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We compare 13 of the market's best Bluetooth trackers, including those from Tile, Innway, Tractive, Samsung, and Apple, through rigorous side-by-side tests.
Credit: Jackson Chen
By Jackson Chen ⋅ Review Editor ⋅ Updated July 3, 2025
Prone to losing your keys? A Bluetooth tracker can help locate your misplaced items while providing peace of mind that they're exactly where they should be — whether it's your child's backpack, checked luggage, or keys.
We have been seeking out the best trackers for the last 6 years and have tested over 40 models. In each round of testing, we hide numerous common items and measure how quickly and effectively we can find them. We also assess how easy it is to add each item to our phones and manage multiple trackers simultaneously.
Best Trackers at a Glance
The Apple AirTag is the best choice for iPhone users due to its massive network and user-friendliness.
For Samsung users, we love the Samsung SmartTag2, which blew us away with its massive range.
The Tile Mate is the best option for other Android users and anyone who wants to find items across multiple platforms.
The Tractive GPS is made for tracking pets and also comes with health monitoring features.
The Tracki GPS caters to anyone looking to track their car with accuracy and specific alerts.
The Innway Card Find My is great for finding wallets with a distinct ringtone and access to Apple's network.
Editor's Note: We updated our Bluetooth tracker review on July 3, 2025, after testing a new fleet of products.
The Samsung SmartTag2 is our top choice for Samsung users. SmartThings Find recently tripled its network and is one of the largest, with 300 million registered and opted-in devices. It also uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, dramatically increasing the precision of locating lost items. Combine this with over 300 million users, and the likelihood of finding your belongings is high. Another cool perk is that the device can give your item's live location, and the SmartTag2 gives a history of its whereabouts. This can be nice if you are curious about where your pet goes throughout the day or want to follow your luggage's journey. It has a large out-of-sight Bluetooth range and can stay connected to our items up to 387 feet. That's impressive, considering the Apple AirTag maxes out at about 35 feet and does not give a history of where it has been. In addition, the SmartTag2, with newer devices, has a very useful augmented reality interface to help you find things (demo in the video below). The AirTag has a more basic arrow to guide you to your devices.
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions
52 mm L x 28 mm W x 8 mm H
Measured Weight
14.0 g
Type
Tag
Battery
Up to 700 days with power save mode
Measured Bluetooth Range
387 ft
One of the main limitations of the SmartTag2 is that it only works with Samsung phones that are operating Android 9.0 and above. Users must download the SmartThings app, specifically installed on a Samsung phone. This excludes many Android worldwide customers from ever using the tracker, and users with devices not integrated into the SmartThings ecosystem will not benefit from its features. The SmartTag2 also has a quiet ringer, which could make finding your belongings more challenging in a noisy room or if they are stuffed in the couch cushion. You'll want to avoid this tracker if you're not a Samsung user. Instead, consider the Tile Mate. This requires downloading its accompanying app, but you won't be limited to just Apple or Samsung devices.
Using the SmartThings app to find the SmartTag 2 and our house keys in the couch. Note the use of augmented reality to help you zero in on your item. Most other apps only give you an arrow for guidance.
The Apple AirTag has an unbeatable network size. If it goes out of Bluetooth range, it has more than a billion iPhones (and any other Apple device with the Find My app, for that matter) ready to anonymously ping an updated location to your phone as soon as one comes into range of the tag. It takes less than a minute to set up the AirTag — all you need to do is yank the tag and open the Find My app on your iPhone. Once active, the AirTag has a Precision Finding feature that uses ultra-wideband tech to point you in the direction of your tracked items. Even if you drop your keys in the rain or snow, you can still count on the AirTag, since it has an IP67 rating to withstand depths of up to a meter in water for thirty minutes.
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions
31.9 mm diameter
Measured Weight
11 g
Type
Tag
Battery
Replaceable CR2032 coin cell battery (up to a year+)
Measured Bluetooth Range
106 ft
However, we were surprised at just how small the Bluetooth range is for the Apple AirTag. It maxed out around 100 feet, which is generally fine for most practical uses when looking for an item in your house, but it's less than 1/3 of the range of the Samsung SmartTag2. The only saving grace is that as long as it's near another iPhone or Apple device, there is likely something nearby to locate it in urban settings. The AirTag won't work as well in rural or remote wooded areas outside of the Bluetooth range. The design of this coin tracker is also quite minimal — there's no attachment point for your keyring, you'll have to buy a separate accessory for that. This tag is only compatible with iPhones. However, this tracker is one of the best for its unparalleled search network and ease of use. We also like the Chipolo One, which is slightly cheaper and has a built-in ring to connect to your keychain or backpack.
