If you landed on this page, chances are you own or manage an equipment rental business.
Moreover, you’re likely looking for software options to streamline rental operations, improve equipment utilization, and enhance client satisfaction.
Of course, with so many seemingly similar solutions on the market, choosing the right tracking software can be challenging.
To make things easier, we’ll describe the 8 equipment rental tracking software options, explain how they work, and cover their key features, differences, and pricing.
In this article...
GoCodes
We’ll start this list by presenting our own equipment tracking solution, GoCodes.
GoCodes is an all-in-one asset-tracking solution that consists of simple and easy-to-use cloud software, in-app scanners and readers, and a range of tracking devices.
These trackers (QR codes, GPS trackers, Bluetooth beacons, and RFID/NFC tags) enable you to track your rental inventory in different ways,
Here’s what each of these tracker types provides.
While all these tracking methods can be used for tracking rental equipment, we’ll focus on the two most practical ones for rental businesses: QR tags and real-time GPS trackers.
These two tracking methods complement each other, with QR codes serving as the primary, low-cost tracking system for tracking all your rental inventory from the largest pieces of machinery to the smallest tools, devices, and accessories.
This system is easy to set up.
Here are the steps:
- Order or print customized QR tags
- Attached to items you want to track
- Log in the GoCodes app
- Scan items to check them in and out
Every time an employee uses their smartphone or tablet to scan a QR tag, the system automatically records the scanned asset’s GPS location and shows it on a map.
This affordable and simple tracking method allows you to keep track of where all your rental equipment was located when last scanned.
In the app, your employees can access the central list of assets to easily find any asset and view related info.
What information can they view and/or, depending on user authorizations, update?
Essentially, any data you decide it’s relevant for your operations, such as the equipment’s:
- Location
- Availability
- Model and serial number
- Purchase price and depreciation
- Maintenance schedule and history
- and more.
Moreover, the GoCodes app offers other valuable features, such as maintenance tracking and scheduling, automated equipment check-in/check-out, and automatically triggered notifications and alerts.
At the same time, GoCodes’ real-time GPS trackers enable you to monitor the location of your rental equipment and set up invisible security perimeters (geofences) around designated areas to protect equipment from theft or unauthorized use.
That means you can monitor whether your client is using rented equipment as agreed.
We offer different pricing tiers:
In the first tier, you print your own labels and get custom tags shipped to you in other pricing tiers.
Optional modules, such as GPS trackers and other tracking devices, are charged separately and their prices are quote-based.
As you can see, GoCodes provides a complete solution for equipment rental businesses that want an easy and simple way to track the location, availability, and maintenance status of all their rental equipment.
GigaTrak
Unlike GoCodes, GigaTrak provides a single tracking method for rental equipment—barcodes.
Employees can also use smartphones or special handheld scanners to scan barcodes attached to the rental inventory.
This enables you to:
- check rental equipment in and out,
- keep track of equipment availability,
- track and schedule equipment maintenance.
Here are some additional features GigaTrak highlights.
GigaTrak’s simple barcode-scanning system enables you to digitally track what is going on with your rental equipment.
Its central database allows you to keep equipment availability, utilization, and maintenance data updated as employees scan barcodes and enter data into the system.
However, that doesn’t do much for the physical tracking and security of your rental inventory.
In other words, GigaTrak’s barcodes won’t catch the scanning device’s GPS location automatically; instead, employees need to input it manually.
Likewise, GigaTrak does not provide GPS trackers, meaning that you will need another provider if you want to track the movement and condition of your rental fleet in real time.
As for pricing, GigaTrak’s offer includes two options.
Their cloud-hosted version starts at $900 per year and covers cloud software and an in-app barcode generator and scanner, while handheld scanners are charged separately.
Their self-hosted option is available for a one-time fee that starts at $2,495 and includes on-premises software, barcode tags, and installation support.
A2B Tracking
A2B Tracking’s rental equipment tracking solution is based on RFID (radio-frequency identification) technology.
This technology uses radio waves for remote detection of RFID-tagged items at short distances with no line of sight required (e.g., power tools or cables in plastic boxes).
RFID tags are tiny and can be attached anywhere on a rental item, and they’re usually also labeled with a barcode.
Unlike QR codes and barcodes that can be scanned with smartphones or tablets, RFID requires the use of handheld RFID readers.
That’s why A2B Tracking uses Zebra handheld readers paired with a smartphone and connected to their cloud-based rental equipment tracking platform.
This RFID functionality allows you to quickly scan outgoing and returning rental equipment as it enters and leaves your warehouse or showroom.
Likewise, when multiple pieces of equipment, accessories, and other supplies are rented out to a client, your employees can use the above scanner with a smartphone attached to perform fast and accurate inventories of returned items.
Another RFID-enabled feature of A2B Tracking’s solution is the Pro-Locate feature.
Essentially, you can use this function to easily find specific items in a warehouse that have gone missing.
You can see how this works in this short video.
So, A2B Tracking mostly focuses on enabling equipment rental companies to replace time-consuming and error-prone manual inventory checks with a much faster and more convenient system.
Again, any real-time GPS tracking of your valuable rental equipment will need to be secured elsewhere.
Finally, A2B Tracking does not provide any pricing details, i.e., you have to contact them with your specific needs, and they’ll provide a custom quote.
PREXA365
Prexa365 is an all-in-one rental management software built on the Microsoft Dynamics platform, a suite of software applications that help businesses manage their rental workflows.
As such, it offers many features geared toward equipment rental companies, such as:
- rental management,
- asset management,
- preventive maintenance,
- sales management,
- client relationship management.
