Our picks
Fi Series 3+
Smart GPS collar with weeks of battery
Tractive DOG 6
Lightweight clip-on GPS tracker for dogs, with a cat version too
Halo Collar 5
GPS fence collar that also tracks
SpotOn GPS Fence (Nova)
GPS fence collar that contains on satellites alone
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Side by side
All four use GPS to find your dog and a cellular connection to send the location to your phone. Here's how they differ when it counts.
| Tracker | Live updates when lost | Battery (claimed) | Year one | Two years | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fi Series 3+ | Every few seconds in Lost Dog Mode | 2 weeks–3 months | $318 | $468 | Dogs, XS–XL |
| Tractive DOG 6 | Every 2–3 seconds in LIVE mode | 6–14 days | $223 | $283 | Dogs over 9 lb |
| Halo Collar 5 | Live map, up to 4 updates a second | Up to 48 hours | $633.89 | $733.79 | Dogs over 10 lb |
| SpotOn Nova | Every 6 seconds while tracking an escape (plan needed) | 33+ hours with tracking | $999–$1,100.88 | $1,178.76 with tracking | Dogs 15 lb and up |
Prices as listed by each brand, October 4, 2026. Year one is the device plus the cheapest plan that covers 12 months; two years uses each brand's two-year plan where one exists.
How to choose
1. How often will you really charge it?
A tracker sitting on the charger can't find anyone. Fi lasts the longest: Fi says up to two weeks for very active dogs and up to three months for calm ones, with its base station at home. Tractive's DOG 6 runs up to 14 days if you set your home Wi-Fi as a Power Saving Zone, or 6 days without one. Its XL model for dogs over 44 lb stretches that to about six weeks. The fence collars, Halo and SpotOn, need a charge about every day because they watch the boundary nonstop.
2. Do you need to keep them in, or find them fast?
Fi and Tractive send an escape alert when your dog leaves a safe zone you set, then help you find them. They don't stop the dog. Halo and SpotOn do both: they warn your dog at a boundary you draw on a map, and track them if they get past it. If you have a fenced yard and mostly worry about the gate, a tracker is enough. If you have no fence at all, look at GPS dog fences. We explain the difference in escape alerts vs a virtual fence.
3. Will it have signal where your dog goes?
Fi uses AT&T's LTE-M network. Tractive uses partner networks, LTE-M first with 2G as a fallback. Halo switches between AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and others. Check coverage for the places your dog actually spends time, not just your house. Our guide to trackers without cell service shows what each one does in a dead zone.
4. How big is your dog?
Fi collars start at a 9.5-inch neck, and Tractive's DOG 6 is for dogs over 9 lb. The fence collars are bigger and heavier: Halo is for dogs over 10 lb, SpotOn for 15 lb and up. For toy breeds and cats, see GPS trackers for cats, which covers the smallest cellular trackers.
5. What will it cost over two years?
Each tracker needs a plan to send you its location. SpotOn's fence works without one, but then you can't see your dog on a map. Over two years, Tractive costs $283, Fi $468, Halo $733.79 and SpotOn $999 to $1,178.76. The full breakdown is in what GPS dog trackers really cost.
Why Fi Series 3+ is our top pick
We pick our number one the way we'd pick for our own dogs, and commissions never decide it. The Fi wins on the thing that matters most in an emergency: it's charged. You get weeks of battery, a collar that can't be knocked loose like a clip-on tag, escape alerts, and a Lost Dog Mode that updates every few seconds. It costs more per year than Tractive and works only for dogs. Read the full Fi Series 3+ review or see how it stacks up in Fi vs Tractive.
What about an AirTag?
An AirTag isn't a GPS tracker. It shows up only when someone's Apple device passes close by, and Apple says it's designed for objects, not pets. It can help as a cheap backup in a busy neighborhood. Here's what an AirTag can and can't do for a lost dog.
Questions people ask
Do GPS dog trackers need a subscription?
Yes, the ones with real GPS tracking do. The plan pays for the cellular connection that sends your dog's location to your phone. SpotOn is the one partial exception: its virtual fence keeps working without a plan, but you can't see your dog's location without one.
Which GPS dog tracker has the longest battery life?
Of the four we cover, the Fi Series 3+, by Fi's own figures: weeks between charges with its base station at home. For dogs over 44 lb, Tractive's DOG 6 XL is close, at up to six weeks with a Power Saving Zone.
Can I put a dog tracker on my cat?
Not these. Cats need something much smaller on a collar that breaks away. See GPS trackers for cats.
Will a GPS tracker work when we travel?
It depends on the brand. Fi works in the US, Canada and Mexico. Tractive's Premium plan covers 175+ countries. SpotOn's cellular features work in North America. Halo says its plans include cellular connectivity worldwide.