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Our research shows Geotab has a good selection of core driver and vehicle management features and unbeatable support options, although this is paired with an unimpressive value for its starting price. You can compare price quotes with a range of providers using our free comparison tool.
Our testers gave Geotab 4.1 points out of 5 overall, putting it below a handful of other brands we’ve reviewed. This doesn’t mean Geotab isn’t worth considering. Geotab’s great support options, combined with a good-but-not-perfect range of features, allow it to stand out as an attractive pick for fleets that prioritize dependability.
In this Geotab review, we’ll cover all the specifics of this fleet management software so you can make the right decision for your business. Tech.co’s quotes form lets you easily gather personalized fleet tracking quotes from all the best fleet management solutions.
Geotab stands out for its great support, which includes 24/7 phone hours, a chatbot, and free installation aid. It has a decent selection of core features needed for vehicle and driver management, and has an open API that makes integrations easy. However, our research finds it doesn't offer a great value for its above-average cost. It's a dependable option, but not the most cost-effective.
Geotab Pricing and Value
Pricing and plans for Geotab products can vary because third-party resellers are responsible for setting the retail price. They can be rented or owned. Potential price ranges for buying-to-own might be between $80 and $120 for a single unit, while renting a hardware unit and software from a third-party service might be $30 to $40 per month per vehicle.
Geotab offers four plans: Base, HOS, Pro, and ProPlus. The most notable differences are at the HOS tier, which is designed to meet US and Canada regulatory mandates, and the ProPlus tier, which is the only one to offer active tracking.
Geotab costs more than our picks for the best fleet management software: Verizon and Samsara start at $23.50 and $27 per month, respectively. However, Verizon and Samsara offer far more features and integrations than Geotab, making them significantly better value for money.
On the other end of the scale is Fleetio, which boasts a rock-bottom $4-per-month starting cost. But you get what you pay for, because the service lacks hardware or any ELD compliance.
Geotab offers free installation and a demo (no free trial), as well as a 15-day cancellation notice that undercuts the 30-day minimum that’s standard for most fleet management services. It comes with a 3-year contract minimum, which matches Verizon and Samsara, though Omnitracs offers a more flexible 1-year initial contract.
The best way to learn exactly how much a Geotab service plan will cost your fleet is to contact Geotab directly. You can compare this to the industry standard for your personal needs by filling out Tech.co’s quick fleet management quotes comparison form.
Price From The typical lowest starting price. The lowest price available for your business will depend on your needs. | Rating Based on price, tracking features, driver management, vehicle management, product features, and help & support | Price rating | Contract length | Warranty | Free trial | Free demo | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(SPONSORED) Best for fast refresh rates | Best for dependability | Best overall | Great for established, large businesses | Best for smart reporting with short contracts | Great for GPS tracking and route optimization | Best for retail fleets | Great for fuel card integrations | Great AI alerts | Great for Android-only users |
4.2 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.1 |
3.9 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 3.7 | 3.2 |
1 year, or monthly | 1 year | 3-year minimum (initial) | 3-year minimum | 12-60 months | 1 year | 3 years | Monthly | Monthly | 6 months initial |
5 years | 1 year – lifetime | Factory warranty for US; none for CA | 5 years for most hardware | First 12 months | 1-3 years | Lifetime | Lifetime | 1 year | 1 year |
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| | | | | | | | | |
Geotab Review: Driver and Vehicle Management
Geotab has a good selection of core fleet tools overall, although it scores slightly better for driver tools than for vehicle ones (it lacks theft prevention, for example). Fleet managers will get real-time fleet maps with reporting and alerts for safety habits and fuel use.
However, they won’t receive the extra-mile features offered by leading fleet management vendors Verizon and Samara, which tied across both categories with perfect 5/5 scores. Geotab does not offer theft prevention or crash reporting, and has more limited maintenance reporting functionality in comparison to Verizon and Samara.
