Why this site exists
TrackerTrueCost.com is run by Matt Jansen. Here's the short version of why it exists and how the numbers on it get checked.
The problem this solves
Every "best GPS tracker for kids" roundup online tells you to factor in the monthly subscription fee. None of them actually do that math for you. This site exists to do the math: pick a category, set how long you'll own it, and see the real total, subscription included.
Who's behind it
Matt Jansen built this site. His background is in data analytics, which is the same skill this calculator runs on: pulling real numbers, checking them against their source, and laying the comparison out plainly instead of leaving it vague.
How the pricing gets checked
Every device and subscription price on this site is checked against the manufacturer's own pricing or support pages, and cross-referenced against other sources where the official pricing was unclear or inconsistently listed. Prices change often and vary by promotion, so the exact numbers get rechecked periodically. Each page notes when its pricing was last confirmed.
How the safety and legal content gets sourced
The pages on legal rules and on autism and wandering risk are not personal or clinical advice. They're built from named, published sources, cited directly on each page: legal reference sites and family law firms for the legal content, and clinical and nonprofit research, including the Kennedy Krieger Institute and the National Autism Association, for the wandering and drowning risk data. If a source updates its numbers, this site should too, so check the "last reviewed" date on each page.