AirTag vs. Tile Buyer’s Guide
The AirTag is a small round disc used to track items using the Find My app, but Apple is not the first to offer item trackers of this kind; Tile has been making Bluetooth item trackers for almost a decade and is now AirTag’s main competitor.
As the two leading item trackers share a number of key features, it may not be immediately obvious which is better for your personal use case. Our guide answers the question of how to decide whether AirTag or Tile is best for you.
Overview
AirTags
AirTags are available in just a single model with a white plastic and silver metal design that features a removable battery and no direct way to attach the tracker to other items. An AirTag can be slipped into a bag or other appropriate item, but Apple also offers a range of accessories to attach AirTags to different objects and there is a burgeoning market of third-party offerings. AirTag is priced at 29 for one or 99 for a pack of four.
Tile Trackers
Tile makes four different trackers, each with slightly different features and form factors:
- Tile Mate: Tile’s most basic small tracker. 24.99
- Tile Pro: A more premium alternative to the Tile Mate with a longer range, louder speaker, and a range of color options. 34.99
- Tile Slim: A long-range, waterproof, ultra-thin tracker shaped like a credit card to be placed within a wallet or adhered to a flat surface. 24.99
- Tile Sticker: Tile’s smallest tracker, designed to be stuck to objects with an adhesive. 39.99 for two, 59.99 for four.
Each Tile tracker has a different design and set of features to serve different purposes. The Tile Mate and Tile Pro are ideal for attaching to a keyring, for example. The Tile Slim is the perfect shape to slide into a wallet, while the Tile Sticker is small enough to stick to a TV remote. Ultimately, the exact way you choose to use a Tile tracker is your choice, but there are a range of designs to suit your exact needs.
Compared to the single AirTag design that doesn’t include an attachment point or adhesive, Tile’s selection of tracker designs is more versatile.
Comparing AirTag and Tile
Apple’s AirTag and Tile’s trackers share a number of important features, such as Bluetooth tracking, audio alerts, and water resistance:
Similarities
- Close-range Bluetooth tracking
- Long-range community-leveraged location tracking
- Built-in speaker for audio alerts
- Replaceable batteries (some Tile trackers only)
- One-year battery life (some Tile trackers only)
- Water-resistance
Differences
The differences between AirTag and Tile are more pronounced when it comes to Ultra Wideband features and software integration.
Read on for a closer look at each of these aspects, and see exactly what both item trackers have to offer.
Design
AirTags have a simple convex design, with a glossy white plastic shell overlapping the front and the sides, and a polished metal disc on the back.
There is nothing built into the design to help the AirTag to attach to items for tracking. Unless you are simply placing the AirTag loose in a bag or. you will need to purchase a separate accessory to attach it to the likes of keys, luggage, and more.
Apple offers a range of AirTag accessories, including the Polyurethane Loop, designed to be lightweight and durable, and the Leather Loop and Leather Key Ring, featuring tanned European leather. There is also a wide range of more inexpensive third-party options.
Although AirTags are only available in white, Apple offers the option of free engraving so users can personalize their AirTag with a selection of emojis or text.
On the other hand, Tile’s trackers feature a range of different designs. The Tile Mate and Tile Pro have a square design with a hole to easily attach to keys or tie onto items. The Tile Mate is made entirely out of white plastic, while the Tile Pro has a more premium metal design and offers a range of color options including Black, White, Ruby Red, Azurite Blue, and Rose Pink.
The Tile Slim is very thin and shaped like a credit card to easily fit in a wallet or stick flat against a surface, and is available in Black, Ruby Red, Azurite Blue, and Rose Pink.
The Tile Sticker is small, black, and circular. It features a flat, adhesive back surface to make it easy to stick directly to a surface.
There are no first-party Tile accessories for sale other than adhesive pads, but they are not completely necessary, unlike with AirTags, since attachment is built into the designs.
Bluetooth
Both AirTag and Tile use Bluetooth Low Energy as their main tracking technology. When the tracker is within Bluetooth range, users can use their smartphone to see its current location and get it to play a sound to help find it. When out of range, you can see the last known location of the tracker.
