Geofencing Companies: 15 Top Providers Compared for 2025

Geofencing Companies: 15 Top Providers Compared for 2025

Need the short-list without sitting through sales pitches? Below is the roster of 2025’s 15 standout geofencing providers, spanning ad-tech, fleet tracking, security, and IoT: LiveViewGPS, GroundTruth, Radar, Bluedot, Propellant Media, WebFX, Thumbvista, Fetch & Funnel, Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect, Google Geofencing (Firebase/Maps), IBM Watson IoT, Esri ArcGIS, Foursquare Movement SDK, Mapbox, and Airship. The rest of this guide puts them side-by-side so you can zero in on the right partner before your next campaign, rollout, or compliance audit.

If you’re new to the term, a geofence is simply a virtual perimeter built from GPS, Wi-Fi, or cellular signals. When a device crosses that invisible line, software can trigger an ad, alert a dispatcher, lock down a data connection—whatever rule you set. Because use cases vary wildly, we’ll evaluate each company on eight practical yardsticks: location accuracy, scale, integration effort, campaign or alert flexibility, reporting depth, pricing model, customer support, and adherence to privacy laws. Skip the jargon, scan the comparisons, and walk away knowing exactly which vendor deserves a spot on your shortlist.

1. LiveViewGPS – Real-Time GPS Tracking With Powerful Geofencing

LiveViewGPS isn’t a marketing agency or raw mapping SDK—it’s a purpose-built fleet and asset tracking platform that ships with hardware and a cloud dashboard already wired for geofencing. If your priority is “know where my vehicles or equipment are every minute and alert me the second something looks off,” this U.S. company has been doing that job since 2007.

Company snapshot

Founded in California, LiveViewGPS pairs 4G LTE trackers (hard-wired, OBD, battery, even solar) with a web console and iOS/Android apps. All data is stored and visualized on Google Maps, so new users recognize the interface instantly.

Stand-out geofencing features

  • Unlimited circular or custom-shape polygons
  • Instant SMS/email pushes for entry, exit, speeding, idling, or unauthorized movement
  • 60-second live refresh plus traffic overlay for rerouting
  • Driver-ID tagging and breadcrumb route history for audits

Ideal use cases & industries

Commercial fleets, construction firms, municipal or school vehicles, and any owner of high-value mobile assets. A contractor, for example, can get a 2 a.m. text if an excavator rolls past the job-site fence.

Pricing & plans

Hardware starts around $39 per device; data service begins at $19.95 per month. Plans are month-to-month—no multi-year contracts—so total cost of ownership equals tracker price plus the live data subscription.

Pros & potential drawbacks

Pros

  • True real-time accuracy
  • Fast, no-code setup
  • Broad device selection
  • Cancel anytime flexibility

Cons

  • Geared toward tracking and security, not advertising attribution
  • Requires a physical device on every asset, which marketers may not need

2. GroundTruth – Location-Based Advertising Powerhouse

When the goal is to turn real-world visits into measurable revenue, marketers keep running into GroundTruth. The New York company built its reputation on “Verified Visits” and a proprietary POI database that helps large brands spend media dollars only where foot traffic can be proven.

Company snapshot

  • HQ: New York City, offices on three continents
  • 30 billion on-device signals processed each day
  • Verticals: QSR, C-store, retail, CPG, automotive
  • Channel mix: mobile display, video, CTV, DOOH

Core geofencing & ad-tech capabilities

  • 4.5 million “Blueprint” polygon fences mapped to individual store footprints
  • Real-time programmatic bidding tied to latitude/longitude, weather, and behavioral layers
  • Device graph for cross-device retargeting and household extension
  • Post-campaign dashboards with lift, cost-per-incremental-visit, and in-store dwell time

Campaign types & best-fit clients

  • Conquesting competitor locations during peak hours
  • Driving lunchtime traffic for QSR chains within a 1-mile walk radius
  • Event targeting (stadiums, festivals) with post-event remarketing
  • Retail brands measuring in-store lift vs. control groups

Pricing model & minimums

Media is bought on a CPM; GroundTruth offers self-serve as well as white-glove service. Expect managed contracts to start around $10 K per campaign, with CPMs typically $7–$15 depending on format.

