When it comes to dog safety, there are a lot of containment options to consider: traditional fences, in-ground wire or electric fences, and the latest virtual fences leveraging GPS technology. Halo Collar has risen to the top amongst a sea of dog safety products, including SpotOn, but how do they really stack up?
With GPS fences, there’s no need for any installation hassle. You can create multiple virtual fences that you can take with you wherever you and your pup go.
But with all these options, how do you know which one is the best fit for you and your pup? Well, there are a bunch of things to think about when finding the best GPS dog fence. Of course, you want something that effectively contains your dog and fits your budget, but there are other important factors to consider.
In this article, we’re going to dive into two GPS dog fence systems: the Halo Collar 4 and the SpotOn Collar.
The new Halo Collar 4 is the most advanced GPS dog fence on the market, now with dual-frequency GPS we continue to set the standard for dog safety. It is also now available in a universal size for dogs big and small with a neck size range of 8”-30”.
At a glance comparison
(for all collars at all times)
Every 6 seconds (Tracking Mode)
14 hours (Tracking Mode)
Cost Analysis: What is the Cost for Halo Collar and SpotOn?
Hardware price comparison
Halo provides superior value versus SpotOn. Both are wireless GPS fences that keep your dog contained in boundaries you create, but Halo comes in at a fraction of the cost. Halo Collar is priced at $599, while SpotOn costs $999. Both offer financing options and discounts for multi-dog households.
Subscription comparison
Halo requires a subscription, while SpotOn offers an optional “free” subscription that has no GPS tracking or fence alerts. If you are concerned about your pup’s safety, you should certainly go for SpotOn’s subscription. For $9.99/mo Halo offers unlimited cellular tracking of your dog on all/all cellular networks.
- Cost: The Halo Bronze Pack Membership costs $9.99/month, while SpotOn is $9.95/month. Both also offer discounted rates for 1-year and 2-year plans.
- Network flexibility: Both Halo and the latest SpotOn collar work on any cellular network worldwide (including AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile in the US and many more overseas), but only Halo’s advanced network switching logic enables real-time switching based upon real-time service availability. Halo also supports Wi-Fi for connectivity where there is no cellular coverage – which is very common – especially indoors. SpotOn only starts looking for a network when you enter tracking mode.
- Real-time tracking: The Halo app analyzes your dog’s GPS location 4 times per second and updates your phone every second – all the time. SpotOn sends updates every 20 minutes. SpotOn does permit you to request a current location (takes some time to respond), or turn on ‘Tracking Mode’ to provide your phone with updates every 6 seconds – but this dramatically reduces the SpotOn collar battery life. SpotOn recommends using tracking mode sparingly to conserve battery life, which lasts from 14-25 hours compared to Halo’s impressive 30+ hour battery life with always-on, one-second tracking.
Both subscriptions include alerts if your dog breaches the fence and a handy remote recall feature via the app. But Halo goes the extra mile with an optional device for remote recall without a phone, indoor keepaway functionality, daily activity reports, deals on upgrades, and live video-based customer support. Plus, you can level up to Silver or Gold plans for even more features and benefits.
No matter which GPS dog fence you choose, we highly recommend a subscription that includes connectivity at all times for your pup’s safety and your peace of mind.
Exploring Coverage Area: A Comparative Overview
Coverage means a few different things when it comes to GPS dog fences. We’ll break it down into a few key areas: fence size, reliable connection, indoor use and coverage in different areas.
Fence size
Halo’s smallest fence can be as small as 30×30 ft (900 sq ft), giving your pup some wiggle room while still accounting for the warning zone. SpotOn’s smallest recommendation is half an acre (21,780 sq ft), making Halo the only option for most suburban areas. In fact, 25% of Halo Fences are less than 0.5 acre. Both can handle big areas with no problem (though Halo’s largest fence allowed is larger than SpotOn’s).
Reliable connection
Halo has the most reliable device connection in the industry. It seamlessly switches between Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and cellular, ensuring you stay connected to your pup everywhere you go, even in tricky spots. SpotOn, unfortunately, misses out on Wi-Fi, which means it may not work in places with spotty cell service or indoors.
