Geotab vs Other Telematics

We put Geotab, Samsara, Motive, Verizon Connect and Azuga hardware into trucks, vans and equipment, so we have no reason to steer anyone toward one logo. This page compares them only on points each company states on its own website.

Which telematics brand is the right one for a fleet?

The right brand is the one whose hardware matches the vehicles and whose software matches the work. A plumbing company with eight vans has a different problem from a carrier running sleeper tractors.

All five cover live GPS location, driving behavior, an ELD option and dash cams. The differences sit in how the device connects, how many outside apps and modules join the platform, and whether a price is visible before a sales call.

We checked every competitor fact below on that company's own pages in October 2026. Product lines change, so our technicians confirm current hardware before any order.

How do the five brands compare side by side?

The table holds only facts confirmed on each maker's site.

How does each tracker connect to the vehicle?

Each brand starts at the diagnostic port, but only some also list a harness or wired-in option for vehicles where a port install is a poor fit. That choice decides whether the device can be hidden, whether it reads PTO or seatbelt signals, and how long the install takes.

• Geotab: the GO9 can plug straight into the port, ride on a harness, or go in with a two or three-wire connection on older units and equipment. The newer GO10 always mounts on a Geotab harness. Our harness page lists the cables by vehicle type.
• Samsara: its help center lists gateway cables from light-duty OBD-II leads to J1939 truck cables, Tesla cables and a direct-wire power cable.
• Motive: its install page tells you to plug the supplied cable into the diagnostic port, then match the white cable label to the right guide. Cables cover OBD-II, 9-pin, 6-pin and several truck makes.
• Verizon Connect: it offers plug-in trackers for the OBD-II port and hardwired trackers tied into the vehicle harness, and says the wired units are what support PTO monitoring and Driver ID.
• Azuga: its tracking page describes a unit you plug into the OBDII port, and a customer quote on that page calls the device portable between vehicles.

Which platforms are most open to outside apps and add-on hardware?

Geotab has the deepest add-on story of the five, because it pairs a large software Marketplace with IOX modules, a family of hardware add-ons that stack onto the tracker itself. Geotab says its Marketplace holds over 200 third-party Add-Ons, and the IOX line covers jobs like driver sign-in by badge, in-cab driver alerts, extra CAN data and satellite backup.

The other four all run an app store of their own. Samsara and Motive each call theirs the App Marketplace, Verizon Connect lists approved integration partners in categories like fuel, insurance and maintenance, and Azuga's Partner Marketplace mixes software integrations with installers and associations. Geotab and Samsara each call their ecosystem the largest, so check that the specific app you need is actually listed.

What dash camera options does each brand offer?

Every brand here sells its own AI dash cam in a road-facing version and one that also watches the driver, and each reports into its own maker's portal.

• Geotab: three tiers, from the road-facing GO Focus to the dual-lens GO Focus Plus and the GO Focus Pro, which acts as a hub for side and rear views.
• Samsara: a Dual-Facing AI Dash Cam and a Front-Facing AI Dash Cam; its small-fleet page quotes installs under 15 minutes.
• Motive: one AI Dashcam sold in road-facing or dual-facing form, with a privacy mode that lets admins switch off the inward lens.
• Verizon Connect: dual, road and driver-facing AI Dashcams, which it says are not sold standalone and need its Reveal or Fleet platform.
• Azuga: the SafetyCam, a dual-facing AI dash cam, priced as an add-on to its tracking plans.

Do all five offer an ELD and asset trackers?

Yes, each of the five offers an electronic logging option and at least one way to track trailers, equipment or tools. How they get there differs: Motive builds ELD capability into its Vehicle Gateway, while Azuga sells eLogs as an add-on to its fleet software.

On assets, battery life is where the lines split. Verizon Connect rates its battery EAT-B at up to 13 years of location updates, Motive gives its Asset Gateway Mini a five-year battery, Samsara pairs its battery gateway with small Asset Tags, and Geotab vehicle trackers can listen for its Bluetooth tags. For Geotab's side, see the GO Anywhere Next Gen, the GO Anywhere Plus and Bluetooth tags.

Which brands publish their prices?

