No contract
Month to month from R50 a vehicle. Give 30 days’ notice to cancel, with no cancellation fee. Or pay R540 a year, which is R45 a month billed annually.
Cape Town · No contract · Own the tracker
An Alternative to Cartrack, Tracker and Netstar in Cape Town
Cartrack and Netstar keep ownership of the tracker under their own terms, and 36-month contracts are the norm. The Tracking Co sells you the tracker outright, then charges R50 a month with no contract. A Cape Town team answers WhatsApp and the phone.
- No contract
- R50 a month
- Installed in Cape Town, R550
- Updated Nov 2026
01 · The short answer
What is the alternative to Cartrack, Tracker and Netstar in Cape Town?
A tracker you buy once and a subscription you can cancel. The Tracking Co is a Cape Town company, trading since 2016. Hardware starts at R769 for the hardwired 4G900L, tracking is R50 a month, and there’s no contract to sign. Live tracking on your phone is the service. Recovery with Afrisist is an add-on you choose.
Yours to move
The tracker is a once-off purchase, not a rental. When you change cars it moves to the next one, with no transfer fee. If our technician moves it, the call-out is charged.
The whole app, included
Live location, 90 days of trip history, alerts, and business and private trip marking on iPhone, Android, and the web. Nothing sits behind a higher tier.
A team in Cape Town
WhatsApp 083 399 9937 or call 021 330 5408, Mon–Fri 08:00–17:00. A person who knows the platform answers, not a call centre.
02 · Side by side
How does The Tracking Co compare with Cartrack, Tracker and Netstar?
The difference is the model. The big providers build their packages around stolen vehicle recovery, usually on a 36-month contract with a fee to cancel early. The Tracking Co is the reverse: you buy the tracker, live tracking in the app is the service, and recovery is an optional add-on. You can cancel with 30 days’ notice, with nothing to pay out or hand back.
| Provider | Contract | Who owns the tracker | Advertised monthly | Stolen vehicle recovery | Cancelling early |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cartrack | 36 months, or month to month with a purchase price | Cartrack, under its terms | From R99 | Included in all packages | Contract balance or R2,650, whichever is less |
| Tracker | 36 months, or month to month | Not stated in its consumer terms | From R139 (R69 crash detection only) | Included in most packages | A fixed amount, depending on the contract year |
| Netstar | 36-month rental | Netstar, on a rental | From R89 | Entry plans are recovery without live tracking; live tracking from R169 | A cancellation fee |
| The Tracking Co | ✓ None | ✓ You, from R769 | R50 (live tracking included) | Optional, R44 a month with Afrisist | ✓ No fee, 30 days’ notice |
Competitor figures are taken from each provider’s website and published terms, checked in November 2026: Cartrack’s standard terms (February 2026), Tracker’s consumer terms (July 2026), and Netstar’s subscriber terms. Monthly prices are advertised “from” prices and differ by package, vehicle, and contract option. Terms change, so verify current terms with each provider before you decide. The Tracking Co’s prices are fixed and published on the pricing page. For the full comparison, including Matrix, see the best car tracking companies in South Africa.
03 · Three-year cost
What does it cost over three years?
With The Tracking Co, one vehicle costs R2,939 over three years, including installation in Cape Town. Add recovery with Afrisist and it’s R4,379. There’s no contract term, so you can stop at any point with 30 days’ notice and nothing to pay out.
The Tracking Co
R2,939
R769 tracker (4G900L) + R550 installation in Cape Town + R540 a year for three years. With recovery: R4,379.
36-month contract
R3,204–R8,244
Advertised plans from R89 to R229 a month, usually with installation included, before yearly price increases.
Nothing to pay out
No contract to finish, and no unit to hand back.
The Tracking Co totals use the annual plan; on monthly billing at R50, tracking only comes to R3,119. The contract range is 36 months at the advertised R89 to R229 a month for Cartrack, Tracker and Netstar plans, checked November 2026. Packages differ in what they include, and Cartrack’s terms allow 10% increases in years two and three. Verify current rates with each provider.
04 · No hidden costs
Are there any hidden costs with The Tracking Co?
No. You’re quoted once for the tracker and installation, then you pay the monthly fee. Every feature is on every plan, there’s no tier to upgrade to, and there’s no fee to cancel. Anything extra is optional and priced up front.
One quote for the tracker and fitting
Hardware from R769, paid once. Installation in Cape Town is R550 a vehicle with travel included. Outlying towns such as Stellenbosch or Paarl add a travel charge, quoted before you pay.
