Should You Track Your Child With a GPS Tracker or Kids Smartwatch?

While you may think of digital privacy and digital security interchangeably, they’re actually two different things. Privacy refers to what a company does with your data, such as how much it collects, with whom the company shares your data, and how long the company keeps your information. Security is about whether outsiders can get into that data in the first place, and whether the company uses tools such as encryption or strong authentication to keep it protected.

Consumer Reports’ recent testing of a range of kid-tracking tech devices found that some devices, including models from Apple, Garmin, and Eufy, performed well, while others raised some concerns. Overall, the findings were at once reassuring and eye-opening.

On the positive side, most companies are getting the basics right. Many privacy policies clearly explain what’s being collected and why, and several brands offer consumers choices in their apps, like toggling off targeted ads or limiting data-sharing. In many cases, the core features still work even if you decline non-essential permissions, and some products avoid targeted advertising tools altogether. Most devices also use modern encryption, ship automatic updates, and make it fairly easy to install new updates. A meaningful number of products also offer multifactor authentication (MFA), an extra login step that makes it more difficult for strangers to access your account.

Not all kid-tracking tech devices work the same way, and the differences matter, both for a child’s safety and for their privacy. Consumer Reports evaluated three main categories of devices: Bluetooth trackers, GPS trackers, and smartwatches, each with its own benefits and limitations. While not all of the devices we tested are specifically marketed for use by children, they can be used by parents as ways to keep tabs on their school-aged children’s whereabouts, as kids aren’t generally far away from the coats, keys, and backpacks where these may be placed. Here’s a look at how each of these types of devices functions:

Bluetooth trackers (such as Apple AirTag or Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2) are sometimes tucked into backpacks as a way to keep track of a child’s location, even though they’re not marketed as devices specifically for use by children. They don’t give your child a screen or a communication tool; instead, Bluetooth trackers rely on nearby phones in the manufacturer’s device network to approximate your child’s location. They’re best suited for short-range scenarios, such as a crowded amusement park, but in most cases they don’t provide real-time communication or emergency contact features—although the Life360 Tile Mate does offer an SOS feature via its built-in button.

GPS trackers (such as the Tack GPS Tracker) go a step further. These small devices use cellular networks to provide precise, continuous location updates. Most models also offer geofencing, SOS buttons, and limited messaging features. Like Bluetooth trackers, many GPS trackers are not specifically marketed to families, but the BoT Talk GPS Tracker for Kids is an example of how this technology may give parents more insight and control without introducing the open-ended features of a smartphone, making them a middle-ground option for elementary- or middle-school kids.

Smartwatches for kids (such as the Garmin Bounce, TickTalk 5 Kids Smartwatch, Xplora XGO3 Kids Smartwatch, or the Bark Watch) can add yet another layer: GPS tracking plus two-way calling, texting, and scheduling tools, and sometimes games or music. They give families more ways to communicate, but they also tend to collect more data, including messages, voice notes, and usage patterns, which means parents need to pay closer attention to privacy controls and company policies.

Consumer Reports’ testing found strengths and weaknesses in each category. Bluetooth trackers generally collect less data, but offer fewer safety features such as SOS buttons or 911 calling. GPS trackers provide stronger tools but vary widely in security protections. Smartwatches for kids can be convenient communication devices, but some models have unclear disclosures or lag in protections like multifactor authentication, which is critical when a device stores a child’s messages or voice notes.

Understanding these differences helps families choose a product that fits their child’s needs and their comfort level.

CR’s data privacy and security experts evaluated 15 popular child-tracking devices, evaluating how well manufacturers safeguard sensitive information through encryption, data-sharing policies, and default settings.