Gate open, dog gone? Live GPS needs a plan. Fi says the Series 3 needs an active membership to work, and Tractive says you need a subscription. An AirTag holder has no plan but reports only through nearby Apple devices. It is a backup tag, not live GPS, so a dog that bolts needs a cellular tracker.
Will your dog get lost where there is no signal?
- Cellular GPS. Cellular GPS trackers (Fi, Tractive) get a satellite fix and send it to your phone over the cell network, so they need a plan. Tractive lists 1-year, 2-year and 5-year plans.
- Bluetooth tag. Bluetooth tags (AirTag) have no GPS of their own and report a location when a nearby Apple device passes, so there is no plan.
- Where you walk. A cellular tracker needs cell coverage to send a location. In a dead zone, the live location waits until it reconnects. Traveling with your dog? Tractive says its trackers work in 175+ countries (see the Tractive GPS Dog Tracker). Check Tractive's coverage list before the trip.
- Whether your dog bolts. An escape artist needs live GPS. The AirTag holder has no escape alerts and is not live GPS. A homebody in town can get by with an AirTag.
- Which phone you own. An AirTag relies on Apple's Find My network, so it suits an iPhone home best.
- Battery. Fi rates its battery at up to 3 months per charge. Apple says an AirTag runs more than a year on a replaceable CR2032 battery.
Pick yours in one line
Dog bolts and there is cell coverage where you walk? Get the Fi Series 3 Smart GPS Collar. Fi is the collar, so there is nothing to forget to clip on, and Fi rates the battery at up to 3 months per charge. Fi says the collar needs an active membership to work, sold in 6-month, 1-year or 2-year terms.
iPhone home, in town, low escape risk? An AirTag collar holder has no monthly plan and, per Apple, a battery that lasts more than a year. It is a backup tag that finds your dog when an iPhone passes, not live GPS.
Whichever you pick, a clip-on tracker is only as secure as the collar it hangs from. If your dog slips collars, fix the fit first. Want the full comparison? Read Dog GPS tracker or AirTag? How to find an escape artist, or see all the best GPS dog collars and trackers.