Pros & cons

Pros

  • Highly accurate visit verification and robust lift reporting
  • Massive POI coverage and granular polygons
  • Omnichannel reach (mobile, CTV, DOOH)

Cons

  • Enterprise-level minimums can price out small businesses
  • Advanced dashboard takes time to master for lean teams
  • Purely advertising focused—no hardware tracking or logistics features

3. Radar – Developer-First Geolocation Platform

If you’d rather ship location features straight inside your own mobile app than outsource campaigns to an agency, Radar is probably already on your radar (pun intended). The NYC-based SaaS provider gives engineering teams the APIs, SDKs, and place data needed to spin up reliable geofencing in hours, not months.

Company snapshot

  • Founded 2016; backed by Accel and Two Sigma
  • 100 + employees, millions of devices pinging daily
  • Customers: Panera Bread, Afterpay, T-Mobile

Geofencing toolkit highlights

  • Create up to 100,000 geofences per account—circles, polygons, even campus-wide “regions”
  • Trip tracking with live ETAs for curbside or delivery flows
  • Global POI database, plus custom place uploads
  • SDKs for iOS, Android, React Native; privacy guardrails for GDPR/CCPA baked in

When to choose Radar

Pick Radar when developers need background location, frictionless curbside pickup alerts, or logistics ETAs without managing mapping infrastructure. Marketers still benefit through built-in analytics and webhook hand-offs to Braze, Segment, or Amplitude.

Pricing & tiers

  • Free Developer tier (10 K MAU)
  • Growth plan from $599/mo with SLA and premium support
  • Enterprise, white-glove onboarding, volume discounts

Pros & potential drawbacks

Pros

  • Fast integration, clean documentation
  • Granular event analytics and webhooks
  • Transparent, usage-based pricing

Cons

  • Requires in-house engineering bandwidth
  • No media buying or creative services—firms needing end-to-end ad execution should look at agency-style geofencing companies instead

4. Bluedot – High-Precision Arrival & Curbside Experiences

Waiting until a customer actually taps “I’m here” slows service and kills dwell-time metrics. Bluedot fixes that by recognizing a phone’s approach with near-instant, sub-five-meter accuracy, firing an order-ready alert before the car even rolls into the lane. The result: shorter queues, happier patrons, and measurable revenue lift—all without draining battery life.

Company snapshot

  • Dual HQ: San Francisco & Melbourne, founded 2013
  • Patented “Cylinder” technology for sub-5 m precision and millisecond trigger speed
  • SOC 2 compliant; processes billions of location events monthly

Key geomarketing capabilities

  • Drive-thru and curbside arrival detection with lane-level targeting
  • Contextual triggers for speed (e.g., <10 mph) or dwell time
  • Background geofencing that avoids iOS “blue bar” battery penalty
  • Dashboards for visit volume, time-to-service, and loyalty tie-ins

Best-fit verticals

QSR, fuel & convenience, grocery click-and-collect, retail BOPIS, mobility services.

Pricing snapshot

Usage-based monthly active user (MAU) model; free sandbox up to 1 K MAU, then tiered quotes.

Pros & cons

Pros

  • Industry-leading accuracy without beacons
  • SDK tuned for low battery consumption
  • Fast lane-level rollout for curbside programs

Cons

  • Smaller partner ecosystem than Google or Mapbox
  • Primarily a developer tool—no built-in media buying or creative services

5. Propellant Media – Full-Service Geofencing Agency

Need an expert team to build, launch, and optimize campaigns while you run the business? Propellant Media fits that bill. The Atlanta shop couples hands-on strategy with its own “Beacon-Free” tech stack, letting brands blanket venues, street addresses, or entire trade-show halls without messing with hardware.

Company snapshot

Founded 2015; HQ in Atlanta with satellite offices in Charlotte and NYC. More than 1,200 geofence campaigns executed across OTT, CTV, display, and paid social.

Tactical offerings

  • Addressable geofencing down to individual households
  • Custom polygon fences around events, campuses, or competitors
  • Look-back window to retarget devices seen up to 30 days prior
  • Post-campaign foot-traffic and conversion lift reports

Ideal clients & budgets

Regional franchises, higher-ed, healthcare, and multi-location retailers working with $3 K–$50 K in monthly media spend.

Pricing model

Media is bought on a CPM; agency tacks on a transparent management fee that also covers creative production.

Pros & cons

Pros

  • White-glove setup and ongoing optimization
  • Omnichannel reach with solid attribution dashboards

Cons

  • Retainer structure may not suit DIY advertisers
  • Self-serve portal is limited to basic performance reads

6. WebFX – Integrated Digital Marketing With Geofencing Ads

WebFX couples enterprise-grade marketing strategy with practical, geo-enabled ad placements, making it an attractive option for brands that want results without juggling multiple vendors.

