{"id":109402,"date":"2026-01-24T01:28:47","date_gmt":"2026-01-24T01:28:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cats.com\/?p=109402"},"modified":"2026-01-24T01:28:47","modified_gmt":"2026-01-24T01:28:47","slug":"tractive-vs-airtag","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cats.com\/tractive-vs-airtag","title":{"rendered":"We Put Tractive and AirTag Head to Head and One Is Clearly Better for Cats"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"airtag

Katelynn Sobus \/ Cats.com<\/p><\/div>\n

If you have an indoor-outdoor cat, you may wonder where they spend their time. Or, you might want to be alerted when they\u2019ve roamed too far from home!<\/p>\n

Having a tracker on your cat won\u2019t keep them safe outdoors like a leash<\/a> or catio<\/a>, but it can stop them from getting lost and allows you to get to them quickly when needed. There are a variety of trackers<\/a> on the market, and not all of them are made specifically for cats.<\/p>\n

In this article, we\u2019ll compare Tractive and Airtag trackers and talk about which one is likely to work best for you. We\u2019ll also break down the differences in their pricing and intended uses.<\/p>\n

Background on Tractive<\/h2>\n
\"Tractive\"

Katelynn Sobus \/ Cats.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Buy on Tractive<\/a><\/div>\n
Buy on Amazon<\/a><\/div>\n

Read Our Full Brand Review<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Tractive is a GPS tracker designed to locate free-roaming cats. There is no limit to how far you can track your cat using a Tractive device, and you can also get alerts if they go outside of \u201cvirtual fences\u201d that you set up within the Tractive GPS app.<\/p>\n

A full charge on the device lasts for up to five days. It comes with a charger, a breakaway collar, and two mounts. Tractive devices use SIM cards to connect with cellular networks, which unfortunately do require a subscription to function. Though Tractive has one of the cheapest subscription costs among pet GPS tracker brands, you do have to pay for at least one year in advance. The basic plan costs $108\/year while the premium plan costs $120\/year.<\/p>\n

With a basic subscription, the app allows you to track health stats such as your cat\u2019s activity levels and how much they sleep each day. If your cat wears their device longterm, the app will also alert you to changes in activity levels which may allow you to detect health problems early\u2013potentially saving you thousands of dollars on emergency vet bills. Cats are good at hiding illness, and their first symptoms are often subtle<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Of course, you can also track your cat in real time if you need to find them immediately and see the location history of the tracker over the past 24 hours. Tractive also has a \u201cRadar Mode,\u201d which uses bluetooth technology to find cats that are just hiding under the bed!<\/p>\n

Those with a premium subscription can do all of the above as well as view 365 days of location history and invite multiple family members to view their cat\u2019s location and activity levels. The premium plan also includes worldwide coverage and the ability to export your GPS data.<\/p>\n

\"cat

Katelynn Sobus \/ Cats.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Tractive offers a 30-day money back guarantee and a two year warranty on all trackers. Under Tractive Care, which costs an additional $25.44 each year, you can get one replacement annually in the case of theft, loss, or damage to the tracker.<\/p>\n

Background on the Apple Airtag<\/h2>\n
\"Airtag\"

Katelynn Sobus \/ Cats.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Buy on Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

Airtag is designed for people who lose their things and works best in close proximity, such as around the house. When lost, the Airtag can play a (fairly quiet) beeping sound. The Find My app can tell you how many feet you are away from the Airtag and literally points you in the right direction.<\/p>\n

Unlike Tractive, Airtag doesn\u2019t have live GPS tracking. Instead, the Find My app lets you know where the Airtag was last detected and how long it\u2019s been since. Because it tracks using bluetooth, there have to be Apple devices nearby in order to get accurate location data, and it still won\u2019t take you quite as close to your cat as a GPS tracker.<\/p>\n

\"Airtag\"

Katelynn Sobus \/ Cats.com<\/p><\/div>\n

If your cat is lost, you can set your Airtag to Lost Mode, which will notify you when the Airtag is detected by an Apple device. You can also set it to provide contact information to anyone who taps the Airtag with their smartphone, but this can only happen if your neighbors are tech-savvy enough to know how to use it!<\/p>\n

Airtag doesn\u2019t require a subscription, and your Airtag can be shared with others in the family so that multiple people can track your cat. The battery isn\u2019t rechargeable, but is designed to last over a year before it will need to be replaced with a standard coin cell battery.<\/p>\n

A few other features include waterproofing in case the Airtag gets rained on or your cat\u2019s collar falls off into a puddle, and encryption to keep your information private.<\/p>\n

Airtag is made by Apple and uses the Find My app, which isn\u2019t available on Android.<\/p>\n

\"cat

Katelynn Sobus \/ Cats.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Overall, Airtags are a better fit for those who lose their cat\u2019s harness<\/a> or leash than for cats themselves, and Apple is pretty clear about this. Airtags can also present a choking hazard for your cat or other pets if they fall off of the collar.<\/p>\n

Tractive vs. Airtag: Review and Comparison<\/h2>\n

While both are trackers, Tractive devices and Airtags are made for different purposes. To help you decide which is right for you, we\u2019ll go over the following:<\/p>\n