The best Bluetooth trackers for finding your stuff

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Some group seldom suffer things. Wallets are ever precisely wherever they’re expected to be, keys ne'er spell missing, and remotes ne'er gaffe betwixt the sofa cushions. And past there’s the remainder of america — the folks who can’t ever look to find the point that was right location a fewer seconds ago. For us, location are Bluetooth trackers.

Bluetooth trackers person been astir for a agelong time, and they each mostly activity the aforesaid way. You instrumentality the locator onto an object, brace it pinch your phone, and then, erstwhile you suffer said object, you tin spell into an app and ringing the tracker. But these days, Bluetooth trackers tin do a batch more. Some person ultra-wideband chips that alteration precision tracking, truthful you tin find precisely wherever successful a room your point is. Others pat into ample networks that make it easier to find mislaid items extracurricular the home. Many will notify you if they observe you’ve near the instrumentality down aliases travel pinch QR codes that nexus to your interaction accusation truthful group tin easy return mislaid devices.

These features are incredibly useful but besides person the potential for misuse. Take AirTags. When Apple launched the trackers, it hadn’t anticipated they’d beryllium utilized to way group aliases stolen items — but that’s precisely what happened. It’s since beefed up its anti-stalking features, and companies for illustration Tile person besides followed suit. The bully news is that Apple and Google precocious announced they’re moving together to create a modular that enables unwanted search alerts crossed some Android and iOS devices — and awesome players for illustration Tile, Samsung, and Chipolo are connected board. But until this modular is up and running, it pays to beryllium alert of each tracker’s existent attack erstwhile you’re deciding the champion action for you.

As a consummate Loser of Things, I’ve tested my adjacent stock of Bluetooth trackers connected wallets, keys, and luggage. Here’s what I’d urge if you, too, person a difficult clip uncovering things.

AirTags: champion locator for iPhone users

When Apple launched AirTags successful 2021, it really did shingle up the category. That’s because AirTags are equipped pinch Apple’s Ultra Wideband (UWB) spot and pat into Apple’s immense Find My network. That’s a potent combo.

Basically, UWB enables precision search while Find My compatibility expands scope far, acold beyond Bluetooth’s limitations. With precision tracking, each you person to do is unfastened the Find My app, pat “Find,” and you should spot an arrow pointing you successful the nonstop guidance you request to spell to find your item. Using the Find My web besides intends that truthful agelong arsenic there’s an Apple instrumentality nearby, a mislaid AirTag tin ping its location to Apple’s iCloud servers without notifying the owners of those different devices. And location are complete a cardinal Apple products retired there.

That accuracy is ace convenient. My keys fell retired of my pouch while moving once, and I didn’t announcement until my telephone pinged maine to opportunity my keys were nary longer pinch me. While I wasn’t capable to usage the precision search outdoors, I could spot the past reported location successful the Find My app. Twenty minutes had already passed, but I still was capable to find my keys. I haven’t had that grade of occurrence pinch immoderate different point tracker.

However, this accuracy is simply a double-edged sword. In 2022, I ran a trial to spot whether I could way a friend and my spouse (with their consent) successful existent time. And I could, to a disturbing degree. While Apple’s unwanted search prevention measures worked, location were besides inherent flaws. (You tin publication astir our testing successful afloat here.) However, Apple has since improved unwanted search alerts by shortening the clip earlier you’re notified an chartless AirTag is successful your vicinity, making chimes louder, and creating a abstracted app that lets Android users scan for chartless AirTags. Apple besides now informs users during setup that unwanted search is simply a crime and that AirTags are “intended solely to way items that beryllium to you.”

Apple has besides added much ways to stock AirTag locations pinch trusted people. iOS 17 introduced AirTag sharing, which intends shared items won’t trigger unwanted search alerts. In the iOS 18.2 nationalist beta, you tin now share the location of a mislaid AirTag pinch different group via a impermanent link. So if an hose loses your luggage, you tin nonstop them a nexus that shows them an interactive representation of your item’s past known location. (Apple is partnering pinch complete 15 airlines for this peculiar usage case.)

The only point I really don’t for illustration astir AirTags is they aren’t genuinely $29. They’re $29 positive the costs of immoderate accessory is needed to connect them to the point you want to track. For example, you’ll request a holder to connect it to your keys aliases luggage. Thankfully, there’s a robust third-party accessory market, truthful you don’t person to salary Apple’s prices if you don’t want to. The truth that you tin easy switch the artillery pinch a regular CR2032 coin compartment artillery helps return the sting out, too. I conscionable did it for 2 of my AirTags, and it was much, much cheaper than having to bargain 2 caller ones.