Geotab’s software includes this dashboard for engine diagnostic tracking. Source: Geotab
Vehicle Maintenance and Security
Geotab offers common fleet management features including maintenance scheduling and reminder alerts, maintenance records, and daily DVIR compliance checks for drivers. Verizon Connect Reveal has more methods for scheduling maintenance, as it tracks by time as well as mileage since a previous checkup. Spireon is another fleet management system that offers better maintenance tracking than Geotab, as it logs warranty expirations and license renewals in addition to standard elements such as preventative maintenance routines, tire rotations, and oil changes.
Geotab has cargo tracking, but no theft prevention and no engine temperature tracking, two minor limitations that balance out otherwise-strong vehicle management features like the platform’s strong diagnostics tools and maintenance records.
Geotab’s fuel reports can be quickly scanned as charts, or downloaded as reports. Source: Geotab
Fuel Management
Geotab’s fuel management system (available on Pro and ProPlus Rate plans only) tracks trends on fuel usage and fill-ups, alongside access to critical engine data for proactive vehicle maintenance. The service’s speed control also helps to keep vehicles moving at the most fuel-efficient speeds.
Geotab has third-party fuel card integrations, which is another reason the platform is a good fit for companies that need a flexible software they can custom-fit to their needs. Our top picks for fuel-saving tools in particular are either NexTraq, which has a wider selection of integrations, or Azuga, which offers better route optimization features than Geotab, and can therefore reduce mileage to save fuel.
Geotab’s dashboard lets users see driver safety scores, a live map, and fuel charts in the same view. Source: Geotab
Safety Features
Speeding is a core fleet safety concern, and Geotab offers the standard solution: Hardware units that track vehicle speed and alert managers if speed limits are violated. The Geotab Go device also records ignition, engine idle times, route distance and time, and one metric that’s rarely tracked – in-vehicle reverse collisions.
Geotab’s driver behavior management tools encompass two-way messaging, a driver panic button, performance tracking, and safety trend reports. It supports legal compliance features including HOS for ELD compliance and DVIR reporting.
While these are all good features, Geotab does not go above and beyond. In contrast, RAM is our top pick for safety tools, despite scoring slightly under Geotab overall. RAM’s physical driver ID tags make for a more dependable solution than Geotab’s app-based driver ID, and it has theft prevention and crash reporting, both of which Geotab lacks.
Geotab Testimonial: National Express Auto Transport
“I’ve found Geotab to be an exceptional tool, particularly for optimizing vehicle routes and improving fuel efficiency. One benefit I’ve experienced is its impact on driver safety. Geotab provides real-time feedback on driver behavior, such as harsh braking or acceleration, which has helped us proactively address risky driving habits and reduce the likelihood of accidents.” ~Carl Rodriguez, head of logistics at National Express Auto Transport
Managers can use Geotab’s iPad app to stay active while completing vehicle maintenance checklists. Source: Geotab
Geotab Vehicle Tracking
Geotab scores a healthy 4.3/5 for tracking tools, due to a fast refresh time and broad range of features that cover most needs, with the exception of traffic alerts, which are not provided. Geotab is in the mid-range overall (8th place out of 20 fleet management solutions for this research category), and is surpassed by Verizon’s perfect 5/5 tracking score.
Common fleet management tools that Geotab supports include custom reporting (vehicle data, fuel usage, maintenance needs, mileage by driver, and idling events are all covered, though Verizon offers more complex reporting, such as tracking non-productive idle times), and geofencing with both manager emails and in-vehicle audio alerts. Third-party GPS providers are not supported through the software, which is typical for the fleet management industry, since only the most complex GPS service can improve on what Geotab already offers.
Geotab offers several useful tracking features that not every fleet management system can boast. It includes custom locations, offering map software that allows users to tailor their map views, legends and zone shapes or sizes, and ultimately maximize route efficiency. Even some competitors that we rank higher overall, such as Motive, do not offer custom locations.
Geotab’s fast 15-second refresh time is also above average, compared to the standard 30-second refresh rate offered by industry leaders like Verizon and Samsara, and Geotab also has automatic route optimization, unlike half of the solutions we reviewed.
