When it comes to keeping Fido safe, choosing the best
In the world of dog tracking technology, these two collars have been making the biggest waves, especially with the latest updates from both brands. While they have many features in common, in a head-to-head showdown there are a few standouts that set each brand apart.
Keep reading to see a side-by-side comparison of these two leading smart collar brands, and to find out which one we crowned the champion (spoiler alert for those who prefer the bottom line upfront: it’s the Halo Collar 5.
Last, but not least, if you want more details on each collar, I highly recommend checking out my Halo Collar 5 review and SpotOn GPS Collar review.
FYI, this post includes affiliate links. If you buy anything through these links, TechnoBark earns a commission at no extra cost to you.
Halo Collar 5 VS SpotOn Collar Features
Let’s start with a quick rundown of the major features and most common questions. Don’t worry, we’ll get more in-depth as we move on.
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WINNER
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Primary Rating:
4.8
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Primary Rating:
4.7
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Min/Max Fence Size:
30 square feet minimum, no max size
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Min/Max Fence Size:
1/3 acre minimum, no max size
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GPS Coverage:
Dual-Frequency GPS, Precision+ for 3X more accuracy
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GPS Coverage:
Dual-band, dual-feed active antenna & dual-band receiver
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Flexible Fence Shapes:
Yes
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Flexible Fence Shapes:
Yes
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Multiple Fences in One App:
Yes
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Multiple Fences in One App:
Yes
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Overlapping Fences :
No
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Overlapping Fences :
Yes
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Portable (Take Anywhere):
Yes
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Portable (Take Anywhere):
Yes
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Subscription Optional:
No
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Subscription Optional:
Yes
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Static Correction Levels:
15
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Static Correction Levels:
30
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Virtual Fence Features
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Best for All Yard Sizes
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With the Halo Collar owners can instantly create, edit, and store fences in the Halo Collar app and use them anywhere after moving, when visiting friends and family, going away on vacation or camping trips. Place fences anywhere you want, starting at as little as 30 square feet. There are no wires involved, so you don't have to worry about them being cut or damaged. Plus, it's extremely accurate, thanks to its advanced dual-frequency GPS system and new Precision+ feature that improves accuracy to <2 feet (vs 5-6 feet with other collars). |
The SpotOn GPS Fence with patented True Location™ technology is also highly customizable, allowing you to create and save unlimited GPS fences with or without a subscription. SpotOn emphasizes GPS performance through its hardware design, including the largest GPS antenna of any collar on this list and a dual-feed antenna and receiver system engineered for boundary accuracy and consistency. You can also create overlapping fences. You can activate each fence individually, so you can have a fence covering your entire property for use during the day and a smaller fence of just the backyard for bathroom breaks at night. |
With the Halo Collar owners can instantly create, edit, and store fences in the Halo Collar app and use them anywhere after moving, when visiting friends and family, going away on vacation or camping trips.
Place fences anywhere you want, starting at as little as 30 square feet. There are no wires involved, so you don't have to worry about them being cut or damaged. Plus, it's extremely accurate, thanks to its advanced dual-frequency GPS system and new Precision+ feature that improves accuracy to <2 feet (vs 5-6 feet with other collars).
The SpotOn GPS Fence with patented True Location™ technology is also highly customizable, allowing you to create and save unlimited GPS fences with or without a subscription. SpotOn emphasizes GPS performance through its hardware design, including the largest GPS antenna of any collar on this list and a dual-feed antenna and receiver system engineered for boundary accuracy and consistency. You can also create overlapping fences.
You can activate each fence individually, so you can have a fence covering your entire property for use during the day and a smaller fence of just the backyard for bathroom breaks at night.
When it comes to virtual fence features, both SpotOn and Halo Collar are extremely accurate with competitive features.
One thing I love about SpotOn is the flexibility of its fence design. You can create overlapping fences, which is useful if you want to give Fido more room to roam during the day than at night. SpotOn also allows for highly customized fence layouts with up to 1,500 fence posts per fence.
However, Halo allows for MUCH smaller fences (as long as they’re at least 30×30 feet), making it the better option for those who don’t own at least 1/3 an acre of land. Plus, thanks to the new Precision+ feature, there’s significantly less boundary shift involved. Halo Collar is accurate to within less than two feet.
“Keep Out” Zones
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WINNER
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Description: Halo Collar 5 uses Beacons to allow you to create off-limit areas. They're not as flexible as SpotOn's Keep-Out zone, though. |
Description: SpotOn lets you create keep-out zones within your main boundaries (or anywhere else), allowing you to virtually "rope off" an area that you don't want your dog to have access to. |
Halo Collar 5 uses Beacons to allow you to create off-limit areas. They're not as flexible as SpotOn's Keep-Out zone, though.
SpotOn lets you create keep-out zones within your main boundaries (or anywhere else), allowing you to virtually "rope off" an area that you don't want your dog to have access to.
SpotOn has a major edge here. Not only do they allow you to create overlapping fences, but you can create areas within those fences and designate them as “Keep Out” zones. So, say, you want your dog to have free run of most of your yard, but you want to keep her from digging up the garden. You can set the garden as a keep-out zone within the larger virtual fence area.
