If Your Pet Has Ever Run Away From Home, You Need a GPS Pet Tracker

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Trying to search for a lost pet is a gut-wrenching experience, and nothing short of a nightmare. But thanks to the many advances in technology today, investing in a GPS pet tracker helps you keep better track of your furry friends and eases worries about their whereabouts.

Like so many other technology products on the market, there's a slew of options, ranging in features, pricing, and specs. Most models offer the ability to notify you when your pet leaves a designated space. More advanced trackers give you a full timeline of places your pet has been, which comes in handy for keeping tabs on your dog walker. A handful of models even double as activity trackers that pair with smartphone apps, making it easy to set fitness goals for your pet based on their breed, age, and weight.

Best GPS Pet Trackers of 2023

What to Consider

Size

It may seem like a given, but the first thing you should consider when shopping for a GPS pet tracker is your pet's size. If you have a small cat or toy dog breed, the tracker might be too large to affix to your pet's collar. Fortunately, many trackers come in a wide range of shapes and sizes. For models that include a collar, most manufacturers sell different sizes that'll fit your pet perfectly. Just make sure you measure your dog or their collar to ensure your new GPS pet tracker will fit.

Tracker Type

You should also pay attention to which wireless tech the GPS tracker uses to keep tabs on your pet. Most of our picks use LTE-M, which is a cellular network technology that uses less power, while still offering users real-time tracking capabilities. Some Bluetooth trackers such as the Tile only offer a range of about 300 feet, making them less than ideal if your pet goes missing. Models that use GPS satellites offer coverage in remote areas, but trackers like these can cost hundreds of dollars. Some collars are even equipped with RADAR or compasses, but these collars are bulky and work best with larger breeds.

Subscription Price

It's worth mentioning that practically every GPS pet tracker requires a monthly subscription to make full use of it. Just as you pay a bill for your phone, you'll need to pay a fee for keeping the GPS tracker connected to a network. The only GPS-connected collar without a monthly fee is the PETFON Pet GPS Tracker, but it costs almost $200 and needs to be recharged daily, so we don't recommend it. For pet owners on a budget, we included a couple of other Bluetooth pet trackers that don't require a monthly fee.

How We Selected

We compared over 30 different GPS pet trackers to find the eight best options on the market. To narrow our candidate pool, we dismissed options that rely on older, previous-generation 2G and 3G networks for their cellular signal, which are starting to phase out. Few GPS trackers rely on 4G LTE or 5G networks — the same signals your smartphone uses — since the signal causes more strain on the trackers' batteries.

To find the best GPS pet trackers, we scoured the internet reading editorial reviews of trackers from editors at sites such as PC Mag, The Spruce Pets, Wirecutter, and Mashable. We also read hundreds of consumer reviews from pet owners that have been published on online retailers like Chewy and Amazon and across pet forums and Reddit. We wanted to include something for everyone, so our list features trackers that vary in size, shape, network capability, and total range.

Shop our favorite GPS pet trackers below to give you some peace of mind, so you always know where your pet is.

Fi Series 3 GPS Pet Tracker

The Fi Series 3 is the sleekest, most fashionable, and easiest-to-use GPS pet tracker on the market. It also delivers an incredibly long battery life. I’ve been testing it for just about a month now and the collar still has 56% battery life remaining while other GPS trackers require you to charge them every 3 days or so.

The Fi relies on an LTE-M low-power cellular network for tracking your pup’s location. The smart collar also leverages Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to determine its location accurately and relay all tracking to the Fi app, so you can see your dog even when you're not the one walking them. During my tests, I appreciated how easy the collar was to set up. The tracker itself is extremely durable. My German shepherd and husky roughhouse daily and the tracker has never fallen off. It’s also completely waterproof.

When your dog escapes a pre-determined boundary that you set, you’ll get a push notification to your phone. In the event your pup goes missing, you can activate “Lost Dog Mode,” which gives you live location tracking to find your dog as quickly as possible. The collar activates a red pulsing LED light to make them easy to spot at night time, too.

The collar also doubles as a fitness tracker and serves as a hyper-local social network of sorts. It’s been fun seeing how my pup Luca’s activity levels compare to other huskies in my city and makes me a little competitive to get our steps in for the day.

My biggest complaint about the Fi is its steep cost of entry. The collar has a one-time activation fee of $20, a minimum time commitment of 6 months (and a $20 reactivation fee if you quit and decide to resume your service). Plans vary from $19 per month for month-to-month pricing or you can pay $192 for one year of service, or $336 for two years of service. The previous Series 2’s subscription price was two times cheaper, but the newer model updates the location much faster and has increased LTE sensitivity to improve coverage in rural areas.

The Fi comes in two colors and four sizes. For fashion-forward dog owners, be sure to check out the wide selection of swappable 3rd party bands that are compatible with the tracker.

Health & GPS

In addition to offering live GPS tracking of pets, the Whistle Go Explore can send text and email alerts to its users, as well as medication reminders if necessary. Shock-resistant and waterproof, this gadget will also monitor your pet's activity to ensure they get enough exercise for their age and breed.

