STARS GPS

What STARS GPS does

STARS GPS, operating as STELLA GPS, LLC, is a privately held technology provider of real-time GPS tracking and vehicle recovery solutions based in Thomasville, North Carolina. The company serves independent and franchise automobile dealerships as well as auto finance companies, supplying ruggedized GPS hardware units and a password-secured web platform for fleet management. Proprietary device features include an embedded SIM chip (no movable parts), an on-board accelerometer with a power-save mode drawing under 6 milliamps, a dual backup power system combining a super capacitor with an automotive-grade nickel hydride battery, and an embedded payment reminder buzzer activated for delinquent accounts.

Name

STARS GPS

Legal name

STELLA GPS, LLC dba STARS GPS

Website

https://stars-gps.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

STARS GPS is a privately held provider of GPS tracking hardware and a web-based vehicle management platform for independent and franchise auto dealerships and finance companies in the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive GPS Tracking / Telematics Hardware

NAICS

Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451)

SIC

Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)

akta.pro primary industry

Fleet, Asset Tracking & Telematics Location Platforms (BPAMANAF)

Keywords

• GPS vehicle tracking
• Automobile dealer telematics
• Vehicle recovery systems
• Asset tracking hardware
• Auto finance GPS solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Thomasville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. GPS Hardware Units: Sale of ruggedized and discreet GPS tracking devices designed for harsh automotive environments. Units ship not activated with no activation fee. Warranty starts at date of installation.
2. Air-time/Service Fees: Monthly or annual cellular service fees for GPS tracking connectivity. The company operates as an MVNO with no annual fees imposed by carriers, unlike competitors who pay $15-$25 per year per unit in carrier fees.
3. Warranty Programs: Silver Warranty (12 months from installation) and Gold Warranty (24 months from installation) coverage for theft and skip/default scenarios, covering vehicle recovery claims up to $10,000 or actual cash value.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

STARS GPS designs, manufactures, and sells ruggedized GPS tracking hardware units and provides the supporting cellular air-time service and web-based tracking platform for independent and franchise automobile dealerships and finance companies. The hardware features embedded SIM technology, on-board accelerometers, dual backup power systems, and payment reminder buzzers, paired with a password-secured web management platform for vehicle tracking, geo-fencing, and remote device control. The company also offers Silver and Gold warranty programs covering vehicle theft and skip/default recovery up to $10,000.

Product overview

STARS GPS offers a unified GPS tracking solution consisting of ruggedized hardware devices and web-based management software. The core product portfolio includes GPS tracking units with embedded features (backup power, warning buzzer, accelerometer) paired with the web-based tracking platform. Warranty offerings (Silver and Gold) provide extended protection covering theft and skip/default recovery scenarios. The company operates as an MVNO providing its own cellular network coverage across T-Mobile, AT&T, and 70+ carriers worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GPS Tracking Units Ruggedized and discreet GPS tracking hardware devices designed for harsh automotive environments. Units ship not activated with no activation fee and include embedded SIM chips, accelerometer technology, dual backup power systems, payment reminder buzzers, and tamper/movement alert capability. Sold to independent and franchise automobile dealerships and finance companies for vehicle tracking, theft protection, and skip/default recovery.
• Silver Warranty Standard 12-month warranty (from installation date) covering theft (within 60 days of installation) and skip/default recovery scenarios, with claims paid up to $10,000 or actual cash value. Standard with hardware purchase on all units.
• Gold Warranty Extended 24-month warranty (from installation date) requiring a minimum 24-month cellular service plan. Covers theft and skip/default scenarios up to $10,000 or actual cash value, with extended recovery period coverage versus Silver.
• Vehicle Recovery Warranty Program Protection program covering theft (up to $10,000 or actual cash value within 60 days of installation) and skip/default scenarios (up to $10,000 or payoff amount). Includes a 30-day initial recovery period followed by a 90-day warranty company recovery attempt, with claims processed through a designated warranty company.
• Web-based Vehicle Tracking Platform Password-secured website platform allowing dealers and finance companies to access, manage, and control vehicles via satellite and wireless networks. Features include scheduler, automated batch processing, odometer tracking, database upload/download, geo-fencing, multi-unit command tracking, remote device reset, and over-the-air (OTA) upgrades.

Quantifiable outcome

• Payment reminder buzzer combined with disclosure training solves 50%-60% of collection issues
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• National Independent Automobile Dealers Association (NIADA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerSTARS GPS is a proud partner and exclusive national provider of GPS products and services for NIADA members. The partnership provides promotional opportunities throughout the year including bonus products, price discounts, and free merchandise for member dealers.
• Carolina Independent Automobile Dealers AssociationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSTARS GPS is a proud partner of the Carolina Independent Automobile Dealers Association, providing regional GPS tracking services and promotional opportunities for member dealerships in North Carolina and surrounding states.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Verizon Connect: Verizon Connect is the connected-vehicle arm of a major carrier, offering fleet telematics with bundled cellular connectivity. Its MVNO-like integration model and focus on connected fleets broadly overlaps with STARS GPS's cellular-MVNO tracking architecture.
• Samsara: Samsara is a public IoT and telematics platform with broad fleet, asset, and equipment tracking. While it does not specialize in dealer/finance GPS like STARS, its connected-vehicle hardware and software compete for budget and mindshare across the same telematics buyers and dealer verticals.

Direct peers

• Azuga (Bridgestone): Azuga provides GPS vehicle tracking, fleet management, and connected-car services to commercial and small-business fleets. Its hardware-plus-platform model and emphasis on theft/recovery and driver behavior features overlap directly with STARS GPS's core proposition.
• GPS Insight: GPS Insight delivers GPS fleet tracking and management software with associated hardware to commercial fleets and service businesses. It overlaps with STARS GPS on the vehicle-tracking platform and cellular-connected-device model, though weighted toward larger commercial fleets.
• Geotab: Geotab is a major fleet telematics platform combining GPS hardware, cloud software, and ecosystem integrations. While more fleet-oriented than dealer-focused, it competes for the same connected-vehicle telematics budget and uses similar cellular-MVNO-style architectures.
• CalAmp (Sensata Technologies): CalAmp manufactures telematics hardware and connectivity devices used by fleet and asset tracking providers. Its hardware form factors and cellular connectivity overlap with STARS GPS's ruggedized tracking units, and its iOn Tag and fleet products target adjacent dealer and finance segments.
• MasTrack: MasTrack provides GPS tracking hardware and web platform specifically for auto dealers and BHPH/subprime finance companies. Its target customer, value proposition (recovery + payment reminder), and pricing model closely mirror STARS GPS's offering.
• Spireon (PassTime / LoJack / GoldStar): Spireon is the largest direct competitor in dealer and finance-company GPS tracking through its PassTime, LoJack, and GoldStar product lines. It sells very similar hardware-plus-software solutions to auto dealers and subprime auto lenders, directly overlapping STARS GPS's core customer base and feature set.
• Connected Solutions Group (LotNet): Connected Solutions Group (LotNet) provides GPS tracking and lot-management solutions specifically for auto dealerships. Its exclusive focus on the dealer vertical and GPS/lot-management bundle is the closest go-to-market analog to STARS GPS's dealer-association-driven model.

Others

• DealerSocket (Cox Automotive): DealerSocket, part of Cox Automotive, sells dealer management systems and CRM with adjacent inventory-lot tracking features. While not a direct GPS competitor, it sits in the same dealer-software buying process and could bundle or substitute for tracking functionality that STARS currently sells.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/StarsGps

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about STARS GPS