If you run a fleet of any real size, there's a good chance your shortlist comes down to these two. Samsara and Motive are the big names in connected fleet platforms. Both do ELD compliance well, both sell AI dash cams, and both want to be the one system you use for everything from logs to fuel spend.

They're more alike than their marketing suggests. But there are real differences in how drivers rate the apps, how they sell and where each one fits best. We compared them on the things that actually affect your decision, using app store data and vendor information checked in October 2026.

At A Glance

	Samsara	Motive
FMCSA registered ELD	Samsara ELD, VG gateway, ELD ID SAMELD	Motive ELD, LBB 1 and higher, ELD ID MOTIVE
Pricing	Quote only	Quote only
Driver app, Google Play	4.7 stars, about 26,400 ratings	4.4 stars, about 35,300 ratings
Driver app, Apple App Store	4.8 stars, about 50,600 ratings	4.4 stars, about 11,700 ratings
Fleet manager app, Google Play	2.5 stars, about 740 ratings	4.0 stars, about 880 ratings
Fleet manager app, Apple App Store	4.7 stars, about 1,150 ratings	4.7 stars, about 1,700 ratings
AI dash cams	Yes	Yes
IFTA reporting	Yes	Yes
Own fuel or spend card	No, integrates with fuel cards	Yes, the Motive Card
Company	Publicly traded on the NYSE	Private

App ratings move constantly. Check the stores yourself on the day you decide.

Pricing

Neither company publishes list prices. Both sell through sales teams and quote by fleet size, contract term and the products you choose. That makes a true apples to apples price comparison impossible from the outside, and we won't pretend otherwise.

What we can tell you is how to get comparable quotes:

1. Ask for the same bundle from both. ELD plus GPS, plus the same dash cam setup, for the same number of trucks.
2. Ask for the same term. Compare 12 month to 12 month, 36 month to 36 month.
3. Get hardware costs in writing. Is it included, leased or purchased? Motive has advertised free hardware promotions for limited periods. Ask whether that applies to you.
4. Ask about installation. Dash cams often need professional installation.
5. Ask about price increases during the term and at renewal.

With both quotes in hand, negotiate. Each knows the other is the main competitor. For a broader view of published ELD prices, see ELD cost per month.

ELD And Hours Of Service

Both ELDs are FMCSA registered and cover the basics well: automatic duty status, HOS alerts, DVIRs, unidentified driving management and roadside data transfer.

What drivers say

The driver apps are where the difference shows. On both app stores, the Samsara Driver app scores higher than Motive Driver, and on Apple's store it has a much larger number of ratings. Motive Driver still rates well at 4.4 on both stores.

Drivers generally care about the same things: how quickly the app starts, how easy it is to change status and whether it stays connected. Both apps get praise for ease of use and complaints about occasional disconnects and updates. If you can, let a couple of your drivers try each during a trial.

What managers say

The fleet manager apps tell a different story. On Google Play, Samsara Fleet shows just 2.5 stars from about 740 ratings, while Motive Fleet shows 4.0 from about 880. On Apple's store, both sit at 4.7. Manager apps get far fewer ratings than driver apps, so a few unhappy users can drag the score. Still, if your managers mainly use Android phones, that gap is worth asking about in a demo.

Telematics And GPS

Both platforms include real time GPS tracking, route history, geofences, idle reporting and engine diagnostics from their vehicle gateways. Both offer asset trackers for trailers and equipment.

Samsara tends to lean into breadth. Its platform covers vehicles, equipment, sites and workers, which suits operations with more than trucks.

Motive tends to emphasize the trucking driver experience and safety, with tools aimed at for hire carriers and owner operator fleets.

That's a generalization, and both companies keep adding features, so check the specific tools you need in a live demo.

Dash Cams

Both companies sell AI dash cams with road and driver facing options. Both detect events like harsh braking, close following and phone use, and both offer in cab alerts and video for coaching and claims.

The questions that matter:

• How fast is video available after an event?
• How many false alerts does the system create? Too many and drivers tune out.
• What does storage cost if you want more video history?
• How does privacy work for driver facing cameras? Can drivers see their own footage?