Company snapshot

  • Harrisburg, PA HQ; 500+ marketers, developers, and data scientists
  • 25+ years in business; Google Premier Partner, Meta Business Partner
  • Serves Fortune 500 and growth-stage SMBs across the US

Geofencing service breakdown

  • Builds 1-mile (or custom-radius) micro-fences around storefronts, job sites, events
  • Layers real-time weather, demographic, and intent data for precise audience slicing
  • Ties impressions to walk-ins via mobile device ID match-back and POS imports

Use-case examples

  • Home-service contractors targeting competitor installs to steal share
  • B2B exhibitors retargeting trade-show badge scans post-event
  • Regional retailers boosting foot traffic during flash sales

Cost structure

  • One-time setup from about $500
  • Ongoing media budget plus 15–20 % management fee; no long-term contract required

Pros & cons

Pros

  • Full-funnel analytics, call tracking, CRM integrations
  • Dedicated account strategist, creative studio included

Cons

  • Mid-market pricing can stretch small budgets
  • Campaign creation handled by agency—no self-serve portal

7. Thumbvista – Mobile-First Geofencing & Retargeting

Thumbvista sits in the sweet spot between full-service agencies and DIY ad platforms. Its team handles the heavy lifting—mapping, bidding, attribution—while still giving marketers room to tweak audiences and creative mid-flight.

Company snapshot

  • Founded in 2012; headquartered in Charlotte, NC
  • Campaigns running in 20 + countries across North America, Europe, and APAC
  • Mobile-first focus spanning display, video, and connected TV

Product highlights

  • Addressable geofencing down to individual street addresses or parcel polygons
  • “Blueprint” shape builder for complex venues (stadiums, convention centers)
  • Look-back capture lets you retarget devices seen at a location up to 12 months ago
  • Cross-device ID graph extends reach from mobile to household CTV screens

Best uses

Trade shows hunting badge scans, real-estate firms nurturing open-house visitors, and automotive dealers conquesting past shoppers within a 5-mile radius.

Pricing

CPM-based media buy with a $1,500 campaign minimum; management and basic creative included at no extra charge.

Pros & cons

Pros

  • Highly flexible radius and polygon options
  • Solid post-visit attribution reporting

Cons

  • No true self-serve dashboard—most changes flow through account reps
  • Smaller data science team than mega-agency competitors

8. Fetch & Funnel – Performance-Focused Geo-Fence Advertising

Fetch & Funnel slots neatly between pure-play geofencing companies and full-stack media shops. The Boston-based performance agency bakes location targeting into paid social, programmatic display, CTV, and even TikTok ads, then optimizes to hard revenue metrics instead of vanity reach. If you want geo fences that not only capture foot traffic but also push prospects through a conversion-rate-optimized funnel, their test-and-iterate culture is worth a look.

Company snapshot

  • Headquarters: Boston, MA
  • Core channels: Meta, Google, TikTok, programmatic CTV, display
  • Service model: Strategy, creative, media buying, analytics

Differentiators

  • Cross-device household graph links mobile pings to CTV screens and desktop sessions
  • Dynamic creative swaps offers based on a user’s last on-site action and geofence zone
  • AI bid rules shift budget in real time toward the highest-ROAS audiences

Ideal for

eCommerce brands chasing profitable ROAS and SaaS firms looking to boost lead velocity in defined metro areas.

Pricing

Monthly retainer plus a sliding percentage of ad spend; plans start around $4 K/month and require a three-month test period.

Pros & cons

Pros

  • Deep CRO and funnel-building expertise
  • Transparent, real-time reporting dashboards

Cons

  • Engagement minimum may deter micro-budgets
  • Strong dependence on client-side creative feedback cycles

9. Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect – Security-Grade Geofencing

GlobalProtect, the endpoint extension of Palo Alto Networks’ next-gen firewalls, applies geofencing to network access rather than marketing. Picture a rule that blocks log-ins from outside approved countries or forces high-risk users through MFA before they ever hit your VPN.

