Comparing the Fi Series 3 With the Halo 3 Collar [2023]
When it comes to keeping tabs on our beloved furry companions, the technology available to pet owners has significantly progressed over the years. Dog GPS collars, such as the Fi Series 3 and Halo Collar 3, have risen to prominence as reliable tools to ensure pets’ safety and provide peace of mind to pet parents everywhere. But a smart collar isn’t just about tracking your pet’s location; they also offer insights into your dog’s health and activity levels.
With distinct features and capabilities, both Fi Series 3 and Halo Collar 3 stand out in the pet tech market where there are tonnes of GPS dog trackers. But how do they stack up against each other? Which one will better serve your needs, and more importantly, your pet’s needs? In this detailed comparison of these two awesome GPS collar, we will delve into their functionalities, technologies, durability, customer reviews, compatibility, and customer support, offering comprehensive insight to help you make an informed choice.
From advanced location technology to durability and battery life, to additional integrations and support, we dissect the essential features of both these collars to determine which might emerge as the better option. Let’s get started on our comparative journey between the advanced Fi Series 3 and the innovative Halo Collar 3 and see which is truly better for dog owners.
Fi Vs Halo
Full reviews: Halo Collar Review • Fi Dog Collar Review
(Note: The Halo collar is a shock collar – it’s been cleverly marketed, but it is absolutely a shock collar, and you do need to know that, these are not training methods I condone, but in some very slim instances the smart dog fence of the halo collar is an advantage)
Full Comparison: Fi Series 3 and Halo Collar 3
Both devices offer the benefits of smart technology, a tracking feature, and the ability to include family members, but there are some things that differ between them – and we’ll be digging into those features here so you know which is a good choice for you and your pup.
Battery Life
When it comes to battery life, how much time does it take before you need to charge them? Both the Fi Series 3 and Halo Collar 3 have different capabilities and performance levels that set them apart.
Fi Series 3 boasts an impressive battery life based on its usage mode. In the default setting, its battery can last up to 3 months on a single charge – however – in practicality, we have an acre of land that’s rather well covered with wifi (which supports the Fi Series 3 also), and instead of the 3 months, we get about a month – less when there’s a storm or a significant powercut.
Halo Collar 3, has to be charged every day. It has a 24hr battery life at maximum, but it does offer a more power heavy system. Practically, this is a pain in the butt and it does mean that you have to stay on top of this.
Advanced Technology and Features
The Fi Series 3 brings some powerful tech benefits. It utilizes a triple threat of global satellite positioning systems: GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo, capable of locating your dog within a mere 6-foot radius. All these are coupled with the long-range, low-power LTE-M cellular network extending about 30% further than traditional cellular networks, further reinforcing the device’s vast connectivity range – which is even buffed by your wi-fi connection (we love our mesh network for this!).
Comparatively, the Halo Dog Collar takes a more singular approach with its PrecisionGPS
system, effectively learning your dog’s habits and movements to enhance tracking accuracy progressively. Moreover, Halo 3 employs an active antenna engagement mechanism that proves beneficial in challenging locations with poor satellite reception.
Escape Detection and Swift Alerts
Both Fi Series 3 and Halo Collar 3 lay substantial emphasis on quick escape detection and escape alerts – and that’s what most smart dog collars do – but these two are probably the best of their relative sectors.
The Fi Series 3 employs proprietary algorithms that swiftly alert the pet owner when their dog escapes, ensuring a rapid recovery process. This makes the Fi Series 3 particularly useful for dogs prone to adventurous escapades and anxious pets prone to running off in surprise or fright.
The Halo Collar 3, while dedicated to escape detection, enhances its utility with real-time location tracking. Not only does it detect escapes promptly, but it can also continuously and accurately track your pet’s movements. The real-time tracking system of Halo 3 is especially helpful if your pet is continuously on the move or interacts with multiple dogs, helping keep tabs on their overall movement and activity levels.
Durability and Resilience
When considering durability of the device, Fi Series 3 seems to have an edge. With an impressive waterproof rating of IP68 and IP66K (meaning it’s completely dust-tight and can survive up to 1.5 meters of fresh water for up to 30 minutes without the need for extra cases or covers) it showcases increased resilience to both water and high pressure. Moreover, Fi Series 3 ensures your pet’s safety with its stainless-steel body resistant to punctures, which, whilst ours has worn significantly since it’s initial use in December 2022, it’s holding up really well.
While the Halo Collar 3 does promise a waterproof design, it lacks a disclosed waterproof rating and does not boast specific destruction-proof features, putting it slightly behind Fi Series 3 – I also really don’t like the cover – it makes things even more fussy – which considering it’s the best part of $700, and I have to charge it daily? It’s not the best way to keep things simple.
Boundaries: Geofence vs Virtual Fence
Both collars provide the ability to set up boundaries or a “designated area” – both use your dogs location vs the lines and boundaries you set within their app – however the consequence of your dog going through that virtual boundary is significantly different.
Fi Collar offers a multi-point fenced area now, allowing you to map out your exact plot and set it as a safe zone and use GPS technology to place our furry friends within that boundary – however – the consequence of your pup leaving this zone is to simply alert you that pup has done so. Which is really handy for us in our home and couples really well with our physical fence.
Meanwhile, Halo Collar 3 offers a “smart fence”, and is more akin to an invisible fence, i.e. there is a punitive measure for your dog if they violate the halo fences.
Whilst I’ve yet to see it happen with the Halo collar, I know GPS devices are not infallible (I mean, how often are you driving and it pings you onto a different road and demands you do a u-turn?), and if that kind of error happens to your dog? That could result in a redirected bite… That gives me pause.