Indoor use
In general, GPS struggles within walls and under roofs. SpotOn suggests taking off the collar indoors or setting up Home Zones to avoid unwanted corrections. Halo automatically disables fence feedback when the collar detects it is indoors. Cellular connectivity is usually poor indoors, so Halo’s Wi-Fi option is critical for keeping you connected to your pup, even when it’s indoors most of the day. Halo also has the ability to use Bluetooth-based Beacons for keep-away areas indoors. Beacons are devices that create safe zones indoors and keep away zones to keep your pup out of trouble spots like the kitchen trash or nice furniture.
Off-grid connection
Both Halo and SpotOn have solutions for remote locations. Halo lets you preload a fence into the app, so you can use it without bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or cellular. SpotOn’s off-grid mode lets you create an offline fence and load it onto the collar using Bluetooth.
Halo protects more dogs in more places than SpotOn with smaller fences, Wi-Fi connectivity, indoor keep-away features, and the ability to work in remote locations.
GPS Accuracy Unveiled: Precision & Real-Time Tracking
At Halo, we understand that nothing matters more than your pup’s safety. When it comes to the GPS dog fences, they must be accurate, and – more importantly – your dog needs to know what to do if it approaches a boundary.
Intuitive feedback using internal compass/activity detection
Halo has patented technology that keeps an eye on your dog’s movements, and knows when they’re heading towards safety or away from it. If they stop or turn back from the boundary, they will stop getting prevention feedback and instead get positive reinforcement. This approach was patented by Halo and is the only method that dogs truly understand. It also allows Halo training to be based on association and positive reinforcement rather than fear, pain or using visual cues like flags. Because it is intuitive to your dog, they know what to do every time. Typical fence training methods and feedback confuse and scare your dog, and result in a high percentage of dogs who leave even highly accurate fences due to confusion; or it results in dogs that fear their collar rather than enjoy it.
Dual-Frequency GPS
Halo Collar 4 is the first and only GPS dog fence that combines data from L1 and L5 GPS bands for the most accurate positioning. SpotOn uses the L1 band alone which is often impacted by tall buildings, foliage, tunnels, and water. Using both bands improves the reception from all satellites in more difficult locations, meaning accuracy isn’t as impacted by these obstacles.
Most accurate GPS receiver
Our GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver is the most accurate chip used in any GPS collar, pinpointing your pup’s location with an incredible average precision of just 1.4 feet*. That means wherever they roam, you know exactly where they are and fences are enforced consistently and quickly. SpotOn’s receiver chip is 33% less accurate. *Independently verified.
PrecisionGPS™
Our proprietary AI software cuts through the noise, focusing only on direct GPS signals to give you the most accurate location data possible. SpotOn does not include this functionality.
More satellite systems
We’re tuned in to six different satellite constellations, four of which are global, with 151 satellites at our disposal, keeping your pup safe no matter where they wander. SpotOn does receive signals from the same four global constellations, but not from the two regional ones.
Drift prevention
We use smart sensors and AI to catch and eliminate position drift when your dog is not moving. SpotOn has a more basic motion-detection method that is easily fooled, for example, when your dog turns its head.
Active antenna
Both collars have an active GPS antenna to ensure the best reception, even in areas with poor coverage or obstacles like clouds and trees. However, Halo’s active antenna is the only one that supports L1 and L5 reception.
4 GPS updates per second
With four updates every second, you get real-time fence detection for your pup. Also, when your dog is running, they will still get instant feedback as they approach boundaries, not 20-feet after they’ve crossed them, like with SpotOn.
Assisted GPS for no delay
Our collar’s “time-to-first-fix” happens in seconds and not minutes because we send Assisted GPS data to your collar at least once a day, while SpotOn does not. So even if your dog dashes outside unexpectedly, there’s no lag in locating them.
Halo sets the standard for dog safety. Unrivaled technology and innovation sets Halo apart as the most accurate GPS dog fence ever created.
With Halo Collar, you’ve got a full day’s worth of adventures before needing to plug it in.
Battery Life Showdown: How Long Does Each Product Last?
Battery life
Halo Collar 4 has got you covered with a typical battery life of 30+ hours, even with our always-on, one-second GPS tracking on your phone. That means you’ve got a full day’s worth of adventures (and more!) before needing to plug it in.