Considering the accuracy and unlimited range of the Tracki GPS, this tracker is the clear winner for keeping tabs on vehicles. Using GPS, it provides an exact address of where you can find it. In our testing, the Tracki GPS can even distinguish which side of a building you're in, cutting down on time spent looking for your lost item. For cars and bikes specifically, the tracker has moving alerts, geofences, and a speedometer, which are all crucial to help ensure your vehicle doesn't get stolen and give you a hand in case it does. The tracker shines when it comes to anything moving, but there's a lot of versatility with the included accessories. You can swap the default back for a magnet that can attach to a car's metal frame or a clip that can clamp down on your dog's collar. Even though we luckily didn't need it during our tests, the Tracki GPS comes with an SOS button that alerts a designated contact and two other programmable buttons for a lot of added functionality.
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions
38.9 mm L x 46.4 mm
W x 15.8mm H
Measured Weight
36 g
Type
Tracker
Battery
Up to 1 month with battery save mode
Measured Bluetooth Range
n/a
Be wary of using the Tracki GPS in areas with poor cell reception since it will have a hard time consistently updating your item's location. Since GPS trackers rely on cell towers for service, they're close to useless in remote areas. To combat this, Tracki lets you switch to Wi-Fi or Bluetooth tracking, but these methods aren't as accurate as GPS tracking. The Tracki, like most GPS trackers, comes with a subscription cost. You get to choose between several subscription options, but the most expensive option updates you every 30 seconds. We wish the tracker had a louder beep or ringtone option that you can hear if you stash it inside a car's glove compartment or center console. Currently, you get a beep option that's too short and quiet to hear unless you're already close to your lost car. However, the tracker's high degree of accuracy and many features make it a worthwhile investment for protecting your car. The LandAirSea 54 shares a lot of the vehicle-specific features of the Tracki tracker, but comes with an even more robust magnet that makes sure it stays put on your car's frame. If you're not interested in anti-theft measures, the Apple AirTag is a much cheaper option that's just as good at helping you remember where you parked your car.
If you have a hodgepodge of devices that's not fully Apple or Samsung, the Tile Mate is the clear choice since it works on both iOS and Android. Setting the tracker up is as simple as downloading the Tile app, creating an account, and connecting it to your smartphone in seconds. Tile includes a built-in hole that makes it perfect for looping into the keyring that your keys are already on. With an impressive Bluetooth range and several ringtone and volume levels, it's easy to hear the tracker within a large search radius. In scenarios where you can't hear the tracker or have it set to mute, the Tile app provides real-time signal strength that's like a game of hotter or colder to guide you toward your lost item. For some added functionality, you can double-press the button on the tracker to locate your phone. Most of all, the Tile tracker represents one of the most budget-friendly ways to combat your forgetfulness since it's the cheapest option on our list.
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions
35 mm L x 35 mm W x 6.3 mm H
Measured Weight
7.43 g
Type
Tag
Battery
3 year permanent battery
Measured Bluetooth Range
133 ft
Even though the Tile Mate works with both Apple and Android devices, that compatibility comes with a serious drawback. Instead of getting access to the millions of devices on either the Find My or SmartThings Find app, you have to use Tile's less extensive network to locate a tracker that's out of Bluetooth range. According to Tile's parent company, Life360, the network has grown to more than 70 million monthly active users that can be tapped into. Still, that's much smaller than the hundreds of millions of Apple devices across the world or the more than 300 million available nodes that can help find trackers through the SmartThings Find app. A lot of the basic tracker features — like left behind alerts and a 30-day location history — are locked behind a paywall. However, this is still an ultra-affordable device that does exactly what it's supposed to. For a similar Bluetooth tracker, the Chipolo One comes with separation alerts and a wireless camera shutter feature. If you're already committed to the Apple or Samsung ecosystem, either the Apple AirTag or the Samsung SmartTag2 is a better Bluetooth tracker option that can use ultra-wideband tech for an easier time finding your things.
