Modern-day GPS trackers have become technically advanced to provide you with several benefits. For example, you can track your vehicle in real-time, have a geofence and over-speed alarm in place, and listen to voices around the tracker.
One such device with these capabilities is the SinoTrack ST-906GL 4G GPS tracker. You can use the device to track your car, taxi, truck, or motorcycle.
The tracker derives power from the vehicle’s engine. It also comes with a backup battery of 180 mAh that helps it function when the engine is off.
You do not have to pay a monthly fee to use SinoTrack’s tracking platform. But you must buy a compatible local SIM card and pay for data plans.
Let’s take a look at the tracker in detail and understand if it is worth your money.
| Product Overview | |
|---|---|
| Brand | SinoTrack |
| Model | SinoTrack ST-906GL 4G GPS Tracker |
| Dimensions | 3.94 x 1.97 x 0.98 inches |
| Weight | 2.64 ounces |
| Type | Supports 2G and 4G network |
| Battery | Hardwired to your vehicle180 mAh of backup battery |
| Working Voltage | 9 V - 60 V |
| Operating Temperature | -20°C to 55°C |
| Storage Temperature | -40°C to 85°C |
| GPS Chip | A7670SA |
| Price | $49.99 |
| Subscription | No monthly feePay for local SIM card data plan |
| Warranty | 2 years |
| Amazon Rating | 3.8 out of 5 (170 ratings) |
Our Rating
About SinoTrack
SinoTrack specializes in offering products in the telematics space. The company is headquartered in Guangdong, China.
SinoTrack offers its products in over 130 countries worldwide. To date, it has installed over 6 million devices. Their products are widely used to monitor vehicles, prevent theft, regulate operational vehicles, and digitally monitor equipment and assets.
They offer several portable, OBD, and hardwired GPS trackers that individuals can use to monitor their vehicles or businesses for fleet management.
Who is the SinoTrack ST-906GL 4G GPS Tracker For?
The SinoTrack ST-906GL is a tracker designed for vehicles. These vehicles can be your personal car, taxi, or delivery truck.
From a personal perspective, you can track your loved ones driving your car around. If your teen has recently started driving, you can track their location in real-time. You can set alerts so you are notified when the car leaves home and reaches school or college.
You can set overspeed alarms. You can use these details to teach your kids responsibility and safe driving habits.
From a business perspective, you can use the tracking platform to manage your fleet from a single account.
If you are worried about vehicle theft, the tracker has a relay to remote cut-off feature. You can remotely cut off the engine if you think your vehicle is being stolen. With the voice monitoring feature, you can also listen to the sounds around the tracker.
5 Important Factors We Tested the Product On
Now we know what the tracker can be used for. But how does the tracker fare in terms of performance? We tested the tracker on its design, battery, and features, and here are our findings.
1. Design
The tracker is small-sized and lightweight, so you can easily keep it out of sight. Its dimensions are 3.94 x 1.97 x 0.98 inches, weighing about 2.64 ounces.
The tracker has four wires which you need to attach to your vehicle. You need to connect the power line to the ignition. This is the main wire that is necessary for the tracker to work.
The other three wires, the SOS, relay, and mic, are optional and can be attached as per your requirement.
You will receive the GPS tracker, the four wires, and a user manual inside the packaging box.
You will have to slide open the lid of the tracker to insert the SIM card and turn on the device.
2. Battery
As the tracker connects to the vehicle’s engine, you need to worry about charging the device every other day. The device will track and continue to upload data as long as the engine is on.
The plus point of the ST-906GL tracker is that it comes with a 180 mAh backup battery. So you can know the vehicle’s location, even with the engine off.
With OBD and hardwired trackers, the battery is typically never an issue as the tracker derives power from the vehicle’s battery.
There have been some complaints about the tracker draining the vehicle’s battery. So I would recommend using the tracker only if you frequently use your vehicle.
3. Usability
For the tracker to work, you must buy a local SIM card that supports 2G and 4G networks. To insert the SIM card, slide open the tracker’s lid, open the card slot, insert the SIM, and push to the right to close the slot.
On the opposite side of the slot, you will find the on/off switch; turn it on.
Next, you must charge the device for a minimum of an hour. Take it outside, under the open sky, so that it can acquire a GPS signal.
For the SIM card to work, ensure you remove the PIN code, if any. If the tracker does not identify the SIM’s APN, you must set it yourself. You will have to send SMS commands from your primary phone number to the tracker’s SIM card.
Send text commands to set the device in GPRS mode after the APN is set. And now, the device is ready to use.