SpotOn’s battery holds up for only 14 hours in tracking mode. Since tracking mode is critical to your pup’s safety and your peace of mind, that lower battery life in tracking mode should be a concern. While you can avoid tracking mode and extend the battery life to 25 hours, your phone will only receive location updates every 20 minutes.
In addition, Halo is always striving to make your pet’s collar experience even better. In fact, even the very first Halo 1 collars ever shipped now have 20-40% more battery life than when they were first sold, thanks to ongoing firmware improvements.
Time to charge
When it’s time to charge, both collars are pretty quick, taking just 1-2 hours to get back to full power.
Water Resistance Review: Durability Against the Elements
Waterproof
Both the Halo Collar and the SpotOn collar are built to work all year round, no matter the weather. They’re both waterproof to IP67 standards, so rain, snow, or even a dip in the pool wont phase them.
High and low temperatures
While we definitely don’t want your pup out in extreme temperatures, it’s good to know that the Halo Collar can handle temperatures from -22°F to 140°F, while SpotOn can handle -30°F to 120°F.
Durability
Halo and SpotOn both are both built tough with durable material that is not easily torn or chewed through. They also both have sealed charging systems that keep out dirt. The Halo Collar 4 has a new solid enclosure, ultrasonic welding, improved waterproofing and a very strong magnetic charger. These enhancements only make the durability of Halo even more “dog-proof”. Halo also has an extra layer of protection with the protective case that comes with every collar that can be washed or replaced easily.
Comfort
The Halo Collar 4 is 33% smaller and 18% lighter than previous generations for a more comfortable all day fit.
Setting up Your GPS Dog Fence: Simplifying the Experience
The big benefit to having a GPS dog fence is the fact that there is no installation in comparison to a physical fence or an in-ground wire fence like an Invisible Fence®. Both Halo and SpotOn require no installation, but setting up fences is quite different.
Building and editing fences
With Halo, you can set up fences automatically with one tap. Halo will automatically generate a recommended fence wherever you want it using property lines and recommended Halo Fence guidelines. Also, all of your fences are automatically downloaded to all of your dogs’ Halo Collars instantly. And you can edit any fence at any time in seconds from anywhere. With SpotOn, you must choose every fence post manually in the app, and they even more strongly recommend that you walk around the perimeter of your desired fence with each individual collar to set them up. Keep in mind that it may not be possible on large properties or difficult terrain and is time consuming.
Number of fences
Halo Collars can store multiple fences at once, which means you never need to load or change out fences when moving between locations. Every fence can be turned on or off in the app at any time – without needing to be in close proximity to your collars. You can create an unlimited number of fences with the Halo Gold Pack Membership.
While you can design many fences with the SpotOn app as well, you can only have one fence at a time stored on each SpotOn collar. To switch to another fence, you need to load it manually with the app while in range of each collar. So, for example, if you take your dog from your home fence to your neighbor’s fence, SpotOn requires that you manually replace the home fence with the neighbor’s fence with their app on each dog’s collar – and only while in range of your collar. This is both tedious and time consuming. With Halo, in this example, both fences would always be on your collars, so there is nothing for you to do.
Training Support Examination: Enhancing Pet Safety
Both Halo and SpotOn use a combination of sound, vibration and static feedback, Halo is much more configurable based on the temperament and what works best for your dog. SpotOn has a predefined warning/alert sound and vibration, but lets you adjust the static feedback level. Halo has a wide variety of feedback so you can decide what is best suited for your dog – which specific sounds (including voice prompts and dog whistles) and at what volume, which vibration patterns to use and which adjustable static feedback to use, and when.
However, the most important part of the training is not the feedback given, but rather how the feedback is given which is very different with Halo and SpotOn.
Training and technology
The first thing to understand is how dog training works when using GPS fence technology. The Halo Collar has patented technology that uses an internal compass and AI activity detection to know if your dog is moving and which way they are moving. This is critical to effective dog containment training and results. With Halo, your dog will only receive prevention feedback if they are heading toward danger (near or past the fence lines you create). Most importantly, the prevention feedback stops immediately when your dog responds by stopping or turning around. This is how your dog understands that it followed the command. In addition, if your dog leaves their fence, their Halo Collar will guide them back to safety using encouragement feedback, typically a whistle, once it stops leaving the fence area. This patented approach is unique to the Halo system and is the key to a portable and reliable containment solution that your dog will understand.
