White Label GPS Tracking Software: Compare Costs & Features

White label GPS tracking software is an out-of-the-box vehicle tracking platform offered to you by another company and then rebranded and offered to your own customers with your name, logo and domain. It enables a business to provide GPS tracking without having to create the platform. It's utilized primarily by GPS tracking companies and resellers, telematics providers, and bigger fleets seeking a branded tracking product as a result of constructing a reliable tracking platform is costly and time-consuming, while a finished platform might be deployed comparatively quickly.

Here you'll learn how the model works, the technology, what you need to pay attention to in terms of total cost, core, business and technical features, and how to use a structured scorecard to evaluate providers, so you can determine if white label GPS tracking is right for your business, and for what model of deployment.

Key Takeaways

• White label GPS software is a system that enables a business to provide GPS tracking services under its own brand without having to build the system from the ground up. 
• The key evaluation criteria are compatibility of devices, depth of the brand, APIs and integrations, infrastructure, security, data ownership and support. 
• Prices can be based on a per device basis, a flat rate basis, or one-time device licensing, and hardware, connectivity, mobile application, APIs, and support may all impact the total price. 
• The broad GPS hardware compatibility eliminates vendor lock-in and gives buyers more flexibility. 
• Price is not the only factor when evaluating a provider, reliability and business fit are important.
• White label covers various delivery models including cloud multi-tenant, private-cloud and self-hosted, which vary greatly in terms of data ownership and the cost structure.

What Is White Label GPS Tracking Software?

In other words, white label GPS tracking software is a completely outfitted GPS tracking solution that is rebranded and marketed under your own identity, with another company handling the development and maintenance of the software. The “White label” refers to having the original developer stamp erased: your customers see your company, your interface and your branding and not the platform vendor's.

The model is necessary because writing building telematics software is difficult. A production tracking platform needs to receive data from a variety of hardware GPS protocols, reliably process that data at scale, store vast amounts of location history data, and provide access to it via dashboards, alerts, reports and apps. By rebranding something that's already doing these things, a business can get into the market as a brand without directly investing in the engineering that's already in place.

GPS tracking companies and resellers looking to offer a branded tracking service, telematics and IoT providers wishing to include a tracking product in their portfolio, or larger fleet operators/enterprises wanting a branded tracking product are most likely to utilize white label GPS tracking. The core tracking can be complemented by additional operational modules that are usually provided in a full fleet management platform (see features).

How Does White Label GPS Tracking Work?

GPS tracking consists of three components: GPS devices located inside the vehicle or asset, server, and software. In a white label scenario, the platform and server are supplied by the vendor (hosted by them or for you) and the customer relationships, and in most cases, hardware is supplied by you.

The data flow runs in four steps:

1. The tracker records.  Every few seconds, typically, a GPS device in the vehicle reads off location, speed, heading and ignition status.
2. It transmits.  Those data packets are transmitted by the device via a cellular or IoT network (e.g. 2G, 4G or NB-IoT) to a server address.
3. The server decodes.  Each raw packet is processed on the platform, matched with a vehicle, geofenced and alert rules are checked, and then it is written to a database.
4. Your users see it.  A branded live GPS tracking dashboard and mobile apps access this database and provide live position, trip history, alerts and reports.

Once a customer logs in, a branded portal provides them with access. Whether the vendor's infrastructure is visible to you or hidden depends on the delivery model, covered below.

How the White Label GPS Tracking Business Model Works

The commercial model is consistent: GPS device + network connectivity to feed a tracking platform followed by the reseller's brand application and end customer subscription for the service. You should understand where the funds are coming from and going before you get into the market.

From the operator's perspective, a white label operator will be expected to pay for some mix of the platform (recurring license, per device or one time depending on the model), GPS hardware, and SIM or data connectivity. The operator has its own customers and on the revenue, side most often charges a recurring fee per vehicle that could be combined with the sale of the hardware or an installation fee.

The attraction is the recurring revenue – tracking naturally has a subscription revenue model, and a growing customer base can lead to predictable compounding monthly revenue. The danger if the operator's own platform cost also grows pro rata with the number of vehicles is that the margin will remain thin as the fleet expands. This is the core of the economic dynamics behind the white label model, and the reason for the importance of delivery model and price structure. This guide gives a basic idea of the economics of this model and does not guarantee a specific amount of profit, which will depend on the operator's pricing, churn rate, support costs and hardware margins.

White Label vs Reseller vs Private Label vs In-House

The meanings of these terms are frequently misunderstood and relate to control, branding, cost and ownership. They are summarized in the table, with the definitions below.

Simple reselling  is a resale of another company's product, typically under the brand of the other company or a co-brand, and with a margin or commission. The quickest to get going, but there's not a lot of your own brand equity.

White label refers to the product being sold as the vendor's and given a new brand name. You're representing your brand, the vendor is not. This guide concentrates on this.