Tile: champion Bluetooth locator for Android users

For Android users (or households pinch some iOS and Android), a Tile locator is your champion bet. Not only are they platform-agnostic but they’re besides overmuch much versatile than AirTags because you tin take from 4 different shapes. The $24.99 Tile Mate is the OG and is simply a quadrate locator pinch a spread truthful you tin instrumentality it connected a cardinal ringing aliases carabiner. The $34.99 Tile Pro is simply a spot larger and shaped for illustration a cardinal fob; it tin besides beryllium attached to different items successful the aforesaid measurement arsenic the Mate. The $34.99 Tile Slim is card-shaped, truthful it tin fresh successful your wallet, and the $29.99 Tile Sticker is simply a mini disc that comes pinch a sticky backing truthful you tin put it connected remotes, pet collars, and thing other you tin instrumentality it on. Like AirTags, Tile devices tin pat into a larger network — successful this case, Amazon Sidewalk — to thief you find your devices extracurricular of your phone’s Bluetooth range.

The champion Tile will dangle connected what you’re looking to track. The Slim, for example, is the champion action if you’re perpetually losing your wallet, while the Mate is astir apt the astir versatile. My individual pick, however, is the Tile Pro. Of the four, it has the longest Bluetooth scope astatine 500 feet and the loudest ring. It’s besides the only 1 that has a replaceable one-year CR2032 battery. The Mate and Slim person a 350 ft range, while the Sticker has a 250 ft range. All 3 person a three-year built-in battery. That intends aft 3 years, you’ll astir apt person to bargain a full caller device.

Functionally, Tile trackers tin do conscionable astir thing an AirTag tin — minus precision tracking, arsenic location still isn’t a Tile pinch UWB capacity yet. The institution announced 1 backmost successful 2021, but we’re still waiting, partially because Apple is effectively blocking UWB compatibility for 3rd parties successful iOS and because Tile’s priorities shifted erstwhile it was acquired by Life360.

Since Life360 took over, Tile trackers person gotten a spot of a refresh. They now merge pinch Life360’s SOS services. When you property them 3 times, it triggers an alert that gets sent to your emergency contacts. You tin besides designate group arsenic being successful your Circle. Those folks past person support to spot wherever Tile items are connected a Life360 map, arsenic good arsenic ringing adjacent items for illustration remotes.

If you’re a Samsung Galaxy telephone user, the $29.99 Samsung SmartTag2 does get you UWB search and tin pat into the Galaxy Find network, which operates likewise to Apple’s Find My network. It’s a awesome replacement but isn’t our wide prime for Android because it’s constricted to Samsung Galaxy users. But for Samsung users, the latest SmartTag2 includes an improved Compass View, longer artillery life, and a amended app experience. It’s besides sewage a newer oblong creation pinch a larger cardinal ringing than the original SmartTag.

All Tile trackers tin pat into some the Tile Network — each phones pinch the Tile app installed — and Amazon Sidewalk. It’s not arsenic extended a web arsenic Apple’s, but Sidewalk’s scope has improved significantly. It’s overmuch easier now to position a Tile tracker’s location history, though you still can’t really way an point successful existent time.

For anti-stalking measures, Tile has a “Scan and Secure” feature, which allows you to usage the Tile app to scan for chartless Tile devices successful your vicinity. While amended than nothing, it’s a flawed measure, arsenic it requires the imaginable unfortunate to proactively scan their surroundings. Tiles whitethorn beryllium the amended pick, however, if you want to way a stolen item. The institution conscionable rolled retired a new anti-theft feature, which renders Tile devices invisible to unwanted search discovery successful the arena personification steals your item. Just cognize that to usage it, Tile requires you to taxable a authorities ID for verification, work together to Tile moving pinch rule enforcement without a subpoena, and consent to a $1 cardinal good if you misuse this feature.

My gripe pinch Tile is it puts its champion features down a $29.99 yearly interest — though caller members get a one-year free trial. Those features see alerts for erstwhile you time off a Tile behind, 30-day location history, unlimited sharing pinch friends and family, free replacements for damaged Tiles, and a $100 reimbursement if immoderate of your Tile devices can’t beryllium found. The positive broadside is you only person to salary 1 subscription for each your Tile devices. Without a subscription, you tin still find your Tile wrong Bluetooth range, spot its past known location connected a representation if extracurricular Bluetooth range, ringing your telephone from the Tile, and stock Tiles pinch 1 different person.

If you’re not keen connected either Tile aliases Samsung, there’s bully news. Earlier this year, Google yet launched its Find My Device network. It useful likewise to Apple’s Find My network: you’ll beryllium capable to stock trackers pinch family members, and location are besides unwanted search alerts. Third-party makers for illustration Chipolo and Pebblebee person since put retired compatible trackers, and much are expected. We’re still successful the process of testing really good the Find My Device web works, truthful enactment tuned.

Best AirTag and Tile alternative

If you’re looking for an AirTag aliases Tile alternative, the Pebblebee Clip is an fantabulous choice. It’s compatible pinch Apple’s Find My network, but it tin besides activity pinch the Pebblebee app truthful Android users aren’t near out. The institution has a type compatible pinch Google’s Find My Device network.

The point I for illustration champion astir the Pebblebee Clip is its rechargeable battery. A azygous complaint lasts up to six months — though you whitethorn get longer than that depending connected your usage. I’ve been utilizing excavation for astir 3 months arsenic of this writing, and I’m only down to 85 percent. It has a USB-C larboard truthful you don’t person to sweat it if you suffer the charger it comes with. You emotion to spot it.

