How Well Does The Fi Collar Work? Here's What Pet Owners Say

The traditional dog collar has long been used as a way to display information about your pet, such as its name, home address, and your contact information. But it's not always enough to alleviate the worries of some pet owners. Hazards such as bad weather, dangerous wildlife, or nearby traffic can bring harm to your furry friend in an instant, making time of the essence should they disappear. The Fi Dog Collar aims to provide owners with peace of mind and go a step further to bring the age-old dog collar into the new age. 

This high-tech accessory acts as a smart collar that keeps track of your dog's location and behavior. Owners can access that information through the accompanying Fi app. Its biggest draw are its GPS capabilities, which give owners a strong reading of where their dog is at any time, no matter the location, as opposed to the more limited range of an AirTag. Similar to your Fitbit, it also relays information about your dog's health, including sleep monitoring, eating, scratching, and even step tracking. The collar comes in a wide array of sizes and colors, all of which are comfortable and long-lasting with an IP68-waterproof rating and three-month battery life. 

From keeping track of an off-leash pet to providing precise information for vet checkups, the Fi Dog Collar appears to be a versatile tool for any dog owner. But the true testament to any item's value will be how actual users have received the product. So before getting a Fi Dog Collar of your own, sit and stay to hear the good, bad, and ugly that longtime users have experienced. 

The Fi Dog Collar has received largely positive reviews from pet parents. Its powerful functionality and ever-evolving set of advanced features have consistently put it high on the list of smart collar recommendations. As of this writing, the most recent model is the Fi Series 3 and 3+, which will be what we primarily focus our attention on. 

As its GPS functions are among the collar's biggest draw, this is the aspect that has received the most attention. On Reddit, u/geeniedreamer-78 praised the Fi Dog Collar's on-point tracking capabilities, stating, "My girl Nala hates being fenced in [...] so she frequently sneaks out of our fence. Fi has alerted me every single time. I just checked my log of over 72 escape attempts for 2023." They later shared how the collar even alerted them to their dog's location while encountering a mountain lion. Much of this accuracy can be attributed to the Series 3's ability to use Wi-Fi and Bluetooth while indoors and switch to cellular networks whenever the dog is out of range of these signals.

Among the most praised aspects of the Series 3 is its exceptional battery life. When testing the product, PCMag found that only 3% of battery life was used daily during average use, representing an improvement from the Series 2 that lost around 5% a day. Redditor u/AppropriateView9269 also complimented this element, commenting, "Definitely worth the money [...] the battery lasts forever, I think I charged it maybe 5 times in a year."

Even the best tech products have their downsides, and the Fi Dog Collar is no exception. Before purchasing, it's important that we bring up these concerns that might make them ill-suited for your specific situation. 

As you can imagine, such a high-tech pet gadget comes with a high price tag. Getting a Series 3 or 3+ collar and utilizing any of its features requires a regular subscription. The options include a $99 6-month plan, a $189 annual plan, or a $339 2-year plan. A $19.99 monthly plan is also available, but, as with most monthly subscriptions, it will cost you more in the long run. An additional $20 activation fee is also processed during checkout, no matter the plan. Reviewer Kieran Beckles noted that past Fi Dog Collar models only required a one-time payment for the tracker itself and allowed users to have access to basic features, with the subscription being optional.

The app itself has also received criticism, particularly from Android users such one Google Play review, which reads, "GPS usually doesn't connect to my phone, walk paths are not correct even when I have the ap open on the phone with me. Customer Service is virtually non-existent and not helpful at all." Another major limitation for some is that the Fi Dog Collar can only be used in the U.S. While you can still monitor activity while abroad if your dog is still on American soil, the collar won't operate if your dog is traveling with you internationally as it strictly relies on U.S.-based AT&T networks.