Comparison

Cat Tailer vs Petkey

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Cat Tailer

This device attaches to your cat's collar and uses Bluetooth to help you locate them within a 328-foot range. Receive alerts when your cat returns home. It's waterproof, lightweight, and has a long-lasting, replaceable battery.

Highlights
  • Bluetooth tracking
  • Long range (328 ft)
  • Waterproof design
  • Smartphone/tablet compatible
  • Return home alerts
  • Lightweight for kittens
  • Long-lasting replaceable battery
Features
Read full description

Cat Tailer is a tracking device for your cat. Cat Tailers can be ordered at: http://www.cattailer.com None of us wish to experience the anxiety of not having our pet come home, but with Cat Tailer you can go out and track your pet. Or, with Cat Tailer's notification system you can be alerted when your cat has come back home. Cat Tailer was designed specifically with cats in mind therefore it: -is fully waterproof (Yes, dunk it in the water bowl!!!) -is very simple to use with your smart phone or tablet -tells you when your cat is in range, or comes into range -has a long range of up to 328 feet (100 meters) -is small and light enough for a kitten to wear -has an easy to replace battery that lasts 6 months -uses simple and safe Bluetooth technology to tell you how far away your cat is Does your cat wander off and ignore your calls? Cat Tailer is an innovative pet tracking device designed specifically for cats. Cat Tailer is not GPS. It uses Bluetooth Low Energy technology with a long 328 foot range (100 meters) to assist you in finding your pet within your yard or neighborhood. Note: Maximum useable range will vary depending on the local environment. Cat Tailer is a simple device you attach to your cat's collar and use the companion smartphone application to find your cat when needed. Small and light (just like cats!), Cat Tailer is water proof, unobtrusive and sturdy enough to keep up with your pet’s rambunctious nature. It features a user replaceable battery that lasts 6 months.

About

Petkey

This app connects pet owners with their lost animals through a nationwide network. Users can list missing pets or found pets on a live map to facilitate quick reunions. Create a pet profile for emergency access to vital information and receive notifications when your pet is found.

Highlights
  • Nationwide missing pet network
  • Live map of found pets
  • Create pet profiles
  • Virtual pet ID
  • Immediate notifications
  • Custom Petmoji creation
Features
Read full description

Petkey hosts the largest Nationwide missing pet network. Lost and Found pets can be listed for free in an effort to get the word out quickly and reunite missing pets with their families. If you are missing a pet you can view our live map of found pets to see if your pet has been recovered. If you have found a pet and are looking for their family you can add that pet to the map to help get the word out and reunite that pet. Every second counts so add your pet to the network today their profile is prepared in the event of an emergency. Having a profile for your pet will also provide you with quick access to your pet's important details and virtual ID. Once your pet is in the network you can receive immediate notifications if your pet has been found. You can also have some fun with it and create a custom Petmoji of your pet.

Screenshots

Cat Tailer4 screens
Petkey4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Petkey at free against Cat Tailer's paid. Petkey also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months). Cat Tailer's advantage is review sentiment (57% vs 44%) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 16.6). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Petkey holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 358 and 823 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 57% of Cat Tailer's written reviews are positive against 44% of Petkey's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cat Tailer ships an update every 3 months, Petkey every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Cat Tailer versus Petkey: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCat TailerPetkey
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (358 ratings)4.8 (823 ratings) — better
Positive reviews57.1% of reviews — better44.4% of reviews
Number of ratings358823 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS9.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB38 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAmbystoma Labs Inc.Petkey LLC

Customer experience

Cat Tailer

All ratings358 ratings
Positive89.1%
Neutral5.6%
Negative5.3%
Written reviews21 reviews
Positive57.1%
Neutral9.5%
Negative33.3%

Petkey

All ratings639 ratings
Positive95.1%
Neutral2.0%
Negative2.8%
Written reviews18 reviews
Positive44.4%
Neutral16.7%
Negative38.9%

User reviews

Cat Tailer

From 358 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Helps find cats
  • 👍 Good for peace of mind
  • 👍 Customer service is good
  • 👍 Works well for cats that don't wander far
  • 👍 Light can be turned off for stealth

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Inaccurate distance readings
  • 🐛 Limited range
  • 🐛 Sound feature doesn't always work
  • 🐛 Collar can be bulky/uncomfortable
  • 🐛 App can be laggy

Petkey

From 823 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Excellent customer service and support
  • 📱 Easy account management through app
  • 🐕 Effective microchip registration and pet recovery
  • 🏷️ Quality pet ID tags
  • ✅ Functional website platform

Room to improve

  • 🐛 App login functionality broken or non-existent
  • 🗺️ Missing or inaccurate tracking/map features
  • ❌ Poor app design and user interface
  • 🔄 App crashes frequently
  • ♿ Not accessible for visually impaired users (no VoiceOver support)

Bugs and requests

Cat Tailer

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Distance readings are inaccurate
  • Sound feature stops working
  • App requires constant GPS access
  • Tracker shows incorrect distances when cat is close

Requested features

8 requests
  • Improve accuracy of distance readings
  • Increase range
  • Fix sound feature
  • Make collar less bulky/more comfortable
  • Improve app responsiveness
Show 3 more
  • Add directional compass
  • Allow app to use location services 'while using app' instead of 'always'
  • Design tracker to attach to collar instead of swinging

Petkey

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • App login not working despite correct credentials
  • Password reset feature fails
  • App crashes during lifetime registration discount selection
  • Sign-up process crashes when scanning code
  • Email validation loop - keeps requesting email even when filled
Show 4 more
  • Pet lookup shows no pets despite existing registrations
  • Private profile settings prevent pet access
  • No sign-in option visible in app interface
  • Incorrect phone and address information displayed on maps

Requested features

5 requests
  • Real-time pet location tracking with map display
  • Upload and store vaccination records and certificates
  • Multiple photo uploads for lost/found pet reports
  • Improved sighting report workflow (ask possession status before photos)
  • Better accessibility features for screen readers

In-app purchases

None

Cat Tailer

No in-app purchases

None

Petkey

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Cat Tailer free?
Cat Tailer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Petkey free?
Petkey is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Cat Tailer or Petkey?
Petkey is rated higher. Cat Tailer averages 4.6 out of 5 from 358 ratings, while Petkey averages 4.8 from 823 ratings.
Do Cat Tailer or Petkey have ads?
Neither Cat Tailer nor Petkey shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cat Tailer or Petkey?
Cat Tailer ships an update every 3 months, and Petkey every 5 weeks. Most recently, Cat Tailer was updated on October 14, 2026 and Petkey on October 16, 2026.

Other comparisons