The Tile trackers have Bluetooth ranges between 150ft to 400ft, depending on the model. Apple has not disclosed the AirTag’s Bluetooth tracking range.
Community Tracking
When out of Bluetooth range, both AirTag and Tile leverage devices in the community for tracking. This feature allows users to see the location of their tracker on a map even when it is long out of range.
Final Thoughts
AirTag’s unique Ultra Wideband Precision Find features, more effective community tracking through the Find My network, NFC Lost Mode, and easy setup make it a better overall offering for most Apple users. While Tile‘s trackers feature more versatile and practical designs, the AirTag’s software experience is difficult to beat.
The only customers who should buy a Tile tracker instead of the AirTag are Android users, individuals who need a specific design, such as the ultra-slim form factor of the Tile Slim, or simply individuals that would find features such as the ability to ring their phone remotely indispensable.
The best key finders you can buy today
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Tile Pro (2022)
Still the best key finder available
Range: 200-plus feet | Battery Type: CR2032 | Size: 2.3 x 1.3 x 0.3 inches | Geofence Feature: Yes (with subscription)
The latest version of the Tile Pro, the top key finder available from Tile, offers a new look from past editions. Instead of the square design you may have grown used to, the Tile Pro (2022) now looks more like a traditional key fob with a rectangular shape and rounded edges at one end. It’s not as stylish as past Tile trackers, but it’s still a very capable tracker.
And that’s why the Tile Pro remains our pick for the best key finder you can buy. It’s got the best range of any key finder we’ve tested with a good, loud alarm. A two-way find feature helps you locate your phone if you’ve misplaced it just by pressing the Tile logo twice on the key finder. And the Tile Pro’s battery remains easy to replace after about a year of service.
Tile continues to improve the software that accompanies its trackers. This year, Tile added an anti-theft mode which makes it hard for thieves to scan for Tile’s trackers. That increases the odds you’ll be able to recover a stolen item. (Anti-theft mode is available for all the Tile devices included in our best key finder rankings.)
If you’ve got the previous version of the Tile Pro from 2020, there’s no need to upgrade, as the feature set remains as strong as ever. But if you have an older Tile or are looking for the best key finder around, your search should end with this latest edition of the Tile Pro.
Tile Mate (2022)
A great value among the best key finders
Range: 200 feet | Battery Type: Non-replaceable | Size: 1.5 x 1.5 x 0.3 inches | Geofence Feature: Yes (with subscription)
Tile made some great improvements to the latest addition of the Tile Mate, which now performs more reliably than its predecessor. We consistently reached 200 feet when range testing this Bluetooth-based tracker, which is pretty impressive. The Tile Pro is a more fully featured device, but the Tile Mate costs 10 less, making it a great value for bargain hunters.
Some users will not appreciate that the Tile Mate no longer has a replaceable battery. Instead, you get a battery that’s built to last for three years before you need to replace your tracker. At least the Mate’s new design makes it better able to withstand dunks in water — like the rest of the Tile lineup, the Mate offers IP67 water resistance.
All Tile trackers work with both Android devices and iPhones, and the Tile Mate costs less than competing products from Samsung and Apple. That’s why you should consider this key finder if you want a low-cost device that still delivers solid range and an audible alarm.
Samsung Galaxy SmartTag
Best key finder for Samsung phones
Range: 200-plus feet | Battery Type: CR2032 | Size: 1.5 x 1.5 x 0.4 inches inches | Geofence Feature: No
Owners of Samsung phones looking for the best key finder should consider the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag alongside the Tile Pro. Like the Tile Pro, the SmartTag fared well in our range testing, as we were able to stay connected to our keys from up to 225 feet away. We can also point to some real-world successes with the SmartTag, as our tester was able to find keys that were left behind using last-seen data from the companion SmartThings app.
There’s a unique component to the SmartTag that other key finders don’t boast. Because the key finder connects to Samsung’s SmartThings app, you can use it to automate some Smart home features with a press of the tracker’s button. Be aware that this version of the SmartTag doesn’t support Ultra Wideband connectivity for more accurate tracking like Apple AirTag does; for that feature, you’ll need to pay up for the SmartTag Plus, which costs an extra 10.
