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A virtual-fence collar rather than a simple tracker: GearJunkie found the fifth generation's GPS locked on and more reliable than earlier models. But it costs $599 list plus a required plan, it needs charging every day or two, and PCMag (testing the Collar 4) says it only works if you put in extensive training.
Subscription: Required: plans from $9.99/mo (Halo); for the Halo Collar 4, PCMag listed Bronze $9.99/mo (5 fences), Silver $14.99/mo (20 fences) and Gold $19.99/mo (unlimited)
Top complaints
- Expensive, with a required plan
GearJunkie reviewed it at $599 and says the price stings; Halo's site listed it at $445 on sale. PCMag lists 'expensive, with costly data service required' as the Halo Collar 4's top con.
- Only works with extensive training
PCMag says training is an absolute necessity: Halo's full program takes 21 days, and PCMag's tester never got to the point of fully trusting the Collar 4's fences. Fences can't overlap.
Source: PCMag Halo Collar 4 review - Frequent charging; slow app for corrections
Battery is up to 40 hours per GearJunkie (Halo says up to 48). GearJunkie says that by the time the app loads and you select a correction, the moment has often passed. On the Collar 4, PCMag got no app notification when the collar left the fence.
What owners love
- More reliable GPS
GearJunkie says a dual-chip design cuts 'lost connection' alerts and the GPS seemed locked on, with 20 GPS updates per second. PCMag praised the Collar 4's accurate location features.
- Better battery and fast charging
GearJunkie's lasted through multiple long days, which past models didn't, and a 1-hour charge gets it over half full.
Source: GearJunkie Halo Collar 5 review - Strong app and feedback options
PCMag calls the Collar 4's companion app excellent, with plenty of feedback options from sounds to static and an IP67 build. GearJunkie likes the positive cues and activity tracking.
- You only need to find a lost dog
- You don't want to charge every day or two
- You want to avoid a monthly fee
- Keeping a dog in an unfenced yard or property
- Owners willing to do weeks of training
- Tracking and training in one collar
Scores (tap for why)
What experts say
- GearJunkie: 8.8/10: a meaningful upgrade with longer battery life, faster GPS and better connectivity. It's still expensive, but GearJunkie thinks it's worth the price.
- PCMag: Best GPS Dog Fence pick is still the Halo Collar 4 (4.0, guide updated 2026-09-22). For reliable escape alerts, PCMag suggests a real fence plus a dedicated tracker.