Glossary
Add-In vs. Add-On
The naming split: an Add-In is software that extends the platform's interface (built on the platform's open SDK); an Add-On is a physical hardware accessory, like a camera or sensor, that connects to a GPS tracking device's IOX port. Both are distributed through the High Point GPS add-on library.
What Add-In vs. Add-On means in practice
Add-In vs. Add-On is the naming split between the platform's two kinds of extension: an Add-In is software built on the platform's SDK, and an Add-On is a hardware accessory that connects to the GPS tracking device's IOX port. The quickest test is to ask whether the fleet already has the data. If it does and only needs to see or use it differently, such as a better report, a driver-facing screen or a document workflow, the answer is an Add-In. If it needs data the GPS tracking device does not collect on its own, like a temperature, a door state, a driver's identity or video, the answer is an Add-On, usually paired with an Add-In that displays it.
The two also arrive differently. An Add-In is a configuration step in the fleet's High Point GPS platform database, so nothing goes in the vehicle and no installer is needed. An Add-On is hardware an installer fits in the vehicle, and its data then shows up in the platform as a new stream that rules and reports can use.
The names are close enough that fleets mix them up on a purchase order. A school bus parent app is an Add-In; the card reader that records a child boarding is an Add-On.
Read the full explainer
The definition above is the short version. The page below explains Add-In vs. Add-On in depth, with the rules, numbers and examples behind it.
Add-Ons LibraryGuides that explain Add-In vs. Add-On
- What Is the Geotab Marketplace? Add-Ins High Point GPS Installs
- High Point GPS vs Verizon Connect: A Local Telematics Partner or a Telecom's Fleet Division
- Fleet API Explained: What You Can Build With High Point GPS
- What Is GeoDocs? Fleet Document Management Inside the High Point GPS Platform
- What Does a Geotab Partner Do? Installation, Setup, Support and Add-Ins
- Bus Route Progress: Bus Route Tracking That Shows Which Buses Are On Route, Late or Parked
- GeoX Accident Report App: Documenting a Collision From the Cab Before the Tow Truck Arrives
- Public Tracking Portal: A Live Vehicle Map for Customers and Residents, No Login
Add-In vs. Add-On: common questions
What is the difference between an Add-In and an Add-On?
An Add-In is software that runs inside the High Point GPS platform or the driver app, built on the platform's SDK and using data the fleet already has. An Add-On is physical hardware that connects to the GPS tracking device through its IOX port and adds data the device does not collect on its own, such as temperature or driver ID.
Do I need an installer for an Add-In?
No. An Add-In is enabled in the fleet's High Point GPS platform database, so nothing is fitted in the vehicle and no shop visit is needed. Add-Ons are different: they are hardware, so an installer connects them to the GPS tracking device's IOX port in each vehicle that needs them.
Can High Point GPS build a custom Add-In for my fleet?
Yes. Partners with developers, including High Point GPS, build custom Add-Ins against the platform's SDK for a single fleet's workflow. High Point GPS also builds Add-Ins for wider use: GeoDocs, for document management in the cab, is built by High Point GPS and listed on the Geotab Marketplace. Custom Add-Ons are rare by comparison, because the IOX ecosystem already covers most of the sensors fleets ask for.