Wearability
It’s good to note that the Halo collar is not a collar that’s designed for constant wear. It’s a collar that’s not meant to go in a crate, not meant to be worn in the home, but is meant to be worn out of the house in your yard or a social area.
This is in total opposition to the Fi Series 3 collar which is designed to be worn all day long and that’s a really powerful thing to remember when making your decision.
Activity Tracking and Health Monitoring
The Fi Series 3 collar not only tracks your dog’s location but also is an activity tracker and sleep (which is my absolute favourite) – Measuring activity levels by measuring steps taken throughout the day and it’s all visible in the fi app, which has improved significantly over the years. This feature enables pet owners to monitor their dog’s overall health by setting step goals and identifying trends that affect their well-being.
While the Halo collar app primarily focuses on advanced location tracking, and whilst it does monitor activity, the halo app isn’t as organic as the Fi app – at least for me.
Sure, let’s delve even deeper, understanding how each tracker fits into the wider ecosystem of pet care and management tools, compatibility with other devices, and customer support from each company.
Integrations and Compatibility
In today’s connected world, the ability to share data and integrate with other management tools can be highly beneficial. It allows more seamless pet supervision and more useful data consolidation.
Fi Series 3 operates in a closed ecosystem. The collar’s data can be accessed via their proprietary Fi mobile app on Android and iOS, which allows for real-time location tracking, activity monitoring, and geofence setup. As of now, it appears Fi Series 3 does not readily integrate with other pet monitoring apps or devices beyond its own offerings.
On the other hand, Halo Collar 3 offers more comprehensive integrations with its partnerships with leading pet care platforms. Its strong emphasis on building an holistic pet care system is evident from partnerships with dog training experts like Cesar Millan. As such, the Halo system caters not only to safety but behavioral training too.
Leash Attachment
This one may actually make a big difference for a lot of you, and it’s an oversight for a lot of people
The Halo 3 Collar cannot have a leash attached to it as it is a shock collar.
The Fi Series 3 not only can have a leash attached to it, but it actually has a break strength of up 400lbs – which is pretty good! You can also elect to upgrade the collar to an even sturdier collar like we did for Shelby from Tactipup! We’re really pleased with it, it’s nice to have something a bit more vibrant but still really easy to use.
Customer Service and Support
Both companies provide robust customer service, and having tested both, they are pretty equivalent.
Fi offers:
- A live chat feature on their website for immediate assistance.
- An online resource center with FAQ and troubleshooting guide.
- Email support for more complex queries.
Halo provides:
- Email and phone support, addressing varied user needs.
- Extensive resources in their digital training center equipped with video lessons and answers to common FAQs.
- Live chat feature on the website for real-time assistance – which I do really like – but as always they have rather limited capabilities.
Cost & Subscriptions
Halo has a sizeable upfront cost of $699, and Fi actually works in a much more similar way to your phone plan, so there’s a $20 activation, and then just the monthly cost.
Both trackers require subscription plans to access full-featured services.
For the Fi Series 3, depending on how often you want to pay, will depend on how much you pay, the subscription plan is quite reasonable in my opinion.
Activiation (up front) – $20
Monthly – $24
Every 6 months – $102
Annually – $192
Every 2 years – $336
Fi also provide a multi-dog discount of 5% and waive the future activation fee.
For the Halo Collar 3, the upfront cost is a whopping $699, plus a monthly fee of somewhere between $5.99 for the basic plan and $29.99 for the more advanced plan that has more data storage for what your GPS dog collar actually learns about your dog.
Halo also provide a multi-dog discount also, their top two plans give a $50 discount on the device, and are an additional $4-5/month.
Honey!
If you’re looking for discounts? Always go to Honey. You’d be amazed how many codes they have (and I tested it for both sites, they do usually have codes running!). The savings vary and may not be major – but Honey can absolutely help you make those pennies go even further!
Wrapping it Up
Through a comprehensive comparison between the Fi Series 3 and Halo Collar 3, we have explored their advanced technology, design, and capabilities to help you choose the most suitable collar for your beloved canine companion.
The Fi Series 3 is a phenomenal option for virtually every dog parent, offering an extensive network coverage, impressive battery life, and robust durability. With the added bonus of tracking health and activity data, it is an excellent investment to ensure the safety and well-being of your pet.
On the other hand, the Halo Collar 3 caters to a niche market with its alternative to an invisible fence that are totally customisable from your phone… proving to be a valuable tool for those who cannot fence their yard or lack access to a secure area. It’s a wireless fence with tracking features designed to give instant feedback to you and your dog that they’re going where they shouldn’t. This allows pet owners to create virtual boundaries that safeguard their pets and ensure individualized monitoring, even in the most complex environments.
Ultimately, both collars demonstrate a commitment to pet safety and reliable tracking. However, the Fi Series 3 is the real choice if you’re just looking to keep track of your dog, and have that extra peace of mind, and is a versatile choice suitable for a broader range of dog parents, while the Halo Collar 3 caters to the unique needs of those in search of an easier or more flexible fencing solution.
Personally? We’ll be using the Fi day to day, and we don’t have much of a reason to continue using the Halo collar. Which is a shame, but, that’s how it goes!
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Author, Ali Smith
Ali Smith is the Positive Puppy Expert, dog trainer and is the founder of Rebarkable. She is passionate about helping puppy parents get things right, right from the start. To help create a puppy capable of being a confident and adaptable family member and keep puppies out of shelters.
Ali has won multiple awards for her dog training, and has had her blog (this blog!) rated as 2021 & 2022 worlds’ best pet blog!
Thanks to depositphotos.com for the images!