Azuga is the only one of the five that showed dollar prices on its own website when we checked. Its pricing page listed three per-vehicle monthly plans, BasicFleet at $25, SafeFleet at $30 and CompleteFleet at $35, with the SafetyCam AI add-on at $41.99 a month. That page did not state a contract length.

Geotab, Samsara, Motive and Verizon Connect showed no dollar figures on the pages we reviewed; each routes pricing through a request form or a sales conversation. None of the five posted contract terms on the pages we read, so ask about term length, early-exit rules and hardware ownership before signing.

Which fleet fits which brand?

Match the brand to the problem first, then confirm the hardware fits your vehicles.

Which fleets fit Geotab?

Mixed fleets with specialty jobs, such as plows, service bodies or refrigerated units, tend to land on Geotab, since port, harness and wired installs let one platform cover an old pickup and a new tractor. Start with our Geotab overview and product lineup.

Which fleets fit Samsara?

Samsara suits fleets that want gateways, dash cams, trailer units and small-item tags from a single maker, including fleets adding electric vehicles, since it publishes dedicated Tesla cables. More on our Samsara page.

Which fleets fit Motive?

Carriers whose first concern is hours-of-service compliance often start with Motive, because the gateway ships with ELD capability and the cable list is organized around heavy-truck makes. See our Motive page.

Which fleets fit Verizon Connect?

Fleets worried about tampering, or that need PTO run time and driver ID, fit the hardwired Verizon Connect tracker, which can be tucked out of sight. Details on our Verizon Connect page.

Which fleets fit Azuga?

Small fleets that want to see a monthly number before a sales call, and want hardware that simply plugs into the port, are a natural fit for Azuga.

What does install day look like with any of these brands?

Install day follows the same rhythm for every brand: confirm each vehicle's port or harness, mount the device out of the driver's way, then check that it reports before the vehicle leaves. Verizon Connect's own install FAQ estimates about ten minutes for a plug-in unit and around thirty for a hardwired one.

Several makers say customers can self-install. Verizon Connect's FAQ also points customers who would rather not do it toward a 12-volt installer, which is the trade we have worked in for 35 years. Our technicians mount, route and test all five brands, using our Field App and wiring database to find the right wire.

What do fleet managers ask us most about switching brands?

Can a fleet run two of these brands at the same time?

Yes, and some fleets do while they trial a change or after buying another company. Each brand reports into its own portal, so the managers end up checking two dashboards until one system is retired.

Can we move our existing dash cams to a new tracking brand?

Usually not. Each maker's dash cams are built to report into that maker's own portal, and Verizon Connect states that its dash cams need its Reveal or Fleet platform. Plan on new dash cams when the tracking brand changes.

Which of the five posts its prices online?

Only Azuga, of the five, showed per-vehicle monthly plan prices on its own website when we checked in October 2026. Geotab, Samsara, Motive and Verizon Connect showed no dollar figures on the pages we reviewed.

Do we have to pull the old trackers before new ones go in?

Not always, but two devices sharing one diagnostic port can cause trouble. Verizon Connect even warns that port-connected hardware can upset other equipment such as wheelchair lifts or PTO units, so we plan the swap so only one tracker is reading the port.

Whichever of these five brands your fleet chooses, API Signal supplies the hardware and our technicians fit it on site at your yard, so the vehicles stay close to where they work. Call 803-513-1009 or use Get a Quote and tell us what you run today.

Sources: Geotab home page, Geotab Marketplace, Samsara Vehicle Gateway cable guide, Samsara hardware models, Samsara for small fleets, Samsara App Marketplace, Samsara pricing page, Motive Vehicle Gateway install, Motive products, Motive AI Dashcam, Motive pricing page, Verizon Connect GPS fleet tracking, Verizon Connect installation FAQ, Verizon Connect dash cams, Verizon Connect asset tracking, Verizon Connect compliance, Verizon Connect Marketplace, Azuga pricing, Azuga fleet tracking, Azuga home page, Azuga Partner Marketplace. Checked October 2026. GEOTAB is a registered trademark of Geotab Inc. Samsara is a trademark of Samsara Inc. Motive is a trademark of Motive Technologies, Inc. Verizon Connect is a trademark of Verizon. Azuga is a trademark of Azuga, Inc. All other product names belong to their owners. API Signal is an independent installer and is not Geotab, Samsara, Motive, Verizon Connect or Azuga.