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ELD WatchIndependent FMCSA registry check

Comparisons

Best ELD for owner-operators

ELD Watch does not rank ELDs. An owner-operator match below is a registered device whose vendor has published a hardware cost model or named the driver hardware. FMCSA does not endorse devices on the registered list.

Data from FMCSA, updated October 20, 2026 (US Eastern).

Criteria

  1. The FMCSA row is registered on this export. Revoked and self-revoked rows are not matches.
  2. The vendor’s own page states a hardware cost model (a published hardware price, a stated subscription fee, or a statement that hardware is included) or names the driver hardware (phone, tablet, gateway, or diagnostic-port adapter).
  3. Price and contract stay “not published” when the vendor’s page does not list them. A missing price is not treated as cheap.
  4. There is no score for ease of use, reviews, or which name an owner-operator should prefer.

Registry

Garmin eLog
3 registered rows: GE1A01, GE1I01, GE1D01
Geotab
6 registered rows under Geotab Inc.
Samsara
SAMELD and SAMNI1 registered
Motive
MOTIVE registered

Hardware cost model on the vendor page

Garmin eLog
Part 010-01876-00 lists $249.99 USD. “Subscription fees: None.” The page does not name an ELD ID.
Geotab
“Both the GO Core Plan and GO Plan include Geotab hardware in the subscription price. There is no upfront device cost or installation fee.” Price not published. Contract length not published.
Samsara
Price not published. The page does not say the gateway has no upfront cost.
Motive
Price not published. The gateway overview does not list a dollar amount.

Driver hardware the vendor names

Garmin eLog
“Smartphone compatible: yes (Android and Apple mobile devices with Bluetooth and GPS capability)” Setup: app store on a mobile device, or a compatible dēzl with Android. Ports: 9-pin J1939; 6-pin J1708 (adapter included).
Geotab
The plan page says hardware is included. It does not name a phone operating system on that page.
Samsara
“The Samsara Driver App is free and available on any supported iOS or Android device.” The app connects to the Vehicle Gateway through the diagnostic port.
Motive
Driver App pairs to the Vehicle Gateway over Bluetooth on Android and iOS. The gateway overview describes OBD-II and heavy-duty cables.

Which published fact answers which question

If you need a published hardware price and a vendor statement that subscription fees are none, Garmin part 010-01876-00 is the only match in this set. Open the Garmin International rows and match the ELD ID yourself. GE1D01 names dēzl models. This page does not claim those GPS units cost $249.99 USD.

If you need the vendor to say there is no upfront device cost, Geotab’s plan page says that, and it does not publish the subscription price. “Full HOS/ELD compliance & tachograph management” appears under GO Plan, not in the GO Core bullets. The Geotab Inc. rows are the ones to check. A Platform Science row that uses “Geotab” in the device name is a different company.

If you need a vendor-stated iOS and Android driver app, both Samsara and Motive say that, and both still describe a vehicle gateway. Neither publishes a price, so neither is a cost pick.

Sources

Check an ELD by name, company, or ELD ID · Revoked list

Questions

What does “best for owner-operators” mean on this page?
A device is listed when it is registered on the FMCSA export updated October 20, 2026, and the vendor’s own page, checked October 21, 2026, states either a hardware cost model or the hardware the driver uses. That is not a quality score, a price rank, or an FMCSA endorsement.
Which checked product has a published hardware price?
Garmin part 010-01876-00 lists $249.99 USD and “Subscription fees: None.” The product page does not name an ELD ID. Garmin International has 3 registered rows (GE1A01, GE1I01, GE1D01).
Which vendor says there is no upfront device cost?
Geotab’s plan page says “Both the GO Core Plan and GO Plan include Geotab hardware in the subscription price. There is no upfront device cost or installation fee.” Geotab does not publish the subscription price or a contract length. Geotab Inc. has 6 registered rows. “Full HOS/ELD compliance & tachograph management” is in the GO Plan list, not in the GO Core list.
Do Samsara and Motive say the driver can use a phone?
Samsara says the Driver App is free on any supported iOS or Android device and that the app connects to a Vehicle Gateway. Motive says the Driver App pairs to the Vehicle Gateway over Bluetooth on Android and iOS. Neither publishes an ELD price. The phone is not a substitute for the gateway on either page.

Related comparisons

  • Cheapest ELD options

    There is no cheapest pick. Garmin part 010-01876-00 lists $249.99 USD. Motive, Samsara, Geotab, BigRoad, EROAD, and Azuga do not publish an ELD price on the pages checked October 21, 2026.

  • Best ELD with no contract

    No checked vendor publishes a contract length or the words “no contract.” Garmin’s eLog product page states “Subscription fees: None.” The other checked pricing pages are silent.

  • Motive vs Garmin eLog

    Motive does not publish an ELD price. Garmin lists $249.99 USD for part 010-01876-00 and states subscription fees are none. That page does not name an FMCSA ELD ID.