Become a Member: Get Ad-Free Access to 3,000+ Reviews, Guides, & More

[Review] Invoxia Cellular GPS Tracker

Dude, Where’s My Bike?

Up close view of Invoxia cellular GPS tracker
Review Summary
Invoxia cellular GPS tracker uses 4G LTE-M and works anywhere in the US. It is small, lightweight, and discreet. Its battery is fast charging and lasts a long time. Anti-theft and geofencing alerts are sent quickly once the device is triggered. It works with the IFTTT service for added email or text notifications also. The proximity radar is a useful feature to locate the bike, but the ringer is not loud enough. It is not waterproof and may malfunction in a high humidity environment. $129 includes a one-year subscription, and there are no other fees. This is an excellent value.
Design
Build Quality
Installation & Configuration
Features & Ease of Use
Value for Money
Pros
Notifications come to the phone quickly
Fast Charging / Long Battery life
$129 with a one-year subscription is an excellent value
Works anywhere in the US
Works with IFTTT service
Cons
Not waterproof
Ringer is not loud enough
4.5
A Good Buy
Putting the tracker in the tail storage area of Ducati/ stock photo
Photo Credit: Invoxia

As the 2021 riding season started, I planned a solo two-week-long road trip to Yellowstone National Park. One of the major concerns I had for the trip was safety. Specifically, I was worried about my bike getting stolen while I stopped overnight.

The solution was twofold; prevention of theft by a bike lock or an alarm and retrieval of the motorcycle with a tracking device in case it is stolen. I already have a heavy-duty bike lock, but I needed a GPS tracker that works even in remote areas.

Invoxia is a French company that offers GPS tracking devices for vehicles and pets and currently operates in Europe and the United States. Their Cellular GPS Tracker, which uses 4G LTE-M and works anywhere in the US, seemed to be a good choice for the task.

Out of the Box

GPS tracker front view with a leather strap / stock photo
Photo Credit: Invoxia

The GPS tracker came in a neat little box. The device weighs only 1.05 oz and measures 4 inches X 1inch X .4 inch with a sturdy leather strap. A slight indentation on the backside is actually a reboot button. Its overall simple and sleek design is aesthetically pleasing.

Invoxia GPS tracker came with a simple instruction sheet, and a micro USB charging cable.

It came with a short instruction to download the companion app to start the device. My first impression was, “That’s it?” There were no other documents that explain functions or a user manual as par for the course with newer tech devices. (The online user manual is under construction at the time of writing.)

Instead, most of the information is available through the FAQ page of their website. I am not that tech-savvy, so I always feel apprehensive about not having manuals in print or online. That being said, the initial setup was straightforward.

It took about an hour and a half to charge the battery first. After that, I just downloaded the app and followed the simple prompts. This process took about 10 minutes, and the tracker was good to go.

Where Should I Put It Though?

An important feature (or lack of) regarding this specific tracker is that it is not waterproof.

While it has an IP33 rating, this poses a significant issue because no area on the motorcycle remains completely dry when it rains. Invoxia offers GPS trackers that are waterproof, and I do not understand why they didn’t make this one waterproof also.

GPS tracker in the tail storage of VFR800 The leather strap of the GPS tracker coming out from the gap of the cawl.

My first ride with a GPS tracker was on a sunny day, so I simply placed it in the storage area under the tail cowl. It fitted nicely, but during the ride, the vibration moved the device a lot. I found the tracker’s leather strap hanging out from the small gap between the cowl and the tail body when I stopped.

GPS tracker in the vinyl bag of owners manual GPS tracker in the vinyl bag of owners manual stored in the slot of tail storage

On the second ride, the local weather forecast was showing a slight chance of rain. So I put the tracker in the vinyl bag in which the bike’s owner’s manual is kept. My Honda VFR has a slot for the manual in the tail storage area, and the device didn’t move much during the ride this time.

However, I am not sure if the bag is waterproof and also seriously doubt that the tail storage remains sufficiently dry for the tracker on a rainy day. It is not water-tight, and it accumulates a lot of condensation.

