How Much Does an ELD Cost in 2026? Real Price Breakdown
Prices, terms and registration details here were checked October 2026 against the official provider and FMCSA pages listed under Sources. If a provider doesn't publish a price, we say so instead of guessing.
Ask five ELD salespeople what an ELD costs and you'll get five answers, and most of them will be a monthly number that leaves out half the bill. The real cost is the monthly fee, plus hardware, plus whatever the contract does to you over time. This guide uses only prices that providers publish themselves, checked in October 2026, and shows you how to add up the rest.
The Short Answer
Among providers that publish their prices, ELD service runs roughly $19 to $40 per truck per month, or a one time $249.99 for Garmin eLog with no subscription. The big platforms like Motive and Samsara don't publish prices at all. You'll need a quote, and the contract terms matter as much as the number.
Published ELD Prices (October 2026)
| Provider | Plan | Monthly price | Hardware | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOS247 | ELD Compliance | $19/vehicle | Free with annual payment, otherwise $79 | No contracts |
| HOS247 | ELD Track | $22/vehicle | Same | No contracts |
| HOS247 | ELD Plus | $25/vehicle | Same | No contracts |
| Matrack | Basic | $19.95/truck | Free with annual plans | No long term contract, no setup fees |
| Matrack | Premium | $24.95/truck | Free with annual plans | No long term contract, no setup fees |
| Blue Ink Tech | BIT ELD | $40/month or $400/year | Included; free on monthly plans for 5+ trucks | No contract |
| Garmin | eLog | $0 | $249.99 one time | No subscription |
| Motive | Quote | Not published | Quote | Term in order form, 12 month auto renewals |
| Samsara | Quote | Not published | Quote | 3 years paid up front under 11 vehicles |
What Goes Into the Total Cost
When you compare ELDs, compare the total over the time you'll actually use it. These are the pieces:
1. The Monthly or Annual Fee
This is the headline number. Make sure you're comparing the same thing. Some plans include GPS tracking and IFTA reporting, and some are logs only. HOS247's $22 tier adds a fleet manager portal, for example, and its $25 tier adds vehicle tracking and IFTA.
2. Hardware
"Free hardware" usually comes with a condition. HOS247's device is free if you pay annually and $79 if you don't. Matrack's hardware is free on annual plans. Blue Ink includes hardware and makes it free on monthly plans for fleets of 5 or more. Garmin flips the model: you buy the hardware and skip the subscription.
3. A Phone or Tablet
Most ELDs run on the driver's phone or tablet. If drivers use their own, that's free to you. If you buy tablets and mounts, add them in. Also think about data plans. A gateway with a built in hotspot, like Samsara's, can save your drivers' data but costs more.
4. Installation
Most plug in ELDs take a few minutes to install yourself. If you pay a shop or have a vendor install cameras, add that cost per truck.
5. Add Ons
Dash cams, asset trackers, temperature sensors and extra software modules are where bills grow fastest. Price each one separately so you can decide what's actually worth it.
6. Payment Fees
Some providers charge to pay by card. Motive's terms allow a processing fee of up to 2.99%. On a $10,000 annual bill, that's up to $299 a year for using a card. Ask about ACH.
7. The Cost of Leaving
This is the one nobody budgets for. Motive's terms say early termination means paying the balance of the full term, plus fees for hardware you don't return in good shape. Samsara's small business customers prepay three years. Providers that say "no contract" make it much cheaper to switch if things don't work out.
Year One Cost Examples
Here's what year one looks like at published prices for a single truck and for a five truck fleet. These are simple math on list prices, before taxes or add ons.
| Option | 1 truck, year one | 5 trucks, year one |
|---|---|---|
| Garmin eLog | $249.99 (then $0/year) | $1,249.95 |
| HOS247 ELD Compliance, annual | $228 | $1,140 |
| HOS247 ELD Compliance, monthly plus $79 device | $307 | $1,535 |
| Matrack Basic, annual | $239.40 | $1,197 |
| Matrack Premium, annual | $299.40 | $1,497 |
| HOS247 ELD Plus, annual | $300 | $1,500 |
| Blue Ink BIT ELD, annual | $400 | $2,000 |
| Blue Ink BIT ELD, monthly | $480 | $2,400 |
Garmin looks expensive in year one but costs nothing after that, so over three years it's the cheapest on paper. The trade off is that it's built for logs, not fleet management. If you want a live dashboard, GPS tracking or IFTA, the subscription options give you more.
Three Year Cost Comparison
Most people keep an ELD for years, so a three year view is fairer than year one. Here's one truck over 36 months at published list prices, paying annually where that's offered, with no add ons:
| Option | 3 year total, 1 truck | Effective monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| Garmin eLog | $249.99 | About $6.94 |
| HOS247 ELD Compliance | $684 | $19 |
| Matrack Basic | $718.20 | $19.95 |
| Matrack Premium | $898.20 | $24.95 |
| HOS247 ELD Plus | $900 | $25 |
| Blue Ink BIT ELD | $1,200 | About $33.33 |
Prices can change during those three years, so treat this as a comparison tool, not a forecast. Quote based platforms can't go in this table until you have a quote. When you get one, put it through the same math, including hardware, cameras and card fees.
