Fi vs. Tractive vs. Whistle vs. Fitbark: Is the Fi GPS Dog Collar Worth it?

I did comprehensive testing and comparison of the 4 most popular dog GPS collar brands (Fi, Tractive, Whistle, and Fitbark). After playing with each in person for a few days, my rank is:

1. Tractive (Very affordable, priced at just over half of the Fi Collar.)
2. Whistle
3. Fi
4. Fitbark

Review details and ranking reasons are provided below.

Tractive vs. Fi vs. Whistle vs. Fitbark: Detailed review

Fi Collar comes with the highest price tag, but in terms of tracking performance and customer service, it falls dramatically short compared to the renowned German brand – Tractive.

Tracking Performance Comparison – Only Tractive Was Able to Track in Real Time

The purpose of purchasing a GPS collar is to prevent the loss of our loved ones. In view of the fact that these pets are actively moving, only real-time tracking can ensure they are being properly monitored. My review shows that only Tractive was able to achieve real-time tracking.

• Fi worked quite well. Notified me within ~2-3 minutes of zone departure. Live tracking prompted me to wait 60 seconds for next update – yeah, that's not “live”. Still, the frequency and accuracy of updates definitely beat Whistle and Fitbark, not Tractive though.
• Whistle only notified me of virtual fence departure 1 of the 3 times I tested … and it took ~5 minutes. Further, it would take ~15 minutes for overall location to update. Even worse, request a manual location update – never processed (tried three times).
• Fitbark unfortunately lagged behind along with Whistle in taking FAR too long to update unless I requested a manual update. It was roughly ~11-15 minutes until update. 
• Tractive is the only one that offered real time, immediate responses to “live” tracking. This was an instant win for me. Further, it was the fastest to notify of departure from the virtual fence (~1 minute).

At this point, my test results align with the expert testing from PCMag, where they wrote:

In testing, Tractive reliably sent a notification to my phone when Bradley exited and entered a Safe Zone. The tracker typically took about one minute to deliver an alert in those cases; that's at least a full minute faster than the Fi GPS collor, which usually took anywhere from two to three minutes to send an escape alert in testing. The Whistle was the slowest in our tests, taking around four-and-a-half minutes to send a notification, which as many pet owners know, is plenty of time for a determined doggo to ditch you.

Tractive vs. Fi vs. Whistle vs. Fitbark: Software Evaluation

Fi stands out as the aesthetically superior option, boasting a modern and sophisticated look and feel, likely due to their investment in UX development. Despite the visually appealing design, I had difficulty navigating through the app. The app does not allow users to modify or manage subscriptions, instead, it redirects you to external links and a convoluted web form process for subscription changes or cancellations.

Whistle, in contrast, demonstrates an all-around well-designed software interface. Aside from being intuitive, it’s very user-friendly. While I may have overlooked it, I didn't find an option for tracking in real-time. However, it does allow for seamless modification or cancellation of subscriptions within the app, with instant refunds—a unique feature that other brands do not carry.

Fitbark's software, unfortunately, feels dated, featuring an unimpressive font, layout, and overall appearance. Despite this drawback, it’s the only brand among the four that offers in-app support through chat. Its customer service support responds within seconds, setting it apart from the rest.

Tractive's software is also commendable, particularly for its history feature displaying movement with time filters and heatmaps. The overall interface is straightforward, though setting up additional Safe Zones or Virtual Fences may pose a challenge initially. In the case that you have more than one dog, there is an extra step needed in order to switch between profiles—a factor I have not tested with the other options.

Affordable price – You can save a lot of money

The lifespan of a pet dog can be as long as fifteen years. If the annual subscription fee is very expensive, it will add up to be a big expense. I compared the four mainstream dog collars. Regardless of the subscription period, Tractive has the cheapest subscription price. This is especially true if you subscribe immediately to a five-year subscription. The monthly subscription price will only cost $5.

	Collar Price	Subscription fee:
Fi Series 3	N/A	1 year: 192$ 2 years: 336$ (168$ per Year)
Whistle	149$	1 year: 99$
Fitbark	99$	1 year: 96$ 2 years: 168$ (83$ per Year) 3 Years: 216$ (72$ per Year)
Tractive	49$ (Get 30% Off from this link)	1 year: 96$ 2 years: 144$ (72$ per Year) 5 Years: 300$ (60$ per Year)

Another advantage is that you can cancel your subscription at any time. However, I do not recommend it. Because once the GPS collar can’t connect to the internet, you will only be able to rely on Bluetooth to obtain data. The tracking range for Bluetooth is extremely limited, so if your dog were to wander a bit further away, you would not be able to obtain GPS positioning data on your mobile phone. This will also affect your ability to locate your dog. During this time, there will be no point in having a dog collar. Tractive provides detailed information about the benefits of its subscriptions and the cancellation policy it offers: https://tractive.com/en/c/plans

For those considering the Tractive GPS collar, it is available on Amazon and the Tractive official site. However, I highly advise that you purchase directly from their official website. This ensures the creation of an account that is already integrated with their dedicated app and guarantees your access to their customer support team. If you are interested in the Tractive GPS Collar, You can purchase it through the promotional link provided by Tractive to enjoy up to 30% off: Visit Tractive (Promotion ends on December, 22nd).

Risk free purchase – 30 day money back guarantee

Fi, Tractive, Fitbark and Whistle all offer a 30-day risk-free refund policy. If you are not satisfied with the product, you can request a full refund within 30 days. With this option, you can even choose to buy all the GPS collars and try them one by one to choose the one that suits you best. But trust me, in order to save you time, you can opt for the Tractive first, as it’s also the cheapest.

Tractive offers the best after-sales services, and can help resolve your problems quickly.

Based on my experience and research, Fi's customer service is subpar. There are plenty of complaints as seen on Trustpilot. It often takes about five days for customer service to respond to customer inquiries, with some questions even left unanswered. If you decide you’re not satisfied with the product, the refund process can also be a tedious process.

Whistle and Fitbark, on the other hand,  also have some issues with their customer service, with unsatisfactory response times and frequent tracking issues that customers have complained about without having it resolved! Fitbark also has plenty of users complaining about it on Trustpilot and Reddit.

Tractive has the best customer service. Tractive can always respond to my questions quickly, help analyze the cause of the problem, and provide effective solutions. Tractive has a rating of 4.6 on Trustpilot, and a 90% rating of a score of 4 or more.

Tractive – Accurate GPS Pet Tracking on a Budget

At $49.99, the Tractive GPS Dog LTE Tracker is one of the most affordable and best-performing pet trackers we've tested. It clips onto your pet's existing collar, accurately tracks their whereabouts at all times, quickly notifies you if they escape your Virtual Fence, and keeps tabs on their activity, sleep, and calories burned.

Trust me, Tractive GPS Dog will keep your pet safe and monitored at an affordable price. You can use it with confidence. If you find you are not satisfied with the product, don’t forget it carries a 30-day risk-free refund promise. But I believe you won’t need this policy.

Start making sure that you never lose sight of your beloved pet dog again today!