Unless you’re very organized, you’ve probably misplaced something in the past month. Maybe your couch cushions swallowed your remote. Perhaps a feisty pet swiped your keys off the counter and batted them under the couch. No matter what you’re prone to losing, a Bluetooth tracker is a quick and inexpensive way to make sure you can find it again.
Every Bluetooth tracker serves the same general purpose—to help you locate lost items—but the specifics vary widely, so you need to do your research before you make a purchase. We’re here to help with a breakdown of the top-rated trackers we’ve tested and a look at how to choose the right model for your specific needs.
More About Our Picks
Best iOS-Compatible Tracker
Bottom Line:
Apple’s AirTag tells your other Apple devices exactly where to find your lost objects, even if they’re miles away.
Pros
- Accurate and reliable
- Gives directional cues
- Can send location from a distance
- Replaceable battery
Cons
- No Android compatibility
- No way to ping a phone from the tag
- No hole for a lanyard or keyring
- Anti-stalking features are limited
Why We Picked It
The Apple AirTag offers every feature you could want in a tracker. Most importantly, its ultra-wideband connectivity enables precise location data and turn-by-turn directions to help you get back to your missing item. It’s also notable among the trackers on this list for having a replaceable battery.
Who It’s For
If you have an iPhone and tend to misplace your keys or wallet, we have no hesitations in recommending the AirTag. Android users need to look elsewhere, however.
Best Android-Compatible Tracker
Bottom Line:
With a loud speaker, a durable body, and good connectivity, the Tile Pro is the best tracking device for Android users.
Pros
- Good connectivity
- Replaceable battery
- Loud speaker
- Durable build
Cons
- More expensive than competitors
- App doesn’t offer precise location data
Why We Picked It
The AirTag stole some of the spotlight from Tile when it launched, but the Tile Pro still deserves your consideration. It has the loudest ring of any Tile tracker, which means you won’t have any issues locating it by ear. No, it doesn’t offer ultra-wideband connectivity like the AirTag, but it still offers a solid 400-foot range. Like the AirTag, it also uses a replaceable battery.
Who It’s For
If you’re outside the Apple ecosystem but still want a highly capable tracking device, the Tile Pro is your top option. And if you own a mix of Apple and Android devices, the Pro’s cross-platform versatility comes in handy.
Most Affordable Tile Tracker
Bottom Line:
The Mate is Tile’s most affordable Bluetooth tracker, but it still packs a loud speaker, reliable connectivity, and a weatherproof build.
Pros
- Relatively affordable
- Solid connectivity
- Weatherproof build
Cons
- Less durable than the Tile Pro
- Non-replaceable battery
Why We Picked It
The small Tile Mate’s range tops out at 250 feet and its speaker isn’t quite as loud as the Tile Pro, but it can still help you find your stuff around the house. It’s affordable too, so you won’t be out much money if it goes missing.
Who It’s For
If you like the idea of a Tile tracker but don’t want to spend for a top-end model, the Mate is a good compromise.
Best Tracker for Your Wallet
Bottom Line:
The Tile Slim isn’t quite as versatile as some other tracking devices, but its svelte design is ideal for keeping tabs on your wallet.
Pros
- Easy to fit in your wallet
- Long battery life
- Durable build
Cons
- Limited range
- Non-replaceable battery
- More expensive than the AirTag
Why We Picked It
The Tile Pro and Mate are useful for tracking bulkier items like your keys, but their designs aren’t conducive to a wallet. The Tile Slim, on the other hand, is similar in size to a credit card and can fit comfortably in one of your wallet’s slots. It has the same 250-foot range and three-year battery life as the Mate.
Who It’s For
If you’re worried about losing your wallet full of cash, credit cards, and IDs, the affordable Tile Slim offers peace of mind. Its svelte design makes it better for tracking your wallet than any other device on this list.
Best Tracker for Samsung Phone Owners
Bottom Line:
Samsung’s top-shelf tracker offers innovative features for Galaxy smartphone owners, but costs quite a lot.
Why We Picked It
Samsung’s SmartTag+ fixes most of the issues with its more affordable SmartTag tracker. The more premium model includes ultra-wideband (UWB) connectivity, for example, which brings it more in line with Apple’s AirTag. It also has a cool augmented reality (AR) feature that makes it more intuitive to find your stuff (if you own a UWB-compatible Galaxy smartphone). The SmartTag+ even lets you control SmartThings devices with a quick click.
Who It’s For
The SmartTag+ is best for people with lots of Samsung devices, as you need a newer Galaxy phone to take advantage of all the UWB features and SmartThings devices to enjoy the smart home capabilities. If you fit that description, you can’t go wrong with this tracker.
Best Affordable Samsung Tracker
Bottom Line:
Samsung’s Bluetooth tracker works fine, but it’s too large and light on features to compete with those from Tile.
Pros
- Loud
- Replaceable battery
- Can trigger smart home routines
Cons
- Only works with Galaxy phones
- A bit thick
- Signal strength meter isn’t accurate
Why We Picked It
If you don’t have an UWB-compatible Galaxy device, you can get away with Samsung’s standard (and less expensive) SmartTag tracker. Like its pricier sibling, it still offers a replaceable battery that lasts for up to a year, which makes it a decent value.
