Best Bluetooth Trackers: Apple Air Tag vs Samsung SmartTag 2
Designed for both busy and forgetful minds, these Bluetooth trackers will have you covered no matter where you’ve left you items behind or what device you use.
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Like many tech categories, Apple didn’t invent the Bluetooth tracker, but it made it a lot more popular when it launched its AirTags back in 2021. Since then, brands like Samsung and Motorola have launched their Bluetooth tracking devices. There are also longstanding players like Tile that have released newer, better versions to help compete.
These products are small and compact, and all typically work in the same way. You pair it to your phone via Bluetooth and then attach it to whatever you want to keep tabs on. This can be anything, but your keys, your luggage, or your bike are three popular options.
If you lose that product, you can go to the app on your phone and locate it, sometimes using precision location, and other times tapping into a large network of devices to help find it. Many products will notify you if you leave a product behind somewhere, helping you avoid losing it in the first place.
What model is best for you will depend on your needs, but we’ve taken a closer look at some of the most popular models on the market to help you decide.
OUR TOP PICKS
Best for Apple users
Apple AirTag, $47.99 at Amazon Australia
Apple AirTag
Tried and Tested by Nick Broughall, Technology Contributor
Apple’s Bluetooth tracker launched back in 2021, and has been helping iPhone users keep tabs on everything from their keys to their luggage since then.
Like so many Apple products, the beauty of the AirTag is in its simplicity. The small, white discs activate when you remove the plastic packaging, and the set up process automatically appears on your iPhone. You select what you want to use the AirTag to track, and then the AirTag is ready to go.
There are no buttons or controls to worry about with the AirTag, which is a double-edged sword. It makes it effortless to use, but also means you don’t get some features found in other Bluetooth trackers, like the ability to find your phone from an AirTag.
The AirTag is powered by a single CR2032 battery, which lasts about a year and is easily replaceable.
To locate an AirTag, everything is done through the Find My app on your iPhone, in the “Items” tab down the bottom of the screen. Apple lets you track up to 16 AirTags from a single iCloud account, as well as share an item’s location with another iPhone user, which is useful if you’re using an AirTag to track a pet, for example.
Tracking your item comes in two flavours. If you lose an AirTag nearby, like if your keys fall between the cracks in your lounge, then you can use the ultra-wideband to find its exact location within about 10 metres. The iPhone’s screen lights up with an arrow pointing you in the AirTag’s direction, telling you the distance as you get closer or further away, until your phone is right on top of the AirTag.
You can also play a sound from the AirTag to help you find it, though the speaker is fairly quiet. If your tracker was in a running vehicle, I don’t think you’d be able to hear it.
If you lose something further away, like your luggage, then Apple’s wider Find My network kicks into place. The AirTag will recognise when it’s within 10 metres of another iPhone – any iPhone – and use that phone’s location to tell you where it is. This means that an AirTag lost in the middle of a forest won’t be traceable, unless someone with an iPhone walks past.
If you lose the AirTag, you can choose to share your contact information, so anyone who finds it can scan the tag to get your contact details.
It’s an effortless system that works exceptionally well. With the addition of anti-stalking features, including a notification should your iPhone detect an AirTag not associated with your account travelling with you, it’s a clear choice for any Apple user.
And users agree. The AirTags have an average rating of 4.8 from Amazon from over 3,300 reviews, with many reviewers talking about how it had helped them find lost luggage or missing keys.
Best for Samsung Galaxy users
Samsung SmartTag2, $39.99 (down from $55) at Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
Not content to let Apple be the only consumer technology giant to offer a bespoke Bluetooth tracking solution, Samsung launched the SmartTag2 back in 2023.
Just like Apple’s AirTag requires an iPhone to set up and work, Samsung’s SmartTag2 is designed exclusively for Galaxy devices. Even other Android phone owners can’t really take advantage of the tracker’s functionality.
With a unique design that resembles a remote car key fob with a big hole at one end, the SmartTag2 can easily be attached to a set of keys or a pet collar.
It offers Ultra-wideband support for precise tracking, and offers easy contact information for anyone who finds it through NFC.
What makes the SmartTag unique though is its customisable button. While a double press will help you find your connected Galaxy smartphone through two-way tracking, a long press can be programmed to control an Automation through the SmartThings app.
This could be anything from turning on your lights when you get home, to sending your robot vacuum out to clean.
Samsung uses its own network for locating lost tags outside of Bluetooth range. Samsung is one of the biggest phone brands in the world, so it shouldn’t be a problem locating your missing SmartTag, but it’s a shame that Samsung didn’t tap into Google’s larger Android Find My Device network.
