One of the best Bluetooth trackers for Apple and Android telephones

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Some individuals not often lose issues. Wallets are at all times precisely the place they’re alleged to be, keys by no means go lacking, and remotes by no means slip between the sofa cushions. After which there’s the remainder of us — the oldsters who can’t ever appear to seek out the factor that was proper there a couple of seconds in the past. For us, there are Bluetooth trackers.

Bluetooth trackers have been round for a very long time, they usually all usually work the identical method. You stick the tracker onto an object, pair it together with your telephone, after which, once you lose mentioned object, you may go into an app and ring the tracker. However as of late, Bluetooth trackers can do much more. Some have ultra-wideband chips that allow precision monitoring, so you’ll find precisely the place in a room your merchandise is. More and more, trackers additionally faucet into massive networks — like Apple’s and Google’s — making it simpler to find misplaced objects exterior the house. Many will notify you in the event that they detect you’ve left the machine behind or include QR codes that hyperlink to your contact info so individuals can simply return misplaced units.

These options are extremely helpful but additionally have the potential for misuse. Take AirTags. When Apple launched the trackers, it hadn’t anticipated they’d be used to trace individuals or stolen objects — however that’s precisely what occurred. It’s since beefed up its anti-stalking options, and corporations like Tile have additionally adopted go well with. Apple and Google have launched a regular that permits undesirable monitoring alerts throughout each Android and iOS units — and main gamers like Tile, Samsung, and Chipolo are on board. However till this normal is up and working, it pays to concentrate on every tracker’s present strategy once you’re deciding the best choice for you.

As a consummate Loser of Issues, I’ve examined my justifiable share of Bluetooth trackers on wallets, keys, and baggage. Right here’s what I’d advocate in case you, too, have a tough time discovering issues.

One of the best tracker for iPhone customers

When Apple launched AirTags in 2021, it actually did shake up the class. That’s as a result of AirTags are geared up with Apple’s Extremely Wideband (UWB) chip and faucet into Apple’s huge Discover My community. That’s a potent combo. And although now you can get third-party equipment that work with the Discover My community — together with the Pebblebee trackers featured later on this information — AirTags are nonetheless one of the best, because of UWB.

Mainly, UWB allows precision monitoring whereas Discover My compatibility expands vary far, far past Bluetooth’s limitations. With precision monitoring, all you need to do is open the Discover My app, faucet “Discover,” and you need to see an arrow pointing you within the actual route it’s essential to go to seek out your merchandise. Utilizing the Discover My community additionally signifies that as long as there’s an Apple machine close by, a misplaced AirTag can ping its location to Apple’s iCloud servers with out notifying the homeowners of these different units. And there are over a billion Apple merchandise on the market.

That accuracy is tremendous handy. My keys fell out of my pocket whereas working as soon as, and I didn’t discover till my telephone pinged me to say my keys had been not with me. Whereas I wasn’t ready to make use of the precision monitoring outside, I may see the final reported location within the Discover My app. Twenty minutes had already handed, however I nonetheless was capable of finding my keys. I haven’t had that diploma of success with every other merchandise tracker.

Nevertheless, this accuracy is a double-edged sword. In 2022, I ran a take a look at to see whether or not I may observe a good friend and my partner (with their consent) in actual time. And I may, to a disturbing diploma. Whereas Apple’s undesirable monitoring prevention measures labored, there have been additionally inherent flaws. (You may examine our testing in full right here.) Nevertheless, Apple has since improved undesirable monitoring alerts by shortening the time earlier than you’re notified an unknown AirTag is in your neighborhood, making chimes louder, and making a separate app that lets Android customers scan for unknown AirTags. Apple additionally now informs customers throughout setup that undesirable monitoring is a criminal offense and that AirTags are “meant solely to trace objects that belong to you.”