SmartTag compatibility is limited to Samsung Galaxy phones running Android 8.0 or later, so if you’ve got another handset, you want to consider some of the other best key finder options. But Samsung’s Smart tracker is a perfect companion to devices like the latest Galaxy S models.
We’ve heard some rumblings that a SmartTag 2 model could be in the works for release later this year, possibly as soon as the July 26 Galaxy Unpacked event. Stay tuned for a possible update.
Apple AirTag
The best key finder for iPhones
Range: 30 feet | Battery Type: CR2032 | Size: 1.26 x 1.26 x 0.31 inches | Geofence Feature: No
How to choose the best key finder for you
Here’s the criteria to keep in mind when you’re shopping for a key finder.
Connectivity and range: The majority of the devices in our best key finder rankings connect to your phone over Bluetooth. That generally means ranges of 200 feet or so, though in our experience, many trackers top out at 100 feet. (That’s just as well, as beyond a certain distance, it’s hard to hear the alarm anyhow.) The Tile Pro is the exception, with a range topping 200 feet in our testing. Both Apple and Samsung offer key finders that use Ultra Wideband tracking, which promises more precise tracking data.
Alarm Sound: Check the decibel rating for the key finder. You’ll want a good loud signal of at least 80 to 85 decibels so that you can hear your key finder over any ambient noise. In our testing, we’ve been impressed by the loudness of the Tile Pro as well as the Chipolo One.
Other Features: Consider key finders that have two-way finding features, where you can press a button on the key finder to track down your phone. Some key finders also offer geofence features, where your phone will get an alert if your keys are ever out of range — the Chipolo One’s out-of-range alerts are particularly impressive if you prize this capability.
Battery Life: Look up how long the battery will last on your key finder. If it’s a replaceable battery, count on about six months, though the Tile Pro (2022) promises a year’s worth of battery life and Chipolo claims its new key tracker will go two years before you need to swap out a battery. Non-replaceable batteries should also last a year and offer a clearly defined replacement program for when your device is running low on juice. The latest Tiles claim to last three years if they have a non-replaceable battery.
Tracking Multiple Items: Many of companion apps for the devices we’ve reviewed here support multiple trackers, so that you can keep tabs on more than just one item. (You can track a purse, too, or a wallet, in addition to your keys.) Some products, like Tile, even let you share your tracker with another user, so that both of you can pinpoint the location of your keys. (Tile Premium gives you the ability to share your Tile tracker with unlimited users.)
Price: The average key finder costs between 20 and 30. A few, like the Tile Pro, cost 35, but offer longer range than standard key finders.
You’ll pay up for key finders with Ultra Wideband connectivity. Samsung’s SmartTag Plus costs 40. The AirTag costs a little bit less, at 30.
You’ll also want to consider compatibility. The Bluetooth-based Samsung Galaxy SmartTag will just work with Samsung’s phones while the SmartTag Plus works with a more limited selection of devices. (The Galaxy S21 Plus, Galaxy S21 Ultra, and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra have the necessary Ultra Wideband connectivity as do the more recent Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S23 models.) Similarly, to get the most out of Apple’s AirTag, you’re going to need an iPhone 11 or later (excluding both the 2020 and 2022 iPhone SE, as those phones lack an U1 Ultra Wideband chip.)
How we test key finders
We put every key finder we review through a series of tests. To test the volume of the alarm, we bury the key finder in a clothes hamper filled with laundry and see how far we can walk away before the alarm becomes inaudible. We also check to how long the alarm sounds before shutting off.
To test range, we go to a public park and leave the key finder behind. We check every 10 feet until we lose the signal or can no longer hear the alarm. We also take note of how quickly the key finder re-establishes a connection with our phone once it’s back in range. If a key finder promises a digital leash feature, we walk away, taking note of how long before we receive an out-of-range notification on our phone.
With some key finders now offering ranges beyond 100 feet, we also go to a local football field and check ranges on those trackers.
We consider the size and shape of each key finder. We also look at the ease of inserting a new battery into those devices with replaceable batteries; if the battery can’t we replaced, we consider whether the key finder maker has a replacement program in place.
We also look at the design of the companion app for each key finder, and consider additional features such as two-way finding capabilities.