I expect to encounter some rain on my road trip, so I purchased a small waterproof vinyl bag used outdoors to store the tracker. Hopefully, this is enough to keep the device dry enough to function properly.

GPS Tracking and Location Updates

Screenshot of tracking at Low location frequency update Screenshot of tracking at Standard frequency location update

Low (left) and Standard (right) location update frequencies

There are three settings for location update frequency; High (every 5 to 7mins), Standard (every 10 to 12mins), and Low (every 30 to 32 mins). If the bike is stationary, it only updates the position every 24 hours to save the battery.

On my first test ride, I set the frequency to Low and headed out to the desert, where I usually lose cellular signal. The screenshot on the left is the locations reported; it was too infrequent, but my bike’s locations were tracked.

The screenshot on the right shows practically the same route in Standard setting, which becomes more detailed. The screenshot below is on the High setting on a different ride.

Because I live in an area with freeways and fast roads with almost no traffic lights, my preferred setting is High report frequency. In case my bike is stolen, it will be more precise in locating the last reported position.

However, if you live or ride mainly in the city with more stop-and-go traffic, the Standard setting may suffice. It depends on personal preference and how often you would like to charge the device, which I will talk about next.

Screenshot of tracking at HIGH frequency location update
High frequency location updates

Battery Life

Invoxia GPS tracker getting charged with a micro USB charging cable.

Invoxia Cellular GPS tracker has a long battery life compared to other GPS trackers. According to Invoxia’s website, depending on the location report frequency setting, it lasts 15 days to 7 weeks with a single charge. So far, I only had to charge it twice after the initial charge, and it charged within two hours.

This is great because I don’t have to wait too long to charge the tracker fully, and I can keep the device on the bike almost all the time. What’s the point if the anti-theft device needs to be charged overnight, right?

Battery life
Photo Credit: Invoxia

Proximity Radar

Screenshot of prompt when you turn on proximity radar. Screenshot of proximity radar prompt notifying that you are in the Bluetooth range of tracker Screenshot of proximity radar prompt to start moving.

I admit that I often forget where I parked my car in a mall or concert venue. But I can attest that it has never happened with my motorcycle. Nonetheless, I tested this proximity radar feature in a large parking lot. Proximity radar uses Bluetooth.

You start by going to the place you think your bike is, and as soon as the phone detects the tracker’s Bluetooth, it gives you the prompt to stop. This distance varied from 45 feet to 20 feet. Then the screen gives you the graphic which indicates you are moving closer or further from the device.

Turning on the ringer on the tracker was helpful, but the sound was not loud enough to detect if the environment was somewhat noisy, especially since the tracker was in a plastic bag and stored under the cowl.

Having said that, I expect to use this radar more often than not. I’ll definitely bring the tracker the next time I need to park my car in a huge parking lot.

Screenshot of proximity radar displaying my location in relation to the bike Screenshot of proximity radar displaying I am getting close to the bike

Notification

Screenshot of a notification on my Android Screenshot of a notification on Iphone/ stock photo

Photo Credit: Invoxia

There are three notifications: Zone alert, Movement/Tilt alert, and Significant Journey alert.

The Zone alert is a geofencing alert that your device is leaving or arriving at the predefined area you set on the companion app. The zone radius can be as small as 328.1ft to as large as 0.6 miles.

When the device detects movement after it remains stationary for more than 5 mins, it sends a Movement or Tilt alert. It works for suspicious movement/ tilt and also when someone hits your parked bike.

The Significant journey alert is triggered when the new location of the bike is detected after it remains stationary for 5 mins.

In addition to the tracker’s push notification, you can also sign up for a free IFTTT service to receive a text message or email. I set up the applet to send me an email when the motion is detected. This setting has been working well to give me peace of mind when I’m away from my phone but on my laptop.

I like that both push notifications and IFTTT notifications seem to arrive quickly within a minute of the device detecting movements or crossing the predefined zone. The only time I hated these notifications was when I rode out without setting the device to stand by on the app. I received all kinds of alerts and location updates during my ride, and it drove me crazy. If you would like to enjoy your ride, do not forget this process.

