Best Bluetooth Trackers 2024: AirTag, Tile, Chipolo & More

The AirTag will not be the most affordable when you’ve purchased an adjunct to connect it to a keyring, however when you’ve got an iPhone—particularly one of many newest mannequin with a U1 chip (Apple iPhone 11 and later), it’s the only option.

That’s since you’ll get satnav-like instructions whenever you’re inside about 20 toes of the AirTag due to the ultrawideband know-how it makes use of at the side of its U1 chip that makes use of enter from an iPhone’s digital camera, Apple’s ARKit augmented actuality platform, accelerometer and gyroscope to information you to a misplaced AirTag utilizing sound, haptics, and visible suggestions..

The opposite cause is that for those who lose the AirTag (and no matter is hooked up to it) whenever you’re out and about, there’s likelihood another person with an iPhone will stroll inside vary in the end. Some non-Apple trackers are additionally certifed to work with this community of a whole bunch of thousands and thousands of iPhone customers that makes finding your misplaced object much more doable.

The drawback with AirTags are that they don’t work with Android units and don’t have a gap for slotting onto a keyring. As an alternative you’ll have to purchase a keyring holder from Apple (which doubles the associated fee) or a less expensive third-party holder.

The Tile Professional has been round for few years now, and because of a redesign that matches extra simply in a bunch of keys, it stays top-of-the-line Bluetooth trackers. The Tile Professional works reliably and – not like the Tile Mate – nonetheless has a replaceable battery.

It’s IP67 water-proof regardless of the replaceable battery, and measures 58 x 32 x 7.5mm. It takes a CR2032 battery that lasts as much as a yr and – in our expertise – just a few months longer.

The ringer is good and loud, so it’s simpler to listen to even when stuffed in a pocket or beneath a cushion. And theoretically it’ll hook up with the app as much as 400ft away. That’s in good situations although, so count on it to be much less in the actual world. 

You don’t get the exact instructions that AirTag homeowners do – Tile continues to be engaged on its ‘Extremely’ tracker to deal with this. For now, the Tile app exhibits inexperienced rings which gentle up as you get nearer. It might be good if there was a ‘compact view’ setting to keep away from a number of scrolling on the house display screen when you’ve got a number of Tiles, although.

As with the Mate (see under), it’s a must to subscribe to the Premium service in order for you ‘left behind’ alerts, location historical past and a alternative battery by way of the submit on the proper time.  

When you think about {that a} Chipolo One is cheaper and affords most of those options and not using a subscription, the Tile is just price the additional cash since you’ll profit from Tile’s a lot bigger consumer base which may simply discover your misplaced merchandise.

Chipolo beat Apple to the punch by making its current One tracker appropriate with Discover My earlier than Apple launched the AirTag.

In some methods it’s higher than the AirTag, too, as the outlet means you may get it out of the field and pop it in your keyring with no need an adjunct.

It really works solely with the Discover My app, not Chipolo’s personal app, which suggests it’s no use for those who’re an Android proprietor. (And if you’re, Chipolo now affords the One Level which works with Google’s Discover My system.)

Nonetheless, when you’ve got an iPhone, the One Spot is a wonderful tracker, with an extended vary and barely louder ring than an AirTag – and it’s cheaper, too. Plus, it leverages the identical millions-strong neighborhood of iPhone customers which suggests a a lot increased likelihood of monitoring down a misplaced merchandise than for those who lose a Chipolo One, which depends on Chipolo’s smaller neighborhood of customers.

The {hardware} is actually the identical because the Chipolo One under, with IPX5 water resistance and a replaceable battery, although it lasts solely a yr reasonably than two regardless of being the identical CR2032 cell.

In fact, this additionally signifies that there’s no U1 chip, so that you don’t get the identical exact instructions as with an AirTag whenever you’re shut by however nonetheless can’t discover your lacking merchandise.

There are various Bluetooth tracker producers, however Chipolo is the one model we’ve examined – up to now – that may compete with Apple and Tile.

The Chipolo One has a replaceable battery, however not like the older Basic mannequin it’s water-proof to the IPX5 commonplace, which principally means it’ll be completely okay if it will get rained on.

It takes a CR2032 battery which lasts as much as two years and is available in numerous colors, which is good.

There’s a separate mannequin known as the Ocean Edition. Its outer shell is made out of recycled plastic retrieved from the ocean, and Chipolo will donate $1 to the non-profit Oceanic World for every one purchased. It’s costlier than the common version, so defending the ocean will price you.

Chipolo’s app bears greater than a passing resemblance to Tile’s app, so there’s a clear interface that’s intuitive to make use of.

One helpful function is left-behind alerts. It’s on by default and whenever you stroll away along with your telephone far sufficient (past the 200ft connection vary) you’ll get an audible alert from the app asking for those who meant to go away your merchandise behind. 

We discovered this technique labored higher than Tile’s, alerting us a lot sooner. Plus, not like Tile’s you don’t should pay for the function by subscribing to a premium tier of the service.

