Are you ready to invest in a smart dog collar to keep your dog safe and measure their activity, but you’re stuck between the Fi Series collar and Tractive?
We became convinced that we needed a smart dog collar that included a reliable tracking feature after a scary experience with one of my Alaskan Klee Kai dogs in our neighborhood.
Copper managed to escape his traditional collar and chase a coyote up a hill, leaving my line of sight and resulting in the worst five minutes of my life.
You won’t be surprised to learn that I was frightened Copper would end up being torn apart by a coyote pack. To my relief, he reappeared five minutes later unscathed. He was lucky.
Yasmin and I decided to invest in reliable smart dog collars for our Alaskan Klee Kai dogs after that incident.
During our research, we came across the Fi Smart Dog Collar and the Tractive smart dog collar. In this comparison article, we’ll take a look at these two popular brands and share our recommendation.
Fi vs Tractive: Our Recommendation
We’ll get right down to business and share our pick based on our experience with Fi and Tractive. We’d recommend the Fi dog collar because our dogs preferred it and we liked using their app.
Fi has an integrated collar design, with the device seamlessly located within the collar itself. This made it easy to attach and our Alaskan Klee Kai dogs didn’t realise they had trackers on.
This wasn’t the case with Tractive. We had to attach the Tractive device to their existing collars, which seemed a little cumbersome when compared to the Fi collar series.
The Fi collar has impressive battery life – up to three months. This was a big perk for us because we’re busy parents and business owners, and sometimes things fall through the cracks.
The Tractive can’t compete with the Fi collar’s battery life and there were times we’d forget to charge the device and I wouldn’t realise until we got an alert or logged into the app.
We used the smart dog collars in our yard in the suburbs and for our walks in the neighborhood. The Fi collar was perfect for this scenario, whereas the Tractive might be a better choice for dog owners who hike a lot.
Fi Series 3 Smart Dog Collar
We had noticed some dog influencers promoting the Fi smart dog collar so we decided to invest in two of them to try out on Copper and Skye.
Copper and Skye are sensitive dogs and Fi’s integrated design appealed to us. The tracker is incorporated into the collar, so it’s less intrusive. It was easy to use and my Klee Kai dogs didn’t notice they were sporting smart collars.
As you can guess from my story above, I wanted a smart dog collar that functioned in my neighborhood to keep my dogs safe. It has live tracking so I can keep tabs on my Klee Kai if they’re outside.
They monitor your dog’s activity and health, which was a feature we used a lot. Copper needs to lose a little weight so we liked how Fi motivated us to get more active with him.
While the Fi dog collar doesn’t have a containment feature like SpotOn, it does have safe zones. You can set up a virtual fence and if your dog leaves this area, the collar will send an alert to your phone.
The Fi smart device has an impressive battery life – it can last up to three months. This is great longevity when compared to other brands on the market, including Tractive. However, it’s worth noting that the battery will drain more quickly the more you use the tracking features.
With regards to price, we signed up for a biannual plan. We’re charged $339 every two years and there’s a one-time $20 activation fee. Other options include $4.40 a week or $19 a month, $3.80 a week or $99 every six months for the six-month plan, $3.60 a week or $189 annually for the yearly plan.
It’s available through their official website or Amazon.
Tractive Smart Dog Collar
Tractive are a reputable brand and if you’re a pet owner, you’ll likely have heard of their smart tracking collars because they’re everywhere!
When we lived in the UK, we invested in a number of Tractive devices, and to be transparent, we’ve previously collaborated with the brand. However, we don’t currently use Tractive devices.
The Tractive differs from the Fi because you need to physically attach it to your dog’s collar. It’s small but can be cumbersome, especially if you’ve got sensitive dogs like our Alaskan Klee Kai.
Copper and Skye didn’t particularly enjoy wearing the Tractive device when at home. We ended up removing the trackers a lot of the time, which was a hassle. We hard to charge them regularly too.
Tractive’s GPS location tracking rivals or perhaps even betters Fi. If you’re someone that likes to explore a lot with your dog, you can have peace of mind knowing they’ve got great coverage.
It might be a pro for some dog owners that you can attach the Tractive to all manner of collars. It’s versatile. It just didn’t fit our needs and Fi’s integrated design worked much better.
The Tractive wins when it comes to price. It’s much cheaper at around $69 for the tracker. However, you’ll need a subscription. You can get a one-year plan billed at $120, a two-year plan billed at $168, and five-year plan billed at $300. You can buy the Tractive on their official website or Amazon.
Wrapping Up
We’ve reached the end of our Fi and Tractive comparison article. They’re two great choices for pet parents.
Our recommendation would be the Fi series dog collar based on our experience using the device on Copper and Skye.
While Tractive is still a good option, Fi’s integrated approach was a standout feature, allowing our Klee Kai dogs to feel comfortable wearing it.
Kieran runs Life With Klee Kai on social media and other online platforms alongside his wife Yasmin. With over 10 years of experience as a journalist and a passionate dog owner, Kieran loves to combine his passion for pets and writing to share useful insights and product reviews to help other dog owners.