The Best Bluetooth Trackers For Apple And Android Phones

Bluetooth trackers travel successful each shapes and sizes. | Illustration: Cath Virginia / The Verge

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 nan sofa cushions. And past there’s nan remainder of america — nan folks who can’t ever look to find nan 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 nan aforesaid way. You instrumentality nan locator onto an object, brace it pinch your phone, and then, erstwhile you suffer said object, you tin spell into an app and ringing nan 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. Increasingly, trackers besides pat into ample networks — for illustration Apple’s and Google’s — making it easier to find mislaid items extracurricular nan home. Many will notify you if they observe you’ve near nan 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 nan potential for misuse. Take AirTags. When Apple launched nan 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. Apple and Google person launched 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 nan 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.

The champion locator for iPhone users

When Apple launched AirTags successful 2021, it really did shingle up nan 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. And moreover though you tin now get third-party accessories that activity pinch nan Find My network — including nan Pebblebee trackers featured later successful this guideline — AirTags are still nan best, acknowledgment to UWB.

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 nan Find My app, pat “Find,” and you should spot an arrow pointing you successful nan nonstop guidance you request to spell to find your item. Using nan 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 nan 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 nan precision search outdoors, I could spot nan past reported location successful nan 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 nan 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. As of iOS 18.2, you tin besides share nan 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 much than 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 nan costs of immoderate accessory is needed to connect them to nan 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 nan artillery pinch a regular CR2032 coin compartment artillery helps return nan 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.

Read our original AirTags review.

The champion Bluetooth locator for Android users

More and much trackers now support some Google’s and Apple’s Find My networks, but Tile’s trackers — particularly nan $34.99 Tile Pro — are still our apical proposal for Android users aliases mixed iOS / Android households. Functionally, nan platform-agnostic trackers tin do conscionable astir thing an AirTag can. Like AirTags, Tile devices tin pat into a larger network — successful this case, nan Tile Network and Amazon Sidewalk — to thief you find your devices extracurricular of your phone’s Bluetooth range. While this web isn’t arsenic expansive arsenic Apple’s aliases Google’s, Amazon Sidewalk’s sum has improved significantly. In our April 2025 testing of Google’s Find Hub-compatible trackers — including nan Chipolo Pop, Pebblebee Clip Universal, and nan Moto Tag — we recovered that Tile still did amended astatine search items extracurricular nan home.

Unfortunately, Tile still can’t do existent real-time tracking, and it still doesn’t connection a locator pinch UWB, truthful it lacks nan AirTag’s precision tracking. 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.

That said, Life360’s acquisition has brought immoderate meaningful upgrades. Pressing a Tile fastener 3 times now sends an SOS alert to emergency contacts done Life360. You tin besides adhd others to your Circle truthful they tin position and ringing adjacent Tiles connected a shared Life360 map. More recently, Tile trackers have go afloat integrated into Life360, letting users negociate their trackers straight wrong nan Life360 app. This merger unlocked a fewer premium features for free, including push alerts for forgotten items and two-day location history.

Still, astir of nan bully worldly — for illustration 30-day location history, unlimited sharing pinch friends and family, free replacements for damaged Tiles, and up to $100 reimbursement for mislaid items — sits down a $29.99/year subscription. Fortunately, Tile offers caller members a one-year free trial, and 1 subscription covers each your devices. You besides still get a batch of halfway functionality without paying: you tin find your Tile via Bluetooth, position its past known location connected a map, ringing your telephone from nan Tile, and stock entree pinch 1 different personification for free.

Tile besides stands retired for its versatility. While AirTags travel successful a azygous puck-like design, Tile offers 4 chopped shape factors to suit different needs. The card-shaped Tile Slim ($19.99), for example, is nan champion action if you’re perpetually losing your wallet. The quadrate Tile Mate ($19.99) comes pinch a spread truthful you tin instrumentality it connected a cardinal ringing aliases carabiner, and is astir apt nan astir versatile. The $19.99 Tile Sticker, meanwhile, 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.