Halo Collar 5, on the other hand, uses the Zone Beacons (sold separately) to allow you to create no-go zones. They’re not as flexible as SpotOn’s Keep-Out zones, though. You can use them to make the garden off limits, but you can’t customize the boundaries of the zone. They work by making an entire radius off-limits.
Terrain Types
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Thanks to its Dual-Frequency GPS and all-carrier coverage, when used as a tracking collar, the Halo Collar can go anywhere that your dog goes, including over mountains and in the forest. As long as the collar can access a GPS signal, you're good to go! In addition, Halo Fence posts can be placed anywhere, and are not limited by geography or other obstacles. |
The SpotOn Virtual Fence Dog Collar also uses a patented GPS technology called True Location™. The technology is designed to work anywhere, including in forests, mountains, and other remote or rural locations. The off-grid mode also allows the SpotOn collar to create and maintain a virtual fence in remote locations without cellular service or Wi-Fi. |
Thanks to its Dual-Frequency GPS and all-carrier coverage, when used as a tracking collar, the Halo Collar can go anywhere that your dog goes, including over mountains and in the forest. As long as the collar can access a GPS signal, you're good to go! In addition, Halo Fence posts can be placed anywhere, and are not limited by geography or other obstacles.
The SpotOn Virtual Fence Dog Collar also uses a patented GPS technology called True Location™. The technology is designed to work anywhere, including in forests, mountains, and other remote or rural locations. The off-grid mode also allows the SpotOn collar to create and maintain a virtual fence in remote locations without cellular service or Wi-Fi.
Both SpotOn and Halo Collar can be used virtually (no pun intended) everywhere in the world, thanks to each brand’s patented GPS technology.
I live in a very woodsy area with less-than-stellar cell reception (see Google Earth screenshot below, I’m the red dot, give or take a few houses over), and I’ve had zero issues creating fences or tracking my dog.
Training Features
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Winner
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When it comes to training features, the Halo Collar goes miles beyond the competition. Their in-app training course not only teaches Fido how to use the invisible fence, it also includes other handy dog training features. In fact, the Halo Collar is marketed as a combination GPS fence, tracking collar, AND training collar. |
SpotOn also offers great tutorials and guides to help you teach your dog how to use their invisible fence feature. SpotOn is the only GPS collar that includes free personalized training, offering a complimentary 1:1 session with a certified SpotOn Dog Trainer.Custom voice commands and manual feedback help you guide and communicate with your dog, even when they're far across the property. |
When it comes to training features, the Halo Collar goes miles beyond the competition. Their in-app training course not only teaches Fido how to use the invisible fence, it also includes other handy dog training features. In fact, the Halo Collar is marketed as a combination GPS fence, tracking collar, AND training collar.
SpotOn also offers great tutorials and guides to help you teach your dog how to use their invisible fence feature. SpotOn is the only GPS collar that includes free personalized training, offering a complimentary 1:1 session with a certified SpotOn Dog Trainer.Custom voice commands and manual feedback help you guide and communicate with your dog, even when they're far across the property.
If you’re looking for a training collar as well as a GPS tracker and invisible fence, there’s really no competition between Halo vs SpotOn. Halo Collar emerges as the clear winner. SpotOn isn’t designed to work as a training collar.
That said, when I think of training features in terms of a GPS collar or invisible fence, though, I’m thinking “how does this company help me train my dog to use it AND train me on how to set everything up?”
This is where SpotOn pulls ahead for me. All of their training videos are right on their YouTube channel. You’ll find everything from what first time buyers need to know to set it up to how to get your dog to actually respect the boundaries. They’ll also set you up with a complementary 30-minute 1:1 session with a professional trainer. For someone like me who likes to learn as much as I can about new tech before it even arrives, this is a major upside.
Halo Collar comes with a Cesar Millan training program built directly into the app. You’ll have access to 8 different lessons across 4 phases designed to help your dog learn to respect boundaries instinctively and without fear. The catch is that you can’t access the videos until after you buy the collar and pay for the subscription.
Indoor Fencing Capabilities
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WINNER
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Halo Beacons can be placed anywhere, including indoors, to keep your dog from entering unwanted or unsafe areas. Beacons trigger alerts that act like any other boundary when your dog comes near them. |
SpotOn's indoor features aren't quite as robust. While you can set Home Zones where your dog won't receive corrections, "keep out zones" are limited to 30x30 feet, which isn't as practical indoors. |
Halo Beacons can be placed anywhere, including indoors, to keep your dog from entering unwanted or unsafe areas. Beacons trigger alerts that act like any other boundary when your dog comes near them.
SpotOn's indoor features aren't quite as robust. While you can set Home Zones where your dog won't receive corrections, "keep out zones" are limited to 30x30 feet, which isn't as practical indoors.
If you’re looking for an option that works indoors as well as outside, the Halo Collar isn’t just the best choice; it’s the only choice that gives you full flexibility thanks to the Beacons.
