A GPS dog collar is a handy tracking tool that lets you know where your pet is at all times, giving you peace of mind when they run off at the dog park, in an unfenced backyard, or on a trail. But the dog collars that stand out go even further, adding features like geofencing and even activity and health monitoring.
We recently compared one of the best in the GPS dog collar segment, the SATELLAI Collar, with the Halo Collar 4 and SpotOn Collar. Halo released an updated version of its collar, the Halo Collar 5, with several improvements over its predecessor. But are they enough to take on the SATELLAI Collar? We find out as we take a quick look at the SATELLAI Collar vs Halo Collar 5!
Location tracking and geofencing
GPS tracking is most effective in open outdoor spaces with clear skies, but conditions are often less than ideal when you’re out for a walk or a trail hike. Not all GPS collars perform well in wooded areas or near city blocks.
To provide more accurate location tracking, SATELLAI uses five satellite systems—GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, QZSS, and BeiDou—along with dual antennas and dual-frequency modules (L1 and L5 bands) to maintain precise tracking, even in tough environments. The SATELLAI Collar offers highly accurate, pinpoint location tracking so you can relax knowing your pup won’t get lost.
Similarly, the Halo Collar 5 uses dual-frequency GPS bands L1 and L5 to improve tracking performance in areas with obstacles or weaker signals. However, Halo 5 relies on a single dual-frequency antenna. Compared to the 2-antenna setup of the SATELLAI Collar, this approach is prone to lower positioning accuracy.
Halo 5 also claims to update location data 20 times per second, but this refers only to its internal sampling rate. In practice, the app still displays location updates at one update per second. In this respect, SATELLAI and Halo 5 deliver the same update frequency to users.
Dave Carr / Android Authority
But it’s not just about knowing where your pet is — these collars also help prevent them from wandering into places they shouldn’t go. Both SATELLAI and Halo feature geofencing capabilities to make this easy.
With the SATELLAI Collar, you can create unlimited fences from anywhere. Setting up these boundaries is simple and quick. You can design unique shapes, long fences, or overlapping zones, with no-go areas inside the boundaries. Covering up to 100,000 acres, there’s practically no limit to how large your virtual wall can be.
So, you can easily set up a fence around your backyard, farm, or ranch, and let your pet enjoy running freely while staying within the boundary. When your dog wearing the SATELLAI Collar approaches the edge, the collar provides feedback, which you can customize via the app.
You’ll have to train your dog to recognize what the feedback from the collar means, of course, so they know not to cross these thresholds. Once they’re able to, you can then comfortably set up boundaries in unfamiliar locations as well, say around a campsite or a dog park.
The Halo Collar 5 offers comparable features, though with a bit less flexibility. Halo claims it can cover an area up to 780,000 acres, but that seems to be based on the upper limit of how far you can place 20 boundary posts, the maximum allowed, and might not be functional at these huge sizes.
Both collars let you create virtual fences, but SATELLAI is known for offering a more flexible and user-friendly experience.
Activity, health monitoring, and AI coaching
The SATELLAI Collar allows you to stay connected with your dog’s activity, using motion sensors to give you insight into how much your pet is moving around or resting. You can conveniently check this information anytime through the app, whether you prefer daily, weekly, or monthly updates.
This data provides a clear picture of your dog’s overall health, especially if you notice a sudden decrease in activity that might mean they’re not feeling too well. And this December, SATELLAI will introduce even more health-tracking features, integrating AI technology more deeply based on data collected by the collar. This feature will proactively analyze pets’ behavioral and health patterns, helping owners anticipate health issues and prevent disease.
The Halo 5 app currently only records the duration of daily dog walks. Other activity and health-monitoring features that you already get with SATELLAI are still under development and will be released later this year.
Dave Carr / Android Authority
What truly sets SATELLAI apart is its built-in AI coaching. This smart feature is integrated into the app and trained on a breed database, so it can give you thoughtful, personalized tips, based on the information you share with it, for caring for your furry friend.
Whether you’re looking for advice on using the product, training tips, nutrition ideas, or breed-specific care, the AI Coach is here to make your dog parenting journey more fun and stress-free.
Robust, comfortable, and safe
Bogdan Petrovan / Android Authority
The SATELLAI Collar, rated IP68 waterproof, is truly designed for adventurous pups, allowing for extended water immersion. Its washable collar cover with reflective gray edging not only adds durability but also helps keep dogs more visible during those low-light strolls.
The collar features a handy Mag Strap with a Fidlock magnetic lock, making it super easy to put on or take off while staying securely in place. The Mag Strap also has a reflective stripe, while the Collar Cover has reflective edging, helping to increase their visibility in the dark or low-light conditions significantly.
Crafted from non-toxic, chew-safe material, the strap is adjustable from 17 to 30 inches, and you can make it smaller—down to 14 inches—by removing the magnetic buckle or switching to the optional Flex Strap with hook-and-loop fastener.
Compared to the SATELLAI Collar, the Halo Collar 5 offers similar quality and durability, though it only has an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance. But the Halo has the bonus of fitting a wider range of dog sizes, fitting necks between 8 and 30.5 inches.
Another huge positive of the SATELLAI Collar is its fantastic battery life. The collar’s 1,600mAh battery gives you up to five days of use on a single charge. On the other hand, the Halo 5’s smaller 860mAh battery lasts around 48 hours. The smaller battery capacity means it charges faster, taking about an hour. But while the SATELLAI Collar takes twice as long to charge, it runs much longer as well.
Pricing and subscriptions
Both dog collars are fantastic choices, providing accurate location tracking, effective geofencing, and many useful features. The SATELLAI Collar particularly shines with its reliable monitoring, detailed activity and health insights, AI-powered coaching, and impressive battery life.
You might expect these extra features to make the SATELLAI Collar more expensive, but surprisingly, it’s actually the most affordable at $499.99. And this Black Friday, you can pick it up for a discounted $379.99. In comparison, the Halo Collar 5 costs $599.99.
And don’t forget about the ongoing subscription costs. The SATELLAI subscription is just $9.99 a month, while Halo offers several plans ranging from $9.99 to $19.99 per month.
If you’re looking for some of the best GPS dog collars around, the SATELLAI Collar is definitely a great option to consider.
