Garmin Astro 430 VS DOTT Pet Tracker
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While both DOTT Pet Tracker and Garmin Astro 430 can help prevent your pet from becoming lost, they are not equally well-suited for pets of all shapes, sizes, preferences, and habits. Explore our thorough DOTT Pet Tracker vs. Garmin Astro 430 comparison to discover how well each of these two pet trackers fits the unique needs of your best pal and which one is just right for him or her.
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Highlights
Relying on the support from the DOTT app user community, DOTT The Smart Dog Tag is a Bluetooth pet tracker that maximizes the chances of finding lost pets and serves as an all-in-one pet care solution.
- Small and lightweight; water-resistant and shatterproof
- Virtual leash informs you when your pet wanders off too far
- Keep a record of your pet’s activities (walks, food, and more)
- Price: $40.00
- Shipping: $
Garmin Astro 430 is a premium dog tracking system that provides location updates within seconds, tracks up to 20 dogs at once, and has a massive set of both standard and special features.
- High precision with GPS/GLONASS, mean accuracy of 12 feet
- 2.5-second location update rate; 9-mile communication range
- Amazing durability; no monthly fees; 1-year limited warranty
- Price: $649.99
- Shipping: $
Compare Features
Highlights
DOTT is an affordable Bluetooth pet tracker that provides basic location tracking features. It comes in the form of a small tag that can be attached to any collar and sends information to pet owners via a dedicated app. Anyone can download the app to help locate lost pets - the more DOTT app users in your area, the bigger your chances of finding your dog or cat. DOTT also allows you to keep a record of your pet's activities, including walks, food intake, medications, and more.
Type
Bluetooth Pet Tracker
Design
DOTT pet tracker comes in the form of a small, round plastic
tag. It is white and has a blue button in the center. There is only one color
variation available. Measuring 0.6 inches in radius (1.52 cm) and weighing only
0.25 oz. (7 grams), the tag can be attached to any type of collar with the
metal ring attachment that comes with the device. The tag is laser
engravable.
Available Sizes
DOTT pet tracker comes in one size and can be attached to any collar. It is suitable for pets of all sizes.
Suitable For Cats
Durability
DOTT is an inexpensive pet tracker that is water resistant and shatterproof. It should last for at least a couple of years.
Key Tracking Features
DOTT pet tracker comes with the following features:
- Location tracking within the range of 350 feet;
- Community location tracking with notifications sent to the owner’s phone when the pet is found by another DOTT app user;
- Virtual Leash that allows the user to set up a mobile safe zone for his or her pet.
Pet Activity Monitoring
DOTT tracker does not monitor pet activity.
Training Assistance
DOTT pet tracker does not provide training assistance.
Additional Features
Additional features available with the DOTT app include:
- Health journal, which allows you to keep track of your pet’s walks, potty breaks, food intake, and medication;
- Sharing responsibilities with multiple caretakers with regular status updates related to pet care.
Communication Range
350 feet in all directions
Weight
0.25 oz. (7 grams)
Shockproof
Waterproof
Night Mode
Battery Life
6 to 9 months (disposable, not rechargeable)
Smartphone App
The DOTTpet app helps pet owners locate lost pets, set up a virtual safe zone, and keep a record of their pets' walks, food intake, potty breaks, and medication.
Connectivity
DOTT pet tracker relies on Bluetooth technology.
Coverage
Given the fact that DOTT pet tracker relies on Bluetooth technology and does not require any external services to work, it can be used anywhere on the globe. However, the usefulness of this device depends on the number of people who use the DOTTpet app in the surrounding area.
Pricing
About 40 USD on Amazon
Shipping and Delivery
Free shipping is provided in the USA.
Refund Policy
DOTT pet tracker does not come with a money-back guarantee.
Warranty
DOTT pet tracker comes with a 1-month warranty.
Highlights
Garmin Astro 430 is a professional dog tracking system that offers location updates every 2.5 seconds, has a communication range of up to 9 miles, boasts great precision due to the use of both GPS and GLONASS, offers a vast range of special features, tracks up to 20 dogs at once, and comes with no monthly fees.
Type
GPS Pet Tracker
Design
The Garmin Astro 430 tracking system includes one handheld locator and either the T5 or T5 mini tracking unit with a special collar. Both the locator and the tracking units feature a black-and-orange color scheme. They are made of durable materials like heavy-duty plastic and stainless steel. The handheld locator features a transreflective 65-K color TFT display measuring 2.6’’ in diagonal. It comes with standard and long-range stainless steel radio antennas and a top-mounted GPS antenna. The T5 tracking unit comes with a top-mounted GPS antenna and standard and long-range radio antennas while T5 mini comes with a top-mounted GPS antenna and a standard radio antenna. Both tracking units feature LED light beacons and the locator is equipped with a vibration motor.
Available Sizes
The Garmin Astro 430 handheld locator is compatible with the T5 and T5 mini tracking units that differ in size. T5 measures 1.74’’ x 3.5’’ x 1.85’’ (HWD), comes with a 1-inch collar strap, and weighs 9.3 oz. with the collar. T5 mini measures 1.8’’x 3.1’’ x 1.4’’ (HWD), comes with a 0.75-inch collar strap, and weighs 7 oz. with the collar. T5 is suitable for neck circumferences of 9.5+ inches while T5 mini fits smaller necks.
