Fi Collar Series 3 Review: Is the Fi GPS Dog Collar Worth it?
After in-depth reviews and comparisons, we found that the Fi Collar Series 3 has a better and more affordable alternative!
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:
- Tractive (Very affordable, priced at just over half of the Fi Collar.)
- Whistle
- Fi
- Fitbark
Review details and ranking reasons are provided below.
Tractive vs. Fi vs. Whistle vs. Fitbark: Detailed review
The Fi Collar is the most well-known and also the most expensive, but when it comes to tracking performance and customer service, it falls short compared to the renowned German brand – Tractive, which costs only about half the price of the Fi Collar!
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).
Tractive has earned PCMag’s Editor's Choice Award
Tractive has been awarded the PCMag Editor’s Choice award for its excellence. My findings align with PCMag’s review—Fi’s tracking data lags by about a minute compared to Tractive's.
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.
Another crucial issue to highlight is that both Fi and FitBark occasionally encounter location errors during the tracking process, and the ‘real-time mode' may take longer than usual to update. On Trustpilot, there is a significant volume of complaints regarding these problems, coupled with poor post-purchase support. This has resulted in their ratings on the platform being quite low, with scores of only 1.6 and 2, respectively.
In contrast, Tractive boasts excellent firmware optimization, resulting in minimal occurrences of such issues. Combined with prompt and effective customer service, it maintains high customer satisfaction. On Trustpilot, over 90% of users have given ratings of 4 stars or above, highlighting its outstanding performance.
The Tractive Collar is an exceptional choice for a GPS collar, depending on the size of your pet dog, you can choose the model that suits you:
Tractive DOG 4
- Fits dogs as small as 4 kg;
- Up to 10 days without charging;
Tractive DOG XL / Adventure
- For all dogs above 22 kg;
- Up to 1 month without charging;
Reminder: Tractive is running a Limited-Time Fall Promotion where you can Save up to 40%, if you are interested, don’t miss this chance! (Visit Tractive's Promo Page>>)
Try risk-free: 30-day Money-Back Guarantee
Tractive vs. Fi – App Evaluation
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 app 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.
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.
This video shows you how Tractive works
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
Fi vs. Tractive – Why Tractive is the Better Buy?
Both Fi and Tractive are top-tier GPS collars. Fi is widely recognized in the U.S., while Tractive, a German brand, dominates the European market. Both have the strength and reputation to deliver high-quality products.
After a week of using both, I can confidently say that Tractive offers better tracking, higher customer satisfaction, and its price is nearly half that of Fi. Fi's high pricing simply doesn’t justify the purchase when compared to Tractive!
Right now, Tractive is having a Limited-Time Fall Sale! Purchase Today and you can Save Up to 40%.
If you're interested, don’t miss out on this special offer—or take some time to explore all the features Tractive has to offer before making a decision.
Plus, Tractive is so confident in their product that they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, which is rare among competitors. You can try it risk-free and return it if it’s not the right fit for you! (Learn More)
Start making sure that you never lose sight of your beloved pet dog again today!
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.
Very interesting ! Was looking forward to a recent review. I was half half between Tractive and Whistle. I liked the whistle design better and it seems like the battery life is better which makes sense due to less location updates. Also the tractive switches to bluetooth when you are close enough for better tracking and it has a buzzer sound & light. Thank you for the review!
cons—-I have 2 Tractive devices one on each dog. I get false readings so often I tend to ignore them all, it is literally “The Boy who Cried Wolf” I dont enjoy getting up at 3a.m. to a false positive app notification, only to find my dog sleeping peacefully in the garage. As far as proprietary charging systems, this one is very difficult to fit onto the device, always takes several minutes to get it aligned “just so”; its magnetic attachment points are very fickle, not to mention the very short charging cord itself complicates an already poor design, and requires a 3-4 hour recharge every 3 days or less depending on how often the false readings pop up and/or your dog activates the geo-fence. The GPS is about 70% reliable, meaning that it does work properly 100%, when it works… but that is overall only about 70% of the time as it will go off-line occasionally, stop due to low battery or just plain hiccup. Lastly this system is very hit and miss, sometimes notifys me when either dog has left the virtual fence, sometimes not.
pros— good $ value, durable small waterproof Like so many technologies these days, its really great when it works.
Hey, I’m interested on buying this for my two dogs, so you wouldn’t recommend it?