Apple has additionally added extra methods to share AirTag places with trusted individuals. iOS 17 launched AirTag sharing, which implies shared objects gained’t set off undesirable monitoring alerts. As of iOS 18.2, you can even share the placement of a misplaced AirTag with different individuals by way of a short lived hyperlink. So if an airline loses your baggage, you may ship them a hyperlink that reveals them an interactive map of your merchandise’s final recognized location. (Apple is partnering with greater than 15 airways for this specific use case.)

The one factor I actually don’t like about AirTags is that they aren’t really $29. They’re $29 plus the price of no matter accent is required to connect them to the merchandise you need to observe. For instance, you’ll want a holder to connect it to your keys or baggage. Fortunately, there’s a strong third-party accent market, so that you don’t should pay Apple’s costs in case you don’t need to. The truth that you may simply change the battery with an everyday CR2032 coin cell battery helps take the sting out, too. I simply did it for 2 of my AirTags, and it was a lot, less expensive than having to purchase two new ones.

One of the best Bluetooth tracker for Android customers

Increasingly more trackers now assist each Google’s and Apple’s Discover My networks, however Tile’s trackers — particularly the $34.99 Tile Professional — are nonetheless our high suggestion for Android customers or combined iOS / Android households. Functionally, the platform-agnostic trackers can do absolutely anything an AirTag can. Like AirTags, Tile units can faucet into a bigger community — on this case, the Tile Community and Amazon Sidewalk — that will help you discover your units exterior of your telephone’s Bluetooth vary. Whereas this community isn’t as expansive as Apple’s or Google’s, Amazon Sidewalk’s protection has improved considerably. In our April 2025 testing of Google’s Discover Hub-compatible trackers — together with the Chipolo Pop, Pebblebee Clip Common, and the Moto Tag — we discovered that Tile nonetheless did higher at monitoring objects exterior the house.

Sadly, Tile nonetheless can’t do true real-time monitoring, and it nonetheless doesn’t supply a tracker with UWB, so it lacks the AirTag’s precision monitoring. The corporate introduced one again in 2021, however we’re nonetheless ready, partly as a result of Apple is successfully blocking UWB compatibility for third events in iOS and since Tile’s priorities shifted as soon as it was acquired by Life360.

That mentioned, Life360’s acquisition has introduced some significant upgrades. Urgent a Tile button thrice now sends an SOS alert to emergency contacts by way of Life360. You can even add others to your Circle to allow them to view and ring close by Tiles on a shared Life360 map. Extra not too long ago, Tile trackers have grow to be totally built-in into Life360, letting customers handle their trackers instantly inside the Life360 app. This merger unlocked a couple of premium options without cost, together with push alerts for forgotten objects and two-day location historical past.

Nonetheless, a lot of the great things — like 30-day location historical past, limitless sharing with family and friends, free replacements for broken Tiles, and as much as $100 reimbursement for misplaced objects — sits behind a $29.99/12 months subscription. Luckily, Tile provides new members a one-year free trial, and one subscription covers all of your units. You additionally nonetheless get numerous core performance with out paying: you’ll find your Tile by way of Bluetooth, view its final recognized location on a map, ring your telephone from the Tile, and share entry with one different particular person without cost.

Tile additionally stands out for its versatility. Whereas AirTags are available a single puck-like design, Tile provides 4 distinct kind elements to go well with totally different wants. The cardboard-shaped Tile Slim ($29.99), for instance, is the best choice in case you’re always dropping your pockets. The sq. Tile Mate ($24.99) comes with a gap so you may stick it on a key ring or carabiner, and might be probably the most versatile. The $24.99 Tile Sticker, in the meantime, is a small disc that comes with a sticky backing so you may put it on remotes, pet collars, and anything you may stick it on.

One of the best Tile will rely on what you’re seeking to observe. My private favourite, nonetheless, is the $34.99 Tile Professional, which is formed like a key fob, is bigger than the Mate, and will also be connected to different objects. Of the 4, it has the longest Bluetooth vary at 500 toes and the loudest ring. It’s additionally the one one which has a replaceable one-year CR2032 battery.