For something as cherished as your pets, the Tractive GPS and its accurate tracking provide a lot of peace of mind. It's a GPS tracker with an unlimited range and near-exact coordinates, so it doesn't matter where your dog wanders off to, as long as there's cell coverage. The tracker does more than just tell you where your pet is, since there are a bunch of useful features for pet owners, like setting up virtual fences that alert you when your cat or dog crosses an established boundary, or location history to give you a better sense of where your dog has wandered off. The Tractive model can even switch to Bluetooth Radar mode, which works better in close-range situations. On top of the tracking features, the GPS tracker also monitors your pet's health by monitoring activity, sleep, and overall wellness. Setup is a breeze — Tractive designed a unique anchoring system with stretchy tabs that can wrap around any collar. This GPS tracker has plenty of practical features and no unnecessary add-ons.
Like other GPS trackers, the Tractive GPS loses a lot of its effectiveness in places with poor cell reception, like secluded wooded areas. Tractive includes sound and light functions that provide extra help finding a lost dog, but we didn't find them loud or bright enough to make much of a difference unless you're in pitch-black silence. If your dog wanders anywhere with ambient background noise, the beeps are too quiet to notice. If you want to use the health tracking for your dog, there is a lengthy setup process that requires you to plug in a lot of information about your pup. During that setup, you also have to figure out your subscription plan, which can add up over the years. Still, we believe the Tractive tracker is well worth the price, considering its remarkable accuracy and the practical features designed specifically for pet owners. For a more community-oriented GPS tracker for dogs, the Fi Series 3 has plenty of social media features in its app to pair with the tracker. If you prefer something that can work more reliably in remote areas, a Bluetooth tracker with a longer range like the Tile Mate is worth considering.
Tractive released an updated version of this collar tracker since our testing, with a sleeker design, brighter light, and longer battery life. Our links point to the newest model.
The Innway Card Find My is our favorite of the card trackers we tested. This card tracker relies on Apple's Find My network to provide a last-seen location when it's out of Bluetooth range. You might not notice the weight difference between the card trackers we tested, but the Innway model is technically the lightest at 13 grams. We tested this card tracker's ringtone in a noisy gym that was hosting a competition, and we were still able to hear the sharp notes throughout its melody. If you don't want to deal with setting up an account and downloading another app, the Innway model lets you get right to tracking when you hit the button on the tracker and pair it with the Find My app. For even less hassle, you don't have to worry about replacing the battery in this tracker since it recharges through wireless MagSafe and Qi chargers.
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions
L: 54.0 mm
W: 85.5 mm
H: 1.7 mm
Measured Weight
13 g
Type
Card
Battery
6 months/rechargeable
Measured Bluetooth Range
65 ft
Even though the Innway Card Find My is the thinnest of the card trackers we tested on paper, it didn't quite feel that way in our wallet. The Innway Card has rigid corners, whereas other card trackers have rounded and bevelled corners that feel a lot sleeker. This card tracker is one of the most expensive Bluetooth options on our list, which is a tough pill to swallow, given its short Bluetooth range and battery life. However, these downsides are outweighed by its Find My network compatibility and rechargeability. If you're looking for a cheaper card-style tracker, the Tile Slim Card gets the job done, but doesn't offer support for the Find My network (and it's not rechargeable). Alternatively, the Chipolo Card Spot also works with Apple's network and has a better Bluetooth range, but isn't as water or dustproof as the Innway model.
Replaceable CR2032 coin cell battery (up to a year+)
Up to 700 days with power save mode
Up to 1 month with battery save mode
3 year permanent battery
2 year replaceable
Up to 1 year
Up to 10 days with power saving zones
Wireless rechargeable (up to 3 months on single charge)
Up to 1 year
3 year permanent battery
6 months/rechargeable
2 year permanent battery
3 year permanent battery
Measured Bluetooth Range
106 ft
387 ft
n/a
133 ft
106 ft
114 ft
n/a
n/a
n/a
72 ft
65 ft
96 ft
51 ft
Waterproof
Water resistant IP67
Water resistant IP67
IP67
Water resistant IP55
Water resistant IPX5
N/A
IPX7 (waterproof, not dustproof)
IP68/IP66k
IP67
Yes
IP68
IPX5 (water resistant)
Yes
Camera Shutter
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Measured Noise
58.1 dB
60.84 dB
69.7 dB
69.9 dB
70.3 dB
71.3 dB
51.8 dB
N/A
N/A
70.8 dB
70.9 dB
66.9 dB
70.3 dB
Device Tones
1 tone
10 tones and 3 volumes
1 tone
2 volumes and silent, 10 tones
1 tone
1 tone
1 tone
N/A
N/A
2 volumes and silent, 10 tones
1 tone
1 tone
2 volumes and silent, 10 tones
Some of our tracker testing from water drops, decibel readings, measurement and dog walks.