The best Bluetooth tracker for Android users
The Tile Essentials set bundles two Tile Mates, the Tile Slim, and the Tile Sticker in a bundle that’s more affordable than buying them separately.
Buying Options
AirTags don’t work with Android phones, but Tile’s trackers, including the Tile Mate (2022), the Tile Slim (2022), and the Tile Sticker (2022) (also available in a bundle) are the best alternative. As a company, Tile has become synonymous with trackers the same way Kleenex is with facial tissue. Its trackers offer the second-largest crowd-finding network, as well as impressive range. You can also use a Tile to remotely trigger a lost phone to ring, something you can’t do with AirTags.
The research
Over the past few years, we’ve tested more than a dozen Bluetooth trackers. The major players in this category are well known. But to make sure we didn’t miss any, during our research for a previous version of this guide, we turned to Amazon and Google. The latter search turned up some great comparative reviews from Tom’s Guide, The Wall Street Journal (subscription required), Wired, and Yahoo.
Here’s what we look for in a great Bluetooth tracker:
- Network size: Most Bluetooth trackers can utilize other phones that have the tracker’s app installed to silently and privately search for your lost objects. The more people who use a platform, the better your chances of recovering your lost stuff.
- Precision finding: Once you know the general location of your lost tracker, narrowing down exactly where it’s hiding is the key to finding it. Trackers use a combination of physical speakers and digital apps to help you locate your belongings.
- Size: A tracker that’s too obtrusive to carry around with you or to attach to the thing you want to track is useless. Smaller and lighter is better.
- Range: The longer the range, the farther you can be from the tracker and still be able to find your lost item.
- Volume: If you’re near your tracker but can’t hear it, that’s no good. Despite having little space for a speaker, some of these can get quite loud.
- Other features: A replaceable battery isn’t absolutely required, but it’s a big plus. We also prefer trackers that can trigger an alarm on your phone. An app that is easy to navigate and updates location information quickly is important too.
Prior to the 2021 introduction of Apple’s AirTag, the most important test we conducted was to determine each tracker’s potential range—how far away from the tracker we could move a paired smartphone before we lost the Bluetooth connection. In 2019, we tested the range in Wirecutter’s 190-foot-long office in Long Island City, New York. We set each tracker on a shelf, triggered it to ring, and then walked away with our paired iPhone while noting the distance using a measuring wheel. Once the tracker’s smartphone app showed the tracker as out of range—or we physically hit the wall—we recorded the distance. We repeated this test at least five times per tracker and calculated the average distance for each across the measurements. Because AirTags leverage a much larger network and are more precise once you’re in range, we still test the effective distance, but it’s not as important.
Our pick if you have an iPhone: Apple AirTag
The best Bluetooth tracker for iPhone users
AirTags leverage Apple’s huge network of devices to find lost goods, and they’re impressively accurate in pinpointing an item’s precise location.
Buying Options
If you use an iPhone and want to track your stuff, Apple’s AirTag is easily the best option. Compared with the competition, this tracker has two distinct strengths that make it our top choice: The AirTag utilizes Apple’s huge network of devices to assist in finding the area where you left your lost item, and precision tracking makes it easier for you to locate the exact spot. Taken together, these two features mean you’re more likely to find what you’re looking for with the AirTag than with any other Bluetooth tracking system.
Each AirTag runs on a removable, user-replaceable battery. It’s the only Apple-designed product to make the process easy.
Apple isn’t the first company to utilize a crowd-finding network for tracking purposes, but with a billion devices, its network has by far the largest number of devices that can look for your stuff. Since 2019, Apple’s Find My app has used Bluetooth in every iPhone, iPad, and Mac that’s on the network to passively and anonymously find lost iPhones, Macs, and even contacts who share their location. Now AirTags can use the same system to report the location of any item you attach them to. In practical terms, this means if you leave your AirTag-equipped keys at the coffee shop, for example, as long as someone there at some point has an Apple device, the keys’ location will be reported to you (and the person with the iPhone or other Apple device who identified it will never know). Although Tile’s trackers work the same way, they do so on a far smaller scale—it’s much more likely that the customer sitting one table over has an iPhone than a Tile.
