Car tracking service comparison in South Africa
South Africa has numerous car tracking services to choose from, all offering stolen vehicle recovery services while differentiating themselves through add-ons that provide additional benefits and peace of mind.
Car tracking services use various geopositioning systems, including satellite-based ones like the Global Positioning System (GPS), to track and locate vehicles under their protection.
Vehicles are fitted with tracking units, often at an additional charge, which are then tracked in real-time.
However, vehicle tracking services don’t simply track the location of a customer’s car — they also offer several additional services to add a competitive advantage to their product offering.
For instance, Netsar offers stolen vehicle recovery (SVR) as part of every service package, then differentiates between them with several additional add-ons.
These include signal jamming detection, a panic button, and a battery disconnect alert.
Star Trac also offers SVR as part of every package. Its additional services include speed alerts, harsh breaking detection, and accident detection.
These additional benefits set the services apart. Although the price can be considered a differentiating factor, prices for each company’s services are very competitive.
Netstar’s entry-level plan costs R139 per month and offers vehicle recovery, signal jamming protection, and a battery disconnect alert, among other features.
Tracker’s entry-level recovery plan also costs R139 per month. However, it offers additional features that are more centred around access to a user’s vehicle’s location than anti-theft mechanisms.
Cartrack’s entry-level plan, Cartrack Quick, is cheaper at R99 per month and has a limited set of additional features.
Star Trac’s entry-level package, Trac and Trace, costs R159 monthly and comes with additional features similar to those of Netstar, including accident and tow detection and speed alerts.
It’s important to note that Star Trac requires an upfront payment of R1,699 for the first twelve months. After the first year, an additional R700 payment is required, and the monthly cost increases to R179.
Netstar’s Plus plan, costing R169 per month, includes all the features that the Basic does and additional anti-theft mechanisms such as a panic button, trip relays, and car park jamming.
Tracker’s Protect plan costs R179 per month and offers a few additional features to the Recover plan. Those that are added centre around increased monitoring, such as an in-app car guard.
Cartrack’s next step up for R149 per month, Quick Plus, offers a R150,000 recovery warranty if the car is not retrieved and a logbook of trips made in the vehicle.
Netstar’s premium plan is centred around features that preemptively warn users early about potential vehicle theft. For R199 per month, this includes an auto-arm proximity tag and a panic button.
As mentioned, many companies charge an upfront fee to install the tracking device in a customer’s vehicle. However, Netstar does not charge an upfront fee.
Tracker’s premium Care plan also comes in at R199 per month and offers its most extensive set of features, which include accident assistance, impact detection and the ability to share the location of a vehicle for the duration of a trip.
Cartrack’s product for R199 per month, Quick Executive Plus, bundles its CarWatch value-added service, which sends a push notification to your phone when it starts moving.
Star Trac’s Trac and Trace+ plan includes a few additional features to the Trac and Trace plan. These include a theft alert, engine cut, and harsh braking alert.
Netstar and Tracker both offer additional tracking services for below R100 per month.
Netstar’s Startag costs R89 per month and offers asset recovery services enabled by a wireless unit installed by a technician. This service can track cars and other assets, including motorbikes and cargo.
Tracker’s response package does not offer stolen asset recovery but is instead centred around medical response to a vehicle when someone has an accident. This costs R69 per month.
The table below summarises each car tracking plan, features, and price.
| Plan | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Netstar | ||
| Startag | SVR, wireless unit | R89 |
| Basic | SVR, signal jamming detection, battery disconnect alert, in-app car guard | R139 |
| Plus | SVR, signal jamming detection, battery disconnect alert, car park jamming, panic button, trip replays | R169 |
| Early Warning | SVR, signal jamming detection, battery disconnect alert, car park jamming, panic button, early warning, trip replays | R199 |
| Tracker | ||
| Response | Location-based tracking, app and web access, accident assistance | R69 |
| Recover | Location-based tracking, app and web access, theft retrieval | R139 |
| Protect | Location-based tracking, app and web access, theft retrieval, key tag, | R179 |
| Care | Location-based tracking, app and web access, theft retrieval, key tag, accident assistance, impact detection, share my journey, reports | R199 |
| Cartrack | ||
| Quick | SVR, mobile app, vehicle location via call centre | R99 |
| Quick Plus | SVR, mobile app, vehicle location via call centre, power event notification, logbook, R150,000 recovery warranty | R149 |
| Quick Executive Plus | SVR, mobile app, vehicle location via call centre, power event notification, logbook, R150,000 recovery warranty, CarWatch | R199 |
| Quick Management Plus | SVR, mobile app, vehicle location via call centre, power event notification, logbook, R150,000 recovery warranty, CarWatch, crash detection, Protector (emergency roadside, medical and legal assistance) | R219 |
| Star Trac | ||
| Trac and Trace | Vehicle tracking, SVR, accident detection, speed alerts, Internet tracking, tow detection via GPS | R159 |
| Trac and Trace+ | Vehicle tracking, SVR, theft alert, engine cut, accident detection, speed alerts, Internet tracking, harsh breaking, tow detection via GPS | R199 |
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