Credit: Chris McNamara
Why Trust GearLab
At GearLab, we purchase every product we test at full price from the same retailers as our readers. We never accept freebies, demo models, or prototypes from manufacturers — our goal is to determine which products are the best, regardless of the price or name brand associated with them. To test trackers, we measured the range of their signals, assessed their features, and how easy they are to use out of the box and in the long run when paired with a variety of commonly tracked items. We also carefully compared their notification noise levels and each model's physical form and dimensions. We put each model through the same tests to compare exactly how quickly you can find the same items.
We break down our overall score into five key metrics:
Finding Keys (20% of overall scoring weight)
Finding Luggage and Bags (20% weighting)
Finding a Pet (20% weighting)
Finding Bikes and Vehicles (20% weighting)
Usability (20% weighting)
Ross Patton and Jackson Chen spearheaded this review. With more than a decade of product testing experience and a formal education in environmental science, Ross is no stranger to comprehensive experiments and tests. He has been an advocate and user of Bluetooth devices since the days of the old-school Motorola Razr flip phones and the original iOS — the first platform to allow for head-to-head fighter jet dogfighting simulators without an internet or cellular data connection. In the last three years, Jackson has reviewed a variety of consumer tech products ranging from cameras to portable projectors. With an undying curiosity of how things work, he's spent a lot of time figuring out what makes a certain product stand out and what design flaws hold it back.
Analysis and Test Results
To thoroughly assess these devices, we used them in our everyday lives for months, attaching them to our keys, tossing them in our bags, and sticking them to valuable objects.
Worse Value
Better Value
What's the Best Value?
At GearLab, when we talk about value, we compare the overall score of any given Bluetooth tracker relative to its price. We aim to find top performers — those that might have a higher price tag justified by exceptional performance, as well as diamonds in the rough — those models that don't cost nearly as much as their best-in-class peers but still offer excellent performance for the price. These trackers have a relatively narrow price spread between the most and least expensive, so any high scorer is a good value. The Tile Mate, Samsung SmartTag2, and Apple AirTag have exceptional value. Each is highly functional, with large networks and user-friendly apps, while still remaining budget-friendly. On the other hand, despite the higher product price and subscription costs, the Tracki GPS and Tractive GPS offer reliability and plenty of features that justify the higher cost.
The Tile Mate is an affordable way to keep track of your things.
Credit: Jackson Chen
Finding Keys
Even the most mindful among us have forgotten or misplaced our keys when we're in a rush. Instead of realizing before it's way too late, throwing a tracker onto the same keyring is a great way to save yourself the headache of turning around. We tested a variety of trackers by seeing how convenient they are to use with our keys, measuring how long it takes for the tracker to notify us that it was left behind, and trying to locate them after our friends hid them from us.
For keeping track of your keys, the Apple AirTag is the gold standard — as long as you have a compatible Apple device. It may be just a simple Bluetooth tracker with an unremarkable range, but the AirTag offers the Precision Finding feature that quite literally points you in the direction of your misplaced keys. On top of that, you can tap into Apple's Find My network, which has millions of devices across the world that act as an anonymous search party for your keys. It's also extremely easy to set up and pair with an iPhone, and even has anti-stalking features that alert you if an unrecognized AirTag is traveling with you. For something with universal compatibility, the Tile Mate also performed well with locating keys. It doesn't have some of the AirTag's coveted features, but it has a large Bluetooth range and a built-in hole that can loop right into a keyring.
Apple's Precision Finding feature makes the AirTag a standout tracker.
Credit: Jackson Chen
There are plenty of options for tracking keys, but the GPS trackers like the Fi Series 3 should be skipped. This GPS tracker was designed with pets in mind and needs to be attached to a collar, meaning it's far too bulky to pair with keys. Even if you manage to find a way to make it work, you don't get any audio clues to alert you where your keys are when you're in the right area. On the same page, we don't recommend using the LandAirSea 54. There are no easy ways to attach this magnetic GPS tracker to your keys, and it would feel far too bulky to do so. Not to mention, it seems overkill to pay subscription fees for a GPS tracker to find your keys.
The Tile Mate lets Apple or Android users track their keys and other small items.
Credit: Jackson Chen
Finding Luggage and Bags
If you keep expensive gear in your bag, throwing a tracker inside provides some much-needed peace of mind. Similarly, if you're a frequent flyer who never wants to deal with the hassle of lost luggage again, including a tracker is the way to go. In our testing, we tried each of these trackers both inside and outside our luggage and bags to see how easy it was to find our stuff.
