Fleet Management · head to head
Motive vs Samsara
Motive
Fleet Management
ELD compliance, AI dashcams and spend management for North American commercial fleets
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: 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.; 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: Motive covers AI dashcams, Samsara covers Real-time GPS tracking.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Motive and Samsara actually diverge.
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 Motive
- AI dashcams
- GPS tracking
- Driver safety scoring
- Vehicle diagnostics
- Spend management
Only in Samsara
- Real-time GPS tracking
- AI dash cameras
- IFTA reporting
- Driver safety coaching
- Maintenance scheduling
- Fuel efficiency
- Route optimization
- Salesforce
Both cover
- ELD compliance
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Motive
- A trucking fleet that must run FMCSA compliant electronic logs and wants cameras from the same vendornot Samsara
- An operator facing an insurance renewal that requires evidence of a driver coaching programmenot Samsara
- A construction fleet tracking both vehicles and unpowered assets such as trailers and generatorsnot Samsara
- A fleet suspecting fuel card misuse and wanting transactions matched against vehicle locationnot Samsara
Samsara
- Real time GPS tracking of vehicle location and engine healthnot Motive
- AI dash cameras with in cab driver coaching and safety alertsnot Motive
- Trailer and powered equipment tracking for asset recoverynot Motive
- Fleet maintenance planning and fuel usage analysisnot Motive
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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.
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
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
Samsara
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Samsara review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Motive if
- You need ai dashcams.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want gps tracking.
Choose Samsara if
- You need real-time gps tracking.
- You work on Web, Mobile.
- You also want ai dash cameras.
Questions people ask
- Is Motive or Samsara better?
- Neither clearly leads. Motive 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, Motive or Samsara?
- Motive starts at On request and Samsara at On request.
- Does Motive or Samsara run on more platforms?
- Motive runs on Web, iOS, Android. Samsara runs on Web, Mobile.
- What is Motive best used for?
- Motive is most often used for a trucking fleet that must run fmcsa compliant electronic logs and wants cameras from the same vendor, an operator facing an insurance renewal that requires evidence of a driver coaching programme, a construction fleet tracking both vehicles and unpowered assets such as trailers and generators, a fleet suspecting fuel card misuse and wanting transactions matched against vehicle location. Of those, a trucking fleet that must run fmcsa compliant electronic logs and wants cameras from the same vendor and an operator facing an insurance renewal that requires evidence of a driver coaching programme are not what Samsara is typically brought in for.
- What can Motive do that Samsara cannot?
- Motive covers AI dashcams, GPS tracking, Driver safety scoring, Vehicle diagnostics. Samsara covers Real-time GPS tracking, AI dash cameras, IFTA reporting, Driver safety coaching. Both handle ELD compliance.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Motive: Is Motive the same company as KeepTruckin?
Yes. KeepTruckin renamed to Motive in 2022. The products and account relationships carried over.
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.
SourceMotive: 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.
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.
SourceMotive: Does it work outside the United States?
Canada and Mexico are supported, including Canadian electronic logging requirements. Coverage elsewhere is limited.
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.
SourceMotive: Are the driver facing cameras optional?
Yes, road facing only configurations are available, and fleets worried about driver retention often start there.
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.
SourceRelated pages
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