GPS Tracker vs. Bluetooth Tracker: What’s the Difference?

Whether you’re grocery shopping downtown, strolling down the local park, or having a picnic, you’ll always feel at peace when you know where your pets are. With technology rapidly advancing, pet tracking has become a convenient tool to keep our loyal dogs and mellow cats happy and safe. Now, we all know two common types of trackers: GPS and Bluetooth (such as Airtags). You might be wondering: “Hmm, which one would best suit my pet’s needs?”, that’s what this article is exactly for. Here, we’ll be breaking down what distinguishes Bluetooth from GPS trackers to help you better decide the perfect pet tracker.

GPS Tracker

GPS or Global Positioning System trackers use geotracking to determine your pet’s whereabouts by receiving multiple satellite signals to triangulate their exact location which is then updated on your mobile app. This is made possible by simply using a SIM card in the tracker to connect to an available cellular (mobile) network to transfer data onto your mobile app. GPS trackers have their own pros and cons: 

Pros

GPS Trackers provide:

• Real-time and accurate locations of your dogs and cats every few seconds
• Unlimited range no matter how far apart you and your pet are, be it 200 meters or 20,000 kilometers
• Virtual fencing to set safe areas and be notified when your pet ventures a little too far
• Playback travel history
• Activity monitoring such as distance travelled

Few premium GPS Trackers such as YoPets  also provide worldwide coverage which means you can travel with your pet to any country and still be able to track your pet in that country without paying any roaming charges. 

Cons:

GPS trackers rely on satellite and mobile network stability

Bluetooth Tracker

Bluetooth trackers utilize the Bluetooth connection on your smartphone to track your pet’s movements within a 10 meter range of your phone. Bluetooth trackers are great to find your keys in the house however are not meant to be used as pet trackers. 

Pros

• Precise but very limited range
• Lower priced than GPS trackers

Cons

• Consumes your phone’s battery as the bluetooth tracker constantly communicates with your phone’s bluetooth
• Limited range with a typical coverage distance of about 10 meters or less

Summary 

So, what really makes the two distinct? Well, we’re glad you asked. We’ve compiled a brief breakdown of the key differences between the two trackers. 

Description	GPS Tracker	Bluetooth Tracker
Function	Track, locate, geofence, alerts, travel history	Track within 10 meters
Range	Unlimited Range	10 meters (on average)
Battery usage of your phone	Low	Moderate
Price	$	$

So, which tracker shall be declared a winner?  

We’ve crunched the numbers, compared the functionalities, and tested their features. To cut the suspense short, the GPS tracker is your championing option. At YoPets, we provide you a premium pet trackers and mobile app at cost effective prices with global coverage. So don’t worry! It’s perfectly normal to get swayed by the cost differences, but when it comes to the broader range of functionalities offered by GPS trackers such as the YoPets GPS Pet Tracker, they are definitely worth the investment.