8 Best Pet GPS Trackers
Updated: Jan. 06, 2023
With nearly 6.5 million animals winding up in shelters every year, pet GPS trackers help ensure more beloved cats and dogs find their way home.
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Why a pet GPS tracker?
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), approximately 6.5 million companion animals enter shelters in the United States every year. Some of those animals may have been intentionally abandoned or surrendered, but many are truly loved and cherished members of a family who simply got lost. “The total number of pets that are lost would be even higher since some that go missing are found without entering a shelter and others, unfortunately, are never located,” says Jennifer Coates, DVM, who serves on the advisory board for Pet Life Today.
Helping to reunite some of those pets with their families is why pet GPS trackers were initially created.
What is a pet GPS tracker?
“A GPS tracker is not going to prevent a pet from getting lost, but it can help a pet owner be more proactive about finding their pet,” says Erin Askeland, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, pet expert, and animal health and behavior consultant of Camp Bow Wow.
How do pet GPS trackers work?
Pet GPS trackers help reduce the number of lost pets in a few different ways. “Some GPS trackers will send out a notification if a pet leaves a predetermined ‘safe zone’ like their house and yard or they allow owners to pinpoint their pet’s exact location on a map in real-time,” says Dr. Coates. “All of these features let owners quickly locate and retrieve lost pets.”
What animals can pet GPS trackers be used for?
“GPS trackers can be used for almost any animal, though dogs and cats are the most common,” says Sara Ochoa, DVM, a small animal and exotic veterinarian in Texas and a veterinary consultant for Doglab When it comes to differences between pet GPS trackers for cats and dogs, she explains, “They are essentially the same; the cat trackers will just be smaller for your cat.”
But it’s not just pets that GPS trackers can be used for. “Some marine animals will have GPS trackers placed in them before being released back into the wild. GPS trackers are very common on sea turtles to track their location.”
How much do pet GPS trackers cost?
Pet GPS trackers offer a range of features and reliability, so the pricing on them can vary widely as well. You’ll find trackers from as low as $28 to as high as $250. But pricing can also go beyond the initial purchase cost, as many pet GPS trackers also require monthly subscription fees to maintain GPS tracking.
“Owners have to balance choices regarding price and features when picking out a pet tracker,” says Dr. Coates. “Expensive models have more features but also generally require a monthly fee to cover their use of cellular networks. Cheaper models, like those that rely only on Bluetooth technology, do not have monthly fees but require you to be relatively close to your pet before you start getting information about its location.”
Are there any drawbacks of pet GPS trackers?
“GPS trackers depend on the owners to make sure they are charged and in good working order,” says Gilad Rom, founder of the Huan Pet Protection Network. “Most models run out of battery after several days or weeks, so owners need to make sure they keep them charged.”
He explains that the simple human error of failing to charge your pet GPS tracker could make this expensive tool useless. “Battery life should be your number one concern when dealing with any kind of pet-enabled tech. You must make sure it is 100 percent reliable when you need it the most.” And since many pets can be unpredictable, that’s pretty much all the time.
What should people consider when picking a pet GPS tracker?
Consider how you plan to use the pet GPS tracker and what your goals are, Askeland says, including if that’s:
- Being alerted if your pet exits your home or pre-set boundaries
- Tracking activity for fitness and health (note: there is no current scientific data on activity levels for pets and benefits to their health to track, though providing this info could help with goal-setting)
- Monitoring behavioral issues such as anxiety and pacing
From there, Askeland says to consider:
- If the device runs on a battery, how long does the battery last and how long will it take the device to charge?
- Is it waterproof and durable?
- Do you have to pay a subscription to use its tracking capabilities?
And she added, “You should also carefully look at the device’s specs. There are some trackers that are called that (GPS trackers) but are QR code reliant, meaning someone who finds the pet has to scan the QR code for you to get a location.”
Your answers to those questions will help you find the best device for you. Find out how much exercise your dog really needs.