Best for Android users
Moto Tag, $95.39 at Amazon Australia
Moto Tag
Tried and Tested by Nick Broughall, Technology Contributor
The recent launch of the Moto Tag sees Android devices get a Bluetooth Tracker in line with Apple’s AirTag solution. With identical dimensions to Apple’s tracker, it means that the accessories designed for the AirTag will also work with the Moto Tag.
While the dimensions are the same as Apple, Motorola’s tracker does have some advantages. Namely, the Motorola log is also a button which allows you to do one of two things: a double press will play a chime on your connected Android device, offering a sort of two-way tracking for when you lose your phone. A single press can also be used as a remote shutter control for a Motorola phone’s camera.
You need to set up both of those functions within a dedicated Moto Tag app, which highlights one of the disadvantages of this device. To get the full functionality of the Moto Tag, you need to control it using both the Google Find My Device app and the Moto Tag app.
If you just want to use it as a traditional tracker, Google’s Find My Device app will work. While the Moto Tag does offer Ultra-Wideband support for precise locating, there is only a limited number of Android numbers that also support this, unlike the iPhone where all models since the iPhone 11 work with the feature. It doesn’t point you in the right direction either, instead just filling a shape as you get closer to the tag.
The battery life is on par with Apple’s AirTag, with the same replaceable CR2032 battery offering one year of battery life. I did notice that Google’s Find My Device app struggled to get a reliable read on the battery though — over the course of my review, it told me the battery was low (despite being freshly opened), high and then OK.
The in-built speakers are a little louder than the AirTag, and you can adjust the volume as well if you like.
Overall, it’s a solid imitation of the AirTag that offers a solid solution for Android owners, but it’s not quite as good on the usability front.
Best for tracking across iOS and Android
Tile Mate, $23.97 (down from $39.95) at Tile
Tile Mate
Tried and Tested by Nick Broughall, Technology Contributor
Tile was one of the earliest Bluetooth trackers, offering a way for both iOS and Android phone owners to keep tabs on their products.
The most recent version of the Tile Mate comes in a range of bright, vibrant colours. It’s a stark difference from the clean white of the AirTag, offering a clear point of difference to Apple’s tracker.
The tag is a bit larger than the Apple and Motorola pucks, but is still nice and lightweight. It is more square in design, with rounded edges and a key ring loop in one corner, so there’s no need for any accessories here.
However, it’s very plasticky, feeling cheaper in construction than an AirTag, though still robust enough to attach you your keys.
In the middle of the Tile Mate is a button, which allows for a few different things. You can program it for two-way tracking, so a double press on the tag will send an alert to your phone to start ringing, helping you find your mobile if it has slipped between the cracks in your couch.
It can also be used to send an emergency SOS alert to contacts in your Life 360 circle, but sadly can’t be used for both.
While setting up the Tile Mate is straightforward using the Tile app, you can also manage it using the Life 360 app, which adds additional layers of functionality and confusion. For example, in the Tile app, it may indicate the Tile Mate is set to find your phone, but in the Life 360 app, it’s set to send an emergency SOS.
If you need to find the Tile, you don’t get the same level of accuracy when trying to locate it as an AirTag, as there’s no Ultra-Wideband support. It will tell you when you’re close, and the alarm sound is nice and loud, making it easier to find.
If you’re trying to track a lost object out of your phone’s range, it does offer a network for locating lost devices, though it only works when another Tile or Life360 user passes within range. If someone does find your Tile, there’s a QR code on the back they can scan to easily contact you to return your stuff.
Tile offers a premium subscription, costing $4.54 a month, which you need if you want to receive alerts you have left an item behind or want to track its location history.
The Tile Mate has a fixed battery, which promises about three years of battery life. After that, though, you’re going to have to buy another one, which is a bit frustrating.
Best for your wallet
Tile Slim, $39.95 (down from $49.95) at Tile
Tile Slim
Tried and Tested by Nick Broughall, Technology Contributor
While the puck-design of Bluetooth trackers like the AirTag or the Tile Mate work for keeping tabs on most physical objects, the excessive width makes it far from ideal for keeping track of a wallet.
The Tile Slim is designed to solve this dilemma. About the same size as a credit card, the Slim slides into even the smallest wallet with ease.
Despite its form factor, you still get the same features and functions as the Tile Mate. It works with both iOS and Android devices, easily set up on either through the Tile app. It also connects to the Life 360 family tracking app, giving you a centralised place to keep track of your family and possessions.
Because of the unique shape of this tracker, the battery isn’t replaceable. Tile says you’ll get about three years before the battery dies, at which point you will need to replace the whole thing.
But within those three years, it can easily be used to track your wallet or luggage. There’s a button on the bottom left of the card which can also be used to locate your phone, if you have a habit of losing it. You can also set it up as an emergency SOS alert for your family group in Life 360.