Who It’s For
If you want an affordable tracker that works with your SmartThings devices, the standard Samsung SmartTag is your best bet.
Best Tracker for Remotes
Bottom Line:
Stop worrying about losing your TV’s remote control; this tracker sticks with it.
Pros
- Small
- Adhesive sticks well and removes cleanly
Cons
- Expensive
- Limited range
- Non-replaceable battery
Why We Picked It
Losing the TV remote can be a real pain. Even when you feel like you know exactly where you left it, it finds a way to be somewhere else. The Tile Sticker, with its sticky backing, solves that problem because it easily attaches to whatever you want.
Who It’s For
The Tile Sticker is for people who seem to always lose track of the TV remote. If you’re looking to track anything more discreetly, you’re better off with an AirTag or one of the other Tile devices listed here.
Which Bluetooth Tracker Is the Best?
Smartphone compatibility tops the list of things to consider when choosing a Bluetooth tracker. Tile is the only company on our list that sells trackers that work with both Android and iOS devices. Apple’s AirTag technically works with any device capable of running iOS or iPadOS 14.5 and later, but you need an iPhone 11 or later to use its Precision Finding(Opens in a new window) feature. Samsung’s Galaxy SmartTag works only with Samsung Galaxy phones that run Android 10 or later and have the SmartThings Find app installed.
The Tile Mate (left) is a little larger than the Apple AirTag (right), but it has a hole for your key ring
(Photo: Steven Winkelman)
Location accuracy is the next most important consideration. All the trackers on this list are relatively accurate, but the AirTag takes the win here because of its ultra-wideband (UWB) connectivity. If you’re using an iPhone 11 or later, Precision Finding enables turn-by-turn directions to your lost item. Samsung’s SmartTag+ also uses UWB technology.
Samsung’s regular SmartTag and all of Tile’s trackers have proximity indicators, but they lack Precision Finding’s exactitude and ease of use. Tile is rumored to get into the UWB race at some point in the future with its Tile Ultra, though we haven’t heard much about that model since the the company announced it in 2021.But if it works on Android and iOS like Tile’s other trackers, it should be a strong competitor to the AirTag.
Maximum range is another relevant aspect. Some Bluetooth trackers claim they can connect with your smartphone from distances of up to 400 feet, but all the trackers we’ve tested have a maximum range of fewer than 100 feet. If you’re using a Bluetooth tracker on items that tend to stay in one area, like a TV remote that’s probably somewhere in your living room, the maximum range doesn’t matter much. Range is more important if you plan to use the tracker on your keys or bag.
A robust locator network can help balance out some of Bluetooth’s technical limitations. You can place all the trackers on this list in a Lost Mode that allows other peoples’ phones to discreetly detect the tracker and direct you to your missing item. Tile has a large user network, but depends on people downloading its app and properly updating several settings on their phones. That may change, however, with Amazon Sidewalk, which enables many Amazon smart devices to detect lost Tile trackers. Apple’s massive Find My network uses an app that’s baked into iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS.
Take a moment to think about how you plan to use a Bluetooth tracker before you buy one. Some models work better for certain applications than others. The Samsung SmartTag, Tile Mate, and Tile Pro have holes that allow you to easily attach them to your key ring. The Tile Sticker has an adhesive mount, while the Tile Slim can easily slide into your wallet. Apple’s AirTag is a standalone product that requires an accessory to affix or mount it. Several key rings on Apple’s website work with AirTags and third-party accessories.
Finally, if you’re concerned about eco-waste, you have a few options: the Apple AirTag, either of the Samsung Galaxy SmartTags, or the Tile Pro. Each of these have batteries that you can easily replace. The Tile Mate, Tile Slim, and Tile Sticker all have non-replaceable batteries that should last about three years, while the Tile Pro has a replaceable battery that lasts about a year.
The Best Trackers for Kids and Pets
Bluetooth trackers are great tools for finding lost objects, but some trackers are designed for locating people or pets. The Fi Smart Dog Collar Series 2, for example, is an LTE-enabled collar that sends updates of your pet’s location several times a minute. It’s best to think of these devices as backups to adult supervision, however, because the tracking subject can likely remove or wiggle out of them.
Bluetooth trackers with small removable batteries also present a choking hazard(Opens in a new window). To be on the safe side, keep loose trackers out of the reach of toddlers and pets.
How to Protect Yourself From Tracker-Based Stalking
Bluetooth trackers join apps, computers, smartphones, tablets, vehicles, and dozens of other technologies that malicious actors can use to stalk you. They aren’t very accurate or consistently findable, but they’re affordable, readily available, and small enough to slide into a bag without you knowing.
Recommended by Our Editors
Apple improved its anti-stalking features shortly after it announced the AirTag and released an app for Android users that alerts them if an unknown AirTag is close to their smartphone. Apple also introduced additional anti-stalking measures in iOS.
Samsung added additional anti-stalking features(Opens in a new window) as well, but the update, unfortunately, requires you to manually scan for its SmartTags.
Tile’s app also now includes a Scan and Secure(Opens in a new window) feature that lets you scan your surroundings for unassigned trackers.
For more, The National Centers for Victims of Crime’s Stalking Resource Center(Opens in a new window) has a wealth of information that can help you stay safe.
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