There’s Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri on assist, so you’ll be able to ask the assistant to ring your merchandise – extra handy than unlocking your telephone, opening the app and ready for the gadget to attach.

The One’s vary wasn’t fairly 200ft, however the ringer may be very loud. And that is essential as a result of the possibilities are that your keys are in a coat pocket or sown the aspect of the couch cushions.

One other bonus is that – not like Tile – you’ll be able to log in along with your account particulars to Chipolo’s internet portal in any browser to see the place your trackers have been final seen. You possibly can’t ring them, however you’ll be able to mark them as misplaced and you’ll ring your telephone, as long as it has an web connection and the Chipolo app is operating within the background.

Like Tile, the Chipolo enables you to ring your telephone from the tracker itself and there’s a ‘Group Discover’ system for monitoring misplaced objects exterior of Bluetooth vary. Nonetheless, this can be a lot smaller than Tile’s consumer base, which itself is far smaller than Apple’s, so the possibilities are slimmer of your misplaced tracker being situated by one other Chipolo proprietor. That’s the principle downside right here.

The Tile Mate was up to date in 2022, that includes a barely curvier design. 

For beneath twenty quid (or 25 bucks), options aren’t on a par with the Professional: the speaker is quieter and the vary is 250ft (76m). That’s nonetheless very respectable, although, and also you profit from the identical reliability, the identical set of options, the identical app and the identical crowd-find system.

It’s not as loud because the Chipolo One – which is just fractionally costlier – and it’s a must to subscribe the Tile Premium service in order for you additional options equivalent to Sensible Alerts which might be free with the Chipolo.

Disappointingly, the battery is not replaceable, however the battery is now stated to final three years. Clearly we haven’t been in a position to confirm that: examine again in 2025 to seek out out whether or not the declare is true or not!

This credit-card sized, pocket-friendly Bluetooth tracker is simply 2mm thick which suggests you must be capable to slip it into your pockets with out making it too cumbersome.

Waterproof and dustproof, it really works with Apple’s Discover My app operates very like Apple’s personal AirTag—besides it’s a lot thinner and so gained’t wreck your pockets with an unpleasant bulge.

Its tracker ring tone emits as much as 80 decibels. Should you want louder, take a look at the Chipolo Card Spot, reviewed under, which may blast out 105dB.

Battery life is two-years, and you’ll’t swap out for a brand new battery when it’s light like you possibly can with an AirTag.

Journey additionally affords a LOC8 Finder Fob with the identical capabilities however extra just like the AirTag or Chipolo One Spot in dimensions.

At 2.4mm thick this credit-card sized Bluetooth tracker is a tiny bit thicker than the 2mm Journey LOC8 Finder Card.

As with Chipolo’s One Spot, the Card Spot works with Apple’s Discover My system, so that you’ll want an iPhone or iPad to make use of it.

The advantages are price it, although, because it’s super-simple to arrange and, in fact, you don’t even must obtain an app or join a Chipolo account: it really works along with your current Apple ID.

Lose your pockets and there’s a a lot higher likelihood you’ll discover it once more than for those who used, say Tile’s Slim tracker (under). That’s as a result of any iPhone that strikes inside vary of your misplaced pockets can anonymously report the Card Spot’s location, permitting you to see on a map the place it was final seen.

So long as your iPhone and iPad has up-to-date software program, you’ll get alerts for those who go away the Card Spot behind, and—though non-replaceable—the built-in battery ought to final two years.

The Sticker is available in packs of two or 4 and is the plain tracker to make use of in case your TV distant is misplaced frequently.

However you possibly can additionally stick one to a digital camera, skateboard, cordless drill, glasses case, beneath the saddle of your bike – just about something, in actual fact, as long as it has a flat floor large sufficient for the 27mm gadget.

It’s waterproof, and its battery now lasts as much as three years. It’s only a disgrace you’ll be able to’t change it. However the little button has  been relocated to the aspect of the gadget which avoids unintentional presses – an issue on the unique mannequin. The button enables you to ring you telephone, simply as with the opposite Tile trackers.

Stickers behave precisely like a Tile Mate or Professional, and the second-gen mannequin has an elevated vary of 250 toes (76m). 

If there’s a criticism it’s that they’re costlier than the Tile Mate, and solely are available packs of two or 4.

The Slim was up to date with a 2022 mannequin, similar to the remainder of Tile’s vary. Although they’re known as ‘2022’ they really launched in October 2021.

Nonetheless, this takes nothing away from the truth that battery life has been improved in step with the Sticker and Mate, so a Slim now lasts three years as an alternative of two.

Sadly the battery isn’t replaceable, so its life is extra restricted than the Professional, which is now the one mannequin that has a battery which may be modified.

The Slim, although, is the best selection for those who want a tracker in your pockets, and it’s the proper measurement to slide right into a baggage tag, or connect to a pocket book.

Vary is elevated to 250ft (76m) and the ringer is simply as loud because the Mate and Sticker. The dangerous information is that it’s simply as costly because the Professional, so that you’re buying and selling off vary, ringer loudness and the replaceable battery for the thinner kind issue.