Waggle vs Necto Pet Monitoring Systems

For 4 years, I’ve traveled full-time in my camper van with my dog. Having the best pet monitoring system to ensure his safety while I run errands is my highest priority, and I’ve tested both Waggle and Necto first-hand.

After using both pet monitors, I can tell you there’s a very clear winner. While Waggle has been around for longer, making it more commonly known by RVers, it’s plagued with poor user reviews (my own included) for poor and unreliable connection; either sending incorrect temperature readings, or worse – none at all.

Necto is not only far more affordable than Waggle, but it’s also far more reliable! When it comes to the safety of my pet I’m not willing to take any risks. I have far more trust in my Necto pet monitor than my Waggle.

In this article:

• Waggle Vs Necto
• Cost of device and monthly subscription fees
• Reliability and cellular connection
• Features of each pet monitoring system
• User reviews

If you’re short on time, here’s the abbreviated comparison:

Necto is the better pet monitoring system… by a lot. The device cost is comparable to Waggle, and the subscription fee is a fraction of the Waggle subscription cost.

Necto outperforms Waggle in terms of reliability. It connects to 3 different cellular networks so it can stay connected and send you alerts in more places than Waggle which only operates on one cellular network.

Don’t just take my word for it! Other users agree – Necto is the better pet monitoring system. Necto boasts a 4.7 star Amazon rating, while Waggle only has 4.1 stars (and an overwhelming number of negative reviews).

While I think Necto is the best option, there are several RV pet temperature monitors available (full comparison here.)

Waggle Vs Necto Comparison Chart

There’s a few primary differences between Waggle vs Necto pet monitoring systems. The largest differences are their costs (Necto is much cheaper upfront and long-term due to a significantly lower subscription fee) and their reliable connections to cellular networks.

How Do Waggle & Necto Work

Waggle and Necto are cellular connected pet monitoring systems, which means they don’t require a wifi connection to send alerts to your phone.

Each pet monitoring system comes with a SIM card that allows it to connect to cell towers. Waggle connects to the Verizon network, and Necto connects to AT&T, TMobile and Cellular One.

One large benefit to Necto vs Waggle is its ability to change cell networks depending on which signal is stronger. This contributes to better overall reliability of the Necto pet monitor.

Because these pet monitoring systems use cellular connections they also require a paid monthly subscription in order to keep the SIM card active.

Necto offers two years of free subscriptions in the price of their device (MSRP $180). After your first two years of free service the subscription is $30 per year.

Waggle does not include a free subscription with their device (MSRP $200). They offer multiple subscription packages ranging from one month to two years.

Monthly Waggle subscription costs are $25 per month. Discounts apply if you buy a 12-month or 24-month subscription package which brings the monthly average to $16.50 or $12.50 respectively.

NOTE: Waggle does not offer the ability to pause or cancel prepaid subscription packages. Packages are paid in-full upfront and full or partial refunds are not provided.

Whether you’re traveling full-time with a dog, like me, or you’re taking shorter road trips I highly recommend investing in a pet monitoring system!

>Buy Necto On Amazon
>Buy Waggle On Amazon

Waggle Vs Necto: Connectivity & Coverage

In my opinion, the difference in connectivity and realiable cellular coverage of Waggle and Necto is one of the most important distinguishing differences between the two pet monitoring systems.

Waggle: Relies solely on Verizon’s network, which may be limiting in areas with weak coverage.

In my experience, Verizon connection is great in cities and metro areas, but is less reliable in remote areas.

Necto: Offers broader coverage by connecting to multiple carriers (AT&T, TMobile & Cellular One), enhancing reliability in diverse locations.

In my experience, AT&T and TMobile cellular networks offer the best connection in more remote areas (they run on different bands than Verizon, which are more reliable for long-distance connections.)

>Buy Necto On Amazon
>Buy Waggle On Amazon

Waggle Vs Necto: Subscription Cost & Fees

While both Waggle & Necto require a subscription in order to send alerts through cellular networks, Necto offers a much more affordable monthly fee (and is free for the first 2 years!)

Waggle: Monthly Waggle subscription costs start at $25. For 12-month and 24-month packages a discount is applied.

