Smartrack Subscription Costs Explained

Smartrack subscription costs explained: which plan gives you the best value?

When drivers research a Smartrack tracker, they focus almost entirely on the device and the installation. The subscription — the ongoing monitoring fee that keeps your tracker active — often gets forgotten until after the engineer has left. Then the renewal reminder arrives, and the questions start.

How much does a Smartrack subscription actually cost? Which plan is better value? What happens if you do not renew? Can you transfer it if you sell the car?

This guide answers all of it in plain English, with a straightforward breakdown of every available plan and a clear recommendation based on how long you plan to keep your vehicle.

Why a subscription is not optional

Before the costs, it is worth being clear about why the subscription matters. Your Smartrack tracker is not a standalone GPS device — it is a hardwired system connected to the Global Telemetrics Secure Control Centre, which monitors your vehicle 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

That monitoring is what makes the tracker worth having. Without an active subscription, the control centre cannot respond to theft alerts, coordinate with the police, or track your vehicle if it is stolen. The hardware in your car still exists, but it is effectively inactive from a security perspective.

More importantly, your Thatcham insurance approval depends on the subscription remaining active. If your subscription lapses, your tracker is no longer insurance-compliant. For many policies — particularly those covering Range Rover, BMW and other high-value models — this could invalidate your theft cover entirely.

Keeping the subscription active is not an optional extra. It is part of what you are paying for.

The five Smartrack subscription plans

Global Telemetrics offers five payment options for all Smartrack S5 and S7 trackers. The prices below are the current standard rates.

Breaking down the value of each plan

Monthly direct debit — £17.49 per month

At £17.49 per month, the annual cost is £209.88 — slightly more than the annual plan. The monthly option suits drivers who are uncertain how long they will keep the vehicle, who want flexibility, or who prefer to spread costs rather than pay in a lump sum.

The downside is that it is the most expensive option over any period longer than one year, and it requires an active direct debit to remain set up. If the payment fails — a changed bank account, an expired card — the subscription can lapse without you noticing, which is a real risk.

Best for: short-term ownership, drivers who prefer monthly outgoings, or anyone who has just bought the vehicle and is not yet sure how long they will keep it.

Annual plan — £199 per year

The annual plan saves approximately £10 compared to 12 months of direct debit payments. More practically, it removes the risk of a failed payment causing an accidental lapse. You pay once, receive a renewal reminder 30 days before expiry, and decide whether to renew.

Best for: drivers who plan to keep the vehicle for one to two years and want a simple, low-risk payment structure.

2-year plan — £329

At £329 for two years, the 2-year plan works out at £164.50 per year — a saving of £34.50 per year compared to the annual plan, and £251.76 over the two years compared to monthly direct debit. This is where the savings start to become meaningful.

Best for: drivers who are confident they will keep the vehicle for at least two years and want to reduce the total cost of ownership.

3-year plan — £429

At £429 for three years, the cost works out at £143 per year. That is a saving of £56 per year compared to the annual plan, and £179.88 over three years. For anyone who keeps vehicles for three years or more — which most UK drivers do — this plan represents significantly better value than paying annually.

Best for: drivers who typically keep vehicles for three or more years and want to minimise ongoing costs.

Duration of ownership — £749

The ownership plan is a single, one-off payment that covers your subscription for the duration of your ownership of the vehicle. It is fully transferable once within the first 12 months if you sell the car — meaning the new owner benefits from the remaining subscription, which can be a genuine selling point.

The break-even point for the 3-year plan is approximately 5 years of ownership. If you keep the vehicle for five years or more, the duration plan saves you money compared to renewing annually or every three years. If you sell before five years, you may have paid more than necessary — though the transferability can offset this if it helps you achieve a better sale price.

Best for: drivers who plan to keep the vehicle long-term — five years or more — or those who want the simplicity of never having to think about renewal again.

Which plan should you choose?

Here is a straightforward recommendation based on how long you expect to keep your vehicle.

Keeping the car for less than 2 years: choose the annual plan at £199. Avoid the monthly direct debit — the slightly higher cost and the risk of lapsing are not worth the flexibility unless you genuinely need it.

Keeping the car for 2 to 4 years: choose the 2-year or 3-year plan. The savings over annual renewal are real, and the commitment is modest. At £164.50 per year on the 2-year plan, it is the best value option for medium-term ownership.

Keeping the car for 5 years or more: the duration-of-ownership plan at £749 is almost certainly the most cost-effective choice. One payment, no renewals, no risk of lapsing, and it is transferable if your circumstances change.

Not sure how long you will keep it: start with the annual plan. You can always move to a multi-year plan at renewal if you decide to keep the vehicle longer.

What happens if your subscription lapses?

If you miss a renewal and your subscription expires, the tracker does not disappear — but the monitoring does. The Global Telemetrics control centre will no longer receive alerts from your vehicle, which means no theft response, no police coordination, and no recovery support if the car is stolen.

You will also lose your Thatcham insurance compliance. If your policy requires a monitored tracking device and the monitoring has lapsed, you may not be covered for theft. This is the scenario most worth avoiding.

Global Telemetrics will contact you before your subscription expires with renewal reminders. If you miss these and the subscription lapses, you can reactivate it — but there may be an administration fee and a gap in your cover in the meantime.

Can you transfer the subscription to a new vehicle?

Yes, in most cases. Smartrack subscriptions are linked to the device, not the vehicle. If you change cars and want to move your existing tracker to the new vehicle, the device can be transferred by a Thatcham-approved engineer. Your remaining subscription transfers with it.

The ownership plan includes one free transfer within the first 12 months. After that, a new subscription would typically be required.

Frequently asked questions

Is VAT included in the subscription prices?

Subscription prices from Global Telemetrics are subject to VAT. Confirm the VAT-inclusive total when you set up your account after installation.

Can I pay for my subscription through Safe & Sound Mobile?

The subscription is set up directly with Global Telemetrics after your installation is complete. A member of their team will contact you to arrange payment once your engineer has commissioned the device.

What if I sell the car before my multi-year subscription expires?

The duration of the ownership plan is transferable once within the first 12 months to a new owner. Multi-year plans (2-year, 3-year) are generally not transferable, but they can be discussed with Global Telemetrics on a case-by-case basis.

Get your Smartrack installed today.

Safe & Sound Mobile supplies and installs the full Smartrack S5 and S7 range with nationwide mobile fitting at your home or workplace. Call 01245 921133 or book online to get your installation booked within 48 hours.

• Smartrack Reco S7 — from £149 fitted
• Smartrack S5 D-iD — insurance-approved with app driver recognition
• Smartrack S5+ iMOB — maximum protection with engine immobilisation