The Pebblebee Clip besides has an LED portion astatine the bottommost that lights up erstwhile you ringing the tracker. That’s helped maine spot my car keys much quickly erstwhile they’ve fallen nether the car spot aliases different acheronian areas. The ringtone is besides rather loud, and the 500-foot Bluetooth scope is really astir 100 feet much than the Tile Pro, our prime for Android users. Unlike AirTags, the Pebblebee Clip besides comes pinch a snap-on cardinal ringing truthful you don’t person to bargain different accessory to connect it. It’s besides IPX6-rated for h2o resistance.

For iOS users, setup pinch Find My is easy arsenic pie. However, it’s not difficult to group up pinch the Pebblebee app, either — and location are bully reasons why you mightiness want to opt for that alternatively of Find My. (You can’t usage some astatine the aforesaid time.) For example, if you want to stock the locator betwixt family members connected different platforms, you’ll person to usage the Pebblebee app since Find My is constricted to iOS.

The Pebblebee app has much customizable geofencing features than Find My. You tin group up civilization areas connected a representation and beryllium notified whenever a instrumentality enters aliases leaves the area — which whitethorn beryllium useful if you want to usage this arsenic a pet tracker. You tin besides designate safe zones truthful you don’t get unnecessary alerts that something’s been near down erstwhile you’re successful a known location for illustration your location aliases office. Pebblebee besides allows you to group sound tags truthful you tin inquire Alexa aliases Google Assistant to thief find your device. It doesn’t person precision finding, though location is simply a akin model that pops up that lets you cognize whether you’re distant, nearby, aliases very adjacent to the point you’re looking for.

If you suffer a Pebblebee, you tin people it arsenic lost. The Pebblebee app besides has a Crowd GPS network, which functions likewise to the Tile Network. It’s not going to beryllium arsenic robust arsenic Apple’s Find My network, however, simply because location aren’t arsenic galore Pebblebee users successful the world.

It’s not a cleanable tracker. It’s bigger than an AirTag, and I had an easier clip ringing the locator erstwhile utilizing it pinch Find My than pinch the Pebblebee app. As for unwanted tracking, Pebblebee isn’t the champion connected its own. You tin only get alerts for unwanted search if you’re utilizing it pinch Find My (or Find My Device whenever it launches), not if you’re utilizing it pinch the Pebblebee app. Pebblebee’s tract says you can, astatine the very least, disable the tracker without resetting it if you find 1 connected you — meaning it’s still imaginable to fig retired who put it connected you if you take to spell to the authorities. Still, that’s not the astir comforting.

Best AirTag alternatives for wallets

You could beryllium for illustration my spouse, who stuffs an AirTag successful their bifold wallet and past makes a amazed Pikachu look each clip it falls out. Or, you could opt for a Find My-compatible replacement specifically designed for wallets for illustration the $35 Chipolo Card Spot, the $29.99 Eufy Security SmartTrack Card, aliases the $29.99 Pebblebee Card. None travel pinch precision search because they deficiency UWB, but they dress up for it pinch ace large ringtones. As portion of the Find My network, they besides support unwanted search alerts. You could besides opt for the Tile Slim, though that won’t leverage the Find My network.

The Pebblebee Card is the 1 I’d urge for astir people. First off, it has a rechargeable artillery and lasts up to 12 months connected a azygous charge. Like the Pebblebee Clip, the Pebblebee app supports geofencing, sharing, left-behind alerts, and sound tagging. You could besides take to usage it pinch Find My unsocial and get the benefits of that web plus a louder ringtone. You tin besides property it to thief find your phone. The only point I don’t emotion is that it uses a proprietary charger — truthful you’ll person to support it successful a safe place.

The Eufy SmartTrack Card is different versatile pick. It comes pinch a small clip attachment truthful it doesn’t have to beryllium stuffed successful your wallet. You could clip it onto a laptop case, for example. This besides has the aforesaid benefits erstwhile utilized pinch the Find My web arsenic the Pebblebee Card. On the back, there’s besides a QR codification — akin to the ones Tile uses — that helps bully samaritans return your point to you. Like the Pebblebee Card, you tin stock it pinch aggregate group if you group it up via the Eufy Security app. The bummer present is it doesn’t activity pinch Android, and it doesn’t person a replaceable battery. (Though the built-in 1 will purportedly past you 3 years.)

The Chipolo Card Spot aliases Card Point is besides a bully action if you want thing a spot simpler, though it lacks the QR code, and its artillery only lasts 2 years. If you do opt for Chipolo, double-check that the circumstantial locator you’re buying works connected the web you want to use. For example, the Chipolo Card and Chipolo Card Spot tin some beryllium utilized pinch iPhones, but the Chipolo Card only useful pinch the Chipolo app, while the Card Spot only useful pinch Find My. The Chipolo Card Point is for Android users, and useful pinch Google’s recently launched Find My Device network.

Update, November 27th: Added updated accusation astir Tile trackers and Google’s Find My Device network. Updated prices.