12-month Waggle subscription costs are $199 annually (about $16.50 per month).

24-month Waggle subscription costs are $299 bi-annually (about $12.50 per month).

Both subscription packages are paid in-full upfront and cannot be paused or partially refunded if your plans change.

Necto: Provides two years of service upfront (included in your purchase price). After the initial 2 years, Necto subscription costs are $30 per year.

Waggle Vs Necto: Features

While similar in their basic features, there are a few feature differences between Waggle and Necto that are worth noting.

Alert Notifications

Waggle: Delivers alerts through multiple channels, including a dedicated app.

Necto: Sends alerts via their app, text and email.

In addition to a pet monitoring system, I recommend having a good camper or RV security system while traveling. A security system can provide additional alert features, like smoke, CO gas, water leaks and intruder alarms.

Real-world Battery Life

In my experience, there’s a large difference in the advertised battery life of Waggle compared to real-world experience. While Necto doesn’t boast a huge backup battery life – it seems to be far more accurate compared to it’s real-world experience.

Waggle: Battery life varies; some users report issues with charging and battery longevity. Advertised backup battery life is 5 days, whereas real-world use is closer to 2 or 3 days.

Necto: Consistently delivers up to 72 hours of battery life, with straightforward charging.

NOTE: Multiple factors determine real-world battery life. For example, a low cellular signal will put more strain on the battery and cause it to fail sooner. This may explain why the Waggle battery dies faster for me, as it can only connect to one cell network.

Additional Waggle Pet Monitoring Products

It’s worth noting that Waggle offers a suite of products, where as Necto is focused on producing a reliable pet monitoring system and does not have other products available.

Waggle sells two types of pet monitoring systems: Waggle Lite & Waggle Pro.

Waggle Lite Pet Monitoring System:

• Retails for $200
• Includes temperature, humidity and power loss monitoring
• Has a built-in digital display

Waggle Pro Pet Monitoring System:

• Retails for $300
• Includes all Waggle Lite features plus GPS tracking and geofence alerts

The Waggle geofence alerts allow you to set a radius of 0.5 – 10 miles. You’ll receive an alert if your RV or camper is outside of the specified range.

Additionally, Waggle has recently launched an RV pet monitor with camera.

The Waggle RV pet monitor with camera features 360° live video streaming with two-way audio communication with your pet. It can send alerts for motion and sound, and has a built-in treat tossing feature (similar to Furbo).

In addition to the Waggle pet monitor with camera, Waggle also sells a “lighter” version (called the Waggle RV Cam AI Mini) which has similar features but does not have the ability to toss treats.

Waggle RV pet monitors with cameras must be connected to a wifi network in order to work, they cannot run solely on cellular like the non-camera pet monitoring systems they sell.

NOTE: Each Waggle device requires its own monthly subscription fee. You cannot combine Waggle devices in one monthly service fee.

>Buy Necto On Amazon
>Buy Waggle On Amazon

Waggle Vs Necto: User Reviews

Overall, Necto has far better user reviews than Waggle. Before making a decision on which pet monitoring system is best for you I recommend reading Waggle reviews on Facebook, Reddit and Amazon.

You can read my honest Waggle review here.

Waggle: Some users appreciate its features but many have encountered severe issues with connectivity and customer support.

Necto: Generally receives positive feedback for reliability and ease of use, even in areas with spotty coverage.

Verdict: Waggle Vs Necto

After using both Waggle and Necto to monitor the temperature in my camper and ensure my dogs safety I highly recommend Necto over Waggle.

Ultimately, Waggle is too expensive for the unreliable service it provides. I’ve been extremely disappointed with the service provided by Waggle, and it appears they’re investing effort into launching new products instead of enhancing the reliability of the ones they’re currently advertising.

Necto is more reliable, and I have much more trust in its ability to properly notify me of problems.

>Buy Necto On Amazon
>Buy Waggle On Amazon

In addition to having a pet monitoring system, there are a few additional RV pet safety tips I recommend – including a list of state-specific laws about leaving pets unattended in a vehicle, and my favorite essentials for RVing with pets.