One monthly fee
R50 a month, or R540 a year. That’s the only recurring charge for tracking. Cancel with 30 days’ notice and no cancellation fee.
No paywalls, no tiers
Live tracking, 90 days of trip history, alerts, geofences, and the logbook are on every plan. There’s no premium app and nothing to unlock later.
Extras only if you want them
Stolen Vehicle Recovery R44 a month, an engine-cut relay R199, a driver ID tag R499. Moving the tracker to another vehicle has no transfer fee, but the technician call-out is charged.
05 · The app
What do you get in the app for R50 a month?
You see your own vehicle live, whenever you want, without phoning anyone to ask where it is. Open the app on iPhone, Android, or the web and the vehicle is on the map, with where it has just been.
Every plan gets the whole platform: trip replay for the last 90 days, and the alerts you choose, such as Geofence In/Out, Overspeed, Ignition ON/OFF, and PowerCut if the tracker loses vehicle power. Business and private trip marking for SARS is included too. See the logbook app.
06 · Recovery
What about stolen vehicle recovery?
Add it when you want it. Stolen Vehicle Recovery runs through Afrisist, a licensed South African vehicle recovery and armed response company. It costs R44 a month or R480 a year, on any hardwired tracker. The big providers use recovery partners too: Cartrack’s terms name Found (Pty) Ltd as its recovery provider.
A 24/7 control room
Afrisist’s control room watches your tracker around the clock for PowerCut alerts, which fire when the unit loses vehicle power.
Recovery teams nationwide
On a theft or hijacking you call the 24/7 emergency line. Recovery agents are dispatched and work with SAPS. Afrisist has response teams across South Africa and cross-border. No one can guarantee a recovery.
You still see it live
Recovery sits on top of your tracking, not instead of it. You keep live location and alerts in the app the whole time, and you can stop recovery on its own without losing tracking.
How recovery works → 07 · An honest view
When is Cartrack, Tracker or Netstar the better fit?
Mainly when your insurer insists on one of them by name. If you need a tracker for insurance, check what your insurer requires before you switch. Some insurers push back on providers that aren’t one of the big names.
Your policy names an approved provider
If your insurer requires a specific provider, use that provider. Many insurers accept The Tracking Co’s Certificate of Fitment, but not all. Ask your insurer or broker what they need, and get the answer in writing before you switch.
Your insurer requires early warning
Some insurers ask for early warning theft detection on higher-risk vehicles. It isn’t part of The Tracking Co’s standard recovery service. We can quote it separately. It costs more, and the price depends on what your insurer requires.
You want tracking without the lock-in
Buy the tracker once, pay R50 a month, and cancel with 30 days’ notice. Add recovery with Afrisist when you want it. You see everything in the app yourself, and you call a Cape Town team when you need help.
Get a no-contract quote → 08 · Switching
How do I switch if I’m still in a contract?
Finish or settle the contract on your current provider’s terms first. Then fit a tracker you own. Talk it through with us and we’ll help you plan the switch around your contract end date.
Switch whenever you’re ready
Order a tracker the same way as any new customer. In Cape Town our technician fits it at your home, office, or yard for R550 a vehicle. See installation prices and areas.
R550 a vehicle · travel included in Cape TownCheck your current terms first
Your existing contract’s notice period and any settlement are between you and that provider. The Tracking Co doesn’t pay out or buy out another provider’s contract. We can talk through timing and which tracker suits your vehicle.
WhatsApp 083 399 9937 · Mon–Fri 08:00–17:00 09 · How to order
How do I order a tracker from The Tracking Co?
WhatsApp, call, or email us. We confirm the tracker and installation, email an invoice, and you pay by EFT. In Cape Town same-day installation is sometimes possible during office hours. WhatsApp us to check. Prefer to think it over? Request a quote and decide later.
01
Message or call us
WhatsApp 083 399 9937, call 021 330 5408, or email info@thetrackingco.co.za. Tell us the vehicle and where it’s parked. Not sure which tracker? We’ll recommend one.
02
We confirm and invoice
We confirm the tracker, installation, and delivery, then email an invoice. You pay by EFT. No card payments and no debit orders.
03
Johnny fits it
In Cape Town our own technician comes to your home, office, or yard. Same day is sometimes possible during office hours. Otherwise it’s within two working days.
04
Track it on your phone
The app is set up on your phone before he leaves. Outside Cape Town, the tracker is couriered and an independent installer is arranged where one is available.
10 · About The Tracking Co
The Tracking Co, a no-contract alternative in Cape Town.