The other key feature of the AirTag works once you know your tracker’s general location. Like the iPhone 11, 12, 13, and 14 lineups, AirTags support a wireless connection known as Ultra Wideband, which allows for precision locating at relatively short distances. Once you’re in the general vicinity of your AirTag (say, the coffee shop where you left your keys), you can tap the Find button in the Find My app. The app then shows you the direction and distance to the AirTag in question, and your phone vibrates as you get closer and allows you to play a sound to assist in your search. In our testing the AirTag’s tracking signal took a moment to lock on, but once it did we were thoroughly impressed by the system’s accuracy.
You can easily remove and replace the AirTag’s battery when it runs dry. It’s estimated to last about a year. Photo: Sarah Kobos
You can easily remove and replace the AirTag’s battery when it runs dry. It’s estimated to last about a year. Photo: Sarah Kobos
Noticeably absent is any sort of attachment mechanism such as a key-ring hole or adhesive back. Instead, you have to buy an extra accessory.
Compared with Tile’s trackers, AirTags have a much shorter Bluetooth range. Apple doesn’t state any specific figures, but we found that the tracker maintained a connection to our test iPhone for only 30 feet or so. On the face of it, that doesn’t sound great, but wandering around your office or home looking for your keys isn’t that different from using a Tile with a 100-foot range. And we think Apple’s much, much larger crowd-finding network and precision locating are more important factors, since that’s what will make it more likely that you’ll recover stuff you’ve truly lost.
With its glossy, white plastic front and metal back, the AirTag looks and feels a lot like a pin-back button you might put on a jean jacket or backpack. The diameter is a little larger than a quarter, and the tracker is actually about a millimeter or two thicker than many iPhones, although its curved design makes it feel thinner. You have the option to add custom engraving when you order from Apple, with up to four characters (letters and/or numbers) or selected emoji; if you buy the four-pack, you can get different text on each. Noticeably absent is any sort of attachment mechanism such as a key-ring hole or adhesive back. Instead, you have to buy an extra accessory. Of course, Apple sells a handful of its own, and plenty of third-party companies sell all sorts of designs, as well.
What’s good?
When I received a pair of the new Tile Pro (2022) trackers, I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the new design. After all, I loved the thin square shape of the previous generation. However, the new, longer Tile Pro shows just how necessary some minor design changes can be. While it may not be as aesthetically pleasing, the new shape means it’s not nearly as wide as before, which allows it to sit more comfortably among a set of keys, for example. It retains the tough metal frame too, which makes it more durable than other trackers.
Perhaps the best Tile Pro design feature is something that didn’t change from last year — you can still replace the CR2032 battery on your own. Tile ditched the replaceable component from the vanilla Mate, but its inclusion on the Pro gives the top-tier Bluetooth tracker a much longer lifespan. I figured the battery was a necessary sacrifice for waterproofing, but the Tile Pro shows that you can have the best of both worlds with its IP67 rating.
One final physical change that Tile made for its 2022 redesign is a QR code on the back panel. This makes it easier for other users to return your lost items should they find your tracker. Of course, you’ll have to make sure to keep your personal information as up-to-date as possible.
Over on the software side, Tile is finally taking anti-stalking technology seriously… sort of. We mentioned the lack of any anti-stalking measures as a key omission in our previous review, but Tile now has an answer in the form of its “Scan and Secure” feature. The relatively new feature lets Tile and non-Tile users on both Android and iOS scan their immediate surroundings for unregistered trackers. While not as comprehensive as some of Apple’s anti-stalking methods, it’s a step in the right direction at the very least.
What’s not so good?
While many of Tile’s changes are for the better with the latest Pro, it’s not perfect. The tracker is slightly larger than before, though it still only offers one year of battery life. I also struggle to get behind Tile’s white finish, no matter the model. It tends to pick up marks no matter how hard you try to keep it clean.
Tile still claims that the Bluetooth range of the Pro is a whopping 400 feet, which sounds too good to be true. Unfortunately, it still is. Unless you live in an open area with almost no trees, houses, or other interruptions, you’ll pretty much never see a comparable range.