For example, Prexa365’s rental management module allows you to manage complex reservations and equipment tracking.
Likewise, their asset management module advertises you’ll be able to track your rental inventory, schedule maintenance, and view equipment data and usage history.
In addition to the comprehensive nature of this software, Prexa365 can be integrated with various third-party solutions, such as accounting or email marketing software.
While all this may sound ideal for rental businesses, all the advertised functionalities on their website seem to rely on users accessing and timely entering data into the app to create an up-to-date rental management dashboard.
However, it remains unclear whether their offer includes any physical tracking devices, such as barcodes, QR codes, RFID tags, and GPS trackers, or third-party solutions that need to be integrated into their system.
Since Prexa365’s pricing is also not specified, but quote-based, you’ll need to contact them to find out the specifics.
Record360
Record360 is also a cloud-based equipment management app that allows rental businesses to digitally track and manage their fleets.
This product focuses specifically on enabling rental companies to avoid post-rent damage disputes and costs by allowing users to document the condition of the equipment when performing pre- and post-rent inspections.
More precisely, your employees can use the Record360 app to take photos and videos during inspections and make detailed notes.
These functionalities can help you quickly resolve damage disputes after the rented equipment is returned by providing photo/video proof of the equipment’s condition before it was rented.
Additionally, your employees can use the app to attach customizable digital damage tags onto equipment photos and videos for faster reference and dispute resolution.
As for rental inventory management, Record360 software comes with an in-app scanner that enables employees to use their phone to scan a piece of equipment’s VIN number, barcode, or QR code.
Similar to some other solutions we covered, this gives you a central database of all equipment data that can be easily accessed and updated
Likewise, Record360 can send users real-time notifications about identified defects and inspection failures.
Their extensive offer does list “GPS tracking” but fails to provide specifics about how this is ensured.
Finally, Record360’s pricing is not listed, but you can contact them for a quote or request a demo.
SolarTrak
SolarTrak is an equipment rental tracking software that, along with a cloud app, offers four different types of real-time GPS trackers.
According to their website, the main intention behind SolarTrak is to provide rental businesses with affordable GPS trackers that provide only the data vital for their operations, such as equipment location, engine hours, and battery status.
Here’s what you get with SolarTrak trackers and app:
- real-time GPS tracking of equipment locations,
- recording and monitoring engine hours,
- setting up geofences and receiving movement alerts,
- scheduling maintenance and automating reminders.
Another SolarTrak add-on feature that rental businesses can leverage for their vehicles is mileage tracking for mileage-based maintenance reminders and streamlined IFTA fuel tax compliance.
When it comes to SolarTrack’s trackers, they can be rented or purchased.
If you buy them, you get the device (which can be depreciated for tax purposes) with 5 years of service paid for.
After five years, you’ll pay $6.95 per tracker per month for continued service.
Here’s their buy offer for standard trackers.
Despite these advantages, many companies will find their rent offer even more attractive, with monthly prices starting at $9.95 per tracker (for a minimum of 25 trackers).
Before deciding, you can request a free demo.
Overall, SolarTrak provides an affordable option for real-time tracking and management of rental equipment but lacks other asset-tracking options for rental inventory whose value or size is not suitable for these types of trackers.
Digital Matter
Digital Matter is a software company that provides rental companies with an extensive range of GPS tracking devices coupled with their mobile app or custom-made software solutions.
With Digital Matter’s trackers, you get to choose between a variety of wired and battery-powered solutions for all types of rental equipment.
This variety allows you to choose different devices to match your equipment types and tracking needs, thus building an optimized asset-tracking system.
Coupled with their powerful Device Manager platform, this provides your rental business with features such as:
- real-time equipment location updates,
- engine hour monitoring,
- geofencing with automated left-the-geofence alerts,
- maintenance alerts based on engine hours or mileage.
However, some of their GPS trackers can do more.
For instance, if a trailer with a battery-powered tracker is stolen, you can use the Digital Matter app to activate Recovery Mode, i.e., switch the device from infrequent location tracking for idle equipment to 30-second, real-time location updates.
The range of devices and custom development options prevents Digital Matter from providing detailed pricing info on their website, so you have to contact them for specifics.
GPS Insight
The last solution on our list is GPS Insight.
The product is powered by GPS technology only, but covers a broad range of use cases:
- Fleet tracking
- Field service and dispatching
- Time tracking
- Work order management
- Dash Cams
So you see, it’s not just for tracking rental equipment, but much more.
However, it’s on our list because, with GPS Insight’s mobile app, you can track transported or driven equipment in real-time, along with engine hours and various notifications for idling or speeding.
The administrative side of GPS Insight’s software allows you to track rent quotes, invoices, and billing until equipment returns.
Naturally, you can also schedule maintenance, set up triggered mileage or other parameter-based alerts, attach digital inspection forms, and generate custom reports.
Potential downsides of this solution are the lack of barcode/QR/RFID tagging and tracking options, as well as not publicly displayed pricing.
But if you think this might be just the solution you need, complete a questionnaire to get a personalized demo, and pricing details will be provided to you
Conclusion
We hope this article has introduced you to some options you weren’t aware of.
It’s meant to inspire further online research, especially about specific prices and physical tracking capabilities of some software solutions outlined here.
To find your best match, determine what features are crucial for your rental operations and what aren’t, prepare a long list of questions for shortlisted providers, and take advantage of free trials and demos.
Our evergreen advice is to look for an easy-to-use solution for both GPS and non-GPS tracking, preferably provided by a single provider.
Do this, and you’ll find an equipment rental tracking system that will streamline your rental operations, reduce costs, and enhance client satisfaction.