From a specs’ perspective, the speaker on the Tile Mate is technically louder than the Slim, however packed away in a wallet, I found the sound to be muffled and harder to hear. You really need to be close to the tracker to hear the alert when you’re trying to locate it.
The Slim also supports Tile’s Network to locate your product if it’s not within Bluetooth distance. It’s a bit slower than Apple’s Find My feature, but likely because there are fewer Life 360 or Tile customers than there are iPhone owners.
Tile keeps its smart alerts feature behind a subscription, so if you want to get an alert when you leave your wallet behind, there’s an extra, ongoing cost here.
Still, this fits your wallet without leaving a bulge sea does what it needs to.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING A BLUETOOTH TRACKER
When choosing a Bluetooth tracker, there are a handful of things to look for:
Compatibility
You’ll need to choose a Bluetooth tracker that works with your smartphone. If you don’t use an iPhone, for example, then AirTags aren’t going to help you very much. If you use both iOS and Android, then a cross-platform tracker like the Tile Mate will work best.
Range
The whole purpose of a Bluetooth tracker is being able to find it when it’s lost. Sometimes, that could be a fair way away, so the tracking range becomes important. Some trackers will only track when you are nearby, while others use a network of devices to help you locate your tracker, even if it’s on the other side of the world.
Battery
Bluetooth trackers typically only need to use battery when they are being tracked, so they generally have a long-lasting battery. Many options will let you replace that battery when it runs out, making it a long-term investment. Others, however, need to be completely replaced when the fixed battery runs out. These may last longer though, so consider what’s best for your needs before buying.
Size and design
Bluetooth trackers are compact and lightweight by design. But not every tracker suits every purpose. If you wanted to keep tabs on your wallet, for example, the disc shape of an AirTag is too bulky to fit comfortably. Similarly, a card-shaped tracker won’t suit attaching to a key ring.
Durability
You want your tracker to be as robust as possible, so it can survive getting dropped in dusty or wet environments. Look for an IP rating to help guide here, though it’s important to understand that an IP rating is for water resistance, rather than waterproof products.
Privacy and security
One of the side effects of making small, discreet tracking devices is that it allowed bad actors to use them for stalking. Apple and Google joined forces to counter this, launching an industry standard that sends alerts to an iOS or Android device if it locates a tracking device moving with them over time, that isn’t connected to their account.
Attachment options
One of the downsides of the AirTag’s design is that you need an accessory to attach it to what you want to track, like a key ring or luggage. While this is easily remedied with a range of accessories, it does increase the cost of your tracker.
Geofencing
Sometimes, you want to know when a device leaves or arrives in a certain area, like if a pet dog escapes your yard and takes itself for a walk. Being able to receive an alert when your Bluetooth tracker crosses a virtual geofence can be a useful feature, but not all devices offer that functionality.
HOW WE CHOOSE OUR PRODUCTS
Our team of experts test a wide variety of products at different price points, offering first-hand reviews to help you decide what will best suit your needs. We also spend hours scouring through thousands of of reviews and articles and assess test results and ratings to curate our roundups.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
HOW FAR CAN A BLUETOOTH TRACKER CONNECT TO MY PHONE?
It depends on the tracker and the phone, but Bluetooth trackers typically have a range somewhere between 10 metres and 100 metres. That said, devices like the AirTag connect to its vast network of iOS devices using the Find My network to help locate your tracker even if you are further away.
CAN I TRACK ITEMS OUTSIDE THE TRACKER’S BLUETOOTH RANGE?
Many of the leading trackers will let you track them beyond the Bluetooth range, by interacting with nearby devices from other owners. By connecting into a vast network of devices, you can track your product anywhere in the world, so long as someone with a compatible device is nearby.
HOW LONG DOES THE BATTERY LAST, AND CAN I REPLACE IT?
Battery life for Bluetooth trackers typically lasts at least a year, but it depends on the tracker and how much it is used. Many trackers offer replaceable batteries, though smaller or more unique form factors often have built-in batteries. This means that when the battery dies, you have to replace the whole tracker.
ARE BLUETOOTH TRACKERS COMPATIBLE WITH BOTH IOS AND ANDROID DEVICES?
You can buy Bluetooth trackers that work across platforms, but not everything will. AirTags only work with Apple devices, Samsung’s SmartTag2 only works with Samsung devices, and the Moto tag only works with Android devices.
WHAT PRIVACY AND SECURITY MEASURES DO BLUETOOTH TRACKERS HAVE?
Apple and Google joined forces to create an industry standard for privacy and security for Bluetooth trackers. If your phone detects a tracker moving with you that isn’t connected to your account, you will receive a notification that a device is “found moving with you”. You can then view the tracker’s identifier, play a sound (if possible) and access instructions to disable it.
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