Overview

Prey brings device location, recovery actions, and fleet administration into one product for individuals and organizations. It suits teams that need to respond to missing hardware as well as manage deployed devices; the trade-off is that platform support is uneven and some recovery functions have tight limits.

Its strongest case is a mixed device fleet where location visibility and remote response matter alongside administration. It is less compelling when the priority is broad asset inventory or reliable coverage across every Linux or iOS device.

Key features

Tracking and response

Active tracking, missing reports, Wi-Fi triangulation, location history, and geofences give administrators several ways to monitor a device and organize a response. They can mark it missing, lock its screen, sound an alarm, or send a message. That combination makes Prey more useful than a location-only tool when a team needs to act on a device remotely, though location controls alone cannot guarantee recovery.

Data protection and fleet control

Prey includes custom wipe, factory reset, remote encryption, and a Windows kill switch. File retrieval is more constrained: it handles one file at a time, up to 25 MB, and hosts retrieved files for 30 days. This is suitable for a small, targeted retrieval, not a way to recover a substantial set of files.

Fleet tools include a status dashboard, automated and mass actions, labels and search, roles and permissions, and a developer API. The API can support external integrations, and Prey publishes deployment instructions for JAMF. These controls make the product relevant to administrators managing devices at scale, although teams with specialized systems should confirm that their integration needs fit the API and deployment options.

Prey says agent communications use encryption and authentication protocols, and supports two-factor verification, SAML/SSO, and SSL/TLS. Those are useful controls for organizations with access-management requirements, but the feature set alone does not establish a broader security guarantee.

Pricing

Prey has a free plan and paid plans. Prey Starter costs 2.99 USD per month, billed monthly, for 5 device slots. That fixed allowance suits a small setup better than a larger fleet.

The annual per-slot plans have no minimum slot purchase, and the per-slot price decreases above 50 slots. Prey Tracking costs 1.30 USD per month, billed annually; it is the lower-cost paid choice for deployments centered on locating devices. Prey Protection costs 1.95 USD per month, billed annually, for teams that need a broader protection tier. Prey Full Suite costs 2.25 USD per month, billed annually, and is the option for buyers seeking the fullest feature tier. The price difference between these plans is modest, but buyers should match the included capabilities to their requirements rather than assume every feature is in every tier.

Prey may arrange customized trials for qualified organizations; it no longer offers an automatic self-service 14-day trial. Teams that need to evaluate it should account for that qualification and arrange a trial before committing to an annual plan.

Platforms

Prey supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows, and offers an API. Official Linux support is limited to Ubuntu, so other Linux distributions are a poor fit for teams requiring supported coverage. The iOS operating system heavily limits Prey's capabilities, and Prey advises against installation unless the app will remain open; iOS should not be treated as equivalent to its other platform support.

Installers are offered for Mac ARM, Mac Intel 64-bit, Windows 64-bit, and Ubuntu 64-bit, with mobile apps documented as well. That gives desktop administrators a defined set of deployment targets, but organizations with other Linux distributions or iOS devices that cannot keep the app open should weigh the limitations before standardizing on Prey.

Who it's for

Prey is a good fit for individuals, businesses, and educational organizations that need location and recovery controls plus a way to manage fleets. Its roles, permissions, mass actions, and API make it more suitable for organizational administration than a single-purpose locator. It is a weaker choice for teams seeking comprehensive asset inventory, full Linux-distribution coverage, or dependable iOS tracking under background restrictions.

Pros and cons

Pro: Location history, geofences, Wi-Fi triangulation, and active tracking support several recovery workflows rather than relying on a single location method.
Pro: Remote lock, alarm, and message actions let administrators respond directly to a missing device.
Pro: Fleet dashboards, roles, mass actions, and a developer API extend the product beyond individual device recovery.
Con: File retrieval is limited to one file of up to 25 MB at a time, with a 30-day hosting window.
Con: Official Linux support is Ubuntu-only, while iOS capabilities are heavily constrained and depend on the app remaining open.
Con: The free plan's device limit and terms are unclear, and qualified organizations may need to arrange a customized trial instead of starting a self-service 14-day evaluation.

Alternatives

For conventional asset-tracking needs, start with the Asset Tracking Software category and compare tools by inventory workflow as well as device recovery.

AssetTiger is a freemium alternative with a free plan and mobile, web, and API platforms; consider it when those platform options and an asset-focused product are a better match than Prey's recovery controls.

AssetCenter offers a free tier capped at 25 available or deployed assets with no reports, plus a $39 per month Starter plan for 250 assets. It is worth considering when asset counts and reports are central to the buying decision.

MapYourTag has a free plan with 10 assets, 10 scans per asset history, two users, and email alerts. Choose it when that smaller scan-and-alert allowance fits better than Prey's device security focus.

Sortly offers a free plan with 100 unique items, one user license, and two active jobs; it is a reasonable alternative when those inventory limits align with a small team's needs.

Asset Infinity starts with a $130.00 per month Standard plan for 500 assets and items. Consider it when a defined 500-item allowance matters more than Prey's recovery-oriented feature set.

GoCodes has a $500.00 per year Standard plan for 200 assets and three users, including the ability to print your own labels. It may suit buyers prioritizing that asset-and-label model.

Tagon is another paid alternative to compare for asset tracking.

Device42 is a paid option with API, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web, and Windows platforms. Consider it when those platform options are a closer fit for the stack.

Verdict

Choose Prey if your priority is locating and responding to missing devices while retaining practical fleet controls, especially across supported desktop platforms. Its blend of tracking, remote actions, and administration is the main reason to choose it. Look elsewhere if you require broad Linux support, dependable iOS operation with the app closed, or file retrieval beyond its narrow per-file limits.

	Prey	QR Chameleon
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Free trial	Yes	No
Paid from	$1.30/mo	$84/mo
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Android, api, iOS, Linux, macOS, Web, Windows	api, Web
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Paid from	1.3 /mo	8 /mo
Check-in/check-out	Yes	—
Mobile apps	Yes	—
GPS location tracking	Yes	—

Prey vs QR Chameleon

Prey

QR Chameleon