Suitable For Cats
Durability
Garmin Astro 430 is not shockproof, but both the locator and the tracking units are durable, waterproof, impervious to dust and dirt, and suitable for use in all kinds of harsh conditions. They are built to withstand frequent bumps and blows and they can easily last for years with no diminishments in functionality.
Key Tracking Features
Garmin Astro 430 is a feature-rich pet tracker that offers:
- Near-real-time tracking with a 2.5-second location refresh rate, accuracy within 12 feet, and 10,000 points of information per dog;
- Additional maps, such as BirdsEye Satellite Imagery, HuntView, TOPO U.S. 24K, and City Navigator NT for turn-by-turn routing;
- BaseCamp software for trip planning;
- BaseStation software for computer tracking;
- Multiple tracking profiles, such as hunting, automotive, marine, and recreational;
- Multiple dashboards within a single page;
- Customizable dog display providing dog name, direction, distance, and status data.
Pet Activity Monitoring
Garmin Astro 430 does not monitor pet activity.
Training Assistance
Garmin Astro 430 does not provide training assistance.
Additional Features
Garmin Astro 430 offers a multitude of bonus features, including but not limited to:
- Hunt metrics providing insight into dogs’ hunting patterns and behavior;
- Convey counter for creating up to 2,000 waypoints;
- Rescue mode for battery saving;
- Wireless sharing;
- Area calculation;
- Hunt and fish calendar;
- Sun and moon information.
Communication Range
4 miles with T5 mini, 9 miles with T5
Weight
T5 mini: 7 oz. with collar; T5: 9.3 oz. with collar
Shockproof
Waterproof
Night Mode
Battery Life
Handheld locator: up to 20 hours; T5: 20-40 hours; T5 mini: 16-30 hours
Smartphone App
Garmin Astro 420 does not come with a smartphone app.
Connectivity
Garmin Astro 430 uses GLONASS and GPS for location tracking and radio frequency signals for inter-device communication.
Coverage
Garmin Astro 430 does not rely on external services, so it can work anywhere in the world. However, due to varying international regulations, it is only approved for use within the US.
Pricing
$649.99
Shipping and Delivery
Garmin Astro 430 can be shipped throughout the US, including Alaska and Hawaii. Shipping is free of charge - unless you opt for next business day shipping, in which case you pay an $18 shipping fee.
Refund Policy
Garmin Astro 430 comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Warranty
Garmin Astro 430 comes with a 1-year limited warranty. Repairs come with a 90-day warranty.
Compare Ratings
Compare User Reviews
- Submitted By Jack Green on 03/20/2019This device will only give you in and out of range alerts. It doesn’t give you the exact location of your pet, just notifies you when your pet is within range.
- Submitted By Gary Adams on 01/20/2019Good concept but still in the early stage. I bought this because I saw it had many positive reviews and it was a reasonable price. However, I don’t know how useful it is when you need to locate a lost pet.
- Submitted By Leah Thomas on 11/27/2019Before I bought the Garmin 320 I read somewhere in the reviews that there is a rescue mode option that allows you to save the battery by switching to it and that feature enables you to save the battery life when it’s on its end and track you dog for a few hours more. It also has a highly advanced map tracking options that allows you to update maps depending on taking the road or going through water and stuff like that. It’s a really professional device because it offers so much more than a regular map which you get with a regular pet tracker and you can also store detailed information about each time you catch something like place, time and that sort of stuff.
- Submitted By Clayton Logan on 08/08/2019Apart from being expensive I can’t seem to find anything wrong with this tracker. My wife bought it for me as a birthday present, I think she likes to see me out of the house honestly, and it really did the trick. The only thing I think needs improving is the battery which could be a bit more long lasting but you can recharge it over night. The range is impressive, almost 10 miles with gps being wildly accurate at all times. There is no glitches or bugs, the tracker is fast and precise and what I like the most is that you can adjust the display to show you important information without having to stop and look for it yourself.
- Submitted By Austin Fowler on 05/02/2019This is a durable device built to withstand everything you can possibly thing off. My dog and I had some crazy adventures and let me tell you I didn’t think it would last. I’m sorry to see the company disconnected the line but I truly hope the new version is as good as this one. I can not tell you how many times the bright orange collar helped me spot Max and stopped me from making noise and ruining a perfectly good shot. I really do thing that is worth every penny and you can see that is is built to last. The performances are excellent including the gps which is crazy spot on.
- Submitted By Lyle Pearson on 03/07/2019I’m a passionate hunter so a friend recommended Garmin. It was a bit pricey but I did my research and read tons of reviews and finally decided to invest. The company has such a good reputation which has proven to be a deciding factor. It everything proofed, long range and I can transfer all the data via usb. The battery, however, needs some improvement considering it is a regular aa battery and the life span is not too long. The same goes for the rechargeable battery which only lasts for 40 hours max and my hunting trips sometimes last for 3, or 4 days straight in complete isolation. I suggest improving that otherwise everything else is great!
Winner
Garmin Astro 430 is a professional dog tracking system that provides fresh location updates every 2.5 seconds, boasts great accuracy and durability, and has more useful features than you can count. If you do not want to settle for just any pet tracking device, read this Garmin Astro 430 review to learn all about this highly advanced tracker.