Final however not least, Tile may very well be higher than AirTags for monitoring stolen objects. The corporate rolled out an anti-theft function in 2023, which renders Tile units invisible to undesirable monitoring detection within the occasion somebody steals your merchandise. Simply know that to make use of it, Tile requires you to submit a authorities ID for verification, conform to Tile working with regulation enforcement with out a subpoena, and consent to a $1 million advantageous in case you misuse this function. For anti-stalking measures, Tile additionally has a “Scan and Safe” function, which lets you use the Tile app to scan for unknown Tile units in your neighborhood. Whereas higher than nothing, it’s a flawed measure, because it requires the potential sufferer to proactively scan their environment.

One of the best AirTag and Tile different

In case you’re searching for an AirTag or Tile different, the Pebblebee Clip Common is a wonderful alternative. It’s one in every of a rising variety of trackers that assist each Apple’s Discover My and Google’s Discover Hub networks, a serious enchancment over its predecessor. This makes setup seamless for each iOS and Android customers, whereas additionally enabling extra correct and dependable monitoring than Pebblebee’s personal community may present.

The factor I like greatest concerning the Pebblebee Clip Common is its rechargeable battery. A single cost lasts as much as one 12 months, up from six months — although chances are you’ll get longer than that relying in your utilization. It has a USB-C port, too, so that you don’t should sweat it in case you lose the charger it comes with. You like to see it.

The Pebblebee Clip Common additionally has an LED strip on the backside that lights up once you ring the tracker. That’s helped me spot my automotive keys extra shortly once they’ve fallen beneath the automotive seat or different darkish areas. The ringtone can also be fairly loud, and the 500-foot Bluetooth vary is definitely about 100 toes greater than the Tile Professional, our choose for Android customers. And whereas bigger than an AirTag, the Pebblebee Clip Common additionally comes with a snap-on key ring so that you don’t have to purchase one other accent to connect it. It’s additionally IPX6-rated for water resistance.

Clip Common homeowners can nonetheless use Pebblebee’s app to set voice tags and ask Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to assist discover their machine. You can even use the “Discover Telephone” function, which helps you to double-tap to ring your telephone.

That mentioned, Clip Common homeowners can’t use the Pebblebee app for monitoring, and so solely last-gen Clip homeowners can reap the benefits of the Pebblebee app’s intensive customizable geofencing options. Which means, for example, Clip Common homeowners can not arrange customized areas on a map and be notified each time a tool enters or leaves the realm. In addition they can’t use the app to designate protected zones, which was helpful to keep away from pointless “left behind” notifications in acquainted locations like dwelling or work. The latter might be accomplished in Apple’s Discover My app, although Google’s Discover Hub doesn’t but have an equal function.

One of the best AirTag options for wallets

You might be like my partner, who stuffs an AirTag of their bifold pockets after which makes a stunned Pikachu face each time it falls out. Or, you may go for a Discover My-compatible different particularly designed for wallets, just like the $34.99 Pebblebee Card Common. It performs good with each Apple’s Discover My and Google’s Discover Hub networks, providing you with cross-platform flexibility and the advantages of every — all with a brilliant loud ringtone. It doesn’t include precision monitoring as a result of it lacks UWB, however it makes up for it with these loud ringtones. As a part of the Discover My community, it additionally helps undesirable monitoring alerts.

The Pebblebee Card Common additionally stands out due to its rechargeable battery, which lasts as much as 18 months on a single cost. Just like the Pebblebee Clip Common, it really works with the Pebblebee app to assist voice tagging and even has a button you may press to find your telephone.

Different Bluetooth trackers to contemplate

Replace, July third: Added particulars concerning the newest Tile and Pebblebee trackers in addition to Google Discover Hub community updates. Additionally added “what’s coming subsequent” and “different Bluetooth trackers to contemplate” sections and up to date pricing and availability info. Sheena Vasani additionally contributed to this information.