Whistle 3 VS Loc8tor Pet
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Whistle 3 and Loc8tor Pet are both highly rated pet tracking solutions, but they greatly differ in terms of the features they offer. In this Whistle 3 VS Loc8tor Pet review, we list their top qualities side by side and determine which of these two pet trackers offers greater value for your money.
VS
Highlights
Loc8tor Pet is an RF-based pet tracker best suited for cats and small pets. It is highly accurate, perfectly lightweight, and works anywhere on the globe, within a range of up to 400 feet.
- Weighs just 0.126 ounces (5 grams); accurate within 1 inch
- Dual directional system providing audio and visual cues
- No fees; 30-day money-back guarantee; 2-year warranty
- Price: $99.99
- Shipping: $0
Whistle is a popular GPS tracker and activity monitor for cats and dogs that offers an impressive feature set, great accuracy, and an almost unlimited communication range.
- Works over any distance within AT&T cellular coverage
- Create multiple fully customizable safe zones for your pet
- Affordable, small, lightweight, waterproof, and shockproof
- Price: $99.95
- Shipping: $0
Compare Features
Highlights
Loc8tor Pet is one of the smallest and lightest pet trackers in existence. It comes with no monthly fees, works anywhere in the world, has a communication range of approximately 400 feet, boasts a battery life of 7-12 months, and is accurate within 1 inch.
Type
Radio-Frequency-Based Pet Tracker
Design
Loc8tor Pet consists of a handheld locator and 2 pet tags that can be attached to any collar or harness using the provided key ring loops and adhesive strips. Both the locator and the tags are small, light, and black. The locator is slim and the size of a credit card. It features an ON/OFF button, a volume button, 4 buttons for registering and locating the pet tags, and 8 directional lights. The tags are disk-shaped and measure 1.2’’ x 0.8’’ x 0.3’’ (HWD). Each tag is equipped with a built-in speaker and LED light.
Available Sizes
Loc8tor Pet comes in 1 size and fits any collar.
Suitable For Cats
Durability
Loc8tor Pet does not boast great durability. Not resistant to impact, it is best suited for pets that are not prone to rough play. In theory, it can last for years, but only if your pet is not too active and you keep the tag in the splashproof case provided in the package.
Key Tracking Features
Loc8tor Pet only possesses 1 tracking feature that allows you to:
- Locate your pet using audio and visual cues, with the handheld locator guiding you toward your pet with the use of directional lights and sound pitch and frequency.
Pet Activity Monitoring
Loc8tor Pet does not monitor pet activity.
Training Assistance
The Loc8tor Pet tag comes with a built-in speaker that can be remotely activated by pushing the assigned button on the handheld locator. This functionality can be used for sound training.
Additional Features
Loc8tor Pet does not provide any extra features.
Communication Range
400 feet
Weight
5 grams (0.176 ounces)
Shockproof
Waterproof
Night Mode
Battery Life
7-12 months (disposable)
Smartphone App
Loc8tor Pet does not come with a smartphone app.
Connectivity
Loc8tor Pet exclusively uses RF-based technology for tracking and communication.
Coverage
Loc8tor Pet boasts worldwide coverage.
Pricing
- Loc8tor Pet Pack - $99.99; - Replacement headset - $59.99; - Replacement tag - $29.99.
Shipping and Delivery
Loc8tor Pet comes with free 2-day shipping within the US, but you can also opt for USA overnight shipping ($24.99). Worldwide shipping is available with varying shipping fees.
Refund Policy
Loc8tor Pet comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Warranty
Loc8tor Pet comes with a 2-year manufacturer's warranty that covers significant defects in material and workmanship.
Highlights
Whistle is a lightweight GPS pet tracker that works throughout the US, boasts high accuracy and good battery life, allows for both location and activity tracking and offers extraordinary safe zone customization options.
Type
GPS Pet Tracker
Design
Whistle tracking unit comes in the form of a rounded cuboid and is available in 3 versions, including gray, green, and blue. It measures 1.82 inches in height by 1.45 inches in width by 0.61 inches in depth. It is attached to the pet's collar or harness with the use of a rubber attachment strap. The attachment mechanism allows you to easily twist the device on and off.
Available Sizes
Whistle does not come in different sizes and it fits most collars up to 1'' wide.
Suitable For Cats
Durability
Whistle is IP67 dirt and shock resistant and waterproof up to 3 feet underwater for up to 30 minutes. It comes with a durable attachment strap made of strong rubber and it is designed to endure rough play. It does not have a specific lifespan but can last for at least a couple of years with proper use.
Key Tracking Features
Whistle allows you to keep track of your pet’s location with:
- GPS location tracking, which allows you to get location updates every 60 seconds;
- Multiple safe zones, which are fully customizable in terms of size and shape;
- 24-hour location history for your pet;
- Text, email, and push notifications sent when your pet leaves the safe zone;
- Sharing, which allows you to give your friends and family full access to all Whistle tracking features.