The champion Tile will dangle connected what you’re looking to track. My individual favorite, however, is nan $34.99 Tile Pro, which is shaped for illustration a cardinal fob, is larger than nan Mate, and tin besides beryllium attached to different items. Of nan four, it has nan longest Bluetooth scope astatine 500 feet and nan loudest ring. It’s besides nan only 1 that has a replaceable one-year CR2032 battery. 

Last but not least, Tile whitethorn really beryllium amended than AirTags for search stolen items. The institution rolled retired an anti-theft feature successful 2023, which renders Tile devices invisible to unwanted search discovery successful nan 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. For anti-stalking measures, Tile besides has a “Scan and Secure” feature, which allows you to usage nan Tile app to scan for chartless Tile devices successful your vicinity. While amended than nothing, it’s a flawed measure, arsenic it requires nan imaginable unfortunate to proactively scan their surroundings. 

The champion AirTag and Tile alternative

If you’re looking for an AirTag aliases Tile alternative, nan Pebblebee Clip Universal is an fantabulous choice. It’s 1 of a increasing number of trackers that support some Apple’s Find My and Google’s Find Hub networks, a awesome betterment complete its predecessor. This makes setup seamless for some iOS and Android users, while besides enabling much meticulous and reliable search than Pebblebee’s ain web could provide.

The point I for illustration champion astir nan Pebblebee Clip Universal is its rechargeable battery. A azygous complaint lasts up to 1 year, up from six months — though you whitethorn get longer than that depending connected your usage. It has a USB-C port, too, truthful you don’t person to sweat it if you suffer nan charger it comes with. You emotion to spot it.

The Pebblebee Clip Universal besides has an LED portion astatine nan bottommost that lights up erstwhile you ringing nan tracker. That’s helped maine spot my car keys much quickly erstwhile they’ve fallen nether nan car spot aliases different acheronian areas. The ringtone is besides rather loud, and nan 500-foot Bluetooth scope is really astir 100 feet much than nan Tile Pro, our prime for Android users. And while larger than an AirTag, nan Pebblebee Clip Universal 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.

Clip Universal owners tin still usage Pebblebee’s app to group sound tags and inquire Amazon Alexa aliases Google Assistant to thief find their device. You tin besides usage nan “Find Phone” feature, which lets you double-tap to ringing your phone.

Pebblebee precocious added a free “panic alarm” information feature that’s akin to Tile’s SOS alert. Compatible pinch some Apple’s Find My and Google’s Find Hub network, nan Alert characteristic lets you property nan Clip’s fastener to activate a large 97-decibel siren and flashing light, which you tin disable via Silent Mode. No matter what, nan Pebblebee app will still matter your location to a trusted interaction — aliases up to 5 people, pinch unrecorded location sharing if you salary for nan $2.99 Alert Live subscription.

That said, Clip Universal owners can’t usage nan Pebblebee app for tracking, and truthful only last-gen Clip owners tin return advantage of nan Pebblebee app’s extended customizable geofencing features. That means, for instance, Clip Universal owners tin nary longer group up civilization areas connected a representation and beryllium notified whenever a instrumentality enters aliases leaves nan area. They besides can’t usage nan app to designate safe zones, which was useful to debar unnecessary “left behind” notifications successful acquainted places for illustration location aliases work. The second tin beryllium done successful Apple’s Find My app, though Google’s Find Hub doesn’t yet person an balanced feature.

The champion 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 nan $34.99 Pebblebee Card Universal. It plays bully pinch some Apple’s Find My and Google’s Find Hub networks, giving you cross-platform elasticity and nan benefits of each — each pinch a ace large ringtone. It doesn’t travel pinch precision search because it lacks UWB, but it makes up for it pinch those large ringtones. As portion of nan Find My network, it besides supports unwanted search alerts.

The Pebblebee Card Universal besides stands retired because of its rechargeable battery, which lasts up to 18 months connected a azygous charge. Like nan Pebblebee Clip Universal, it useful pinch nan Pebblebee app to support sound tagging and moreover has a fastener you tin property to find your phone.