Build Your Own Cost Worksheet
Grab a sheet of paper or a spreadsheet and fill this in for every ELD you're considering. It takes ten minutes and makes the decision a lot clearer.
- Trucks: how many now, and how many in a year?
- Months: how long will you realistically use it? Use the contract length if there is one.
- Monthly fee per truck times trucks times months.
- Hardware per truck, one time, if it's not free on your payment plan.
- Tablets and mounts, if drivers won't use their own phones.
- Install, if you're paying someone.
- Cameras and add ons, monthly and hardware.
- Card fee, if you pay that way.
- Exit cost: what you'd owe if you left halfway through.
Add lines 3 through 8 for the total. Divide by trucks and months for your real per truck monthly cost. Then look at line 9 separately. It tells you how much risk you're taking on.
The Cost of Picking the Wrong ELD
The cheapest sticker price isn't always the cheapest outcome. Here's what a bad pick can cost you, even if the fines never come into it:
- A revoked device. When FMCSA removed five ELDs in August 2026, carriers had until October 6 to replace them. That's a second purchase, a second install and retraining.
- Driver frustration. A clunky app costs real time every day. Good drivers notice, and some will leave over it.
- Office time. Bad unidentified driving tools or slow support mean somebody in your office spends hours fixing logs.
- Lock in. If a provider doesn't work out and you're stuck in a long term, you're paying for two systems while you switch.
Owner Operator vs Fleet Costs
Owner Operators
You probably don't need a fleet dashboard, cameras or integrations. A logs only plan or a one time device keeps your costs down. Pay annually if you can to get free hardware, but only if you're sure you'll stick with the provider for the year.
Small Fleets (2 to 20 Trucks)
You'll want a manager portal, GPS and IFTA mileage. That usually means a mid tier plan. At published prices, that's roughly $22 to $25 a truck per month. If you want cameras, expect to move to a quote based platform. See our best ELDs for small fleets.
Larger Fleets
You'll probably end up with Motive, Samsara or a similar platform. You have negotiating power, so use it. Get competing quotes, push on term length and renewal terms, and get the full term total in writing.
Should You Buy a Used ELD?
You'll see used ELD devices for sale online, sometimes for next to nothing. Be careful. Most subscription ELDs are tied to an account, so a used device may not work without the provider activating it, and you'll still pay the monthly fee. Before buying used, check three things: the device is on the current FMCSA registered list, the provider will activate it on your account, and it comes with the cable your truck needs. If any answer is no, walk away.
Don't Forget Taxes and Write Offs
List prices usually don't include sales tax, and some providers add it at checkout. On the other side, ELD costs are generally a business expense for carriers. Ask your accountant how to handle hardware versus subscription costs on your return.
How to Lower Your ELD Bill
- Don't pay for features you won't use. If you never look at the GPS map, don't pay for it.
- Pay annually if you're sure. Several providers waive hardware costs for annual plans.
- Skip the card fee. Pay by ACH where it's offered.
- Use drivers' phones if they meet the app's minimum requirements.
- Get competing quotes and tell each vendor you're comparing.
- Read the renewal terms and set a reminder before the notice date.
Red Flags in ELD Pricing
- A monthly price with no mention of hardware or term length
- "Free trial" that turns into a multi year contract
- Pricing that only shows up after you've signed
- A device that isn't on the FMCSA registered list, no matter how cheap
That last one matters most. A cheap ELD that isn't registered, or that gets revoked, isn't cheap. You'll have to buy another one.
Next Steps
If price is your top priority, start with our cheapest registered ELDs. If you'd rather avoid lock in, see our no contract ELD picks. And before you buy anything, run through our ELD buying checklist.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an ELD cost per month?
Published plans checked in October 2026 ran from $19 to $40 per truck per month. Garmin eLog has no monthly fee after the $249.99 purchase.
Is there a free ELD?
Some providers include free hardware with annual plans, but the service itself isn't free. Garmin eLog has no subscription, but you buy the device.
Why don't Motive and Samsara publish prices?
Both quote each customer based on fleet size, term and add ons. Ask for the full term total in writing.
What is the cheapest ELD over three years?
On published list prices, Garmin eLog at $249.99 with no subscription is the cheapest over three years for a single truck, but it offers fewer fleet features.
Are there hidden ELD fees?
The common ones are hardware fees on monthly plans, card processing fees, add on modules and early termination costs.
Is it cheaper to pay for an ELD monthly or annually?
Usually annually. HOS247 and Matrack both make hardware free on annual plans, and Blue Ink is $400 a year versus $480 paid monthly. Only pay annually if you're confident in the provider.
Do I need to buy a tablet for my ELD?
Not usually. Most ELDs run on the driver's phone if it meets the app's requirements. Tablets help if drivers don't want to use personal phones.
How do I compare a quote based ELD with a published price?
Ask for the full term total in writing, including hardware, cameras, installation and card fees. Divide it by trucks and months, then compare that per truck monthly figure with published plans.
Sources
All prices, terms and registration details were checked October 2026 on the pages below. Providers change pricing often, so confirm before you buy.