With SpotOn, your dog gets the same feedback indefinitely while in or beyond their warning zone or fence line. If your dog stops or turns back (goes out of the fence or back into the fence area), it keeps getting the same feedback, leaving your dog confused. The feedback only stops if/when your dog gets lucky enough to find its way back into the fence on its own, which is not intuitive for a dog unless you spend time training your dog to memorize all of your fence lines. Of course, even if you spend enough time with your dog to memorize its home fence, it is not feasible to train your dog to memorize any/every fence you may want to create and use. This is why Halo is truly a portable fence and SpotOn is not.
Positive association training
Because of Halo’s patented approach to containment feedback, the training program designed by Cesar Millan is based on positive association training – not fear based aversion training. Meaning, the Halo Collar provides feedback (sound, vibration, or static) that your dog understands to mean ‘stop and turn around’. If they ignore it, it escalates automatically to get your dog’s attention. This escalated feedback is meant to interrupt your dog’s fixation in distraction filled environments. Once their fixation is broken, the ‘stop and turn around’ command will stop them going any farther. Once they stop or turn around, they immediately stop getting any prevention feedback, so they intuitively understand that they did the right thing. Then, once heading back toward safety, they get positive reinforcement whistles to guide them back to safety.
Because your dog understands prompts from its Halo, what to do, and knows when it followed the command, it is extremely intuitive and easy for your dog to learn. Dogs love following rules and being rewarded for doing so, so Halo’s positive approach makes it a tool your dog will love. And, because it is not based on pain or fear, your dog is never scared of its Halo.
While your dog is learning, Halo provides a training score that tells you whether and how well your dog is responding to Halo feedback. Once your dog’s score is high enough, you know you can confidently leave them unattended. SpotOn does not have anything like this.
Halo takes you through in-depth, step-by-step instructions on how to train your dog based on proven dog psychology methods. Plus, we have a customer service team available everyday to help with any questions that may come up.
Customer Support Options
At Halo, we know that buying and using new technology is not always easy and the purchase of a GPS dog fence is a big decision. We also know that access to customer service that is readily-available and knowledgeable about the product is extremely important.
Halo and SpotOn both offer support via live chat, phone, and email. The difference? Halo’s support team is available to assist you via live Zoom video sessions in the Halo Dog Park seven days a week. This allows you to show our support team your dog or your app screen with ease, so that we can assist quickly with almost any issue.
The Dog Park contains different rooms that you can visit depending on what you need help with.
- Check out the Halo Store if you have pre-purchase questions or need assistance placing an order.
- Visit the Halo Support area if you need help with your Halo Collar, App, or Training.
- You can also visit our online Help Center anytime.
Halo also allows you to set up a pre-scheduled support Zoom or call at a time that is convenient for you.
In addition, Halo also remotely monitors every Halo Collar every day to identify and remotely fix any potential issues in real time. If an issue is detected that we cannot fix remotely, you can see it yourself right in the Halo app. And, if you don’t notice it in the app, the Halo support team will proactively alert you and help you solve it. Halo will stand behind its product and replace any device with such an issue.
Always Innovating to Offer the Best Smart Collar for Dogs
At Halo, we consistently collect feedback from our 200,000+ Pack Members to make improvements on collar performance and add new features.
Future-proof technology
Halo has already launched several iterations of the Halo GPS dog fence. The Halo Collar 1 was released in late 2020, the Halo Collar 2 came in late 2021, and the Halo Collar 2+ arrived in the middle of 2022, and Halo Collar 3 was released in September 2023. The all-new redesigned Halo Collar 4 launched in September 2024. On the other hand, SpotOn has only recently introduced their second iteration of their collar. And SpotOn’s first iteration – released a few years ago – is already obsolete, and can no longer support cellular connectivity.
Halo regularly releases wireless firmware updates so you get improved performance without needing to take any action. Updates apply to every generation of Halo – including Halo Collar 1. This includes updates of the Wi-Fi, GPS, and cellular chips themselves as the technology evolves. These updates occur at night, while you are sleeping, and are part of every level of service. While SpotOn does have periodic collar updates, they occur far less often. No other consumer technology company provides the level of continuous improvement, service and future-proofing that Halo does.