The GPS tracker that works for pets…and everything else
$59.99
Tile Pro is not technically a pet GPS tracker, but it can certainly be used as such according to Dr. Ochoa. “This is a tag that goes on your dog’s collar and is good for small dogs. These are very popular since they also can be used for many purposes, such as finding your misplaced purse or keys.”
Tile Pro is a Bluetooth tracker, which means no monthly service fees. But because it relies on emitting a tone to let you know where your lost item is, that also means you’ll need to be in relatively close range find your missing pet—or you’ll need to rely on the community find option Tile provides. These 9 tips will help you make sure you never misplace anything again.
Note: Prices listed were accurate as of press time; pricing fluctuations may occur.
The smartest smart collar
$149
Dr. Coates weighs in that pet owners have told her they like the Fi Smart Dog Collar because it’s waterproof and can provide information about a pet’s activity level in addition to notifying owners when pets leave their safe zones and providing real-time location information. The FI Smart Dog Collar is advertised as having an exceptionally long battery life, which makes this option more convenient and reduces the risk of an untimely loss of charge. Don’t miss these things you do that your dog secretly hates.
The health and location tracker
$99.95
One of the options Askeland likes is the Whistle Go, which provides both health insights and proactive alerts when your pet leaves home. Askeland explained the pros of this option are that it’s:
- Easy to clip on a collar
- Alerts if your pet leaves the safe area
- Functions as an activity monitor
- Has several models available
But as far as cons, she did acknowledge that it is “only available with AT&T service, requires a subscription, and there are noted reviews on a time lag for escape alerts.”
The SIM card device
$99.95
Another option Askeland recommends is the Paw Tracker, which uses SIM card technology to connect to cell phone towers for tracking GPS coordinates. Askeland noted this option works with many cellular providers and attaches to the collar. But she also mentioned the “battery life is variable depending on preferences and monitoring level chosen,” and that the Paw Tracker “does not include activity tracking.” Still, she says “for the primary fear of a lost pet, I’d want the Paw Tracker based on specs and reviews.” Paw Tracker does come with a monthly service fee for continued GPS tracking. Here’s what your dog really wants from you.
The budget option
$28.88
If you’re looking for a pet tracker that doesn’t break the bank, the Tracki 2019 Model Mini Real-Time GPS Tracker comes in at under $30. This isn’t solely a pet tracker but it is small enough that it could be clipped onto your pet’s collar. It offers a battery life of three days if you’re using continuous, one to five-minute real-time updates. If you don’t require those real-time updates, the battery can last up to 30 days. The Tracki does require a monthly fee of between $9.95 and $19.95, depending on the features you’d like.
The luxe edition
$249.99
If money is no object when it comes to keeping your pet safe, the Findster Duo+ Pet Tracker may be the gold standard tracker you’re looking for. This tracking collar also serves as an activity monitor and provides tracking without any additional monthly fees—which means that in the long run, it may actually come in as cheaper than some of the other options available.
Best rated on Amazon
$169.99
If you’re someone who relies on Amazon reviews to make your purchase choices, the PETFON Pet GPS Tracker may be the tracker of your dreams. It offers real-time tracking with no monthly fees, and is capable of tracking up to 3.5 miles. Reviewers say it gives a precise location and offers true real-time tracking. “It’s completely water-resistant,” one says, and “smaller than Whistle too.”
The non-GPS option
$2.99 to $9.99 a month
“While Huan is not a GPS tracker, we specifically designed it to avoid the most common pitfalls GPS trackers on the market today have,” says Rom says of the Huan Pet Protection Network. “It is small, lightweight, and fits tiny dogs/cats, has a very long (up to a year) of battery life, and aims to provide GPS-level accuracy without using an actual GPS on your animal.”
This app comes with stylish tags you can attach to your dog and a network of thousands ready to help you locate your pet if they ever go missing. Anyone of these pet GPS trackers would make a great gift for dog lovers.
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