GPS Pet Trackers (2026): Fi, Tractive, Halo and Why an AirTag Is Not One

A GPS pet tracker reports where your dog or cat is over a cell network; for most dogs the Tractive DOG 6 or the Fi Series 3+ does that job, and the Tractive CAT 6 Mini is built for cats. All of them need a paid plan. An Apple AirTag is something else: a Bluetooth finder that Apple describes as a way to track your items. This page compares the trackers on the specs each maker publishes and explains where a tag, a microchip and an AirTag fit in.

How we chose: we did not test these trackers; we compared each maker's published weight, battery, water rating and plan rules, and kept models sold by Amazon.com or the brand's own store that were in stock on September 28, 2026.

Seven trackers side by side

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

*With Power Saving Zones, per Tractive. Tractive's figures come from its tracker comparison page and water rating page. Fi's come from its product comparison and battery life page. Halo's water rating is from its help page on swimming and its battery figure from halocollar.com.

How a GPS tracker actually finds your pet

A GPS tracker does two things: it works out its position from satellites, then it sends that position to your phone through a cellular network, using its own SIM. Tractive puts it simply on its range page: the tracker "works over any range and has no distance limitation," as long as it has an active mobile connection. Its coverage page adds the catch: in areas with patchy or no cell coverage, position updates are delayed and live tracking struggles, and battery life gets shorter as the tracker works harder to connect.

Fi's Series trackers use AT&T's LTE-M network, and Fi's coverage page recommends checking coverage around your home and anywhere your pet spends time before you buy. Your own phone can be on any carrier. Tractive connects to 2G and LTE (Cat-M1) networks through partners in over 175 countries.

That is also why every tracker here needs a plan. Tractive's subscription FAQ says: "Without a subscription, your tracker can't communicate its location to you." Fi says a membership is required to enable a Series 3+, Fi Mini or Fi Ultra. Halo's membership page says an active plan is required to add a collar, use its fences and begin training.

What the plans cover (without the prices)

• Tractive has Premium, which works in over 175 countries with a year of location history and family sharing, and Basic, which works in one country with 24 hours of history and is offered only in some countries. Premium is billed yearly or longer.
• Fi sells a membership separately from the tracker; without it, Lost Mode is not available, per Fi's Lost Mode page.
• Halo offers Bronze, Silver and Gold plans; Halo says the higher plans add training content.
• Life360 requires a Silver, Gold or Platinum plan depending on how many pets you have, per the listing; this listing includes 12 months of Silver for new and free members, then it renews.

Plan prices change and vary by country, so check them on each maker's site before you buy.

Trackers for cats

A cat tracker has two jobs a dog tracker does not: it has to be light, and it has to sit on a collar that lets go. Tractive's attachment guide says to "always use a breakaway collar for cats," and both of its cat models are built around one.

The Tractive CAT 6 Mini has the collar built in, with a safety release. Tractive lists it at 32 g with the collar and up to 7 days of battery with Power Saving Zones. Its setup guide says to set the breakaway buckle by your cat's weight and check that two fingers fit under the collar. The older CAT Mini is a 25 g tracker that comes with a Rogz breakaway collar and a mount, with up to 5 days of battery.

Fi also makes a cat-compatible tracker, the Fi Mini: 16 g, IP68, up to two months of battery, on Verizon's network, per Fi's Fi Mini overview. It attaches to most collars and harnesses. On Amazon it was listed but not in stock when we checked, so it has no card here.

For collars that release safely, see our guide to dog and cat collars and ID tags. For walks, use a harness, not the tracker collar; our escape-proof cat harness guide compares five.

Why an AirTag is not a GPS tracker

An AirTag has no GPS and no cellular connection of its own. Apple's AirTag page explains how it is found: "Your AirTag sends out a secure Bluetooth signal that can be detected by nearby devices in the Find My network. These devices send the location of your AirTag to iCloud." Apple pitches it for things: "Attach one to your keys, slip another in your bag, and track all your items in the Find My app." The page does not mention pets.

What that means for a lost dog: an AirTag's location updates when someone's Apple device happens to pass close enough to hear it. In a busy neighborhood that may be often; in woods or farmland it may be never. A GPS tracker reports on its own wherever it has signal. What an AirTag does have is battery life: Apple says it works for more than a year on a replaceable battery, where a GPS tracker needs charging every few days to few months.

Whatever you buy, keep the basics too. The AVMA's page on microchips says microchipped pets should also wear a collar with current identification, and a tag needs no battery or plan.

Fi makes the same comparison on its tracker comparison page, though that is a competitor's view of the AirTag.

If you want a GPS fence, not just a tracker

The Halo Collar 5 is a different kind of product: a GPS collar that warns your dog as it nears a boundary you draw in the app, and also shows its location. The listing says it uses sound and vibration warnings, with static correction optional, and Halo pairs the system with a training program. Halo recommends waiting until a dog is at least 5 months old before training with it, per its age page.

Two numbers set it apart from the trackers above. Halo's site lists up to 48 hours of battery, so it is a daily charge. And its help page gives an IP67 rating, safe to about 3 feet deep, where Fi and Tractive publish IP68 at 1.5 m for 30 minutes.

On static correction, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior says in a piece on managing leash pulling that shock collars are not suitable management or training tools. With a Halo you can leave static off. If you are unsure how your dog will handle boundary training, ask your vet or a qualified trainer. This page is not veterinary advice (more on that).

Trackers we left out

Whistle no longer sells trackers of its own: whistle.com now redirects to Tractive's site, and Tractive's help center describes a Whistle-to-Tractive transition offer that ended on September 30, 2025. The one Whistle listing we found was sold by a third-party electronics reseller. The Fi Ultra, which adds satellite coverage for remote areas, is sold by Fi on Amazon, but Fi lists its battery at 2 to 3 days and it is a specialist tool. The low-cost "no monthly fee" trackers that came up in our searches were sold by third-party stores rather than an established brand's own store, so we did not include them.

We found no FDA or CPSC recall for any brand on this page in our pet product recall list. If you are choosing between the two most popular brands, our Fi vs Tractive comparison goes through them spec by spec.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do GPS pet trackers work without a subscription?

No. The trackers here send location over a cellular network, and each maker requires a plan to do that; Tractive says a tracker without a subscription cannot communicate its location.

Can I use an AirTag to track my dog?

It can help you find a dog near Apple devices, but it is not a GPS tracker. Apple describes AirTag as a way to track your items through a Bluetooth signal picked up by nearby devices in the Find My network.

What is the lightest GPS tracker for a small dog or cat?

Among the models here, Tractive lists the CAT 6 Mini at 32 g with its collar and the DOG 6 at 39 g. Fi says its Fi Mini weighs 16 g, but it was not in stock on Amazon when we checked.

Does a GPS tracker replace a microchip or ID tag?

No. A tracker runs on a battery and a plan; a tag and a registered microchip work without either. The AVMA advises a collar with current ID even for microchipped pets.

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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 and water ratings are the makers' own figures, from their help pages and listings.