Accurate Locations

Our GPS Trackers use excellent GPS chipsets - allowing accurate positioning (within a meter when outdoors) using overhead satellites.

Locate By Sending A Text

When you text the tracker's phone number, it will reply back immediately with a location text.

You can read more about the instant text locations here.

Another method of tracking is online tracking, which you can read more about here.

There are many other excellent functions such as text alerts if the person strays too far or falls, SOS button and remote listening. All of the functions are set up by sending specific text messages, so you can configure the device from your own mobile phone wherever you are. See also the main How GPS Trackers Work section, or our homepage Personal GPS Trackers - Everything You Need To Know with explanatory video.

Ours Are Very Cheap To Use!

GPS Trackers need their own SIM cards to send/receive texts, like mobile phones. They are not locked to any network, so you are free to use your own SIM if you have one spare. We offer a free pre-installed SIM, with no contracts and very cheap ongoing usage - click on the link for more details.

As a guide most customers just use locations by text and spend around £2-4 per month of credit (approx 20-40 location texts).

Please click here to read the page all about GPS Tracker Map Locations (opens in a new window).

Battery life varies depending on the device, the battery mode selected, and the usage.

Frequent location requests, making/receiving phone calls (if available), geo-fencing and online tracking will all reduce the battery life a little as the device will be more active.

Standby battery durations

Stray Star GPS Dementia Tracker – 3-5 days with normal usage, or up to 7 days on economy mode.

GPS Car Tracker – 60 days.

The GPS Trackers can text a “low battery” warning when the batteries are running low.

How are the batteries charged?

The Stray Star GPS Tracker comes with a magnetic charging leads which snaps to the bottom of the device. A USB plug is also provided. An optional magnetic charging cradle is also available, allowing the GPS Tracker to be dropped in whether fixed to a wall or on a table.

Charging takes just a few hours.

A SIM card (which comes pre-installed in your GPS Tracker)

The GPS trackers need SIM cards inside – this is how they are able to make and receive calls and texts. Think of them as being like mini mobile phones, with their own unique phone number. On your shopping cart page, you can choose to have one pre-installed for no extra cost, and the GPS Tracker is then very cheap to run. Your welcome sheet will have a step-by-step guide to activate it (takes about 2-3 minutes).

The devices are not locked to any network, so you can use a spare SIM if you have one. SIM cards can be either on contract (with inclusive texts or minutes) or “pay as you go” – from any typical carriers (e.g. in the UK – Vodafone, Tesco Mobile, GiffGaff, Lebara, O2 etc - any network except "3" which will not work in these devices).

There is no cost for having a SIM pre-installed in your device. The SIMs we install are from GiffGaff, which have no tie-in contracts, and offer cheap rates (more details here). Once you have activated it with £10 of credit, you will get £5 free credit added on top. GiffGaff use the O2 network, so check to make sure coverage is good in your area.

Your mobile phone

You will need to use your mobile phone to text the GPS Tracker for locations, and change any settings (via text). Texts or calls to the device will be at your standard rate (included in your texts/minutes for inclusive packages).

Please be aware that ANY mobile network (including your own mobile phone) is liable to occasional downtime (e.g. local mast tower technical issues).

In that scenario (or if network coverage was poor for your area), you wouldn’t be able to locate the Tracker, because they use text messaging and/or mobile data to transmit information.

It's necessary to make sure you do have good network coverage, and this should be checked with whatever SIM network you are planning to use. The SIM’s we supply free with the Trackers are with GiffGaff who use the O2 network - you can check the coverage here. They generally have excellent coverage in the UK, but may have small signal blind-spots in certain rural areas.

If you know you don't get a good o2 signal in your area, but another network is fine - then you'll need to get a SIM for the preferred network and install it (full visual instructions are given).

GPS satellites surround the world, so there is no limit to the 'range' for GPS Tracker to locate themselves.

The main limitation with GPS is accessibility to the satellites - if the devices are deep inside a large building, a shopping mall or in an underground carpark for example, they will struggle to get a location.

If you want to track from a different country then you will need to ensure that the SIM card has “roaming” enabled to send the location texts.

