Why we like it: 

The Tractive Dog 6 was easy to set up and use and provided accurate tracking during our testing. It uses a combination of satellites, cellular networks and Bluetooth to pinpoint the tracker’s location. It easily clips on to a dog collar and stays secure, and it also has plenty of additional features under the “AI behavior monitoring” umbrella, which tracked my pup’s water and food intake, naps and more and compiled them into a health tab with a daily insights section. 

After your dog wears the tracker for a full week, you’ll be able to see their heart rate, respiratory rate and barking, which makes this collar feel like it doubles as a health tracker for your furry family member. It’s also available at an approachable price of $79.  

Who should get it:

Because this tracker is available in two sizes, it is ideal for a range of dogs. The Dog 6 works with dogs weighing over 9 pounds, while the Dog 6 XL is best suited for dogs above 44 pounds. It’s also available in three colors: black, brown and mint. 

Tractive lists the range as unlimited, which means no matter how far you are from your dog, you’ll still be able to track their location to ensure they’re safe. We also love that the tracker has a light and sound that can be turned on via the app if needed. 

Who should avoid it:

The battery lasts up to two weeks, so if you want a collar with longer battery life, check out the Fi Series 3+ below. Although the Tractive tracker offers a low power mode that extends battery life, that mode may result in less frequent GPS updates and delayed virtual fence alerts. 

The Tractive Dog 6 is also not ideal for dogs under 9 pounds. 

Privacy: 

According to Tractive’s privacy policy, the company doesn’t “sell your data or share it otherwise with third parties, unless it helps provide the Tractive services or we are legally required to do so.” It also states that you have the “unequivocal right to access your personal data.” 

The company, headquartered in Austria, also follows the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation guidelines. Tractive’s full privacy policy can be found here.

Why we like it: 

The Fi Series 3 Plus offers superior battery life and is a collar-and-tracker combo that uses AT&T LTE-M cellular networks, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to track your dog’s location.

It’s similar to Tractive in that it feels like a health tracker, too, but it features an impressive battery life that can last up to three months on a single charge. Although that can vary depending on how many signals the tracker receives on any given day, it is still the best battery life on our list by far. 

Who should get it:

The tracker comes in four colors and five different sizes, so it’s the best option for dogs of any size, and the tracker itself is well-disguised in the collar. The app is easy to use and offers eating and drinking insights, scratching and licking monitoring, barking alerts, activity tracking and more, so it feels like the GPS tracker is multipurpose.

Who should avoid it:

The Fi Series 3 Plus was made for dogs rather than cats, so it isn’t ideal for feline parents.

Although the collar and tracker are free with a subscription, the monthly price of up to $16.50 is still the most expensive option on our list, so it isn’t a great budget option. However, we have seen frequent sales, including one currently happening for up to $70 off on Fi’s website. You can also sign up for a free 30-day trial to see if you like the collar before fully committing to a subscription. 

Privacy: 

According to Fi’s privacy policy, the company collects and uses “geolocation information solely to provide you with our tracking, behavior and related services,” but states that the company “never sell[s] personal information to third parties for monetary gain.” It also states that in the event any data is used to develop or train AI, the company takes “steps to anonymize or de-identify data before using it for AI development.” Fi’s full privacy policy can be found here.

Why we like it:

While the above options are excellent models for dogs, I like this particular Petcube smart collar attachment for our feline friends because, in addition to its location-tracking capabilities, this collar also has LED lights and a glow-in-the-dark case that holds it, so it’s ideal for sneaky cats who may have disappeared into the night. To provide consistent updates, it uses both GPS satellites and unlimited LTE connectivity. 

It’s also waterproof, fits most average-sized collars and has a battery that lasts up to 30 days, so when it comes to battery life, it’s right in the middle of the two options above.

Although the tracker doesn’t provide as much health data as Tractive or Fi, the app still has useful features like safe zones, geofencing and activity and sleep monitoring.

Who should get it:

This is the best pick for cat owners who have lost their cats in the dark one too many times and want to keep an eye on them permanently. And although we do love it for cats, if you have a dog and are on a budget, this is a great choice too, since it’s the most affordable option on our list and still provides accurate tracking thanks to its multinetwork tracking capabilities. There are also two subscription plan options available: basic ($5 to $12 a month) or premium ($5 to $8 a month).

Who should avoid it:

If you want the most health data possible, choose one of the options above, as this collar primarily offers sleep and activity insights. But for an entry-level GPS tracker, it’s offered at a hard-to-beat price of $40 with a subscription up to $12 a month.

Privacy:

According to Petcube’s privacy policy, information is shared with third parties, and “at all times where possible, we pseudonymize and aggregate personal information and use it for research, data analysis, behavior analysis, improving our site and apps [and] developing our new products and services.”

– Tyler Lacoma, senior editor, home security and smart home