Comparing Fi vs Whistle vs Tractive? Here’s the quick scoop on battery life, coverage, and features so you can pick confidently. In reviews, Fi, Whistle and Tractive are consistently near the top when it comes to GPS dog collars. They each offer different perks: Fi for battery, Whistle for health features, Tractive for reliability. We’ll compare them so you can determine which to choose.
When it comes to tracking your dog’s location, GPS collars offer a range of options. For a comprehensive overview of AirTags on dog collars, see our AirTag Dog Collar: Pros, Cons & Safety guide.
Key takeaways
- Tractive: worldwide tracking; flexible plans.
- Choose by coverage, size, and budget.
- Fi: battery champ; strong US coverage.
- Whistle: rich health alerts + GPS.
Fi Smart Collar (Series 3)
- Battery Life: Excellent. Fi Series 3 promises”up to 3-month battery” on a charge (although in practice it lasted about 3 weeks with normal use). That’s still well above most collars. It even has a wireless charging dock.
- Size & Durability: Thin & lightweight Basement (great for even small dogs as little as 5 lbs). The included strap can be flimsy; lots of people have to go straight to a sturdier collar and an adapter when it drops by.
- Tracking: Fi uses LTE-M (AT&T) for tracking. The app records walks automatically using your phone’s GPS (unlike Tractive, you don’t need to tap “start walk”). It does a better job with walks/drives.
- Features: Steps, distance, rest tracking. Fi has rudimentary health data (sleep, restlessness, strain).
- Subscription: Required. Fi Series 3 Interest Rate: This card is not available as a standalone; a plan must be purchased. Rates (monthly, while writing): $19/mth month to month (6-mo min) or $192/year. There’s a $20 activation fee for the first time only.
Whistle GO Explore
- Battery Life: Good. On average 2-3 weeks (tested with daily walks to be around 17 days) between recharges in typical use.
- Tracking: Location is updated using GPS + LTE (Verizon). Live tracking is available.
- Features: Whistle’s bread and butter is health and fitness tracking. It counts activity, but it also logs scratching, licking, sleep, calories and water. It even includes an “Ask a Vet” online chat for members.
- Special: Can Automatically Begin Tracking When Your Dog Leaves The Safe Area (with Your Phone) – And Tractive Can’t. As for safe-zone alerts, it’s excellent and almost always on par with Tractive’s, if not faster. It also includes a lower-profile LED light, and can send tone/vibration cues.
- Subscription: For GPS and health data. Plan, costs roughly $99 per year (~$8.25/month) for GPS+Health coverage. You can also pick up a cheaper $3.33/mo option that only covers the most basic activity (no GPS).
Tractive GPS Tracker
Battery Life: Average. In the field tests we did, it’s closer to 1 week per charge.
Tracking: Rock-solid. Tractive links to multiple cell phone networks to allow fast location anywhere on the globe. In LIVE mode it also refreshes very quickly (every 2–3 seconds).
Features: GPS + LTE, and it does activity tracking (steps, rest) but nothing in terms of heart/health metrics beyond that. You can set an unlimited number of geofences. The hardware features a remote flashlight on the collar, useful for night walks.
Subscription: Required. Plans are from about $5-7/month (cheaper still than Whistle) for unlimited use.
While GPS collars provide real-time tracking, some pet owners opt for alternative solutions. Our guide on How to Put an AirTag on Your Dog’s Collar offers step-by-step instructions for using an AirTag as a pet tracker.
Direct Comparison
| Category | Tractive | Fi | Whistle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accuracy | 🏆 Fastest, most reliable positioning | Good, fairly accurate | Adequate, occasional blips |
| Battery Life | Needs weekly charging | 🏆 Up to 3 months | Better than Tractive, less than Fi |
| Subscription Price | 🏆 Cheapest (~$60+/yr) | $204/yr (or $99–$179/yr depending on plan) | $99/yr |
| Special Features | Super reliable GPS (multi-network), unlimited geofences, remote flashlight | Excellent battery, compact size, auto-walk tracking | Best health metrics (activity, bark/scratch), auto-walk, safe-zone alerts, LED light |
Which is best: Tractive wins
Why?
- Highest precision (Most important feature of a GPS tracker).
- Lowest subscription price.
- Excellent GPS Tracking Features (multi-network / unlimited geofences).
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Fi is great for battery and Whistle is great for health tracking but for the core task a GPS tracker needs to accomplish, Tractive bests the rest.
Which Collar for You?
- Small Dogs & Battery Enthusiasts: Fi. Its thin design and long battery life are perfect for small pups and active owners.
- Health Tracking: Whistle. Great if you’re after Fitbit-style insights + vet chat integration.
- Everyday Tracking: Tractive. Reliable, fast, affordable, shareable.
- Value-Conscious: PitPat (no sub) or Tractive low-tier plan.
In all of those cases, you’ll have to pay a certain amount for the device upfront and some monthly. Yeah, Ohh no, no such thing as a free lunch when it comes to real-time tracking. If it really annoys you that there’s a subscription fee, you can look at our No-Subscription Dog Trackers article for alternatives (AirTag, PitPat etc).
