Best AirTag alternatives for Android and iPhone

Bluetooth trackers like Apple’s AirTag are a convenient way to keep track of your belongings. They’ve also proven their usefulness in other ways. AirTags have been used for investigative journalism and even helped track down a carjacker. And who can forget the headlines about AirTags helping travelers find their lost luggage? 

Watch our video: How to track your own luggage

There are more disturbing ways people have used them, such as stalking exes or celebrities. Despite this, an AirTag is a very useful piece of technology. But it’s far from the only one on the market, with plenty of AirTag alternatives mainly targeting Android users.

Get ExpressVPN

Best AirTag alternatives

1. Best AirTag alternative for long distances: Tile Pro

Tile has led the way with Bluetooth trackers and is easily one of the best alternatives to an AirTag. The Tile Pro has an impressive range of 400 feet and a loud ring to help you locate the tracker. Being built out of metal and featuring an IP67 rating, it’s probably the most durable tracker on the market.

The best thing about the Tile Pro is that they’re platform agnostic, ensuring full functionality no matter your phone. However, unlike Apple and Samsung’s trackers, Tile is fully dependent on app installs to build out its tracking network. Frustratingly, some features, like alerts when your Tile Pro is far from you, are locked behind a subscription service. 

2. Best AirTag alternative for durability: Chipolo One

A solid pick outside of heavyweights Apple, Samsung, and Tile is Chipolo. Don’t be deceived by the Chipolo One’s small and minimalistic design, though; the tracker is incredibly loud at 120dB, and its battery can last for two years—longer than any other tracker. It comes at the expense of a replaceable battery, but many would find the tradeoff acceptable.

Chipolo One has a tracking range of 200 feet and is also platform agnostic. Its tracking network is far more limited, though, relying on users with the Chipolo app to build it out. Opting for the Chipolo One Spot solves your tracking network concerns as it taps into Apple’s Find My network. The best thing about the Chipolo One is that it is cheaper than most trackers while remaining fully featured. Nothing is locked behind a paywall. 

3. Best AirTag alternative for Samsung users: Samsung SmartTag

If you’re a Samsung smartphone user, the SmartTag is your best choice. SmartTags are tightly integrated with Samsung’s ecosystem and feature integration with SmartThings, Samsung’s smart home platform. For example, pressing the SmartTags button can turn on your lights. 

Like AirTags, SmartTags are tracked by Samsung smartphones nearby. And with Samsung being the largest smartphone manufacturer in the world, chances are, you’ll be able to find your missing items with a SmartTag.  

4. Best AirTag alternative for travel: Tracki GPS Tracke

As its name implies, the Tracki GPS Tracker doesn’t rely on Bluetooth connection, but GPS instead. By using GPS, the tracker isn’t reliant on a tracking network of devices like the other options listed here. It can provide real-time GPS tracking all by its lonesome, and it also means it has an unlimited range. You can set up geofences to receive alerts when the tracker leaves a designated area.

The tracker is very portable and also rechargeable, with battery life lasting up to 75 days on a single charge. The Tracki GPS tracker is protected from the elements via a waterproof magnetic box and is also incredibly affordable at just $17 a pop. 

Best Airtag alternative for less clutter: Cube Shadow

At just 2mm thin, the thinnest tracker on the market is the Cube Shadow. Its size might be the best thing about it, keeping it out of your way as you use it. The ultra-thin design comes at a price, though; battery life isn’t the best around. At least it is rechargeable. 

The tracker is well protected against the elements with an IP67 rating, and its alarm is very loud at 100dB. The biggest downside to the Cube Shadow is its unintuitive software, and it’s prone to false alarms—making it unreliable.

What does AirTag near me mean? 

When you receive an “AirTag near me” notification, it means that an AirTag that doesn’t belong to you has been detected moving with you. Apple designed this feature to prevent unwanted tracking. If you’re traveling with someone else’s AirTag, or if an AirTag has been placed near you without your knowledge, your device will alert you.

The alert allows you to check for any unfamiliar AirTags in your belongings and track their location, ensuring that no one is using it to monitor your movements without your consent. You can tap the notification to learn more about the AirTag or disable it if necessary.