What is the Battery Life of Pet GPS Trackers?
When choosing a pet GPS tracker, battery life is a top concern. Find out how to ensure that your furry friend is safe without frequent recharging.
If you’re considering a pet GPS tracker, battery life is one of the most important factors to understand. After all, a tracker is only useful if it’s powered on when your pet needs it most. So what kind of battery life can you realistically expect from a pet GPS tracker?
5 Second Summary
Tractive, the world’s leading brand of pet GPS trackers, offers a battery life of anywhere from 5 days to up to 4 weeks, depending on model.
Find out where your cat spends their time.
Read moreFirst things first: not all “pet GPS trackers” are created equal
Keep in mind that not every “pet GPS tracker” advertised on the market uses true GPS technology. Some so-called “GPS trackers” rely only on Bluetooth, which limits tracking to a short radius around your phone. These devices cannot track your pet worldwide and are unreliable if your dog or cat goes missing. For example, Apple AirTag is neither a true pet tracker, nor a true GPS tracker, as it was not made for pets, and it doesn’t contain any GPS technology on it’s own. So while it has an attractive, one year long battery life, it doesn’t give you any of the valuable features a true pet GPS tracker provides. That’s why using AirTag for dogs is not the best idea.
True GPS pet trackers use satellite positioning combined with cellular networks to provide real-time location updates—anywhere your pet goes.
Tractive: the world’s most trusted GPS tracker for pets
When it comes to real GPS pet trackers, the Tractive GPS Pet Tracker rules the pack. Tractive was rated the best GPS tracker for dogs and cats in 2025 by the New York Times Wirecutter magazine in 20251. And with an “Excellent” rating on Trustpilot, it’s no wonder that over a million pet parents worldwide trust Tractive with their pet GPS tracking needs. Not to mention it’s more than a simple GPS tracker—it also helps you monitor your pet’s health. So let’s break down what kind of battery life you can expect from a GPS pet tracker from the leading brand, Tractive.
Tractive GPS pet tracker battery life by model
Tractive pet GPS trackers lead the market when it comes to battery performance, especially compared to many competitors that require daily charging. As Claire, Editor at Smart Bark puts it: “Overall we’d opt for Tractive over its rivals because we prefer the tracking capabilities, metrics, the app and because it has a better battery life.”2
Here’s what Daniel Pachinger, Technical Product Manager at Tractive had to say about the battery life of their famous pet trackers:
“At Tractive, battery life optimization doesn’t stop after launch. We continuously monitor real-world usage and roll out software improvements — even for older tracker models — to improve battery efficiency while maintaining the same level of safety and performance.”
Standard Tractive dog and cat GPS trackers typically last 5–14 days, while XL models designed for dogs over 25kg can last up to four weeks on a single charge. Charging takes about two hours.
Here’s a clear overview of Tractive battery life by model:
| Pet GPS Tracker Model | Battery Life |
|---|---|
| Tractive Dog 6 | Up to 2 weeks |
| Tractive Dog XL | Up to 4 weeks |
| Tractive Dog XL Adventure Edition | Up to 4 weeks |
| Tractive Cat Mini | Up to 5 days |
What affects the battery life of a pet GPS tracker?
Several factors influence how long a Tractive GPS pet tracker battery lasts:
- Usage: Live Tracking consumes more power than default tracking.
- Pet activity: More movement means more frequent location updates.
- Cellular coverage: Strong signal = better battery efficiency. Weak signal drains battery faster.
- GPS availability: Trackers perform best outdoors with a clear sky. Prolonged GPS interference can reduce battery life.
- Temperature: Extreme cold or heat can negatively affect battery performance.
- Software & hardware condition: Outdated software or physical damage can shorten battery life.
A note about cellular coverage and battery life
⚠️ Some pet GPS trackers only connect to one network, like Verizon or T-Mobile. So if your pet enters an area with a weak signal (or worse, you lose coverage completely) battery life will be negatively affected as the tracker continuously tries to reconnect to the network. 🪫
📶 On the other hand, Tractive connects to multiple cellular networks in each country where it works. So the mobile signal your tracker’s getting is likely to be strong, wherever you are, improving battery life.🔋💪
See if Tractive works in your country (or if you’re in the US, check your Tractive coverage) here.
How to extend your Tractive battery life
You can maximize battery life by:
- Enabling Low Power Mode
- Using Power Saving Zones (via home or trusted Wi-Fi networks)
- Using Bluetooth when your pet is nearby or indoors
- Keeping the tracker software up to date
- Limit use of Live Tracking (Default mode still shows you where your pet is and conserves battery)
- Ensuring the tracker has a clear view of the open sky
- Avoiding Live Tracking indoors or in areas with poor cellular coverage
Conclusion
With Tractive GPS pet trackers, you don’t need to recharge daily. Whether you choose a standard model or an XL tracker, Tractive offers some of the longest-lasting batteries in the pet GPS market—without compromising on real GPS tracking, reliability, or safety.
Keep your pets healthy & safe
Get real-time location information, wherever they go. See how much – or how little – activity they’re getting. And get Health Alerts if something might be wrong.
