GPS Vehicle Tracker Cost in the UAE: What Decides the Price and What to Ask For

What changes the cost most

Ten things move the total more than any others. Think about them before you ask for quotes, because the supplier will ask the same questions.

• Number of vehicles. More vehicles usually mean better terms per vehicle and one survey visit, but also more subscriptions to manage. Say how many you have now and how many you expect to add.
• Vehicle type and size. A saloon car, a van, a truck, a bus and a piece of site equipment are wired differently, and some take longer to open up and to wire safely.
• Tracker type. A hardwired unit, a plug-in OBD unit, a magnetic or battery-powered unit and a cellular unit with extra inputs differ in price and in what they can do. The types are compared on our GPS vehicle tracking page.
• Features. Fuel sensors, driver ID, temperature sensors, cameras, a panic button, an immobiliser, reports and links to other software each add hardware, installation work or subscription.
• Contract length. A longer commitment can change the terms, but only if you are sure the service will suit you for that long. Read what happens if you want to leave early.
• Installation difficulty. Tight dashboards, no clear power point, a vehicle that must stay in service, or a unit that has to be hidden well all add time.
• Where the vehicles are. Vehicles at one site are quicker to do than vehicles spread across several places. We work in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.
• Reports and integrations. Standard reports are normally part of the platform; custom reports, exports to your own system or links to a fleet or accounting tool can be extra.
• Data history. Some platforms keep history for a short time, others for longer. If you need old trips for disputes or audits, ask how long they are kept.
• Support level. Remote help and site visits differ between suppliers. Ask what is included in writing.

How to compare GPS tracking quotes like for like

Two quotations for the same vehicles can describe very different services. Ask each supplier for a written quotation that states:

• The tracker model for each vehicle type, and its TDRA registration status. TDRA says telecom devices must be registered and approved before they are put up for sale in the UAE; ask for the registration number and check it against the TDRA list. The details are on our GPS vehicle tracking page.
• Installation: who installs, where, how long it takes per vehicle, and whether the vehicle must come to the installer.
• SIM and data: whether they are included, for how long, who supplies the SIM, and what happens when the included period ends.
• Platform access: what you can see, how many users, which reports and alerts are included, and whether there is an app as well as a web page.
• Data history: how long trips are kept, and whether you can export your data in a usable form.
• Sensors and cameras: each one named, with how many per vehicle and what extra set-up it needs.
• Support: how to reach it, what is covered, and what is a chargeable visit.
• Warranty terms from the supplier in writing: what is covered, for how long and who handles a claim. Emirtech is an independent integrator and not a dealer or partner of any tracker brand, so any warranty offered is a supplier warranty and is stated as such.
• Contract: the term, how it renews, how to cancel, and what happens to your data and the hardware at the end.
• What is excluded, and what happens if the survey finds a problem after the work starts.

If two quotations differ, find the line that explains the difference before you compare the totals. Where a quotation leaves a line out, ask for it to be added.

Do you need an approved device?

The device you buy should be a registered one: TDRA says telecom equipment must be registered and approved before it is put up for sale in the UAE, and publishes a searchable list. Ask your supplier for the registration number of the exact model.

For some commercial vehicles there is a further rule. Abu Dhabi Mobility runs the Asateel platform for freight, passenger bus and school bus transport and states that permits are only available for vehicles with a functioning tracking device installed. It publishes a list of approved tracking devices, and whether a device is accepted is decided by that list, not by the installer. If your vehicles are in one of those categories, check the model against the list before you buy and confirm your category with Abu Dhabi Mobility. Emirtech is not a licensing body of Abu Dhabi Mobility, and ADMCC approval covers security systems, not GPS tracking devices. More detail is on our GPS vehicle tracking page.

Ways to keep the running cost sensible

• Choose features for a need you can name. If you want to know where a van is and when it stops, you may not need fuel sensors or cameras. If you want to deter theft, you may want an alert and an immobiliser.
• Do not pay for sensors you will not use. Each sensor adds hardware, wiring and set-up, and an unused one still has to be maintained.
• Plan for fleet size. Tell the supplier how many vehicles you expect to add so the platform and terms suit the fleet you will have, not only the one you have today.
• Read the contract terms. Know the term, the renewal, the cancellation and what is charged if a vehicle is sold or replaced.
• Keep the hardware useful. Look after the units, report faults early and ask for a check when a vehicle has body or electrical work. A planned check can be part of an annual maintenance contract.
• Compare on the same list. Use the checklist above, so that a cheaper-looking quotation is not simply a shorter one.

We do not promise a saving. The aim is that you pay for what you will use and that nothing is a surprise later. For a similar way of reading a cost, see our AI CCTV cost guide.