Bouncie GPS Vehicle Tracker Review
We installed Bouncie in a 2014 Toyota Sienna to see how well it tracks location and vehicle stats.
- Real-time GPS tracking
- Customizable notifications
- Alert delays
- Monitoring starts at $8.00/mo.
We added an entry in our FAQ about how Bouncie is addressing the scheduled shutdowns of T-Mobile's 3G network in January 2021 and AT&T's 3G network in February 2022.
Bottom line: Best month-to-month option
The Bouncie device works a lot like other port-based GPS trackers: just plug it into your OBD port (the on-board diagnostics port under your dashboard) and it will start to track your car's location.
It uses a cellular connection to send trip data to your smartphone via T-Mobile and AT&T’s 3G networks, similar to the GPS vehicle tracker Vyncs.
It had some occasional two- to five-minute delays in transmitting data, but overall we found the connectivity to be good. Plus, it recently added crash detection to its features—something we felt was sorely lacking before.
15-second location refresh Easy installation No batteries needed Alexa, Google, and IFTTT compatibility Geofencing alerts Crash detection
Delayed notificationsBouncie pricing
| Monthly cost | $8.00/mo. |
|---|---|
| Equipment cost | $67.00 (one-time cost) |
| Trial period | 45 days |
| Contract |
 None |
| Smart home compatibility | Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, IFTTT |
| Standout features | Vehicle maintenance alerts, Free roadside assistance, 15-second location refresh |
| View on Bouncie |
Info current as of 01/28/2021. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
How we reviewed Bouncie
To review the Bouncie GPS tracker, we installed it in a 2014 Toyota Sienna and downloaded the mobile app to see how well it tracked the vehicle's movements.
We did some intentional hard braking and fast acceleration to test its accelerometer and played around with the different settings in the app. Our full methodology explains more about how we test and review devices like the Bouncie.
Overview
Compared to similar OBD-port GPS car trackers, Bouncie falls in the middle range when it comes to price. It strikes a good balance between its competitors with a slightly higher initial device cost but no activation fee, a low monthly subscription fee, and no long-term contracts.
A glimpse at what the Bouncie looked like when we unboxed it.
Smart home integration
Bouncie stands out from the competition when it comes to compatibility with smart home technology. It's compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT (If This, Then That), but we found the IFTTT to be the most useful.
IFTTT
You can use IFTTT applets to do things like turn on lights when you arrive home or turn off your security system. You can also set it up to change your smart thermostat settings when your vehicle leaves the house to help you save on energy costs.
Alexa and Google
We weren't very impressed with the Alexa and Google connection just because there aren't a lot of useful commands you can use. Probably the most useful command is "Alexa, ask Bouncie ‘Do I need gas?’" so you don't have to run out to your car and turn it on to check.
But Bouncie's fuel tracking function works only with cars that send that information to the OBD port, and the 2014 Toyota Sienna we used to test the Bouncie was not one of them. Other commands include things like "Where is my car?" and "How far did I drive this month?"
Installation and setup
Bouncie installation is a breeze—you just plug it in—but we do recommend setting up your account on your phone while you're in your car, because it asks you for information like your VIN number and mileage. Keep in mind that the Bouncie needs a few trips to get its bearings before it can start sending you trip data, so be patient.
Bouncie plugged in to our tester's car.
App and features
The Bouncie mobile app is intuitive and easy to use. It saves trip data so you can review it at your convenience and then either archive or delete it. The app also lets you customize all the different things the GPS tracks:
- Maximum speed
- Rapid acceleration and hard braking
- Driving distance
- Idle time
- Fuel economy
- Speed bands
- Speed Limit Alerts
- Geofencing
Accuracy
Bouncie refreshes the GPS location once every 15 seconds during a trip, and we found it to be more accurate and less glitchy than GPS phone tracking apps like Life360.
Speed tracking
The Bouncie can now tell you if your car went over the legal speed limit. It can also track approximately how fast it was going based on the five color-coded speed band settings. You can customize the speed bands to track whatever speed ranges you set, like green for speeds between 0 and 30 mph.
Bouncie can alert you if your vehicle goes faster than a specific speed you choose, but it doesn’t send this information to your phone until after the vehicle is already parked.
