Fi vs. Apple AirTag
Fi Series 3+, Fi Mini and Fi Ultra compared with the Apple AirTag. Apple figures checked 2026-08-09 against Apple’s published specifications.
The short answer
An AirTag is not a GPS tracker, and that is the whole answer for a dog. It has no GPS and no cellular connection: it reports a location only when someone else’s iPhone or iPad passes close enough to hear it over Bluetooth, so on a quiet road, in a field or in woodland there is often nothing to report at all. Fi tracks live over a cellular connection at any distance.
Specifications side by side
Every figure below comes from the manufacturer’s own published specifications.
| Specification | Fi Series 3+ | Fi Mini | Fi Ultra | Apple AirTag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product type | GPS tracker and health monitor | GPS tracker and health monitor | Satellite-connected GPS tracker with recall | Bluetooth item finder on the Find My network |
| How location is determined | Live GPS over a cellular connection | Live GPS over a cellular connection | Live GPS over cellular and T-Satellite powered by Starlink | No GPS — an AirTag sends a Bluetooth signal and reports a position when a device in Apple’s Find My network passes nearby |
| Live tracking | Yes — continuous, at any distance with coverage | Yes — continuous, at any distance with coverage | Yes — continuous, including off-grid over satellite | No — a last-seen location, within Bluetooth range |
| Dimensions | 81.5 × 30.3 × 11.5 mm (3.21 × 1.19 × 0.45 in) | 42 × 30 × 12.5 mm (1.65 × 1.18 × 0.49 in) | 75 × 39.5 × 24.5 mm (2.95 × 1.56 × 0.96 in) | 31.9 mm diameter × 8.0 mm high (1.26 × 0.31 in) |
| Device weight | 47 g (1.66 oz) | 16 g (0.56 oz) | 69 g (2.43 oz) | 11.8 g (0.42 oz) |
| Battery life | Up to 3 months | Up to 2 months | Up to 5 days | More than a year on a standard coin battery |
| Battery and charging | Wireless charging base (also extends Wi-Fi) | USB-C | USB-C, about 2 hours to recharge | User-replaceable CR2032 coin cell — no charging |
| Water resistance | IP68 / IP66K, salt-water tested | IP68, salt-water tested | IP68 / IP66K, salt-water tested | IP67 — water resistant, maximum depth of 1 m (3.3 ft) |
| Coverage | North America and much of Europe — 35 countries and territories | North America and much of Europe — 35 countries and territories | United States only — live GPS over cellular plus T-Satellite powered by Starlink | Anywhere a device in Apple’s Find My network happens to be nearby |
| Phones supported | iOS and Android | iOS and Android | iOS and Android | iPhone on iOS 26.0 or later, or iPad on iPadOS 26.0 or later — no Android app |
| Subscription | Required | Required | Required | None |
| Cost, first year | $189 — one-year membership, device included | $189 — one-year membership, device included | $388 — $199 hardware kit plus a $189 one-year membership | $29 for one AirTag, or $99 for a four-pack — no ongoing cost |
| Free trial | 30-day risk-free trial | 30-day risk-free trial | 30-day risk-free trial | Not Available |
| Health and behaviour | Activity, sleep, barking, scratching, licking, eating and drinking detection; AI vet records | Activity, sleep, barking, scratching, licking, eating and drinking detection; AI vet records | Smart vet records, walks and car rides | Not Available |
| Containment | Unlimited geofences with 24/7 escape alerts | Unlimited geofences with 24/7 escape alerts | Geofences and escape alerts, plus Fi CallBack™ | Not Available |
| Sound | Not Available | Not Available | Sound and vibration for recall through Fi CallBack™ — no static shock | Built-in speaker for locating the tag once you are close |
| Fits an existing collar | Ships with a Fi collar | Attaches to any collar or harness | Attaches to any collar, harness or working-dog vest up to 5.5 mm (0.22 in) thick | Not designed for collars — Apple sells key rings and loops for keys and bags |
Where Fi is stronger
It knows where the dog is right now
Fi reports a live GPS position over cellular at any distance. An AirTag reports a last-seen location, and only when a device on Apple’s Find My network is within Bluetooth range of it.
Built for a dog rather than a keyring
Fi is IP68 and salt-water tested with 500 lbs+ (about 227 kg) pull resistance and ships on a Fi collar. Apple states the AirTag is IP67 to a maximum depth of 1 m, and sells key rings and loops rather than collar mounts.
Works on Android
Fi supports iOS and Android. An AirTag needs an iPhone on iOS 26.0 or later, or an iPad — so it is not an option for an Android household.
Health and behaviour monitoring
Activity, sleep, barking, scratching, licking, eating and drinking detection, plus geofences with 24/7 escape alerts. The AirTag publishes none of this.
Common questions
- Can you track a dog with an AirTag?
- Only in a limited sense. An AirTag has no GPS and no cellular connection. It broadcasts a Bluetooth signal, and reports a position when an iPhone or other Apple device in the Find My network passes close enough to pick it up. In a dense neighbourhood that can work well. On a trail, on farmland, or anywhere few Apple devices pass, it can go hours without an update — which is exactly the situation you need a tracker for. It cannot answer "where is my dog right now?"
- Which has the better battery life?
- The AirTag, on published figures — more than a year on a replaceable CR2032 coin cell, against up to 3 months for Fi Series 3+, up to 2 months for Fi Mini and up to 5 days for Fi Ultra. A Bluetooth radio draws far less power than a cellular one, which is the reason for the gap.
- Do I need an iPhone to use an AirTag?
- Yes. Apple states that AirTag requires an Apple Account and an iPhone running iOS 26.0 or later, or an iPad running iPadOS 26.0 or later. There is no Android app. The Fi app runs on both iOS and Android.
- Is an AirTag waterproof enough for a dog?
- An AirTag is rated IP67 — a maximum depth of 1 m (3.3 ft). It’s not designed to go in water but will survive a light splash. Fi Series 3+ is IP68 / IP66K and salt-water tested, and Fi Mini and Fi Ultra are also salt-water tested. For a dog that swims regularly, that is a meaningful difference.
- Can I use an AirTag alongside a Fi collar?
- Yes, and they solve different problems. Fi tells you where your dog is in real time and alerts you the moment they leave a safe zone. An AirTag adds a short-range way to pinpoint the collar once you are close to it, and a microchip is what gets a dog home if the collar comes off entirely.
- What about the AirTag speaker — can I use it to call my dog back?
- The speaker is for finding the tag, not for recall; it plays a sound so you can locate it once you are nearby. Fi Ultra is the Fi device built for recall, with sound and vibration through Fi CallBack™ and no static shock.
What Fi owners say
Worth every single penny I paid for them and then some!
Tommy’s Dog Dad
I’ve had every version of the Fi collar, and it just keeps getting better!
Lola’s Dog Mom
We’re loyal to him because he’s loyal to us and he’s a part of our family… there’s no other better technology available.
Poppy’s Dog Dad
Ready to choose?
Every Fi membership includes a 30-day risk-free trial.