Private label Sometimes private labels are referred to as white label. When a difference is made, private label typically means a little more than just a standard platform with your brand name affixed; it means a little more customization, a more customized product, built on the vendor platform.

In-house build  refers to creating your own platform. It provides complete control and ownership and requires substantial and ongoing engineering resources and infrastructure. It usually only makes sense if a business requires very proprietary functionality, or full control of the infrastructure that no platform offers.

Features to Look for in White Label GPS Software

There are three categories of capabilities that should be assessed in a white label platform: essential capabilities end-users depend on, business and reseller capabilities that enable you to run and brand the service, and technical capabilities that determine how well the platform will integrate and scale.

Core Tracking Features

These are the capabilities a fleet or end customer uses daily:

• Real-time tracking — Live vehicle position, speed, ignition, idle status, at short intervals, on street and satellite map layers.
• Route history and replay — see any vehicle's route, including stops and idle time, replay over any date range.
• Geofencing — virtual zones around depots, customer sites or restricted areas that provide  entry/exit and dwell alerts. See how geofencing is implemented in practice.
• Alerts and notifications — Rules that can be set for overspeeding, hard braking, unauthorized vehicle movement, and geofence violations and are sent via app, SMS or email.
• Reporting — summaries of distance, utilization, fuel, and driver behavior can be exported and scheduled; a full-featured reports hub will be provided for scheduled delivery and dozens of report types.

Business & Reseller Features

These are the ones that will tell you if it is possible to operate a branded business on the platform or not:

• Complete branding control — your logo, colors, login screen, and hopefully your company's mobile app name and icon.
• Multi-level user management — a hierarchy to let each customer log into their own branded portal, only their vehicles, and have role-based permissions.
• Billing and operational modules — depending on the platform, trip costing and dispatch invoicing, maintenance, driver management and settlement, etc. modules are provided that add value to the platform over a live map. These are all integrated into one system on platforms that are designed as a full fleet ERP .
• White-label mobile apps — branded apps that let your customers track on the go without your customers realizing it's an iOS or Android app.

Technical Features

These determine integration, flexibility, and scale:

• Broad device compatibility — GPS hardware that supports a substantial amount of protocol, which means you aren't tied to any particular tracker supplier. Before investing in equipment, be sure to see the supported device on the platform.
• API and webhooks — a documented REST API and webhooks for integration of tracking data to your CRM, billing or ERP.
• Sensor support — Where your use cases require it, we will provide sensor support, including fuel sensors, temperature probe, door sensor and CAN bus and dashcam data.
• Scalability — architecture which is able to manage the number of vehicles you want without any degradation. ingestion of , temperature probes, door sensors, and CAN bus or dashcam data where your use cases need it.
• Security controls — Encryption, role-based access and audit logging.

How Much Does White Label GPS Tracking Software Cost?

The cost of running a GPS tracking service with a white label is not as simple as just the pricing of the GPS tracking platform. The first step to modelling your margin is to understand each one and how it acts as your fleet expands. The resulting figures in the illustrative example below are not quotes from the vendors, but work examples to illustrate how the math works; verify actual pricing with all vendors assessed.

Platform Costs

The platform itself is licensed in one of three common ways:

• Per device, per month —a monthly fee per tracked device. Easy to get started, but platform fees are directly proportional to your fleet size.
• Flat-rate or tiered — a fixed fee for a band of vehicles or features. 
• One-time license — This is when you pay for the platform (which is usually set up on your own server, like with self-hosted GPS tracking software)) and there is no software charge per vehicle after that. This is a change of costs from an increasing subscription to a lump up-front fee along with your own hosting.

The pricing structure can have a significant impact on economics: a per device model can keep costs in line with revenue, however, it may have a lower per vehicle margin for scaling, while the one time license can provide a higher margin for each vehicle if scaled at a cost of a larger upfront commitment and infrastructure responsibility.

Hardware & Connectivity Costs

• GPS hardware — The trackers themselves, a per-vehicle capital cost, which is the GPS hardware. Broad protocol support allows you to purchase on price and availability. 
• SIM and data — each tracker requires cellular or IoT connectivity, typically with an ongoing charge for each device. Other expenses to consider:

Other Costs to Consider

• Setup and installation — fitting and configuration of the device and platform.
• Mobile apps —(sometimes included, sometimes an add-on).
• API access —API access, available on certain platforms, and tiered on others.
• Support and updates — can be packaged and/or sold as an annual package. 
• Minimum commitments —some vendors may have minimum device counts or contract terms.

Illustrative Pricing / Margin Model

Taking some round illustrative numbers, rather than quotes, and a per-vehicle platform fee versus a one-off license, for an operator with 100 vehicles with monthly per-vehicle subscription fees paid by its customers:

The point is not that one model is always the cheaper of the two — it's dependent upon fleet size and growth rate and valuation of upfront cost versus recurring cost. Low upfront cost of a per device or cloud-based model is more attractive to smaller or early stage operators, while the one-time license to host is more desirable to those with larger fleets or many resold clients. Use your own numbers first to make your decisions.