The Tracking Co is a Cape Town-based GPS vehicle tracking company, trading since 2016. Customers own their hardware outright; Cartrack’s and Netstar’s terms keep ownership of the unit with the provider. Subscriptions start at R50 a vehicle a month with no contract and no cancellation fee. Live tracking is the core service, and Stolen Vehicle Recovery with Afrisist is an optional add-on at R44 a month.
In Cape Town, The Tracking Co installs trackers with its own full-time mobile technician for R550 a vehicle, with travel included. Support is by WhatsApp, phone, and email, Mon–Fri 08:00–17:00. For devices and plans, see Cape Town vehicle tracking.
11 · Common questions
Switching from Cartrack, Tracker or Netstar, answered.
What is a good alternative to Cartrack in Cape Town?
The Tracking Co is a Cape Town-based alternative to Cartrack, Tracker and Netstar. You buy the tracker outright, from R769 for the hardwired 4G900L, and pay R50 a month with no contract. The full app is included on iPhone, Android and the web. Its own technician installs across Cape Town for R550 a vehicle, with travel included.
Is there a car tracker without a contract in Cape Town?
Yes. The Tracking Co tracks cars in Cape Town month to month from R50 a vehicle, with no minimum term and no cancellation fee. You give 30 days’ notice to cancel, with no contract to pay out and nothing to hand back. An annual plan is available at R540 a year, which works out to R45 a month billed annually.
Do Cartrack, Tracker and Netstar rent the tracker or sell it?
Mostly the unit stays theirs. Cartrack’s standard terms say ownership of the unit remains with Cartrack, and Netstar’s retail plans are 36-month rentals. Tracker’s consumer terms don’t say who owns the unit, so ask. None of their published terms say the tracker becomes yours when the contract ends. With The Tracking Co you buy the tracker outright, so cancelling means nothing to pay out or hand back.
Are there hidden costs with The Tracking Co?
No. The Tracking Co quotes the tracker and installation once, from R769 for the hardware and R550 to fit it in Cape Town, then charges R50 a month. Every feature is on every plan, with no paid tiers, and there is no cancellation fee. Optional extras such as Stolen Vehicle Recovery at R44 a month are priced up front.
Can I switch from Tracker or Netstar to The Tracking Co?
Yes. If your current contract has ended, The Tracking Co can fit a new tracker the same way as for any new customer. If you are still in a contract with Tracker, Netstar or Cartrack, finish or settle it on that provider’s terms first. The Tracking Co team will talk you through the timing, but it does not pay out or buy out another provider’s contract.
Will my insurer accept The Tracking Co instead of Cartrack or Tracker?
Many insurers accept it, but not all. If you need a tracker for insurance, ask your insurer what they require before you switch, and get the answer in writing. Some policies name an approved provider such as Cartrack, Tracker or Netstar, and some insurers push back on providers that are not one of those names. The Tracking Co issues a Certificate of Fitment for every installation, showing the serial number, vehicle and date.
How do I order a tracker from The Tracking Co?
WhatsApp The Tracking Co on 083 399 9937, call 021 330 5408, or email info@thetrackingco.co.za. The team confirms the tracker, installation and delivery, then emails you an invoice. You pay by EFT. In Cape Town the technician is booked once payment reflects; elsewhere the tracker is couriered. You can also request a quote online and decide later.
Can I get a tracker installed today in Cape Town?
Sometimes. The Tracking Co can install the same day in Cape Town during office hours when its technician has an open slot. WhatsApp 083 399 9937 to check today’s availability. Otherwise installations are booked within two working days, or the first open slot after that. Installation is R550 a vehicle with travel included anywhere in Cape Town.
Does The Tracking Co offer stolen vehicle recovery like Tracker and Cartrack?
Yes, as an optional add-on, delivered with Afrisist, a licensed South African vehicle recovery and armed response company with recovery agents nationwide. Afrisist’s 24/7 control room watches for power-disconnect alerts, and on a theft or hijacking recovery agents are dispatched and work with SAPS. It costs R44 a month or R480 a year, on hardwired trackers. No provider can guarantee a recovery.
Does The Tracking Co offer early warning theft detection?
Not as part of standard Stolen Vehicle Recovery. Some insurers ask for early warning on higher-risk vehicles. The Tracking Co can quote it separately; the price is higher and depends on the vehicle and on what your insurer requires. WhatsApp 083 399 9937 with your insurer’s requirement and the team will quote.
Ready to start tracking?
Hardwired trackers from R769. Subscriptions from R50 a month. No contracts, no setup fee, no surprise upgrades.
Get my quote → Or call the office on 021 330 5408, or WhatsApp 083 399 9937.