Does a GPS tracking app drain the battery, use lots of data, or stop without signal?

The short answer

Hellotracks uses some battery, but a phone charged overnight should last the working day. It uses under 50 MB of mobile data a month. Without signal, the app keeps recording and syncs everything once the connection is back.

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In more detail

Battery

The app runs in the background, so it does use battery. It is built to last a working day on a charged phone. GPS is not used while the phone is not moving. On long drives, charge in the vehicle. Low battery alerts are there if you want them.

Mobile data

Under 50 MB a month. Data is compressed before it is sent.

No signal

Nothing is lost. The app keeps collecting while offline and sends everything when the connection returns. The live map just catches up a bit later.

Accuracy in cities

Accuracy depends on the phone's GPS chip and the surroundings. Tall buildings bounce the signal for every GPS product, ours included. Test it in your own area during the trial.

People also ask

Which phones does it run on?

Android and iPhone, plus tablets. The web dashboard runs in any modern browser.

Do we need a specific mobile carrier?

No. Any carrier works.

Can we get alerts when a phone goes offline?

Yes. There are alerts for low battery, device offline and zones you define, and they can go to Slack.

See it with your own team.

Put two or three people on it today. You will know more from one week of your own data than from any page.

30 days free. No credit card. Ends by itself.