With so many smart dog collars on the market as of 2023, you have more choices than ever before. I’ve spent countless hours reviewing and researching all of the top models so you don’t have to! Today, we’re comparing two of the most popular dog tracking devices,
Before we dive in, a bit of exciting news! As of this week (3/12/24), the Halo Collar 3 now costs $599! That’s $100 off the previous price! Even better news: our exclusive discount link gives you another $25 off, bringing it down to $574!
Table of Contents
Tractive Vs. Halo: Main Features
Let’s start with a side-by-side look at the main features of each collar. If you’re in a rush, this will give you the quickest overview.
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| Min/Max Fence Size: 30 square feet minimum, no max size | Min/Max Fence Size: 50 meters minimum for circular, 100 x 100 meters for rectangular, no minimum for custom. No maximum size. |
| GPS Coverage: AI-driven PrecisionGPS™, GNSS | GPS Coverage: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo |
| Flexible Fence Shapes: Yes | Flexible Fence Shapes: Yes |
| Multiple Fences in One App: Yes | Multiple Fences in One App: Yes |
| Overlapping Fences : No | Overlapping Fences : Yes, but not recommended |
| Portable (Take Anywhere): Yes | Portable (Take Anywhere): Yes |
| Subscription Optional: No | Subscription Optional: No |
| Static Correction Levels: 15 | Static Correction Levels: N/A (doesn't use static) |
As you can see, both collars act as tracking devices, invisible fence systems, and activity monitors.
If you’re worried that Fido isn’t getting enough activity, you can monitor his activity levels, and unlock achievements or badges depending on your setup. You can even watch out for your furry friend’s diet and see how many calories he burns throughout the day. Halo’s Smart Fences are fully automated by GPS. You don’t have to worry about losing WiFi or mobile data signals when setting up and tracing your fence boundaries.
If Fido approaches the boundaries that you set in the app, the collar lets him know through a series of warning sounds, vibrations, and static correction. However, you can turn off the shock features if you’re not comfortable with them.
The “winner” here depends entirely on your needs. If you only need a GPS tracker and maybe an activity tracker, then
Design
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| Description: The Halo Collar 3 comes in 4 colors, including Granite (grey), Orchid (pictured above), Ivory (white), and Sunburst (yellow). With two strap sizes designed to fit necks ranging from 11" up to 30.5", it's a great fit (pun intended) for medium to large-breed pups. Although it's a bit on the bulky side compared to traditional collars, it's actually fairly sleek for a GPS dog tracker/invisible fence combo. | Description: The Tractive Dog GPS Tracker is one of the most versatile in terms of design, as it's not technically a collar but rather a collar attachment. It comes in two sizes- Standard and XL and fits 1.1" collars for the Standard, and up to 1.6" collars for the XL. Tractive works on dogs as small as 8 lbs. |
The Halo Collar 3 comes in 4 colors, including Granite (grey), Orchid (pictured above), Ivory (white), and Sunburst (yellow). With two strap sizes designed to fit necks ranging from 11" up to 30.5", it's a great fit (pun intended) for medium to large-breed pups. Although it's a bit on the bulky side compared to traditional collars, it's actually fairly sleek for a GPS dog tracker/invisible fence combo.
The Tractive Dog GPS Tracker is one of the most versatile in terms of design, as it's not technically a collar but rather a collar attachment. It comes in two sizes- Standard and XL and fits 1.1" collars for the Standard, and up to 1.6" collars for the XL. Tractive works on dogs as small as 8 lbs.
Design-wise,
However,
Durability
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| The Halo Collar 3 is incredibly sturdy, featuring a rubberized collar and strap that are protected by a tough fabric case that provides scratch, tear, and bite protection. It's totally waterproof and can handle just about any sort of adventures. | The Tractive GPS pet tracker boasts their almost indestructible 100% waterproof device, perfect for pets who love outdoor and water adventures. It can withstand 3-feet deep water immersion for 30 minutes. |
The Halo Collar 3 is incredibly sturdy, featuring a rubberized collar and strap that are protected by a tough fabric case that provides scratch, tear, and bite protection. It's totally waterproof and can handle just about any sort of adventures.
The Tractive GPS pet tracker boasts their almost indestructible 100% waterproof device, perfect for pets who love outdoor and water adventures. It can withstand 3-feet deep water immersion for 30 minutes.
