GPS collar for hunting: SIM card or radio?
A comparison of the two types of GPS collar for hunting dogs: signal, fees, range, battery and price. Which one suits you depending on where you hunt and how many dogs you run.
Short answer: for hunting, radio. A radio GPS collar works with no signal and has no fees; a SIM collar goes quiet in the hills and charges a subscription per dog. SIM only makes sense if you always hunt with good signal and run few dogs.
Side-by-side comparison
| SIM card | Radio | |
|---|---|---|
| No signal | Stops sending the position | Keeps working |
| Fees | Every month or year, per dog | None |
| Range | Unlimited where there is signal | Kilometres, depending on terrain |
| Who sees the dog | Whoever has the app and the subscription | Whoever carries the handheld or, with Montered, up to 4 phones in the party |
| Entry price | Low | Medium to high for handheld systems; Montered from about €169 (indicative) |
| Cost with a full pack | Goes up with every dog, every year | Just the extra collar, once |
When to choose each
SIM if:
- You always hunt or walk in areas with good signal.
- You run one or two dogs and don’t mind paying the fee.
Radio if:
- You hunt in mountains, gullies or cover with no signal.
- You run several dogs: per-dog fees soar.
- You want the whole party to see the dogs, not just whoever pays.
Do the five-season sum
Before you buy, add up the kit plus five years of fees for every dog. With a pack of ten, a SIM tracker that’s cheap to start ends up far more expensive than a radio system with no fees. And with radio you don’t depend on a company keeping the service running.
Montered
Montered is a radio collar with the map on your phone: it works with no signal, no SIM and no fees, ever. Your party sees every dog at the same time, and the same system helps organise driven hunts. We’re testing it with hunting packs in the 2026–27 season; indicative prices: kit with collar and receiver from about €169 and extra collar about €69. Join the waitlist at montered.com/hunting-dogs.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for hunting, a SIM or a radio GPS collar?
For hunting in the hills, radio: it works with no signal and has no fees. A SIM collar only makes sense if you always hunt where there is good signal and run one or two dogs.
How much does a SIM tracker cost per year?
It depends on the brand and plan, but the subscription is paid every month or year and for every dog. With a full pack, the fees end up costing more than the collars themselves within a few seasons.
Do I need a licence to use a radio tracker?
Not for those using licence-free bands in Europe, like Montered, which transmits in the 868 MHz band. Always check the equipment is meant to be sold in your country.
Can the same system be used for driven hunts?
With Montered, yes: the same system that tracks the dogs puts one unit at each stand, so the organiser sees the stands, the packs and the beaters on one map and can alert everyone with one button.