Pet Activity Monitoring
Whistle allows you to gain full insight into your pet’s activity levels with:
- 24-hour activity records shown in the form of a graph;
- Information on distance traveled;
- Rest time and active time expressed in minutes and hours;
- Information on pet’s activity level (moderate and intense);
- Number of calories pet has burned during the day;
- Custom activity goals, which you can define yourself or let the app define based on your pet’s breed, weight, and age.
Training Assistance
Whistle does not provide training assistance.
Additional Features
Extra features available with Whistle include: - battery alerts, notifying you when the device's battery is low and needs to be recharged.
Communication Range
Whistle works over any distance within AT&T and WiFi coverage.
Weight
0.92 oz., 1.25 oz. with the attachment piece
Shockproof
Waterproof
Night Mode
Battery Life
About 7 days with good WiFi and cellular coverage
Smartphone App
Whistle smartphone app is available free of charge. It is compatible with iOS 10.0+ and Android 5.0+. It allows you to view your pet’s current location on a Google map, browse 24-hour location history, view 24-hour rest and activity data, receive safe zone, battery, and activity notifications, add and remove safe zones, and adjust settings. You can use the app to track multiple pets and share access with multiple users.
Connectivity
Whistle uses GPS technology for location tracking, WiFi technology for creating safe zones, cellular technology for data transfer between the tracking unit and the pet guardian's smartphone, and Bluetooth technology for pairing the tracking unit with the pet guardian's smartphone.
Coverage
Throughout the US (within AT&T cell coverage)
Pricing
Device: $79.95 (currently $59.95 with a 20% discount); Service plan: $9.95 with the monthly subscription, $7.95 with the yearly subscription, and $6.95 with the 2-year subscription
Shipping and Delivery
Whistle comes with free 2-day shipping.
Refund Policy
Whistle comes with a 90-day money-back guarantee. If you are not satisfied with the product, you just need to return it within 90 days of purchase in order to receive a full refund.
Warranty
Whistle does not come with a warranty.
Compare Ratings
Compare User Reviews
- Submitted By Jo Jo on 05/15/2019Have been using on my cats collars for Many years great way of finding wandering cats. However new style are far to big for cats collars, cats look uncomfortable I feel that new design has not been an improvement
- Submitted By Tim Robbins on 05/02/2018In my experience, the range is usually much smaller than 400 feet, that was the greatest disappointment for me. Other than that, it works fine, but mostly for tracking indoors.
- Submitted By Gary Finch on 01/21/2018Only useful if you have a small backyard with impenetrable fence and have a really small cat that likes to relax in the bushes or trees. Or if you actually want to track a tortoise, not an animal that can run.
- Submitted By Jessica Rhodes on 11/12/2017I use one tag for my kitty and the other one for my car keys, very easy to use and really great if your cat likes to hide in the most unusual places like my Sam. Maybe it could be a bit cheaper, but I’m really satisfied with it.
- Submitted By Tim Grady on 11/20/2019I’ve noticed that it doesn’t work very good once it’s not within our home’s wifi zone. Sometimes we go camping and there’s almost no cell reception there so we have problems receiving any data at all. But when we are at home the thing works perfectly. It’s fast and accurate and charge it one a week. Once Stella ran away from my daughter when she saw the neighbours can and my daughter didn’t manage to come home and tell us that for about 5 minutes but I already knew since I got notified and we found stella exactly where the app pinpointed the location within a few minutes standing under the tree, barking at the cat.
- Submitted By Marsha Jones on 06/20/2019Tracy used to wander away from our yard and end up in our neighbour’s yard playing with their dog so to be able to track her down and immediately get notified when she escapes is what matters the most. With whistle I can set up a perimiter where she’s allowed to go and get notified once she leaves that space. It saves me lots of time and worrying when she leaves the yard and when I’m not home I just text the resto of the family where to pick her up.
- Submitted By Jenna Simmons on 05/07/2019I love that this app works as any other activity app I use. You simply download it to your phone and use it like any other where you get to see the history and set up goals once you enter your dog’s information. I share Donna’s activity date with my husband so we can know how much exercise she has that day and dont overdo it.
- Submitted By Patric Small on 04/05/2019This was my tracker of choice because it functions as both tracker and activity monitor. As a family we are passionate hikers so being able to track our Tom’s vitals is very important to us especially since he’s an older dog. The thing I also like is that you have constant coverage because is connected with you phone all you need to do is download the app. You can connect through bluetooth and use your home’s wifi. The cell network is AT&T and if you don’t have wifi you can track your dog as long as the area is covered by the network. And when the signal is strong the coverage precision is really good. We didn’t go anywhere so far were the signal isn’t strong so I don’t know how it works in those places.
Winner
Whistle is a GPS tracking solution for dogs and cats that provides easy and accurate location tracking as well as comprehensive activity monitoring. It is feature-rich, has a good battery life, and works anywhere within AT&T cellular coverage. Read our objective Whistle review for a full overview of this pet tracker’s key characteristics.