thinking about getting a tracker for my car, need some input

Been looking into those devices that help you track your car if it gets stolen. Narrowed it down to two options: one is subscription-based with real-time tracking and alerts, but you gotta pay monthly (ugh), and the other is a one-time buy, cheaper overall but only activates tracking if you report theft. Kinda torn here - monthly fees suck, but real-time alerts sound reassuring, ya know? Curious if anyone's tried either type and what made you choose it.