver safety scoring
  • Vehicle diagnostics
  • Spend management

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 Motive
  • A fleet needing basic GPS tracking, driver behaviour and diagnostic alerting without a full BI-grade analytics suitenot Motive
  • An asset-heavy operation needing non-powered trailer and equipment tracking alongside vehicle telematicsnot Motive
  • A buyer specifically wanting a hardware-plus-cloud vendor rather than a software-only platform layered on third-party devicesnot Motive

Motive

  • A trucking fleet that must run FMCSA compliant electronic logs and wants cameras from the same vendornot CalAmp
  • An operator facing an insurance renewal that requires evidence of a driver coaching programmenot CalAmp
  • A construction fleet tracking both vehicles and unpowered assets such as trailers and generatorsnot CalAmp
  • A fleet suspecting fuel card misuse and wanting transactions matched against vehicle locationnot 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.

Motive

  • Contracts are multi-year and per vehicle with hardware embedded, so a fleet that shrinks keeps paying for units that are sitting in a yard.
  • Driver facing cameras generate real workforce resistance, and fleets in tight labour markets have lost drivers over the rollout rather than the technology.
  • Installation and calibration across a distributed fleet takes weeks of vehicle downtime, which is rarely costed into the comparison at the point of purchase.
  • The rebrand from KeepTruckin means older documentation, integration guides and third-party references are inconsistent, which slows technical work on connections.
  • Coverage depends on cellular networks, so remote route segments produce gaps in tracking and delayed log uploads that drivers then have to reconcile.

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

Motive

On request
  • Motive$undefined/year
    • Per-vehicle subscription over a multi-year term
    • Hardware supplied within the agreement rather than purchased outright
    • Dashcams, asset trackers and spend management priced as separate lines

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 Motive if

  • You need eld compliance.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want ai dashcams.
Motive review

Questions people ask

Is CalAmp or Motive better?
Neither clearly leads. CalAmp starts at On request and Motive at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CalAmp or Motive?
CalAmp starts at On request and Motive at On request.
Does CalAmp or Motive run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
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 Motive is typically brought in for.
What can CalAmp do that Motive cannot?
CalAmp covers GPS tracking hardware, Telematics Cloud platform, Driver behaviour monitoring, Asset tracking. Motive covers ELD compliance, AI dashcams, GPS tracking, Driver safety scoring.

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.

Motive: Is Motive the same company as KeepTruckin?

Yes. KeepTruckin renamed to Motive in 2022. The products and account relationships carried over.

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.

Motive: Can hardware be bought outright?

It is normally supplied inside a multi-year subscription rather than sold, which is why the exit cost of a shrinking fleet is high.

CalAmp: Is pricing published?

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

Motive: Does it work outside the United States?

Canada and Mexico are supported, including Canadian electronic logging requirements. Coverage elsewhere is limited.

Motive: Are the driver facing cameras optional?

Yes, road facing only configurations are available, and fleets worried about driver retention often start there.

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