The SpotOn Collar doesn’t offer indoor functionality. Their collar is designed to work entirely outdoors.
Battery
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WINNER
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Up to 48-hour battery life, depending on how you use it.
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Up to 33+ hours, depending on how you use it
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Now we’re getting down into the nitty-gritty details. When it was between the Halo Collar 3 and SpotOn, they were dead tied. The new Halo Collar 5 features upwards of a 48-hour battery life.
SpotOn’s battery lasts up to 33+ hours—but with Extended Battery Life Mode, you can boost runtime by reducing GPS updates and some real-time tracking features.
Cellular Connectivity
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The Halo Collar 5 is an "all-carrier" device, meaning that you don't have to choose a specific carrier. It'll simply connect to the carrier with the best coverage whereever you go.
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SpotOn also works with any carrier.
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Both Halo Collar 5 and SpotOn are designed to work with any carrier. You don’t even have to choose. The collars will automatically connect to the best option wherever you go.
Subscription Price
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WINNER
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Halo Collar 5 requires a subscription, end of story. There's no getting around it. However, they do have a few options, starting at $9.99 a month. You can also save money on multiple plans for multiple collars.
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SpotOn doesn't require a subscription to access virtual fence features, but you will need one to use it as a tracker. Their subscription model is a bit simpler, with fewer options:
- $9.95/Month -$101.88 billed every year -$179.76 billed every two years |
- $9.95/Month
-$101.88 billed every year
-$179.76 billed every two years
SpotOn doesn’t require a subscription to use the collar strictly as a virtual fence, whereas Halo does. However, Halo Collar costs $400 less upfront. If you just go with the basic plan and pay annually, it would take roughly 4 years to spend that $400.
By the way, while you can use SpotOn as a virtual fence without a subscription, you’ll need to subscribe to the Boundary Boost Upgrade for tracking your dog.
The Winner: Halo Collar 5
The Halo Collar 5 comes with so many amazing features AND now costs around 40% less than SpotOn. So, based on the most bang for your buck alone, it’s definitely the way to go!
That said, SpotOn came VERY close to our top pick. Compared to Halo Collar 2+, it actually was our #1 favorite GPS tracking collar and invisible fence. But the new features of the Halo Collar 5 (combined with the fact that those new features didn’t come with a new higher price) gave it a great big push over the finish line to become our WINNER.
Marketed as the most accurate GPS dog fence available, the Halo Collar 5 lets you create, edit, and store unlimited fences (starting at 30 x 30 feet). It fits dogs with neck sizes from 8–30.5 inches. Beyond containment, it offers near pin-point GPS tracking to help locate lost dogs quickly, along with built-in training tools and activity monitoring—all in one collar.
Top Features:
- 48-hour battery life
- AlwaysOn™ GPS
- Real-time tracking
- All-carrier cellular coverage worldwide.
BEST PRICE GUARANTEED
SAVE $125 ON HALO COLLAR 5 THROUGH OUR LINK!
*Based on current sales + our exclusive discount. Add to cart to see discount.
Mark,
First, I would like to thank you for all the information which I found extremely informative and helpful.
I do have some additional questions and have tried to contact SpotOn through email but haven’t heard back from them. I am hoping you might know the answers to my questions.
I have 2 dogs – 13 week Airedale with a 10 1/2 neck and 18 week cavapoo with a 9 1/2 neck ( I am measuring their collars which have a 2 finger gap to get their neck size.
While both of my dogs are still puppies, my Cavapoo will not get much bigger. Does either system have small enough collars for my Cavapoo? My last question is since my Airedale is still growing, how adjustable are the collars and what size would you recommend getting.
All carriers seem to be eliminating 2G and 3G by end of year 2022. If the Spot On collar only has 2G/3G capability (I assume Halo is the same), wouldn’t the collars become bricked as far as cellular tracking at that point? If so, $1500 for a little over 1 year of service is indeed very steep.
Spot on will graciously allow you to upgrade for 500 a collar more to be on 4G. We have had the collars for 18 months and they have had to send them in twice for warranty work. When it works it is great but we spend as much time upgrading and resetting the maps as we do allowing the dogs to be lose on our property.
I have had 3 of the SpotOn Collars and 1 Halo in the last 2 months.
My first SpotOn Collar had a hardware issue, defective speaker in collar, and would provide no feedback to the dog. The last two would either not read the fence at different places or would give false readings sometimes 30 yards away from where the fence should have been. After numerous phone calls, SpotOn tech support even said my cell service was too spotty for it to work correctly. The GPS Tracking on the SpotOn Collar was awesome and easy to use. Way to expensive if that’s all your getting. Average wait time for their tech support is 45 minutes via phone. If they can’t figure out your issues, they will promise to get back to you with an answer. They never do, a week later you get to repeat the process.
The Halo Collar has a faster and more accurate tracking feature. Their access to tech support is an average of 3-5 minutes with all questions answered. The app is easy to use and the training videos are phenomenal.
Both collars basically do the same thing. The Halo seems to have the bugs worked out of their product and comes in at about half the cost.