The top performers in this metric were the Apple AirTag and the Samsung SmartTag2, which both can use ultra-wideband technology to point you in the right direction of your bag. The Samsung device even has an augmented reality mode to visually guide you towards your lost item. With the AirTag, you get the Precision Finding tool and the benefit of Apple's Find My network that anonymously pings nearby compatible devices to update the location of your lost luggage. The Samsung's tracker uses the SmartThings Find network, which is comparable to Apple's. While other trackers can get the job done, these two options rank highly thanks to these valuable features.
You'll have to purchase an extra holder accessory for the Apple AirTag if you want to attach it to anything.
Credit: Jackson Chen
Finding a Pet
No one wants to go through the experience of losing track of a pet. Our furry friends are essentially members of our immediate family, and it makes sense to want to keep them safe. No matter how well you train your cats and dogs, you'll be grateful for having a tracker in those rare instances you couldn't have planned for. We put these trackers to the test by using them daily on our dog's collar to see if they were useful during regular walks and when it comes to runaway pets.
The Tractive GPS is the standout tracker for pets. It even has multiple ways to prevent your furry companions from getting lost in the first place. Our dog was in good hands during the testing, since we set up escape alerts, geofences with safe and dangerous zones, and even used the Live Tracking mode to see what our dog was up to when we weren't home.
The Fi Series 3 is designed for pets and even has health monitoring features. However, setup is somewhat complicated, and we preferred the Tractive overall for pet tracking. The Tile Sticker has a decent Bluetooth range for tracking your pet and customizable sounds, but it presents a choking hazard to pets if the adhesive backing comes loose (not to mention you'd be out of luck for tracking). We also don't recommend the card-style trackers for pets, since their form is awkward hanging on a collar.
The Tractive GPS comes packed with features for cats and dogs.
Credit: Jackson Chen
Finding Bikes and Vehicles
An expensive work truck can easily run into six figures, and bicycles can surpass thousands of dollars. Even though cars have security systems and people often lock up their bicycles when out of sight, it doesn't hurt to add an extra layer of assurance with one of these trackers. In our testing, the Tracki GPS reigned supreme with a design that's designed specifically for tracking fast-moving objects. On top of the accuracy of its GPS tracking, the Tracki model gives you moving alerts, the ability to set up geofences, and location history — all of which help keep track of your car or bicycle but also prevent them from getting stolen.
Unlike GPS trackers, the Bluetooth trackers we tested didn't perform as well in this metric. Trackers like the Chipolo One and the Nutale AirPro had enough range to handle a parked vehicle, but it wouldn't take long for a moving car or bicycle to dip beyond the Bluetooth connection. We also felt the Tile Sticker performed notably poorly with cars and bicycles. The tiny tracker won't be able to keep track of your vehicle beyond its modest Bluetooth range and its adhesive back doesn't inspire confidence when attached to a bicycle or car frame.
Setting up a geofence on the Tracki GPS adds another layer of security.
Credit: Jackson Chen
Usability
No matter how good a tracker is, you won't get much benefit if it's a hassle to use day in and day out. These trackers come in various form factors and serve similar purposes, but it's important for any tracker to stay out of the way until they're needed. To get a sense of overall usability, we looked at everything from the setup process to the practicality of each feature of individual trackers.
A clear standout for good design is the Samsung SmartTag 2. The Apple AirTag scored just below the Samsung model, since it offers great features and an uncomplicated setup process. However, it often requires additional accessories to attach to common use cases like keys or dog collars, which was a notable disadvantage. In contrast, the Chipolo One has a built-in hole to throw onto a keyring, can double as a wireless shutter for your camera smartphone, and has a decently loud ringtone and far range. We were less impressed with the LandAirSea 54 since it doesn't produce any noise, is one of the heaviest trackers amongst the products we tested, and had an annoying setup process where we had to contact customer service to activate the tracker.
Network
When your lost items go out of normal Bluetooth range, the network component of Bluetooth tracking devices becomes extremely useful. With many Bluetooth tracking devices now utilizing UWB technology and broader crowdsourcing networks, the likelihood of finding your lost items has dramatically increased. The Apple AirTag, Chipolo Card Spot, and Innway Card Find My have the largest network as they use Apple's Find My, which gets access to over a billion Apple devices as silent location detectors.
