Fi vs Tractive (2026): Which GPS Tracker Fits Your Dog

Fi and Tractive both sell cellular GPS trackers for dogs, and the choice mostly comes down to form and battery. The Fi Series 3+ is a collar with the tracker built in and a battery Fi rates in weeks to months; the Tractive DOG 6 is a lighter clip-on unit that needs charging more often but moves to any collar or harness. This page compares them only on what each maker publishes and what the Amazon listings say.

How we chose: we did not test either tracker; we read Fi's and Tractive's help centers and listings, and kept models sold by Amazon.com or the brand's own store that were in stock on September 28, 2026.

Fi Series 3+ vs Tractive DOG 6 at a glance

Prices are Amazon's, as of the time shown, and subject to change. Details

Fi's figures come from its product comparison, battery page, waterproof rating page and collar sizing chart. Tractive's come from its tracker comparison, water rating page and attachment guide.

Collar or clip-on

This is the biggest practical difference. Fi describes the Series 3+ as having a "durable, integrated design" that "includes a collar band." You pick a band by your dog's weight: Fi's chart runs from Extra Small (under 10 lb, 9.5 to 11 in) to Extra Large (95 lb and up, 20 to 31 in). The tracker and band are one system, though other makers sell "Fi-ready" collars on Amazon.

The Tractive DOG 6 slides onto a collar you already own with a rubber mount, for collars up to 3 cm (1.18 in) wide. The XL mount takes collars up to 4 cm. Tractive says you can also attach it to a harness. That makes it easy to move between a daily collar and a hiking harness.

Which suits you? If your dog wears the same collar every day, Fi's integrated band is one less thing to fit. If you swap collars, walk in a harness, or your dog wears a wide martingale, the Tractive clip is more flexible. On Amazon, only the Large and XL Fi Series 3+ sizes were in stock when we checked, so smaller dogs may need to buy from Fi directly.

Battery and charging

Fi's battery claim depends heavily on how your dog lives. Its battery page estimates up to 3 months for a dog "mostly at home or on short walks," 4 to 6 weeks for "regular time in the yard," and up to 2 weeks for a dog "outdoors for most of the day." In Lost Mode, which tracks every few seconds, Fi says a full battery lasts about 2 days. The Series 3+ charges on a Fi Base.

Tractive lists the DOG 6 at up to 14 days and the DOG 6 XL at up to 6 weeks, both "with Power Saving Zones," a setting that saves battery in places like home. Its coverage page adds that battery life gets shorter in areas with poor cell coverage, because the tracker works harder to connect.

So for a dog that rarely leaves home, Fi's figure is far longer. For a dog that roams all day, Fi's own estimate (up to 2 weeks) is about the same as Tractive's DOG 6, and the Tractive XL's 6 weeks is longer, if your dog is big enough for it.

Water, dust and wear

Both are rated IP68, and both makers give the same limit. Fi says its Series trackers "can be submerged in water up to 1.5m deep for up to 30 minutes," and the Series 3+ is also tested to IP66K, meaning a pressure-jet spray test. Tractive says its trackers are "waterproof up to 1.5 meter (4.9 feet) depth for 30 minutes" and dust-tight. Both recommend cleaning the tracker after a swim. For a dog that swims, neither has an edge on paper.

Coverage and travel

Fi's Series trackers send location over AT&T's LTE-M network. Fi's AT&T page says your phone can be on any carrier, and its Series 3+ page says roaming lets it connect to AT&T's LTE-M network across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Check AT&T coverage where your dog actually goes before you buy.

Tractive connects through partner networks, 2G and/or LTE (Cat-M1), in over 175 countries, per its coverage page. There is a plan catch: the travel page says the Premium plan works in all those countries, while Basic works in one country only.

If you take your dog to Europe or further afield, that points to Tractive Premium.

Subscriptions

Neither works without a plan. Fi's coverage page says "a Fi Membership is required to enable a Series 3+, Series 3, Fi Mini, or Fi Ultra tracker." Tractive's subscription FAQ says trackers with real-time tracking "always require a subscription." Tractive offers Premium (175+ countries, a year of history, family sharing) and Basic (one country, 24 hours of history, only in some countries). Plan prices vary with the billing term and, for Tractive, by country, so compare the total for the years you expect to use it on each maker's site.

Escape alerts and extras

Both do the core job: you draw a safe area and get an alert when the dog leaves it. Fi calls these Safe Zones; its microchip comparison page says Fi "will alert you once your pet leaves any of your designated Safe Zones," and Lost Mode switches on live tracking. Tractive calls them virtual fences, and its listing says LIVE mode updates location every 2 to 3 seconds.

The extras differ. Fi says the Series 3+ tracks steps and sleep and uses AI to detect barking, licking, scratching, eating and drinking, and it has an LED light and an Apple Watch app. Tractive's listing describes monitoring of heart and respiratory rate and bark monitoring, with health alerts when patterns change. Neither is a medical device; if an alert worries you, ask your vet. This page is not veterinary advice (more on that).

If you also have a cat

Tractive makes two cat trackers. The CAT 6 Mini has a breakaway collar built in and weighs 32 g with it; the CAT Mini is 25 g and ships with a Rogz breakaway collar. Fi's cat option is the Fi Mini, a 16 g clip-on that Fi says works with dogs and cats and runs on Verizon's network rather than AT&T's; it was not in stock on Amazon when we checked. For how the rest of the market compares, including why an AirTag is not a GPS tracker, see our full guide to GPS pet trackers.

Who each one suits

Buy the Fi Series 3+ if your dog wears one collar every day, spends most of its time at home or on short walks, and you want to charge it rarely. Fi's own estimates put that at up to 3 months.

Buy the Tractive DOG 6 if your dog is small, wears a harness or several collars, you travel outside the US, Canada and Mexico, or you want a cat on the same app. Choose the DOG 6 XL for a dog over 44 lb that needs a longer battery.

Neither replaces a tag or a microchip; our guide to dog and cat collars and ID tags covers both. We found no FDA or CPSC recall for Fi or Tractive in our pet product recall list.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fi or Tractive lighter?

Tractive, going by the makers' figures: Tractive lists the DOG 6 at 39 g and Fi lists the Series 3+ at 47 g. The Tractive DOG 6 XL is heavier than both, at 70 g.

Does Fi or Tractive have a longer battery?

It depends on your dog. Fi says up to 3 months for a dog mostly at home but up to 2 weeks for one outdoors all day; Tractive says up to 14 days for the DOG 6 and 6 weeks for the XL, with Power Saving Zones.

Can I use a Tractive on my own collar?

Yes. The DOG 6 mount fits collars up to 3 cm wide and the XL mount up to 4 cm; Tractive says it can go on a harness too. The Fi Series 3+ comes as a tracker with its own collar band.

Do Fi and Tractive work outside the US?

Tractive's Premium plan works in over 175 countries; its Basic plan works in one. Fi says its Series 3+ roams on AT&T's LTE-M network in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

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PetProofLab is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We did not test these trackers; weights, battery life, water ratings and network details are the makers' own, from their help pages and listings.