Besides refreshing your pets' location every 15 minutes, the Whistle Health & GPS analyzes licking, scratching, drinking, and sleeping each week and will alert you to any abnormalities. It's important to note, though, that this GPS pet tracker works best with pets that weigh 25 pounds or more.

The device's rechargeable battery can last up to 3 days at a time. Whistle requires a subscription plan that costs $1oo annually, but Whistle's app is one of the few that has a nifty "Ask a Vet" feature you can use to connect with a licensed vet to call, chat (video or text), and email.

More: This Door Stopper Is Perfect for Pet Owners

LTE GPS Pet Tracker

This pet tracker by Tractive has both GPS and cellular network connectivity, but it’s nearly three times cheaper than the competition. Like more expensive trackers, the Tractive allows users to set a virtual fence for their pet, as well as receive a mobile alert if it wanders out of the designated safe area. It has a more versatile and streamlined build, and can easily be affixed to your pet's collar.

The waterproof gadget has activity tracking, a built-in light, and an alarm. This pet tracker requires a mobile app and service plan to live-track your pet and their location history. However, despite a claim of 5 days of battery life, based on user and editorial reviews, you can expect just a couple days of use before needing to recharge the Tractive's battery.

Testers at both Mashable and People said that the tracker wasn't the best at sending real-time location updates and there was a noticeable lag for it to refresh. Overall, it's a decent tracker that's much more affordable than the competition.

Sticker with Cat Accessory

Believe it or not, this isn't Tile's first Bluetooth cat tracker, and compared to its predecessor, it's much better because it won't dangle and jingle from your cat's collar.

The bundle includes Tile's smallest Tile Sticker tracker and a durable silicone collar accessory. The brand says the collar features a special coating that prevents fur, dirt, and dust from collecting and that it's compatible with collars up to 3/4 inches thick. The Sticker tracker may not offer as extensive of a range that a GPS tracker provides (you get roughly 250 feet) but it does have a longer battery life than an AirTag — 3 years compared to the AirTag's 1 year.

Our only complaint about the Tile cat tracker is that the battery is non-replaceable. We also wish Tile would sell the collar attachment separately for folks who already have the Tile Sticker. The accessory is available in both black and white.

Health & GPS+ Pet Tracker

The Health & GPS+ is one of the most advanced pet collars you can buy. Not only does this offering allow you to monitor your pet’s location 24/7, but it also helps you keep tabs on their health and fitness levels. The collar even uses algorithms to determine if your pet is licking, scratching, drinking, or sleeping too frequently.

The waterproof collar, which comes in yellow or black, is available in three different sizes, so it’ll fit pets as small as 5 pounds or as large as 75 pounds. It comes with two interchangeable, rechargeable batteries, and pairs with an easy-to-use app. Compared to the Whistle collar we previously mentioned, this one is better suited for smaller dogs, it offers 33% longer battery life but doesn't have a night light.

Its companion app conveniently allows users to set reminders for vet visits and grooming appointments and will tell you when it's time to administer medication. At the time of publishing, the app gives you free access to a vet through chat, call, video, or email, so you can get advice without a trip to the vet's office.

GPS Pet Tracker

The Jiobit location-tracking platform uses Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular, and GPS to keep tabs on your pet. What we like most about it is its incredibly small size, which makes it a good pick for cat moms and dads. This makes it easy to clip it discreetly to your fur baby's collar.

The device — which received high praise from Wired for its accuracy — pairs with your smartphone to deliver real-time location information. Like other options, it too requires a subscription plan. Depending on whether you opt for an annual or monthly plan, it costs between $9 and $15 each month. This is cheaper than the similar Cube GPS tracker, which is $19.95 per month.

We also compared the Jiobit against the Weenect Cat GPS Tracker — which is one of the smallest GPS trackers on the market. However, a number of Amazon reviewers complained about its short battery life.

GPS Pet Tracker & Activity Monitor

The Link is a lightweight pet tracker that not only helps you keep tabs on your pet’s location, but also their health and well-being. The tracker, which has a built-in flashlight and attaches to your pet’s collar, has a nifty smartphone app that’ll help you log your pup’s activity goals, manage their vet records, and set reminders for upcoming appointments.

Of course, you can open the app to access your pet's location in just a single tap. You can even designate safe zones and set boundaries, so you can be alerted if your pet leaves a certain area. Link even sells Bluetooth beacons for indoor use, so you'll be alerted if your pet leaves a specific area at home, too.

What sets the Link apart from other trackers is its set of integrated training tools that help encourage good behavior through positive reinforcement, using remotely controlled tones and vibrations. Another unique touch is the fact that you’ll be alerted if your pet’s ambient environment is too hot or cold.

If you're interested in purchasing the Link tracker, just make sure Verizon has service in your area, since it relies on the carrier's network.

Trace GPS Pet Tracker

If you take your four-legged friend with you on hikes or while camping and are worried about getting separated, we recommend the Spot Trace tracker. It utilizes satellite-based tracking software to show you your pet's exact location. Plus, you can set the device to send instant text or email notifications when the tracker moves.

Spot is a company known for its two-way satellite messaging system, which offers a wider network range than cellular networks. So, you can feel confident in knowing its system will help you recover your lost pet. This option costs either $10 or $12.50 a month for service, depending on whether you enroll in a monthly or annual plan.

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