What a GPS Pet Tracker Really Costs
Every tracker in our Top 10 needs a subscription — the device price is only the down payment. This calculator adds the plan to the device and re-ranks all ten by what you actually pay. Plan prices come from each maker's own published plan pages (US pricing), verified November 2, 2026.
Cheapest to buy — and tied for cheapest to own: the Petcube GPS Tracker totals $149.99 over 2 years, level with the Life360 Pet GPS Tracker.
| # | Tracker | Device | Plan for the period | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Life360 Pet GPS Tracker AmRank rank #5 · Score 79 | $50 | $99.99 First year included · then 1 × 1-year @ $99.99 | $149.99 ≈ $6.25/mo all-in | See price on Amazon |
| 2 | Petcube GPS Tracker AmRank rank #8 · Score 73 | $29.99 | $120 1 × 2-year @ $120 | $149.99 ≈ $6.25/mo all-in | See price on Amazon |
| 3 | FitBark GPS (2nd Gen) AmRank rank #6 · Score 78 | $35 | $144 1 × 2-year @ $144 | $179 ≈ $7.46/mo all-in | See price on Amazon |
| 4 | Pawfit 3 AmRank rank #7 · Score 76 | $59.99 | $119.76 1 × 2-year @ $119.76 | $179.75 ≈ $7.49/mo all-in | See price on Amazon |
| 5 | Tractive DOG 6 AmRank rank #1 · Score 90 | $47 | $144 1 × 2-year @ $144 | $191 ≈ $7.96/mo all-in | See price on Amazon |
| 6 | Tractive CAT 6 Mini AmRank rank #3 · Score 83 | $49 | $144 1 × 2-year @ $144 | $193 ≈ $8.04/mo all-in | See price on Amazon |
| 7 | Jiobit Smart Tag AmRank rank #10 · Score 68 | $130 | $199.98 2 × 1-year @ $99.99 | $329.98 ≈ $13.75/mo all-in | Official Site |
| 8 | Fi Mini AmRank rank #4 · Score 80 | $99 | $339 1 × 2-year @ $339 | $438 ≈ $18.25/mo all-in | See price on Amazon |
| 9 | Fi Series 3+ AmRank rank #2 · Score 84 | $129 | $339 1 × 2-year @ $339 | $468 ≈ $19.50/mo all-in | See price on Amazon |
| 10 | Fi Ultra AmRank rank #9 · Score 69 | $199 | $339 1 × 2-year @ $339 | $538 ≈ $22.42/mo all-in | See price on Amazon |
Plan prices verified November 2, 2026 · US plans only · Device prices from the ranking, checked October 2026
How this works
Device prices are the ranked prices from our GPS Pet Trackers ranking. Plan prices are the cheapest published plan that makes each tracker work, taken from the maker's own plan page (sources below), US pricing in USD, verified November 2, 2026. Prepaid mode finds the cheapest combination of published terms that covers the whole period; a term longer than the remaining period is charged in full, the way the maker bills it. Where a maker includes plan time with a device purchase — Life360 includes the first year — the calculator counts it. Where a maker offers no monthly billing in the US (Tractive, Fi, FitBark), the monthly view repeats that maker's shortest plan instead, and the row says so. Prices exclude taxes and any optional add-on coverage.
Plan price sources (each maker's own pages)
- tractive.com
- support.fitracking.com
- www.life360.com
- www.fitbark.com
- www.pawfit.com
- petcube.com
- support.life360.com
Questions, answered
How much does a GPS dog tracker cost per month?
Every tracker ranked here requires a plan. On prepaid terms the plans work out to roughly $4–$16 a month depending on the maker and the term; month-to-month billing, where a maker offers it in the US, runs $9.99–$16.99 a month. Three makers — Tractive, Fi and FitBark — sell prepaid terms only in the US.
Does every GPS pet tracker need a subscription?
Yes — every one of the ten ranked here. The plan pays for the cellular connection that carries your pet's location to your phone; without it the device cannot report. That is why this page ranks trackers by device plus plan, never by device price alone.
What is the cheapest GPS pet tracker to own over two years?
Two trackers tie at $149.99 all-in over two years on prepaid terms: the Life360 Pet GPS Tracker ($50 device, first plan year included with purchase, then one $99.99 Silver year) and the Petcube GPS Tracker ($29.99 device plus a $120 two-year Basic plan). The most expensive to own is the Fi Ultra at $538 — a $199 device plus $339 of membership.
Is the Tractive DOG 6 worth it with the subscription?
The DOG 6 is $47 up front; its Basic plan is $108 for one year or $144 for two — $155 for the first year and $191 over two, mid-pack on cost while holding the category's highest AmRank Score (90). On true cost it remains the pick for most owners.
Why is the cheapest tracker to buy not the cheapest to own?
The device is paid once; the plan repeats. The Fi Mini looks mid-priced at $99, but its membership brings two years to $438 — more than the $130 Jiobit ($329.98 all-in). And the $35 FitBark GPS ($179 over two years) undercuts the $47 Tractive DOG 6 ($191) on ownership cost despite the higher shelf price of the Tractive.