Here's something that may surprise you: Not all asset tracking devices are created equal.
For many businesses, their first encounter with tracking is through consumer products like AirTags or small Bluetooth trackers. While useful for personal belongings, these devices are not designed for industrial environments, large fleets, or long-term deployments.
Commercial asset-tracking hardware operates in a completely different category, designed and built to track, manage, and monitor your most critical assets. But when it comes to managing your assets, which tracking device is best?
The golden rule of GPS asset tracking is simple: match the device to how and where the asset operates. Considering asset type, power, and environment early helps avoid connectivity issues and ensures long-term value.
In this guide, we break down asset tracking devices by asset type, power model, and installation method, helping fleet operators and IoT solution partners choose the right hardware for their environment.
Best for: trailers, containers, pallets, bins, livestock, and remote equipment.
Battery-powered devices are the foundation of modern GPS asset-tracking solutions because many assets lack a power source. These devices operate independently, enabling long-term visibility without wiring or maintenance-heavy installations.
Best for: High-value assets requiring both location tracking and condition monitoring, including containers, trailers, and mobile equipment.
Key specs:
Why it wins
The Manta Fusion goes beyond standard GPS tracking by combining location data with real-time condition monitoring. Designed for assets where visibility alone isn’t enough, it captures both where an asset is and what it’s experiencing - whether that’s temperature fluctuations, movement, or environmental changes.
This makes it ideal for supply chains, cold chain logistics, and high-value asset tracking, where operational insight and data-driven decisions are just as important as location visibility.
Best for: Assets requiring maximum battery longevity or higher reporting frequency.
Key specs:
Why it wins
Remora3 is engineered for high-value assets where recovery matters. Its large battery allows more frequent reporting without sacrificing battery life, supporting instant alerts when movement is detected.
For operators prioritizing enhanced security and long-term monitoring, the Remora3 minimizes maintenance while improving asset utilization across remote deployments.
Best for: High-volume logistics assets such as trolleys, kegs, and reusable containers.
Key specs:
Why it wins
The Barra range allows businesses to scale tracking economically across thousands of assets while still collecting reliable asset data.
With a compact design, the Barra Edge or Barra Core simplifies installation and supports tracking programs focused on loss prevention and operational visibility rather than intensive equipment monitoring.
Best for: vehicles, generators, heavy equipment, and powered machinery.
When assets have a consistent power supply, wired GPS asset tracker devices unlock expanded functionality such as driver identification, engine data, and real-time vehicle tracking.
Best for: International logistics and cross-border fleets.
Key specs:
Why it wins
Unlike LPWAN devices built for regional coverage, the G150 Global is designed to operate across networks that vary by country and region.
This ensures GPS asset tracking remains reliable as assets move internationally, allowing fleet managers to maintain consistent connectivity without changing hardware.
Best for: fleet management and driver safety applications.
Key specs:
Why it wins
Dart3 connects vehicle tracking with broader asset management workflows. It enables monitoring of driver behaviour, equipment usage, and operational efficiency within a single platform.
For organizations transitioning from vehicle tracking into full asset tracking hardware ecosystems, the Dart3 provides flexibility without complexity.
Best for: light fleets and temporary vehicle deployments.
Key specs:
Why it wins
The Bolt2 installs in seconds, making it ideal for rental fleets or temporary installations. It reduces installation labour while still providing accurate GPS asset tracking and route history visibility.
Best for: supply chains, warehouses, pallets, and mixed indoor environments.
Traditional GPS struggles indoors. Edge devices solve this problem by combining multiple location technologies.
Best for: pallets and assets moving between warehouses and transport networks.
Technology:
Why it wins
Instead of calculating location on-device, Edge technology shifts processing to the cloud. This dramatically reduces power consumption and extends battery life by five to ten times compared to traditional GPS devices.
For businesses that need GPS asset-tracking devices across indoor and outdoor workflows, these hybrid trackers, like the Oyster Edge & Yabby Edge, improve location accuracy while preserving battery life.
Best for: environmental monitoring, agriculture, utilities, and remote sensing.
Not all tracking involves movement. Some deployments focus on collecting sensor information tied to assets or infrastructure.
Best for: water metering, farming operations, and environmental monitoring.
Key specs:
Why it wins
The Hawk transforms asset tracking software into a full monitoring platform. Instead of only tracking location, it enables equipment monitoring and environmental insight through connected sensors.
This expands GPS asset tracking into broader asset management software ecosystems.
Selecting the right asset tracker starts with three core decisions.
Does the asset have continuous power?
Battery-powered devices enable independent tracking where wiring is impractical.
Choose connectivity based on deployment geography:
Industrial deployments require IP68-rated GPS devices that can withstand dust, water, vibration, and outdoor exposure.
|
Device |
Power Type |
Best Asset Type |
Connectivity |
Install Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Oyster3 GPS |
Battery |
Trailers, containers |
LTE-M / NB-IoT |
Fixed mount |
|
Remora3 |
Battery |
High-value assets |
LTE-M (Cat-M1) / NB-IoT / Bluetooth® |
Heavy-duty mount |
|
Barra Edge |
Battery |
Logistics assets |
LTE-M (Cat-M1) / NB-IoT |
Compact mount |
|
G150 Global |
Wired |
International fleets |
2G / 4G LTE Cat 1bis / Iridium Satellite / Bluetooth® |
Hardwired |
|
Dart3 BLE |
Wired |
Fleet vehicles |
LTE-M (Cat-M1) / NB-IoT / Bluetooth® |
Hardwired |
|
Bolt2 |
Wired |
Light vehicles |
LTE-M (Cat-M1) / NB-IoT |
OBDII - Plug-in |
|
Oyster Edge |
Battery |
Indoor/outdoor assets |
LTE-M (Cat-M1) / NB-IoT |
Fixed mount |
|
Hawk |
Battery/Wired |
Sensor monitoring |
Cellular LTE-M (Cat-M1) and NB-IoT |
Fixed mount |
Successful deployments combine hardware with intelligent software.
Device Manager is our remote device management software, purpose-built to harness the performance and flexibility of Digital Matter GPS asset tracking hardware, delivering the advanced functionality required to fully realize the capabilities of our world-leading devices through a single, secure interface.
It provides visibility and control over your Digital Matter devices and ensures that they continue to perform at their best for longer. Operators can analyze asset utilization, generate reports, and receive instant alerts when unexpected movement occurs.
The right GPS asset-tracking device depends on the application and how businesses need to track assets and improve utilization and performance across their operations.
Battery-powered trackers suit non-powered assets that need long battery life, making them ideal for scalable inventory management and long-term asset visibility. Wired devices enable deeper vehicle tracking and fleet management capabilities, delivering continuous data insights for operational efficiency. Edge devices enable visibility across indoor and outdoor environments, ensuring assets remain visible throughout their entire lifecycle.
Digital Matter’s hardware portfolio supports GPS trackers for every deployment scenario, allowing businesses to match device capability to asset behavior instead of forcing assets to fit technology limitations.
Select from the largest range of battery-powered GPS asset tracking devices. Our products have up to 10+ years of battery life to track and manage assets that do not have a power source, such as pallets, bins or shipping containers.
We also offer comprehensive equipment monitoring and management solutions that are wired into assets for real-time monitoring.
To find the right device for your deployment, Speak with a Specialist or explore our Device Finder tool and filter hardware based on asset type, power availability, and connectivity requirements.