Korean Smart Cameras & GPS vs. Furbo & Fi: 2026 Showdown
Petkit and Pawbo against the US incumbents, tested in a real Hawaii home. Which devices actually earn a spot in your home — and on your dog's collar.
By Ami Lee
Owner, My Best Friend Hawaii
The US pet-tech conversation is dominated by two names: Furbo (the treat-tossing camera) and Fi (the GPS smart collar). But Korea and its tech neighbours have been quietly shipping excellent alternatives — Petkit and Pawbo chief among them — often at lower prices with features the incumbents charge a subscription for. I put the Korean-adjacent contenders head-to-head against Furbo and Fi in a real Hawaii home. Here's what's actually worth a spot on your shelf or your dog's collar in 2026.
Who it's for
- Owners who hate paywalled subscriptions and want more in the box
- Apartment dwellers monitoring a dog while at work
- Tech-comfortable buyers who'll set up a slightly less polished app
- Anyone wanting two-way audio + treat toss without the Furbo tax
Who it's not for
- People who want the most frictionless, polished US-support experience (Furbo/Fi)
- Owners who need rock-solid US LTE GPS coverage with proven escape tracking (Fi)
- Anyone unwilling to troubleshoot occasional translated app quirks
- Buyers who refuse to import or want same-day Amazon returns
The cameras: Petkit / Pawbo vs. Furbo 360°
Furbo's hardware is excellent and its barking alerts are genuinely useful, but the best features sit behind Furbo Nanny, a monthly subscription. Petkit's camera bundles comparable 1080p+ video, two-way audio and treat dispensing with far less paywalling. Pawbo leans into interactivity (games, treat toss) and is the more playful option. In my living room, the Korean-adjacent cameras matched Furbo on the things that matter — clear day/night video, reliable alerts, two-way audio — while costing less over a year once you count the subscription.
| Petkit cam | Pawbo | Furbo 360° | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video | 1080p+, night vision | 1080p, night vision | 1080p, 360° + night |
| Treat toss | Yes | Yes (interactive) | Yes |
| Two-way audio | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Subscription | Optional / lighter | Optional | Best features paywalled |
| App polish | Good, occasional quirks | Good | Excellent |
| Availability | Import / Amazon resellers | Import / Amazon | Amazon today |
| Value over 1 yr | Strong | Strong | Premium |
The trackers: Korean-adjacent GPS vs. Fi Series 3
This is where I'll be straight with you: for US GPS tracking, Fi's LTE coverage, battery life and escape-tracking record are hard to beat, and that matters when your dog is actually loose. The Korean-adjacent trackers (and Petkit's collar tech) are improving fast and cost less, but US carrier coverage and app maturity still favour Fi for the worst-case scenario. If GPS is about genuine safety, I lean Fi. If it's about activity tracking and you're price-sensitive, the alternatives are fine.
What I liked
- Korean-adjacent cameras match Furbo's essentials for less
- Lighter or optional subscriptions
- Petkit ecosystem (feeder, fountain, cam) plays nicely together
- Often available via Amazon resellers — easy returns
What I didn't
- App localisation can be rougher than Furbo's
- US GPS coverage/maturity still favours Fi
- Warranty/support can mean dealing with a reseller
- Firmware updates occasionally lag the US apps
| Best camera value | Petkit / Pawbo |
|---|---|
| Most polished camera | Furbo 360° |
| Best US safety GPS | Fi Series 3 |
| Best budget activity tracker | Korean-adjacent / Petkit |
| Easiest to buy in US | Furbo & Fi (or Amazon resellers) |
The verdict
Cameras: the Korean-adjacent options (Petkit, Pawbo) are the value play — they do what Furbo does without the subscription sting, and many are a click away via Amazon resellers. GPS: for real safety in the US, I still put Fi Series 3 on my own dog; coverage and escape tracking are too important to gamble on. Buy the camera from the challengers, and don't cheap out on the collar that finds a lost dog.
I tested these devices in my own Honolulu home over several weeks. 'Korean-adjacent' acknowledges the Korea/China manufacturing overlap in brands like Petkit; I include the US incumbents so this is a fair, useful comparison rather than a homer pick.