Company snapshot

  • Part of the Prisma Access SASE platform
  • Used by Fortune 500, healthcare, and federal agencies
  • Cloud and on-prem gateways with single-pane management in Panorama

Geofencing features

  • Policy engine checks device GPS/IP against allowed regions in real time
  • Dynamic updates as users roam—no session re-authentication required
  • Integrates with threat intel to auto-isolate traffic from sanctioned locations

Core use cases

  • Enforcing data-residency or export-control rules
  • Preventing credential stuffing from offshore botnets
  • Segmenting work-from-anywhere staff by country or state compliance

Pricing & deployment

Geolocation control is bundled into Prisma Access per-user subscriptions (starts ≈ $3–$6 / user / month); no extra hardware needed.

Pros

  • Enterprise-class security, rich logging, SOC2 compliance
  • Works across laptops, mobiles, and IoT endpoints

Cons

  • Complex initial policy design
  • Zero advertising or attribution capabilities

10. Google Geofencing – Firebase & Maps Platform

Few developers skip Google’s stack, so it’s no surprise that the search giant supplies a fast, free way to add geofencing. Pair Firebase’s Location APIs with the Maps Platform and you can launch reliable, battery-friendly triggers worldwide in a single sprint.

Company snapshot

  • Free SDK inside Firebase (Android / iOS)
  • Optional Maps & Places APIs for richer context
  • Backed by Google Cloud SLAs and console tooling

What it offers

  • Up to 100 simultaneous geofences per device
  • Background entry/exit events that wake the app only when needed
  • Places, Directions, and Roads APIs for ETA or speed logic

Great for

Apps already running Firebase push or analytics that need lightweight location smarts—curbside pickup pings, loyalty check-ins, or smart-home automation.

Cost overview

Core geofence triggers cost $0. Maps, Places, and Routes use a pay-as-you-go meter (the first $200/month in credits covers light traffic).

Pros & cons

Pros

  • Global coverage, giant developer community, generous free tier
  • Tight integration with Firebase messaging and analytics

Cons

  • Hard 100-geofence cap per client
  • Limited attribution and no built-in media buying

11. IBM Watson IoT Geofencing

IBM may be best known for mainframes and AI, yet its Watson IoT Platform includes a geofencing module built for heavy industry. Running on IBM Cloud, the service streams data from GPS units, BLE beacons, Wi-Fi, or cellular gateways and fires rules-based actions the instant an asset crosses a virtual boundary. Because it sits alongside device management, analytics, and Maximo maintenance tools, location events can feed straight into work orders, alerts, or predictive-maintenance models.

Capabilities

  • Drag-and-drop rule builder for entry/exit, dwell time, speed, or sensor thresholds
  • Supports millions of concurrent devices and nested “zones inside zones”
  • Integrates with Cognos Analytics, IBM Event Streams, and external REST webhooks

Industries served

Manufacturing, oil & gas, utilities, smart buildings, and logistics operators that already rely on IBM middleware.

Pricing

SaaS subscription plus per-device ingestion fees; enterprise contracts typically start in the low five figures annually.

Pros & cons

Pros

  • Deep rule workflows and native tie-ins to IBM’s analytics stack
    Cons
  • Enterprise-level complexity and cost—overkill for SMB or pure marketing use cases

12. Esri ArcGIS Geofencing

ArcGIS from Esri is the gold-standard GIS platform most cities and utility companies already trust for mapping, asset inventories, and field-crew dispatch. Its geofencing muscle lives inside two add-ons—Location Tracking (SaaS) and GeoEvent Server (on-prem or ArcGIS Enterprise)—that stream live GPS pings, compare them against any polygon layer you upload, then trigger rules in milliseconds.

Feature focus

  • Real-time filters for entry, exit, dwell time, or speed on millions of points
  • Accepts shape files, CAD drawings, or public land-parcel data to build complex zones
  • Pushes alerts to ArcGIS Dashboards, email/SMS, or external systems via REST and MQTT
  • Historical playback and heat-map tools for post-incident analysis

Ideal audiences
Municipal planners tracking snowplows, transportation agencies watching bus adherence, and utilities monitoring crews inside rights-of-way.

Pricing snapshot
Core ArcGIS license per named user, plus GeoEvent Server or Location Tracking extension (starts low five figures).

Pros & cons

  • Unmatched spatial analytics, enterprise SLAs
    – Steep GIS learning curve; heavier infrastructure than SaaS-only geofencing companies

13. Foursquare Movement SDK (Pilgrim)

Foursquare’s Movement SDK—still nicknamed “Pilgrim” by long-time users—translates raw GPS signals into verified place visits, dwell times, and travel paths. Because it sits on Foursquare’s 120 million–POI database, you spend less time drawing polygons and more time acting on visit insights.