The Tile app remains a double-edged sword in that it’s still reliant on a Tile Premium subscription. While it’s easy to add and manage trackers, you can’t tap into things like Smart Alerts without a monthly — or annual — subscription. If subscriptions were universal, it would be one thing, but other ecosystem-agnostic trackers — like the Chipolo One — don’t demand an additional fee for similar alerts. On the bright side, Tile Pro users enjoy the free battery replacement perk that’s missing from cheaper Tile trackers.
Another change to hit the Tile app is an updated map. While you were once able to see a map showing a certain number of users in your local area, that has since been removed. It may be with privacy in mind, but it’s not as easy to tell how many Tile users are around to help you track objects. Apple and Samsung users are still there for their respective ecosystems, which puts the Tile Pro somewhat behind the eight ball. Amazon Sidewalk integration helps with numbers by keeping nearby Echo and Ring devices in the fold, but this is restricted to users in the United States.
There’s also the biggest missing feature to talk about: ultra-wideband support. The still-unreleased Tile Ultra is slated to add UWB-enabled precision tracking features to rival the AirTag, but I can’t help but think the feature should be part of the Tile Pro. Unfortunately, Tile announced its Ultra back in 2021, and we’re now concerned that it might not actually launch. This tracker is already more expensive than the AirTag, yet lacks the pinpoint accuracy of Apple’s device. Having to wait for a new, more expensive Tile pokes a few holes in the value of the Tile Pro (2022).
Tile Pro (2022) review: Should I buy it?
The Tile Pro (2022) still offers all of the great features we loved last year — it’s loud, well-built, and can hop between Android and iOS. While the new design isn’t quite as attractive at a glance, its thinner profile makes it easier to carry around.
Overall, the Tile Pro is still a great buy, especially if you have outdoor adventures in mind. The water resistance is on par with the rest of Tile’s offerings, but the metal frame will take more of a beating than cheaper trackers. The impending launch of Scan and Secure will also finally provide a modicum of anti-stalking protection, even if it’s less comprehensive than we’d like.
It remains more expensive than most other Bluetooth trackers, but it’s worth the cost if you’re not an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy user. You can still try the AirTag (84 at Amazon) or the Galaxy SmartTag (59 at Amazon), but they’re best if you’re already ingrained in either ecosystem. If you find yourself with a Galaxy S phone and an iPad together, it’s best to play Switzerland and track with a Tile. Chipolo now has Google-friendly versions of its One and Card trackers, which feature Point branding.
We’ll hold judgment on the impact of Scan and Secure, but you’ll have to decide whether you want to pay for Tile Premium or not. It’s essential for features like Smart Alerts, but it does make an already relatively expensive Bluetooth tracker cost even more.
There’s also the Tile Ultra which is the elephant in the room when talking about the Tile Pro. While Tile hasn’t detailed the Ultra’s entire feature set or price, it’s set to add UWB support and augmented reality tracking. If you want the very best Tile, you may want to wait a little longer.
In the meantime, though, it can’t hurt to give a single Tile Pro a try. Alternatively, multi-pack discounts mean you could grab one and give another as a gift. If you’re looking to save some bucks, be sure to give the Tile Mate (2022) (19 at Amazon) a look too, which has the same IP rating, but a less durable build and a quieter ringer.
The Tile Pro kicks everything you love about the Tile Mate into high gear. It’s louder and built to last longer, with a metal frame. The controls are as smooth as ever on either iOS or Android, and you can still replace the battery with ease. If you want a loud, ecosystem-agnostic tracker that’s built for adventure, look no further than the Tile Pro.
Basic vs Premium
The basic and premium Tile plans require a purchase of any Tile type. The range depending on the type you want (Pro, Mate or Slim) and how many you want to purchase, in which they come in packages of one, two, four, or eight. The following are according to the Tile Website. The Pro Tile, which is the newest one, ranges from 35 US for one to 100 US for four. The Mate ranges from 25 US for one to 110 US for eight and the Slim Tile ranges from 30 US for one to 180 US for eight [3]. You can compare and contrast each Tile type to see why one costs more or less than the others in the chart above, under the About Tile section.
View the image provided to see the comparison between the basic and premium Tile features. For a premium Tile plan, the first month is free, then it’s 29.99 US a year or 5000.99 US a month.