Not in Geotab’s arsenal? Traffic alerts, a benefit that Verizon, Samsara, Teletrac and others deploy to help drivers adjust to unexpected delays.
Video: Geotab in Action
This quick video explains the main functions of Geotab’s software, covering vehicle tracking, automatic routing, and safety.
What's New With Geotab in September 2024?
Geotab is always adding new features. The platform’s most recent software upgrade is rolling out in late September: It will include revamped Asset Management features with a modern UI and a new Map Toolbar that has better filtering. Plus, the onboarding process will be more streamlined, with personalized guides for new users.
Geotab Review: Help and Support
Our research found that Geotab stands out for its support options, earning a perfect 5/5 score that is matched only by one other fleet management system – Omnitracs. Geotab provides 24/7 phone support, even on holidays, and it offers chatbot and email support options as well.
Many of the biggest fleet management providers match Geotab’s 24/7 phone hours: Verizon Connect Reveal, Samsara, and Teletrac Navman are the three highest-rated. But Verizon and Samsara don’t offer the same installation help Geotab does, while Teletrac doesn’t offer the chat bot tool that further aids Geotab customers.
Geotab has an open API and supports unlimited users, making it likely the most customizable fleet management solution on the market.
Geotab Installation and Other Features
Geotab comes with detailed installation documentation, and customers can find an authorized installer in their area as well. You won’t need professional help for the Go hardware devices since, like many fleet management units, they can be plugged into an OBDII port, but the heartier Go Rugged device comes with a more complex hardwired option.
The service’s cloud-based software will not integrate with third-party GPS navigators, but that isn’t uncommon for a fleet management system. Only the two most feature-rich options, Verizon and Samsara, offer these integrations.
Geotab offers a mobile app for drivers on iOS (3.4 stars out of 5) and Android (2.6 stars out of 5), as well as a fleet manager app, MyGeotab Fleet Management, on both platforms. Due in part to these apps and range of installation options, Geotab earns a 4.8/5 product feature score from us, putting it among the top three fleet management solutions in this area.
The MyGeotab software functions across desktop and mobile alike. Source: Geotab
Methodology: How We Rated Geotab
Fleet managers have three core needs: To track their vehicles at all times, to boost efficiency, and to keep their drivers safe. Our research team created a total of six testing categories in order to break down all the traits that make a fleet management system useful to its users.
The factors we tested and analyzed in this Geotab review included:
- Price: This includes costs, but also factors in the total value of a plan, contract lengths, and warranties.
- Tracking: Features relating to vehicle routing, from custom locations to geofencing.
- Driver Management: Features relating to driver behavior, like messaging and crash reporting.
- Vehicle Management: Features relating to vehicle maintenance, theft prevention, fuel management and more.
- Product Features: General functionality and flexibility, including integrations and apps.
- Help & Support: Types of support, support hours, and installation aid.
Once all 20 leading providers operating in the US and Canada were rated in all categories, our researchers condensed the category scores into one 5-point overall score, allowing them to be compared directly. In this Geotab review, the software earned a respectable 4.1/5 overall, near the middle of the pack.
To learn more about the Tech.co research process, you can always check out our in-depth guide, which outlines the hours our team spends on business tools like fleet management software to provide you with actionable information to make the right decision.
The Verdict: Is Geotab a Good Option?
Geotab has a set of strengths: it’s a dependable fleet management system, with decent features for vehicle and driver tracking and good reporting tools that will meet most fleets’ needs, even if they don’t surpass them. Plus, it stands out for support, with 24/7 phone cover, chatbot help, and free installation.
That said, it has downsides: The service comes with a starting price that’s above the industry average, and it doesn’t offer all the tools you’ll get from industry leaders like Verizon Connect or Samsara.
We recommend Geotab for fleets that need a reliable fleet system provider, since Geotab has an open API and availability through third-party resellers, which is relatively rare for these systems.
If you still need more information, take the next step and get quotes from all the best fleet management solutions on the market.
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