Company snapshot

  • Rooted in the original Foursquare check-in app; SDK spun out in 2017
  • Global POI graph updated daily; SOC 2 Type II certified
  • Lightweight iOS, Android, and React Native libraries

Geofencing strengths

  • “Snap-to-place” detection within ~30 ft
  • Filters for stop duration, arrival frequency, and chain vs. independent venues
  • Automatic region hierarchy (shop → mall → neighborhood)

Use cases

Retail loyalty apps, ad attribution platforms, mobility analytics, and media measurement firms needing high-confidence visit data.

Pricing

Tiered by monthly active users: free ≤ 5 K MAU, then usage-based; enterprise licenses unlock raw visit export and SLA support.

Pros & cons

Pros

  • Rich contextual metadata per visit
  • Battery-friendly; no background polling loops

Cons

  • Licensing limits on raw GPS traces
  • Requires SDK embed—web campaigns must integrate via server APIs

14. Mapbox Geofencing API

Mapbox, the map engine behind apps like Strava and Snapchat, turns its vector-tile prowess into actionable location triggers with the Geofencing API. Rather than polling the network, the SDK stores fences locally so events still fire when cell coverage drops.

Key highlights

  • Snapshot – Developer-centric platform touching 700 M end users per month; SDKs for iOS, Android, Unity, and web.
  • What stands out – Flexible shapes (points, lines, multipart polygons), ~10 m accuracy, and an offline cache that lets drones or hikers stay compliant off-grid.
  • Ideal use cases – Ride-hailing surge zones, outdoor recreation safety alerts, drone flight corridors, and asset tracking for remote IoT rigs.
  • Pricing – Pay-as-you-go starting free for the first 50 k events each month; then per device or per 1 k events at competitive rates.
  • Pros – Stunning map styles, offline mode, generous free tier.
  • Cons – Limited built-in analytics; developers must wire events into their own BI stack.

15. Airship Location Services

Airship, best known for mobile push notifications, layers location triggers and predictive modeling onto its omnichannel engagement stack. Brands can fire a perfectly timed push, SMS, or in-app banner the moment a customer nears, dwells inside, or exits a geofence—no extra SDK beyond Airship’s core library required.

Company snapshot

  • HQ Portland, OR; founded 2009
  • Sends 2.5 billion messages daily across push, SMS, email, wallet
  • Serves airlines, big-box retail, financial apps, and pro sports teams

Geofencing feature set

  • “Location Triggers” for entry, exit, or dwell time within circular or polygon zones
  • Predictive “Location Attributes” score future visits based on past movement patterns
  • Unified audience builder merges geo events with behavioral and purchase data

Ideal scenarios

Loyalty programs, travel alerts, game-day fan engagement, and re-engagement workflows that rely on rich messaging rather than paid media.

Pricing

Geofencing is bundled with the Airship Engage suite; pricing is custom but typically scales per monthly active user and message volume.

Pros & cons

Pros

  • Omnichannel messaging and analytics in one dashboard
  • Predictive segments help automate follow-up campaigns

Cons

  • Not designed for acquisition or foot-traffic attribution
  • Requires existing mobile app with Airship SDK installed

Quick Recap & Next Steps

Still unsure which of these geofencing companies should get the first meeting? Boil it down to your core objective, then sanity-check the fit on accuracy, scale, budget, and integration lift.

  • Push paid media or measure foot traffic? Look at agency platforms such as GroundTruth, Propellant Media, WebFX, Thumbvista, or Fetch & Funnel.
  • Need location smarts inside your own app? SDK-first tools—Radar, Bluedot, Google Firebase, Mapbox, Foursquare, and Airship—let developers build fast and own the data.
  • Tracking physical fleets, equipment, or field crews? Hardware-plus dashboards from LiveViewGPS, IBM Watson IoT, or Esri give you live asset visibility and rule-based alerts.
  • Enforcing compliance or blocking risky log-ins? Palo Alto Networks’ GlobalProtect brings geofencing to cybersecurity.

Before signing, line up a quick pilot to validate trigger latency, reporting clarity, and true cost per thousand events or devices. If real-time fleet or asset tracking tops your list, you can kick things off in minutes—grab a demo and transparent pricing at LiveViewGPS today.