Adjustable braking detection
A common complaint with GPS trackers is that the accelerometer that tracks abrupt stops and starts is too sensitive. We like that the Bouncie has three different settings for hard braking and rapid acceleration: light, moderate, and excessive. We kept it on the moderate setting and it performed perfectly.
Vehicle health reports
The vehicle health reports are limited to battery fuel levels (for certain cars), but the battery alert proved to be useful. It alerted me to a low battery when I was waiting for my daughter outside an event and my car was off. Sure enough, when I tried to start my car, it wouldn't start.
Fortunately, the notification from Bouncie gave me enough lead time to round up another vehicle for a jumpstart, and I was ready to go again before my daughter was finished with her event. Had I waited until it was time to leave to start the car, I would have been in for quite the surprise! Bouncie definitely saved the day.
Roadside assistance
If I hadn't had been able to find a helping hand that day, I could have clicked the Assistance section of the app and used one of my three free roadside assistance requests included with the Bouncie service for the year. It covers jumpstarts, flat tires, gas, lockouts, and towing.
Customer service
We really liked the Bouncie website's Help Center. It has helpful troubleshooting info and answers to almost any question you might have about your Bouncie.
While we didn't need to use the customer service during our Bouncie trial run, other customers say the representatives respond promptly and are friendly and helpful.
How Bouncie stacks up
| Best for vehicle maintenance | Best for long-term tracking | Best for new drivers | |
| Bouncie | Vyncs | MOTOsafety | |
|
 |
 |
|
| Price for first year* | $163.00 | $119.98 | $244.49 |
| Price for successive years | $96.00/yr. | $99.99/yr. | $234.00/yr. |
| Contract |
None |
 1 year |
None |
| Standout feature | Smart home compatibility | Works in 177 countries | Driver safety report card |
| View on Bouncie | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
*Amazon.com list price as of 01/28/2021 at 2:33 p.m. (MT). Read full disclaimer.
My teenage son is about to start driving, and I'm seriously considering installing the Bouncie in his car. Its GPS location tracking is much more reliable than the free GPS phone tracking apps I've used in the past, and it doesn't depend on my kid remembering to keep his phone charged.
I like that the GPS refreshes every 15 seconds, compared to the MOTOsafety tracking device that refreshes only every three minutes.
The trip data records give us a good opportunity to talk about safe driving habits and to discuss close calls that I might not otherwise know about. I can also get my son into the habit of paying attention to insurance, inspection, and tag renewals. Plus, I like that he’d have access to roadside assistance if needed.
Bouncie has a small month-to-month payment, so there's no long-term commitment like the one-year, up-front payment that Vyncs requires.
If my son's driving is up to par, then I can stop my Bouncie service without penalty and hold on to the device until my daughter is old enough to start driving. Overall, it's a solid investment for both short-term and long-term use.
Final word
We give Bouncie a thumbs-up for its product features, quality, usability, and price. The updates are sometimes a little slower than we'd like, but that seems to be the case with most GPS trackers out there, so we can't complain.
It has all the features you need to track your vehicle and monitor driving habits with no long-term contracts or pesky additional fees. We recommend it for any teen drivers and their parents who want some added peace of mind on the road.
FAQ
Generally speaking, your best bet is to install location tracking devices only on vehicles you personally own.
But in some states it is legal for a parent to put a tracking device on their minor child’s vehicle without their consent, even if the child owns the vehicle.1 Check your state’s laws if you’re not sure.
Yes. Most smart cars have OBD ports under the steering columns just like regular cars do, so a GPS tracker should work just fine.
The company explained its plan in a forum post on the Bouncie Community:
- Bouncie's access to the data network is different than standard consumers, with carriers (Bouncie works with AT&T and T-Mobile) telling them support will last beyond the shutdowns.
- The company is working on a 4G version of the GPS tracker and will offer a trade-in program to existing customers.
- If a device can't connect to a network, it can store up to a month of driving data.
Related articles
Sources
- Pam Greenberg, National Conference of State Legislatures, "Private Use of Mobile Tracking Devices," November 2016. Accessed January 28, 2021.
Disclaimers
*Amazon.com list price as of 01/28/2021 at 2:33 p.m. (MT). Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. Safewise.com utilizes paid Amazon links.
Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon. This content is provided “as is” and is subject to change or removal at any time.
Google, Google Assistant, and other marks are trademarks of Google LLC.
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