You can log in to SinoTrack’s platform by using the device ID. On the platform, you can see tabs like position, replay, geofence, report, and manage. The platform has a decent user interface.
Overall, the setup process can be complex for some users. The tracking platform is easy to use; it may take an hour to review all its features.
4. Features
You can set geofences and receive alerts when the tracker leaves or enters a predetermined area. For example, you can have a fence around your home. When your car leaves home, you will get an alert.
You can set overspeed alarms so you know your kids or employees are driving safely and as per speed limits.
The SOS alarm is an optional feature you can implement. When the SOS button is clicked, the tracker sends a text message to the guardian.
If you want to monitor the voice around the tracker, you can simply make a call to the tracker’s SIM card. Please note the mic wire needs to be connected for the voice monitoring feature to work.
You can view the vehicle history playback under the replay tab. You can access up to 2 years of historical data.
5. Performance
The 4G tracker is an improvement over its predecessor, which worked on a 2G network. The tracker uses Google Maps to provide accurate results.
It uploads data every 30 seconds. So that is as close as you can get to real-time tracking. The location data was pretty accurate. But the performance is not consistent. There were times when the device went offline or the accuracy was a bit off.
The voice monitoring feature works well. You can listen to what is going on in the vehicle.
SinoTrack needs to improve its documentation. The tracking platform is straightforward to use, but that may not be the case for all users. And lack of documentation only adds to their woes.
Overall the ST-906GL tracker shows decent performance. Consistent performance, documentation, and customer support are areas SinoTrack should look to improve.
What Sets the SinoTrack ST-906GL 4G GPS Tracker Apart from its Competitors?
The ST-906GL tracker comes with a relay to remote cut-off feature. If you find out that your vehicle is being stolen, you can remotely cut off its engine by sending an SMS command.
The vehicle should stop running within 10 to 20 seconds of receiving the command. And it will not move unless it receives another command from your phone. So this way, you can effectively stop your vehicle from being stolen.
This would be an excellent protection feature. But the catch, though, is that the vehicle should be running below 20 km/h. If the car has already made its way out of the parking location and is speeding, the command cannot cut off the engine.
Should You Purchase the SinoTrack ST-906GL 4G GPS Tracker?
The ST-906GL device is a no-monthly fee tracker. You do not have to pay to use the tracking platform. It connects to the vehicle’s engine and is also equipped with a backup battery.
It offers features like geofence, overspeed alarms, relay to remote cut-off, voice monitoring, and SOS alarm.
You must buy a SIM card separately. The performance can be inconsistent. And customer support is not the best in the market.
Consider the below pros and cons before you decide on buying the tracker.
Pros
- You can track your vehicle in real time.
- The tracker offers voice monitoring capabilities.
- You can remotely cut the vehicle’s engine (when it is running below 20 km/h).
- 2 years of historical data can be accessed
- It has a built-in backup battery.
Cons
- Some users have reported vehicle battery drain issues.
- Users have reported poor customer service.
- SinoTrack must provide better documentation.
Price
The SinoTrack ST-906GL 4G GPS tracker is priced at $49.99.
It is a no-monthly fee tracker. But you must pay for a SIM card data plan. A basic $5 to $10 data plan should work well.
FAQs
The ST-906GL tracker needs about 30 MB of monthly data to work efficiently. Ensure the SIM card supports 2G and 4G networks.
The ST-906GL 4G GPS tracker saves historical data for about two years. You can playback any of the previously taken routes at any time.
SinoTrack recommends using the SpeedTalk SIM card with the tracker. Avoid using T-Mobile, as it may not work.
Summary
You can use the SinoTrack ST-906GL 4G GPS tracker to track your car, motorcycle, or business fleet.
It offers real-time tracking with upload intervals of 30 seconds. The tracker draws power from the vehicle’s battery. And when the engine is off, it relies on its built-in backup battery.
It offers geofence, SOS, overspeed, voice monitoring, and historical playback features. Its distinguishing feature is that you can remotely cut off the engine with an SMS command when the vehicle runs below 20 km/h.
Some users have reported the tracker drawing their vehicle’s battery. You also need to pay for monthly SIM data plans. The tracker makes a decent buy if you use your vehicle 4 to 5 times weekly.
Carson Harris is a highly qualified author and expert in GPS tracking technology. With a background in electrical engineering and machine learning, he has established himself as a trusted source of information. Carson’s work experience at Garmin and Panasonic has further enhanced his expertise. He possesses creative skills in website design and AI applications. Known for his clear and concise communication, Carson’s articles on Trax Family’s website provide valuable insights on GPS trackers.