Cheap ELD Devices: 5 Most Affordable ELD Devices In 2024

A. Matrack ELD

According to our research, Matrack is a premium solution that understands your needs and budgetary constraints. Nevertheless, it has a wide range of functionalities and features to support you and your drivers:

• The solution can be installed within 5 mins.
• You get automated IFTA calculations and other audit reports within minutes. 
• The DOT inspection mode lets you see the logs immediately from a mobile device. It also directly sends the data for safety checks. 
• With a single clock, you can also create reports for vehicle performance, including state mileage reports, DVIRS, accident reports, HoS complaint logs, etc.
• You can keep tabs on driver behavior while optimizing the delivery routes.
• Matrack does not depend on third parties to resolve your issues since hardware and software are produced in-house.
• It understands the needs of a co-driver. Therefore it forgoes the additional pay for the same. 
• You receive real-time alerts during violations. 
• Have troubles with the software and would like some assistance? Matrack has a guaranteed response time of 10 mins. 

Customers can contact Matrack’s support staff via phone or email weekly between 8 and 5 PM PST. Matrack also offers online guides and video tutorials, but there is no provision for a dedicated account manager. Its monthly subscription starts at $19.95 per month and goes to $25.95 per month. The cherry on top? The Matrack hardware device is absolutely free.

Moreover, you will receive a lifetime guarantee and will not be subject to a contract, so you can cancel anytime. So it is no surprise that Matrack is our list’s least expensive no-contract choice.

B. Garmin Elog

Garmin eLog might have a steep learning curve during installation and regular use. However, Garmin stands out as the most excellent long-term ELD investment due to the complete absence of recurring fees, which is uncommon among ELD providers: You will have no commitment, a yearlong guarantee, and the opportunity to purchase it from a third party for less money (Walmart may be selling it for as little as $125).

However, Garmin lacks some compliance-related functions. Managers would not receive notifications about user compliance violations. Users do not receive driver reports beyond HOS records and DVIR reporting.

As per our observations, Garmin’s features also include:

• You can easily set up this device due to its straightforward setup.
• You can easily access the records on your smartphone through the free Garmin ELog app.
• It lets you log the drivers’ driving time and view the number of driving hours left for the day or week.
• It securely stores all the data on the app, which is viewable via Bluetooth or the FMCSA’s web services.

GarminElog is priced at $249 for a device, with an interest-free payment for the renewal after a year. Yet again, look for independent retailers before deciding. When sold secondhand on websites like eBay, the Garmin eLog’s price may drop as low as $85 for you to save a tonne of money.

C. Bit ELD

The BIT ELD from Blue Ink Tech is a sophisticated and easy-to-use cheap ELD device. Drivers can become ELD compliant in as little as five minutes with a simple setup and application. The BIT electronic logging device system provides basic FMCSA compliance for the ELD mandate. 

Drivers can record hazardous driving conditions for longer drives, obtain in-state miles for IFTA tracking and reporting, and enter the statuses of their personal conveyance and yard moves for unusual driving situations. The features of this device are:

• Drivers who finish a qualifying break will have their split shifts calculated by the available hours of the ELD device. 
• Team drivers can use a single device or their own to maintain order in their electronic logbooks.
• Recap hours are tracked in the planner so drivers can make advance plans.
• Quick forms for pre-trip inspections and papers are available in BIT ELD, helping to decrease paperwork and send everything to the cloud for secure storage.
• The daily vehicle inspection is simple with paperless DVIR. Drivers can establish daily reminders to ensure that they always remember to fill out their pre-trip inspection report.
• Tracking fuel purchases and consumption for IFTA reporting is made simple by the gasoline receipts that drivers enter and upload.
• With Document Capture, drivers may quickly and easily save essential documents to their smartphone and portal.

This device is priced at $295 for a device. Depending on the features and services you select, the membership is payable annually in advance and costs typically between $27 and $33 per vehicle every month.

D. GPS Insight

Increase the efficiency of your current assets, increase team accountability, cut down on excessive operating expenses, and foster a culture of safety using a GPS Insight ELD device. Its salient features include:

• Improve your understanding of workflows, the whereabouts of tech or drivers, and employment status. To increase productivity and better meet the demands of your consumers, establish greater accountability for your staff.
• To save time and money, digitize workflows. 
• To save money on fuel, streamline your routes and cut down on idling. 
• Discover the information you need to plan preventative maintenance and limit downtime.
• The simple smartphone app automatically tracks duty states, updates traffic conditions, and displays the remaining HOS. 
• Recognize maintenance issues or trends immediately to maintain your vehicles in good shape. 
• Monitor the cost of maintenance for all of your fleets.

As per our expertise, it may lack some of the more sophisticated capabilities of other ELD systems, but it still provides a cost-effective alternative. You can get custom pricing based on certain factors, including driver behavior, number of assets, service hours, and inspection.

E. Gorilla Safety ELD

The Gorilla Safety ELD, like Matrack, provides public pricing. Three plans are available for the service, priced at $26.99 monthly (Prime8 ELD, Fleet Xpress, and Xtreme). Contracts would not bind users, but the service does not offer guarantees.

With various programs, you will have different compliance options: While Fleet Xpress is required for fuel tracking, online document delivery, DOT checks, and DVIR reporting, Prime8 offers GPS tracking and electronic logs. Finally, Xtreme includes telematics, a mechanic application, unique processes, and an accident scene navigator. Its features are:

• Drivers can activate document tracking through the app while on the road, scanning and digitally filing papers into many categories, including parts unique to the driver, the truck, or the business. 
• It is powered by the Apple or Android mobile device used by the driver or mechanic, which communicates wirelessly with the truck’s ECM via Prime8, our ground-breaking ELD adaptor.
• This system was created to adhere to the rules outlined in the FMCSA requirement, and it can track not just hours of service but also revisions that are compliant and even the paperwork needed for roadside inspections.
•  The best thing is that it includes the entire range of services Gorilla Safety provides, including the cost-cutting equipment your company needs.

If you purchase the electronic logging device, each device unit costs about $175, but if rented, they only cost $7 each. On weekdays, customer support and an online knowledge base are available from 7 AM to 7 PM CT.