The AirTag gets access to both ultra-wideband (UWB) technology and the Find My network. UWB facilitates precision tracking while Find My broadens the range far beyond a typical Bluetooth tracker's constraints. So, as long as there is an Apple product nearby (which is highly likely), the lost Bluetooth tracker can ping its location to other people's Apple devices and report its approximate location back to you. The whole process is end-to-end, encrypted, and anonymous. This is pretty incredible and has changed the game for finding lost items.
Chipolo One Updated
The Chipolo product we tested for this review, the One, has been updated to the Chipolo Pop. The versions are quite similar, but the Pop has been revised to also use Apple's Find My and Google's Find My Device networks, whereas the previous One model we tested used Chipolo's own network. Our links now point to the Chipolo Pop.
Apple's Find My network will find your AirTag even if you can't.
Credit: Jackson Chen
The newly released Samsung SmartTag2 taps into the SmartThings Find network, similar to Apple's Find My network in practice. The SmartThings Find network has recently tripled in size and expanded to include 300 million registered and opted-in devices. Like the other community search platforms, the more people participate, the more likely you are to find lost items. The network uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, dramatically increasing the precision of locating lost items. The limiting factor of the SmartTag2 is that it only works with Samsung phones.
The SmartTag2 is a useful tool for keeping track of your pet. Just attach a keyring and hang it directly from your pet's collar.
Credit: Ross Patton
Tile trackers, including the Tile Slim Card, Tile Mate, and Tile Sticker, have the third largest network with a user base of around 100 million users. The network doubled in size a few years ago when Tile, the first location-sharing app on the market, was acquired by Life360. Tile users must download the Tile app, which, like Apple's Find My, acts as a silent locator for people's lost items when they are out of Bluetooth range.
Although many Bluetooth trackers have their own community search platform where other users automatically update your item's location if they come into range, they just can't compete with the current scale of Apple's Find My. There are three times as many Android phones as iPhones worldwide, and even though Google recently upgraded its Find My Device network, it still has a lot of catching up to do if they want to give Apple's network a run for their money.
The Tile network may not be as large as others, but it still managed to quickly find our things.
Credit: Jackson Chen
Networks for GPS trackers are quite different compared to their Bluetooth counterparts. GPS trackers instead run on the same cellular data networks that your smartphone uses for service. The trackers we tested, like the Tracki GPS and the Tractive GPS, have built-in SIM cards that enable them to tap into cell towers across the world. This means GPS trackers aren't limited by anything like a Bluetooth range, but instead by cell reception in a certain area.
A tracker like the Tracki GPS has unlimited range in areas with cell coverage.
Credit: Jackson Chen
Features & Ease of Use
At the very minimum, a tracker should be able to help you keep track of your belongings. However, most have features that go beyond just that. With options from finding your phone to programmable buttons, plenty of features are available to do more than just track valuables. We believe it shouldn't be overly complicated to use a tracker and that it should be forgotten about until it's needed.
Features
These days, many trackers come with additional nifty features that enhance their overall performance. Anti-stalking protection, item-locating networks, phone camera shutter remote control, and triggering an alert to find a lost phone are some elements beyond the essential capacity to locate an item.
Among our top performers in this metric are the Chipolo One and Apple AirTag, but for very different reasons. The former has a whole host of additional features like the phone above camera shutter setting, the ability to set off a ringtone from your phone if you lose it, out-of-range notifications if you stray too far from your item, and item sharing, which allows family and friends also to keep track of chipped items. It is compatible with Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant.
You can activate your Apple AirTag hands-free with Siri.
Credit: Jackson Chen
The latter has an unparalleled network. Suppose you get separated from your AirTag. Your item will likely come into range of another Apple device very quickly, alerting you to its updated location — a super handy feature for a Bluetooth tracker. The AirTag also has an important anti-stalking safety feature: if your iPhone senses that an AirTag that you do not own is traveling with you, you get a notification.
The Apple AirTag needs some help when attaching to a keyring.
Credit: Jackson Chen
While you can toss the AirTag into your luggage or backpack, it's a lot better when paired with any number of additional accessories. We tested it with a case that adds a hole so you can loop it into a keyring, but there are options to transform the AirTag into a credit card shape or a dog collar.
The Apple AirTag has a low profile that's great for attaching to a dog collar, but you'll need to buy a special holder in addition to the tag.
Credit: Ross Patton
The Tile Mate is also nifty. It can find your phone and items shared with others, and it has a variety of ringtones. Its main drawback is its premiumization — it has even more cool features like location history, item reimbursement, smart alerts, and free battery replacement — if you're willing to pay annually. The Tile Slim Card and Tile Sticker share these same features.