New features are also regularly released with the Halo Collar, such as Instant Feedback and the new Remote Beacon. These features are based on customer feedback and enhance your everyday use of Halo.
Final Verdict: Halo Collar is the Superior GPS Dog Fence Choice
When looking for the best GPS dog fence, Halo Collar 4 is the best option when it comes to what matters most: keeping your dog safe. Here’s why:
- Halo is significantly less expensive than SpotOn and the subscription prices are the same if you have all the features you need to keep your dog safe.
- The Halo Collar 4 fits both small and big dogs and grows with your dog, vs. SpotOn’s three distinct sizes.
- Halo is the first and only GPS dog fence to use dual-frequency GPS.
- The Halo Collar has superior technology in every way. SpotOn does not connect to Wi-Fi, has no indoor/beacon features, allows use of only one fence at a time that has to be manually designed and loaded, and Halo has much longer battery life.
- Halo’s GPS technology is more advanced with the most accurate GPS chip used in any GPS collar today, PrecisionGPS™ proprietary AI, drift prevention and assisted GPS. SpotOn lacks each of these.
- Real-time tracking with Halo actually means “real-time” with position updates on your phone every second so you always have complete peace of mind knowing that your pup’s location is always accurate. SpotOn does not have this.
- Halo uses patented technology paired with a training methodology that is both unique and more effective in getting your dog to understand what to do, using only positive reinforcement, which – at the end of the day – is the most important part of a GPS dog fence.
- Halo provides a world-class customer support team available every day that you can speak with live via in-app or web-based Zoom video calling.
FAQs
View all FAQsHow is Halo different from other “smart” GPS and tracking dog collars?
Halo is, first and foremost, the safest and most advanced virtual fence for your dog. But Halo offers so much more than any other e-collar. Halo Fences keep your dog safely inside the boundaries that you easily define, and prevents them from leaving (unlike other tracking collars, which only track and notify you when they escape). It also keeps track of the activity levels and exercise that result from the freedom the fence provides. Your Halo Collar prevents, protects, tracks, and trains your dog—and can even guide your dog home.
Is the Halo Collar worth the money?
The Halo Collar provides revolutionary technology at a fraction of the cost of other dog fences. A physical fence can range anywhere from $1,000 to over $10,000 depending on material and length. An in-ground wire fence or an electric dog fence can range from $900 to $2,200 (averaging around $2 per linear foot), and other GPS dog fences like SpotOn cost $999, making the Halo Collar a very affordable dog fence alternative.
How accurate are Halo Fences compared to other “wired” fences?
The Halo Collar's advanced GPS/GNSS system is extremely accurate. It uses the latest geolocation technology and is more accurate than your smart phone. Halo Fences are not created using a wire, so they can't be cut, damaged, and don't need to be installed underground. In additon, Halo Fence posts can be placed anywhere, and are not limited by geography or other obstacles that prevent the installation of a wire.
Will Halo work for my dog?
Halo is a proven system that works on any breed and any age, as long as they are over 5 months old and over 10 lbs. With dog training from Cesar Millan, any dog owner can train their dog on the Halo system. Over 350 breeds and over 200,000 dogs are currently using Halo Collar.
What if my dog escapes the Halo Fence?
If your dog escapes beyond the three levels of protection provided inside your Halo Fences, there are multiple fail-safes outside of your fences that will help protect your dog. You will immediately be notified if your dog has escaped. In addition, with Cesar's expert guidance, you will train your dog to come right back home! Your dog's Halo Collar will use its advanced algorithms to intelligently determine which direction your dog is facing, so that they only receive prevention feedback if they keep running further away from safety, and so they'll never receive a correction while heading home! You can also see your dog's real-time location in the Halo app at all times.
Who will train my dog? How long will that take?
It's highly important that you are the one who trains your dog. Every dog needs a pack leader, so as a pet parent, that pack leader needs to be you! This will not only help with your Halo training, but will build the trust, respect, and love that is essential for a happy life with your dog. The training program is broken down into 5 steps with easy to follow lessons. It will take some practice and repetition. Every dog learns at different speeds, so it may take more or less time. Make sure to be patient with your dog, and they will learn much more quickly!