Run a short pilot with both if you can. The difference often shows up in how many alerts your safety team actually has to review.

Contracts

Both sell on contract terms, and enterprise fleet platforms commonly use multi year agreements. We couldn't verify standard contract terms directly from either vendor's public pages, so don't take any length as given. Ask for:

• The exact term and whether it auto renews.
• Early termination fees and how they're calculated.
• What happens to hardware at the end of the term.
• Whether you can add or remove trucks without penalty.

Get every answer in writing as part of the order form.

Integrations

Both platforms connect with popular TMS, payroll, fuel card and maintenance systems. Samsara has a large app marketplace. Motive has its own integration marketplace and the Motive Card, which links fuel and spend data directly to the platform.

If you already use a specific TMS or fuel card, check that it's on each vendor's integration list and ask how the data flows.

A Fair Trial: How To Test Both

Sales demos show the best case. A trial with your own trucks shows the real one. Here's a simple two week plan:

1. Pick three trucks for each system with similar routes and drivers who'll give honest feedback.
2. Run real loads. Don't save the trial for slow weeks.
3. Do a mock roadside inspection. Have each driver transfer logs and time how long it takes.
4. Review a week of dash cam events. Count how many alerts were useful and how many were noise.
5. Pull an IFTA and idle report. See which one your office staff finds easier.
6. Ask drivers to rate each app from one to five on ease of use and reliability.

Score each system on what matters to you, then bring those notes to price negotiations.

Switching From One To The Other

Fleets do switch, usually at renewal. If you're thinking about it:

• Export your data first. You'll want at least six months of ELD records and supporting documents for compliance.
• Plan the hardware swap so trucks aren't without a registered ELD.
• Check your contract end date and notice period so you don't auto renew by accident.
• Train drivers before the switch, not on the day.

Who Should Choose Samsara

• Larger fleets that want one platform for vehicles, equipment and sites.
• Operations with a mix of trucks, service vehicles and heavy equipment.
• Fleets where driver app ratings are a top priority.
• Companies that value the reporting of a publicly traded vendor.

Read more on our Samsara ELD page.

Who Should Choose Motive

• For hire trucking fleets focused on safety and driver coaching.
• Fleets that want fuel and spend management on the same platform through the Motive Card.
• Managers who rely on the Android fleet app.
• Small to mid sized fleets that want an all in one trucking platform.

Read our full Motive ELD review, or our older page on KeepTruckin, the company's former name.

What About Smaller Fleets?

For one to five trucks that only need compliance, both may be more than you need. Published price ELDs like HOS247 at $19 a month or Garmin eLog at $249.99 one time, checked October 2026, cost far less. See the best ELD for owner operators.

Verdict

There's no wrong choice between these two for a fleet that needs a full platform. Samsara's driver app has the edge in ratings, and its breadth suits mixed operations. Motive is a strong fit for trucking fleets that want safety tools and spend management in one place.

The deciding factors are usually price, the specific integrations you need and how your drivers react in a trial. Get quotes for the same bundle and term, run a pilot, and let the numbers decide. If you want help getting quotes, use our custom quote page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Samsara or Motive cheaper?

Neither publishes list prices. Both quote by fleet size, term and products, so compare written quotes for the same bundle.

Which has better app ratings?

The Samsara Driver app scored 4.7 on Google Play and 4.8 on the App Store when we checked in October 2026, against 4.4 on both for Motive Driver. On Google Play, Motive's fleet manager app scored higher.

Are both ELDs FMCSA registered?

Yes. Samsara ELD (ID SAMELD) and Motive ELD (ID MOTIVE) were on FMCSA's registered list when we checked in October 2026.

Do both have AI dash cams?

Yes, both sell AI dash cams with road and driver facing options.

Which is better for small fleets?

Either can work, but small fleets that only need compliance can often save money with a published price ELD.

Sources

• FMCSA registered ELD list, eld.fmcsa.dot.gov, checked October 2026.
• Google Play listings for Samsara Driver, Samsara Fleet, Motive Driver and Motive Fleet, checked October 2026.
• Apple App Store listings for the same apps, checked October 2026.
• Samsara and Motive product pages, samsara.com and gomotive.com, checked October 2026.

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