Both Halo and
Warranty
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| The Halo collar only comes with a one-year Limited Warranty, with nearly the same basic stipulations as Tractive. It won't cover damage done by your dog, for example. Halo also has sole discretion when it comes to repairing vs replacing the collar. | The Tractive Collar comes with a 2-year warranty that covers manufacturer defects. Unfortunately, it doesn't cover the batteries, accessories, theft, or accidental damage. It's also important to note that you have to allow Tractive to try to resolve the issue remotely before you can claim the warranty. |
The Halo collar only comes with a one-year Limited Warranty, with nearly the same basic stipulations as Tractive. It won't cover damage done by your dog, for example. Halo also has sole discretion when it comes to repairing vs replacing the collar.
The Tractive Collar comes with a 2-year warranty that covers manufacturer defects. Unfortunately, it doesn't cover the batteries, accessories, theft, or accidental damage. It's also important to note that you have to allow Tractive to try to resolve the issue remotely before you can claim the warranty.
When you’re dropping a good chunk of change on something, you want to make sure that it at least has a good warranty in case of damage, right? While both warranties have limitations that leave something to be desired, they’re actually pretty standard for the industry.
While
GPS Tracking Features
| 2024 Best GPS Dog Fence  |  |
| Thanks to its PrecisionGPS™ and all-carrier coverage, when used as a tracking collar, the Halo Collar 3 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 Tractive GPS tracker features a fully interactive map that gives you the option to switch from a regular map to a hybrid one, to a satellite imaging view and an augmented reality map. It shows your pet's current location as well as their previous location, thanks to its location history feature. |
Thanks to its PrecisionGPS™ and all-carrier coverage, when used as a tracking collar, the Halo Collar 3 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 Tractive GPS tracker features a fully interactive map that gives you the option to switch from a regular map to a hybrid one, to a satellite imaging view and an augmented reality map. It shows your pet's current location as well as their previous location, thanks to its location history feature.
Given that this is one of the main reasons you’d even consider buying a
WINNER: Halo. While I love the augmented reality map feature of the
Activity and Fitness Tracker
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| Halo's built-in dog activity tracker shows you what your dog is up to any time of day. Daily activity charts show you how much time each day your dog has spent being active, resting, roaming around in "safe" areas within the boundaries, and so much more. | Tractive GPS tracker’s activity monitoring feature lets you see how much time your pet spends sleeping and moving or playing around. You can set activity goals so you can make sure your pup or kitty can get the right amount of exercise and rest. This feature also lets you unlock achievements such as earning badges or breaking personal best records and lets you share and compare results and rankings among friends and other users. This feature also allows you to keep an eye on their diet and calories burned. |
Halo's built-in dog activity tracker shows you what your dog is up to any time of day. Daily activity charts show you how much time each day your dog has spent being active, resting, roaming around in "safe" areas within the boundaries, and so much more.
Tractive GPS tracker’s activity monitoring feature lets you see how much time your pet spends sleeping and moving or playing around. You can set activity goals so you can make sure your pup or kitty can get the right amount of exercise and rest. This feature also lets you unlock achievements such as earning badges or breaking personal best records and lets you share and compare results and rankings among friends and other users. This feature also allows you to keep an eye on their diet and calories burned.
WINNER: I have to give this one to Halo since it acts very much like a FitBit for dogs. That said,
Pricing and Subscription
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| Halo Collar 3 requires a subscription, end of story. There's no getting around it. However, they do have quite a few options, including: - Basic Plan: $5.99/month, $5.09 when paid annually -Silver Plan: $9.99/month, $8.49 when paid annually -Gold Plan: $29.99/month, $25.49 when paid annually. Additional collars range from an extra $3.39-4.99 a month. | For the Tractive GPS tracker, you are required to have a subscription plan but you can choose between basic and premium, starting at $8.99/month and $83.90/year, respectively. Findster Duo + on the other hand does not require monthly fees but offers Findster Care which you have the choice to opt in, and only costs $3.99 a month for a membership fee and gives you unlimited access to vet professionals who are available 24/7. |
- Basic Plan: $5.99/month, $5.09 when paid annually
-Silver Plan: $9.99/month, $8.49 when paid annually
-Gold Plan: $29.99/month, $25.49 when paid annually.
Additional collars range from an extra $3.39-4.99 a month.
If you’re on a tight budget,
The Verdict
The winner depends entirely on your needs and your budget. The Halo Collar 3 gives you much more bang for your buck than
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