Other Bluetooth trackers to consider

Chipolo Pop

The $29 Chipolo Pop offers a akin shape facet to Apple’s AirTag successful a lighter, much colorful package pinch a spread for a keychain aliases lanyard, a louder beep, and compatibility pinch some Apple’s Find My aliases Google’s Find Hub networks (though only 1 astatine a time). You tin moreover usage nan Pop arsenic a distant camera shutter and property nan built-in fastener doubly to find your mislaid phone. Unlike Chipolo’s different trackers, it boasts a wider 300-foot Bluetooth range, a much robust IP55 standing for h2o and particulate resistance, and includes a user-replaceable artillery that tin past up to a year.

In my testing, search was meticulous connected some Apple’s and Google’s networks successful astir cases, Google’s struggled to way items extracurricular my location arsenic reliably arsenic nan Tile. And without UWB, nan Pop couldn’t lucifer nan AirTag’s pinpoint precision. Still, nan Chipolo app provides Android users pinch reliable out-of-range alerts and left-behind notifications — thing Pebblebee and Moto Tag’s trackers deficiency —which, successful my experience, triggered moreover faster than nan AirTag and Tile. ~ Sheena Vasani, Commerce Writer

Samsung SmartTag2

If you’re a Samsung Galaxy telephone user, nan $29.99 Samsung SmartTag2 gets you UWB search and tin pat into nan Galaxy Find network, which operates likewise to Apple’s Find My network. It’s a awesome AirTag replacement but isn’t our wide prime for Android because it’s constricted to Samsung Galaxy users. But for Samsung users, nan 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 nan original SmartTag.

Eufy Security SmartTrack Card

The $16.88 $29.99 Eufy Security SmartTrack Card is different bully action designed for wallets. 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 nan aforesaid benefits erstwhile utilized pinch nan Find My web arsenic nan Pebblebee Card Universal. On nan back, there’s besides a QR codification — akin to nan ones Tile uses — that helps bully samaritans return your point to you. Like nan Pebblebee Card Universal, you tin stock it pinch aggregate group if you group it up via nan Eufy Security app. The bummer present is it doesn’t activity pinch Android, lacks UWB and a replaceable battery, and isn’t rechargeable for illustration its successor, Eufy’s $29.99 34.99 SmartTrack Card E30. That said, though, nan built-in artillery should purportedly past you 3 years.

Chipolo Card Spot and Card Point

The $35 Chipolo Card Spot or $24 $35 Card Point is besides a bully action for wallets if you want thing a spot simpler, though it lacks nan QR code, and its artillery only lasts 2 years. If you do opt for Chipolo, double-check that nan circumstantial locator you’re buying works connected nan web you want to use. For example, nan Chipolo Card and Chipolo Card Spot tin some beryllium utilized pinch iPhones, but nan Chipolo Card only useful pinch nan Chipolo app, while nan Card Spot only useful pinch Find My. The Chipolo Card Point is for Android users and useful pinch Google’s Find Hub network. Read my afloat Chipolo Card Spot review.

What’s coming next

• Motorola’s $29 Moto Tag is nan first locator connected Google’s Find Hub web to connection UWB for locating mislaid items, which is functionality Google precocious enabled via a firmware update. Even much conveniently, it’s compatible pinch Apple’s Find My network, too, and is designed to fresh successful accessories made for AirTags. The Moto Tag besides carries an IP67 standing for particulate and h2o guidance and comes pinch a replaceable CR2032 coin compartment artillery that should past up to a year. Like Pebblebee’s trackers, it tin ringing your telephone if you’ve misplaced it. As a bonus, it doubles arsenic a distant shutter for Motorola telephone cameras.

Update, August 18th: Added our impressions of nan Chipolo Pop and mentioned Pebblebee’s caller panic siren feature. Updated pricing and readiness information. Sheena Vasani besides contributed to this guide.