For most purposes though (i.e., local tracking in your own country), you don’t need to worry about “range” as your SIM card will be fine for the whole country.

GPS signals are good when the GPS trackers are outside, on transport, or near a window. If the GPS Tracker is in a building and not near a window, then the GPS signal may be weak (resulting in slightly reduced accuracy) or absent.

The tracker will give you the next best thing though – the last known location (with the date/time of when it was found). Our Stray Star GPS Tracker also has a backup function of triangulating its location based on the cell network towers - this isn't as accurate as GPS, but is a good backup when you need it.

You might require that a GPS Tracker be fixed to the body, where a vulnerable person at risk might be liable to remove it. Depending on the person, this will likely be the most important consideration in choosing your Tracker.

Our Stray Star GPS Dementia Tracker can be removed, but it does have a lot of carrying options - the included lanyard, keyring loop and optional velcro pouch or wrist strap give a lot of options. Customers have also sometimes found creative ways to fasten them inside jackets or bags.

Our discreet GPS Trackers are small, won't interfere with the wearer at all, make no sound, and you can even disable the LED indicator lights.

There is no indication to the wearer that the location is being requested or sent via text.

Our Stray Star GPS Tracker vibrates briefly before automatically answering incoming calls. It does have small intermittent LED lights which blink – but these can also be deactivated with a simple text message.

The only ongoing costs you will incur is for SIM usage (as you would with a mobile phone). But this is very cheap, and you won't be locked into any scary contracts or premium rates. Most customers spend about £2-4 per month (offering 20-40 location texts) but you can also choose a £6 per month option with unlimited call minutes and texts, and more than enough data for online tracking.

Please click here for the page about GPS Tracker SIM cards and cheap ongoing costs (opens in a new tab).

There are plenty of ways to get the help you need.

As a starting point, our handy manuals are easy to follow. They include all the information you need to work your GPS tracker and make the most of it.

We also have thorough information portals available, packed with further detail, tips on best usage, information on any firmware updates (which are free to upgrade to). If after reading the manual you still have a question about usage, it's highly likely that the information portal will answer it.

If you’re still stuck or have any questions, just email via the contact page or call us direct on 01392 580655 and we’ll do our best to help as soon as we can.

Yes, on the checkout page you can specify a different shipping address (anywhere in the world) to your billing address. Just tick the little box under 'Shipping Address' to indicate you would like to ship to a different one. 

Yes – please click here to add the Special Delivery option to your cart. You can then add your GPS Tracker and extras. Choose the free shipping option at checkout, even though it says 3-5 days delivery, as your Special Delivery add-on will override that.

If you have already placed your order and have just found this when about to enquire about next day delivery – don’t worry – if you could kindly click the link above to pay the Special Delivery anyway, we’ll refund any postage you have already paid.

Please order by 3pm for Special Delivery – any later and we can’t guarantee we’ll be able to get it off in time.

If you’re sure the order went through (you should have received an order confirmation by email), then you should also get a dispatch email when your Tracker is sent out. If you haven’t received this, check your spam folder (the emails are automated).

Please wait for the appropriate amount of days before getting in touch:

• For the UK this is three working days for 1st class, 5 working days for Courier - but allow a couple of extra days just in case there are any postal delays.
• For international orders, please allow two weeks before getting in touch.

If you’re unsure if your order went through, then please do ask and we’ll let you know.

Shipping Options:

• Standard (Free): 4-5 days, Evri/Yodel
• Expedited (£4.99): 1-2 days, Royal Mail Tracked 24
• International (varies): Up to 14 days, International Signed For

Payment Options:

• Credit Card
• Direct Bank Transfer

Devices are dispatched after payment is received. The payment gateway is SSL secure. 

If there is anything that you aren't happy with, in the first instance please always get in touch.

You have a seven day trial period to make sure it's right for you - if the wearer isn't happy carrying it for example, then you are welcome to return it. Please just ensure that everything is kept in perfect condition.

In the unlikely event than an inherent fault develops within six months, then we'll either repair or replace your device accordingly.

If accidental damage occurs then we may be able to offer a repair depending on the situation.