Value

Invoxia Cellular GPS Tracker is $129 with a one-year subscription (after one year, $39.90 per year), and there are no other fees. This is an exceptional value compared to other GPS trackers.

Comparable Devices

There are many options for GPS tracking devices. One popular choice is the Tracki Mini Real Time 4G GPS tracker. It offers unlimited tracking worldwide. Battery life can be short as few days if you use real-time tracking updates. The device is relatively inexpensive at $26.12. However, it requires a subscription that is $19.95 / month.

Another popular tracker is Spytec GPS GL300. Battery life is relatively short, up to 2.5 weeks. It also requires a subscription that costs a minimum of $19.95 / month.

From what I could find, other comparable trackers can be as low as $26, but all of them require a tracking service subscription, which adds up to more than $200 yearly.

Updates and Customer Service

Even while I was testing the device for about a month, they had few updates to address the minor bug issues and improving the compatibility on android. Their customer service team seems to be very responsive to users’ opinions which is a good sign.

The tracker comes with a one-year warranty. I appreciate a company that listens to customers to improve their products and provides a good warranty. Kudos to Invoxia.

Invoxia GPS Tracker Specifications

Per Invoxia’s website, here are some of the key product specifications.

Key Features

  • Outdoor positioning via low power GPS
  • Indoor and outdoor positioning via WPS
  • Proximity positioning via the application (Bluetooth)
  • User-adjustable point generation frequency
  • Possibility to create safe areas with line-crossing alerts
  • Search for the nearby Tracker using the radar function and the Tracker’s buzzer function
  • Service life of the rechargeable battery: 2 weeks to 4 months according to modes
  • Specific algorithms to save battery according to location changes.

It is compatible with iOS 12.0 or higher, compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Android 5.0 (Lollipop) or higher. As previously mentioned, it is also IP33 rated.

For a full list of features and other information such as compatibility, check out Invoxia’s product page, which contains their technical datasheet.

Final Verdict

The Invoxia GPS Tracker is on my bike all the time now.

I was slightly apprehensive about not having a user manual at first, but I realized that it is user-friendly and doesn’t need a manual as I tested the tracker.

I like the fast-charging battery that lasts a long time which is a necessary characteristic for anti-theft tracking devices.

The tracker works anywhere in the US, and you receive notification within a minute of movement or crossing the line of the predetermined area. It works with the IFTTT service, which adds more to my peace of mind with different notifications like texts and emails.

My complaint about the tracker is that it is not waterproof. For now, I will keep the tracker in the waterproof bag, but I hope Invoxia releases the waterproof version of this cellular tracker.

Pros

  • Notifications come to the phone quickly
  • Fast Charging / Long Battery life
  • $129 with a one-year subscription is an excellent value
  • Works anywhere in the US
  • Works with IFTTT service

Cons

  • Not waterproof
  • Ringer is not loud enough

Specs

  • Manufacturer: Invoxia
  • Price: $129 includes a one-year subscription
  • Made in: China
  • Sizes: 4 inches X 1 inch X .4inches (105 x 27 x 9.5 mm)
  • Colors: Black
  • Safety Designations: N/A
  • Review Date: June 2021

Important Links / Where to Buy

 

  1. I agree with all you say, including the lack of a manual.
    I like the IFTTT. I set mine up for texts for movement and low battery.

    1. Hi Frank,
      I like your idea of setting up an IFTTT for low battery. I didn’t think about that. Great idea!

  2. 0.1
    Lost cat

    It’s not bad, it’s awful! 119euros to the garbage. My cat was sleeping inside the house and it said it was moving outside up to 1km. He lost his collar and I never found the tracker even after the Invoxia team sent me the last and supposedly exact location. It lasted 2 months and they didn’t want to replace it. So, there’s no point to use it. I lost my cat for 48 days and will never trust Invoxia again. I will try one with mensal payment with a sim card, I believe it’s more reliable.

    Breakdown
    Leave A Review

    Design

    Build Quality

    Installation & Configuration

    Features & Ease of Use

    Value for Money

Comments are closed.