You have to pay for certain features with the Tile trackers.
Credit: Jackson Chen
Not just for locating your items, the Tracki GPS and Tractive GPS have options to set up geofences. This lets you create virtual zones that alert you if your dog or car leaves a designated safe area, preventing a crisis before it even happens. The Tracki model offers features tailored to a vehicle, like speed limit and start moving alerts, while the Tractive device gives you a pet-specific design since it has health monitoring and escape alerts.
Creating a geofence with the Tractive GPS is simple.
Credit: Jackson Chen
Ease of Use
In this section, we assess various aspects related to each model's user-friendliness, such as how easy or challenging it is to set up each one, how devices interface with their apps, the functionality of the apps themselves, and how quickly you can find your item once the app is open.
We saw stark differences between the trackers' setup process right out of the box. The Apple AirTag, Innway Card Find My, and the Chipolo Card Spot had the most streamlined setup of the bunch. Our test phone connected automatically to the new tags, and they integrate into the pre-existing Find My app, so there is no need to download anything new.
Connecting the Chipolo Card Spot to our smartphone took seconds.
Credit: Jackson Chen
Pet-specific trackers, like the Tractive GPS and the Fi Collar Series 3 have a much more involved setup process since you need to enter specific details like your dog's birthday, weight, and height. Similarly, the Tracki GPS and LandAirSea 54 have extra steps before you can start tracking — they all require setting up a subscription plan, downloading the app, and even driving around for first-use calibration.
The quality and functionality of the apps themselves differ between manufacturers. Our favorite app is the Tractive one, which offers a clean and easy-to-use user interface that manages to categorize its many features into exactly the right spots. Other apps are basic with minimal functionality, like Chipolo and Tile. However, Tile has a lot of annoying banners and sections dedicated solely to convincing you to upgrade to a premium plan. The Nutale easily connects several devices simultaneously, but it is limited to smartphones. It does not offer a platform for finding devices with a desktop or laptop computer. We found the Innway and Tile apps very similar. Each of them effortlessly connects several devices to one account, and the user can easily view their trackers from a computer.
The Tractive GPS app feels streamlined and clean.
Credit: Jackson Chen
The Samsung SmartTag2 was also incredibly easy to set up. We were impressed with the app's use of augmented reality: as you get closer to the object, the app uses green dots and arrows to point you to the object. This was much more impressive and useful than the arrow the AirTag app uses.
Most models can also be used as a camera shutter for your phone. Here we use the Chipolo ONE to snap some pics.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Trackers have a large variety of settings and capabilities. Most of the products in our review can alert the user when they have stepped out of the tracker's range — the perfect feature for those constantly walking out the front door without their keys, wallet, or other belongings. However, the Tile trackers require a monthly subscription fee to access the disconnect alerts. The Tile models can be set to silent, and the Nutale AirPro has an interim silent mode that disables all alarms and alerts for a specific period, at a particular location, or both.
You can set the Tile trackers to silent if you need to.
Credit: Jackson Chen
Some models work with intelligent assistants like Siri and Alexa. If this feature interests you, the Tile and Chipolo trackers have this functionality. Ask your smart device to locate your item, and it will trigger the tracker's ringtone hands-free. Some trackers double as a shutter button for your smartphone camera, so you can snap the perfect photo or start and stop video without being near your phone, like the Chipolo One.
The Chipolo One lets you frame up a selfie much easier.
Credit: Jackson Chen
Bluetooth Range
To measure range, we connected each tracker to a smartphone and systematically moved it farther away, alerting the device until it could no longer transmit a signal. We enabled the disconnect notice on tracker apps when applicable during this process. In every instance, the disconnect notice alerted within a foot or two of when the smartphone lost the capability to transmit to the tracker. We then measured the distance back to the tracker with a measuring wheel.
The Samsung SmartTag2 was the outlier here, nearly tripling the range of the next best trackers. Still, the Tile Mate and Nutale AirPro displayed impressive range with a measured distance of 133 and 114 feet, respectively. Meanwhile, the Chipolo One and Apple AirTag both came in at a respectable 106 feet. If you don't want to be limited by Bluetooth capabilities, the GPS trackers we tested all have an unlimited range since they run off cellular networks.
Bluetooth trackers have a wide spectrum of effective range.
