# Whistle: Smart Pet Tracker — user reviews > 129 indexed App Store user reviews of Whistle by KINSHIP PARTNERS, INC, rated 4.60/5 from 13,604 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whistle-smart-pet-tracker/id1182564185/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whistle-smart-pet-tracker/id1182564185.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 11,157 · 4★ 1,251 · 3★ 406 · 2★ 261 · 1★ 529 ## What do users think of Whistle? Overall sentiment: neutral **Pros** - 🚀 Accurate tracking - 🔒 Peace of mind - 👍 Helpful health/activity monitoring - 🚀 Fast location updates when needed **Cons** - 🐛 Inconsistent location tracking - 🔋 Battery life issues - 👎 Unreliable customer service - 🐛 Frequent false alerts **Commonly reported bugs** - Inability to cancel subscription - Syncing issues with WiFi and Bluetooth - Inaccurate distance/activity tracking **Most requested features** - Add ability to set 'walking areas' without alerts - Improve app UI and usability - Provide 24/7 customer support ## Newest reviews (16 of 129) ### 2/5 — Needs Better Battery Alerts to Avoid Surprise Failures *2025-04-29, version 5.30.1* The device’s battery life is a real weak point — it drains quickly, and it’s far too easy to forget to swap it out. While it does send a push notification when the battery gets low, those alerts are easy to miss or overlook in a busy day. What would make a huge difference is a persistent badge on the app icon when the battery is running low. A visible reminder like that would help ensure users don’t accidentally head out with a dead tracker, especially for something as important as keeping tabs on a pet. Right now, it’s too easy to find yourself without GPS when you need it most. ### 2/5 — Safe Place No Longer Works *2025-03-02, version 5.30.0* The new Safe Places implementation broke Whistle. It used to have a “locate me” button, but now that button has disappeared. As full-time RVers, we change our Safe Place every week or two; without the “locate me” button we are unable to set an accurate safe place for our dog. Unless this is fixed in a new version of the app, Whistle will become unusable. Please fix it soon! ### 2/5 — Stopped tracking *2025-01-28, version 5.30.0* Hersheys Whistle has always had issues tracking her sleep but now it’s been skipping days of all tracking records. Seems to have problems refreshing. ### 1/5 — Awful support. Worse device. *2025-01-15, version 5.29.1* I'm on my third one in three years that is already dying, and all I was offered is a free month. Not even a replacement or an apology. You are better off using anything else than this garbage device and worse company. ### 2/5 — Lacks customization for alerts *2024-12-30, version 5.29.1* Key oversight is using default only notifications. If the dog is running off I need to know ASAP with a custom audio alert like a setting an alarm. I literally have to manually check my iPhone to see where the dogs are. Also it won’t enable the GPS tracker if I’m wifi range and you can’t send a msg to give a manually requested location update. A WiFi signal can extend a long ways off so not being able to find the dogs on our property is a problem. ### 1/5 — Enough with “wellness” metrics *2024-11-30, version 5.29.1* Nobody asked for this. We got the Whistle for location tracking — now we get notifications every time our pup is licking her paws or scratching her head. ### 1/5 — Stay Away - Bad Product and Bad Support *2024-11-26, version 5.29.1* So been a customer for a decade and was always happy. But the new Switch collar is terrible. It literally just sits in a drawer now because it refuses to connect. This is a “Known Issue.” And the email support amounts to a link to try and connect to WiFi again. Of course that doesn’t work. My fault that I waited for more than 30 days. So no refund for me. Wasted $200+ including the useless subscription. Just gonna use an Apple AirTag. They work. ### 1/5 — Scammers *2024-11-25, version 5.29.1* My daughter gifted me Whistle Go Explore device and a subscription for a year. The first device broke off the leash holder and got lost. I got another device which stopped working. I called and discontinued my subscription, and I stopped receiving emails and notifications. Apparently they continued changing my daughter credit card for years after that. She noticed that recently and I called to ask for refund, and they refused to refund The money. Subscription scam. ### 2/5 — Broke after 21 days *2024-11-21, version 5.29.1* Worked great then just stopped synching. Tried to charge and it's dead. App still displays 68% state of charge. Live in the desert so water isn't really much of a threat. It's winter so heats no the problem. Dunno ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ### 2/5 — Subscription *2024-11-17, version 5.29.1* You need to get another subscription if you have 2 pets. Well that’s disappointing 👎👎👎 ### 3/5 — GPS *2024-11-06, version 5.29.1* When the dog is on the run the gps activation can take 20 minutes to activate and locate the dog. ### 4/5 — Loving it *2024-11-06, version 5.29.1* Love the concept however it’s confusing ### 1/5 — Doesn't Honor Warranty *2024-10-30, version 5.29.1* Whistle battery died on the collar i purchased and the outrageous hoops the company wants you to jump through is designed to wear you down until you give up. Look at Fi or another product. ### 1/5 — Just a circle *2024-10-18, version 5.29.0* App doesn’t start, it’s just a spinning circle ### 3/5 — Expensive and doesn’t work half the time *2024-10-15, version 5.29.0* When it works everything is great. But you have to pay the subscription to keep it going. Plus the app doesn’t work have the time. Currently there’s no way to access my account to cancel the subscription! ### 1/5 — Not Great *2024-10-14, version 5.29.0* Ok but the locations are often incorrect. Whistle often shows the last known location, hours after the dog has moved. It’s very slow to update and sometimes incorrect after a location appears to have been found Has sometimes fell off my dog’s collar. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Do not buy *2025-08-02, version 5.31.3* Horrible service, worse customer service just garbage… if you don’t like your animal then this is the gos tracker for you! ### 1/5 — App not recording *2025-07-23, version 5.31.1* I’ve loved the app for 2 years. Lately it’s not recording health stats. I called service center and they still haven’t fixed it. I have 2 units for 2 different dogs. Please fix this. ### 1/5 — No info lately *2025-07-22, version 5.31.1* I have not had any info populated in app other than the activity minutes. The sleeping, distance, eating, and overall score have been blank for weeks. Whistle used to be a great product. Now it is a money grab and I really don’t know if I would trust its platform in the event my pet escaped. ### 1/5 — Nice app, bad product *2025-06-24, version 5.31.0* Device died after 8 months, just out of warranty. It’s made of plastic with an exposed charging cable. 6 month warranty indicates a company doesn’t have faith in its product. ### 1/5 — Absolute trash *2025-06-22, version 5.31.0* This deserves negative stars. Absolutely horrible. GPS function never works when you need it to, not in any setting or location. Look elsewhere. ### 1/5 — Useless - DO NOT BUY *2025-06-02, version 5.30.5* Unreliability rivaling Sonos! Tracker takes forever to discover pet is out of safe location. Won’t disconnect from home WiFi when when thousands of feet from the network. Won’t activate GPS. ### 1/5 — Stuck *2025-05-29, version 5.30.5* It won’t let me give a name for my Safe place cuz it doesn’t give me anything to click on ### 1/5 — Practically useless *2025-04-09, version 5.30.1* Not only does this not consistently alert you when your pet leaves the “safe zone”, but once you realize that your pet is missing it takes forever to connect to the GPS Signal. Found my dog without it! ### 1/5 — Set up can be a nightmare *2025-03-30, version 5.30.1* Came highly recommended by friend of friend. But holy moly… setup has been a nightmare, with like 5 options in troubleshooting. Subscription isn’t cheap and it’s still not working yet. I still hope to get it working. But I think they should only allow downloads, deliveries - Mon-Fri, 9-6 when their support is available ### 1/5 — Used Whistle Smart Collar for years *2025-03-30, version 5.30.1* Updated app now shorts my walks by half. It literally shows a straight line instead of my walk around the neighborhood. Like I walked through 30 back yards climbed fences. It’s so stupid. I use it with two different dogs. It’s so frustrating when they update the app. I wanna make sure the dogs get all their steps in every day now with the app update sometimes the dog stats don’t update for an entire day. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Amazing *2025-06-03, version 5.30.5* We’ve had the whistle system for over 12yrs. Had it before it was called whistle, and it’s always been amazing. Love the newer features on it too. I’ve used the vet two times and each has been great can’t say enough positive things. ### 5/5 — Whistle *2025-04-30, version 5.30.1* Thus far I’ve been using this app with Delilah for almost 2 weeks now! Holds a really good charge and it updates relatively regularly and quickly! I feel that when the time comes for renewal, the 40$ annual investment/subscription is definitely going to be worth it! ### 5/5 — Best Pet Health Tracker *2025-01-30, version 5.30.0* I have tried them all but Whistle has the most features and works great. I recommend Whistle to everyone with a Pet. ### 5/5 — Best Pet Tracker out there!! *2025-01-03, version 5.29.1* Would like to see a smaller model come out for Cats! This is hands down the best pet tracker on the market. I have used one for my cat since 2018. I have traveled the country with him for work until I got off of the road. He’s gotten out a couple times at air bnb’s in other states which was scary. I was able to find him quickly with His tracker. I see people sad and crying every day because they lose their pets somehow. Yet I see so many people willing to waste money on stupid things but won’t buy GPS for their pets when the technology exists. Ask yourself are you really that good of a pet owner if their life isn’t that important to you? BUY A WHISTLE PEOPLE! ### 5/5 — So much better than previous versions *2024-09-04, version 5.28.0* The app and newer device are much better than what was previously offered. I now can happily say that I recommend this product. I’d be nice to have some new features, but it is quality! ### 5/5 — We have 3 Whistles for our huskies *2024-06-27, version 5.28.0* The Whistles are great for peace of mind especially with huskies but they do not work well if you are traveling. There is no simple way to reset Home while you are on the road. Would be helpful to be able to use a cell phone or car hot spot as a temporary home. ### 5/5 — Whistle Explore *2024-05-09, version 5.25.0* AMAZING PRODUCT!! ### 5/5 — LOVE this APP! *2024-04-17, version 5.24.0* It’s so nice having access to our dogs health data and activities! One example of how helpful it has been is how it helped us find out he gets car sick. Now we can take steps to prevent it and keep our awesome pup happy! ### 5/5 — Review *2024-04-11, version 5.24.0* Whistle is the best thing that has happened to the health and protective of my two German Shepherds. I watch them like a hawk because I live in the middle of nowhere on 3 acres. They have escaped a couple of times over the years but I have been able to find them within minutes. I love my dogs and they are family. Do I rely only on the whistle NO however on the few occasions that they did get out I had them back within minutes. Thank you Whistle! I greatly appreciate the peace of mind that it gives me. We have so many stray and loose dogs where I live. It’s sad. I am grateful that between The Whistle and my commitment they are safe. ### 5/5 — Love this app! But….. *2024-03-30, version 5.24.0* I absolutely love this app! Truly, I just wish it had a feature where we could take photos within the app that are saved in a folder for “Routine Physical Exams & Updated Conditions” or something along the lines. A folder specifically for photos of each individual animal for keeping up with new or existing conditions as well as reference photos. It’s makes it convenient to for the Veterinarians also to have physical updates on hand via the app and seeing to them via email. All in one place. Other than that I love the app and the constant improvements with every update. Thank you. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*