Who Uses White Label GPS Tracking Software?

Any organization that would like to provide or operate branded vehicle tracking without developing the platform makes use of white label GPS tracking. The most popular users are:

• GPS tracking companies and resellers providing their own customers with a branded GPS tracking service.
• Telematics and IoT providers who want to track as a value addition to their current product line.
• Fleet and logistics operators —(FTL, PTL and last-mile) that require trip costing, dispatch and proof of delivery.
• Manufacturers and distributors monitoring their own fleet and hired vendors.
• Construction, mining, and equipment-rental businesses using zone alerts to track heavy equipment and hired assets.
• Passenger transport operators — who need to adhere to a route and keep passenger visibility, such as school, staff, and intercity transport.
• Government and regulated operators  that have contractual obligations related to data storage location.

Benefits and Limitations of White Label GPS Software

It's important to have a balanced perspective; while white label is suitable for many businesses, it's not for all situations.

Benefits

• Speed to market
• Lower upfront engineering cost
• Brand equity
• Recurring revenue
• Reduced technical burden

Limitations

• Less control than building in-house
• Potential dependence on the vendor
• Customization limits —
• Margin pressure in per-device models

White label might not be the ideal option if a business requires extremely proprietary features, prefers to have ownership of its own infrastructure and roadmap, or has the engineering resources and strategic rationale to develop and maintain its own platform. Several of these limitations can be overcome by selecting a delivery model that provides data ownership and predictable costs like a self-hosted license), without the need for a from-scratch build.

Frequently Asked Questions About White Label GPS Tracking Software

What is white label GPS tracking software?

White label GPS tracking software is a pre-made vehicle tracking solution, which a business can re-brand with its own name, logo and domain and sell to its end-users, and another company develops and maintains the system. The end customers are made aware of the reseller's brand, not the vendor's.

How is white label GPS tracking priced?

Typically per device per month, per device as a flat or tiered fee, or as a one-time license (usually for self-hosted deployments). These may include hardware, SIM/data connectivity, mobile apps, API access and support. A per-device model scales cost along with your fleet, while a one-time license can be seen as a upfront amount, plus your own hosting.

Can I put my own brand on the mobile app?

Yes, a lot of providers allow you to put your logo, domain, product name, login screen and app branding on it. Some will only let you replace the logo with your own, or may share an app, so make sure you understand the level of branding and if each of your clients can get their own portal before you sign.

What GPS hardware works with white label platforms?

It varies per platform. The platforms are good and a lot of GPS device protocols are supported, so instead of purchasing trackers from a single supplier, you'll have the ability to purchase them based on cost and availability. Always check the trackers you are going to use if they are supported and if there are missing protocols, if they can be added.

Who owns the data in a white label deployment?

These will depend on the delivery model and must be explicitly verified. In vendor-hosted cloud models the vendor will typically hold the data, and in self-hosted deployments the data is stored in a database residing on your own infrastructure, allowing you to query, export and back it up. Check the terms of data ownership and export within a contract.

Can I switch providers later?

Yes, but it will depend on the model and terms. Typically GPS hardware isn't replaced but reconfigured to use a new server and historical data can be migrated from the old server if it provides export capability. Know the terms of your exit and export before you sell.

What's the difference between white label and reselling?

Reselling is the sale of another business' product, typically with their brand or co-brand, for profit. White label refers to the fact that the vendor's product is rebranded as all yours and customers would only see your brand. White label creates more brand equity; reselling is quicker to get started.

Do I need a technical team to run it?

Not always. For self-hosted or managed platforms, many will take care of deployment, configuration, and training. The continual technical burden hinges on the delivery model you choose: hosted models will offload server infrastructure to the vendor, self-hosted will provide more control at a cost of some of the server responsibilities (may or may not be handled by the vendor).

Conclusion

For tracking companies, resellers and fleets that desire to have their own product, white label GPS tracking software is an attractive option to choose. Whether or not it's the correct solution depends on your need for control, your data-ownership requirements, and your thoughts on paying upfront or recurring costs. Compare the providers based on brand depth, device compatibility, reliability, integrations, security and data ownership, scalability, and support, and select the delivery model (cloud, private cloud, or self-hosted) that aligns with your priorities, instead of picking the lowest price.

A self-hosted platform may also be worth considering in addition to cloud-based solutions if full white-label control and data ownership are desired, and a cost model that isn't based on number of vehicles. Check one out by book a walkthrough and get a self-hosted quote.

About Fleet Scanner. Available in a self-hosted, fully white-label fleet management and GPS tracking platform is Fleet Scanner, with a one-time license, 1,000+ GPS device protocols, per-client branded portals, REST API and webhooks, Android and iOS apps and 18+ modules, 60+ reports. Fleet Scanner's team manages the deployment, which usually takes between 2 to 3 weeks before going live.