Credit: Jackson Chen
The card and sticker-style tracker ranges are significantly shorter than the tags. The Tile Sticker showed a decent range of 72 feet, but its cousin, the Tile Slim Card, disconnected much closer at 51 feet.
Depending on the situation, a tracker with a smaller range may be a better choice because it will pinpoint a smaller search area on the map. If you can hear the device, it may add up to less time hunting for it.
The Tile Pro offers an impressive range, great volume, and several super useful features.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Noise
Most of these gadgets chirp to let the user know where it is. Finding these trackers and the products they are attached to depends on the strength and clarity of this sound. We measure each model's decibel rating using a sound pressure level meter from three feet away.
The loudest model in our assessment is the Nutale AirPro, which produces 71.3 decibels. The Innway Card Find My and Tile Sticker are just barely quieter at 70.9 and 70.8 decibels, respectively. It's worth noting that the Innway Card Find My does have a shrill ringtone that may make it easier to hear for some people. For more customizability, the Tile Mate falls just under 70 decibels, but it comes with three volume levels and 10 ringtone options.
The Nutale AirPro is one of the loudest trackers we tested.
Credit: Jackson Chen
Even though the Tracki GPS only produces a couple of beeps, this model came in at 69.7 decibels, beating out other GPS trackers like the Tractive GPS that squeaks out 51.8 decibels with its sound option. The other GPS options we tested, like the Fi Series 3 and LandAirSea 54, don't make any noise at all. On the lower end of our sound tests, the Apple AirTag hit 58.1 decibels on our reader, but also has shrill tones that help you better locate it.
The Apple AirTag isn't the loudest model, but the alerts are loud enough in most instances.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Physical Attributes
A tracker's size, shape, and weight are critical details for many people. For this reason, we carefully weighed each tracker with a gram-sensitive scale and measured each with a digital caliper.
The Tile Sticker weighs the least at 6 grams and is highly compact compared to the others. This device is perfect for keeping track of smaller objects or concealing it within larger belongings such as a bag, golf clubs, or a power tool.
The Chipolo One is among the lightest models that we've tested.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The Tile Mate and the Chipolo One are close behind with a measured weight of just 8 grams. On the other end of the scale, the Fi Series 3 weighs the most at 104 grams, but that's including the collar it comes with. When just looking at just the device weight, the LandAirSea 54 comes in at 82 grams, owed to its bulky size and powerful magnet.
Regarding form factor, the Apple AirTag is the slickest. Unfortunately, it's a smooth white and silver coin that's about 32mm wide and has no way to attach it directly to an item. With card-style trackers, the 1.7mm thick Innway Card is the closest to the size of an actual credit card. GPS trackers tend to be larger than Bluetooth options, but the Tracki GPS is an excellent choice since it only weighs 36 grams and is more compact than its competitors.
The Fi Series 3 comes with a compatible collar.
Credit: Jackson Chen
Many of these devices claim to have a certain degree of waterproofing. Still, the Apple AirTag, Samsung SmartTag 2, Tracki GPS, and LandAirSea 54 are all rated with an official ingress protection rating of IP67. This means they are completely protected against dust and can be fully submerged in water for half an hour at a depth of one meter before sustaining any damage. The Chipolo One has a lower rating of IPX5, meaning it can resist water submersion and hasn't been tested against dust, but the Tile Mate has an IP68 rating, which allows for even better protection against water. Only one of these trackers, the Nutale AirPro, doesn't list an official IP rating.
The Innway Card Find My most resembles a credit card's dimensions.
Credit: Jackson Chen
These devices have a large variety of battery types. The Chipolo One, Apple AirTag, and Nutale AirPro trackers are powered by replaceable CR2032 batteries. All the GPS trackers we tested, like the Tracki GPS and the Tractive GPS, use rechargeable batteries. The Innway Card is the only Bluetooth option that can be recharged wirelessly or with a separate proprietary charger. On the other hand, the Tile models all utilize permanent batteries that require proper recycling at an e-waste facility when they're dead.
Conclusion
Choosing a product as seemingly simple as a tracker can be baffling and daunting. Whether you're looking for a sticker-style model, a tag, or a card, this assessment will lead you down the path to the ideal product for your personal needs. We hope that the footwork we've done and the research we've compiled in our hands-on review will guide you to your perfect tracker.
Trackers are largely designed to work in concert with an array of ever-evolving smart devices. Certain models can be located by linking them with the corresponding smartwatch, and some can even be programmed with smart plugs to be used as an on/off switch for lights.
