Bluetooth trackers come in all shapes and sizes. | Illustration: Cath Virginia / The Verge
Some people rarely lose things. Diwallet ka metlha di nna fela fa di tshwanetseng go nna gone, dinotlolo ga di ke di latlhega, mme diremote ga di ke di relela fa gare ga dikhushene tsa soufa. Mme go na le rona ba bangwe botlhe — batho ba ba sa kgoneng go bona selo se se neng se le teng metsotswana e le mmalwa e e fetileng. For us, there are Bluetooth trackers.
Di-tracker tsa Bluetooth di ntse di le teng ka nako e telele, mme tsotlhe ka kakaretso di dira ka tsela e e tshwanang. O kgomaretsa tracker mo selong, o e kopanya le founo ya gago, mme morago ga moo, fa o latlhegelwa ke selo se se boletsweng, o ka tsena mo app mme wa leletsa tracker. Mme malatsi ano, di-tracker tsa Bluetooth di ka dira go le gontsi. Bangwe ba na le ditšhipi tsa ultra-wideband tse di kgontshang go latedisa ka nepo, gore o kgone go bona sentle gore selo sa gago se fa kae mo phaposing. Increasingly, trackers also tap into large networks — like Apple’s and Google’s — making it easier to locate lost items outside the home. Many will notify you if they detect you’ve left the device behind or come with QR codes that link to your contact information so people can easily return lost devices.
Dikarolo tseno di mosola thata mme gape di na le kgonagalo ya go dirisiwa botlhaswa. Tsaya Ditheke tsa Mowa. When Apple launched the trackers, it hadn’t anticipated they’d be used to track people or stolen items — but that’s exactly what happened. E sale e matlafatsa dikarolo tsa yona tsa go lwantsha go tlhola, mme dikhamphani tse di jaaka Tile le tsone di ile tsa latela sekao sa yone. Apple and Google have launched a standard that enables unwanted tracking alerts across both Android and iOS devices — and major players like Tile, Samsung, and Chipolo are on board. But until this standard is up and running, it pays to be aware of each tracker’s current approach when you’re deciding the best option for you.
Jaaka Bafenyi ba Dilo ba ba feletseng, re lekile karolo e e siameng ya di-tracker tsa Bluetooth mo diwallet, dinotlolo le mo merwalong. Se ke se re ka se akantshang fa le wena o na le bothata jwa go bona dilo.
The best tracker for iPhone users Apple AirTag (second-gen) Apple’s latest AirTags features an upgraded ultra-wideband chip for more precise location tracking, a noticeably louder speaker, and an expanded Bluetooth range.
Moo o ka Rekang teng: R1 29 kwa Amazon R1 000 kwa Best Buy R1 29 kwa Walmart Fa e le gore o mong wa iPhone, AirTag ya mofuta wa bobedi wa Apple e naya selekanyo sa go dira dilo ka nepo se di-tracker tse di gaisanang di ka se kgoneng go se tshwantshanya. The updated model leverages the company’s latest ultra wideband (UWB) chip for its nifty Precision Finding feature, which, in turn, can lead you to your lost item with an on-screen arrow in the Find My app. Plus, because AirTags can tap into Apple’s vast Find My network, a lost tracker can anonymously ping its location to Apple’s iCloud servers whenever it’s near another Apple device, extending its range beyond Bluetooth’s limitations.
Boemo joo jwa go dira dilo ka nepo bo ne jwa itshupa bo le mosola thata fa go ne go dirwa diteko. Sediriswa se sesha sa go latedisa sa Apple se se bopegileng jaaka madi a tshipi se ne se nna se re kaela kwa dilong tsa rona tse di sa bewang sentle, go akaretsa le selotlolo sa phaposi ya poso se se fitlhegileng mo lebokosong. None of the other Bluetooth trackers we tested — including those from Tile and other third-party, Find My-compatible offerings — worked quite as well. The extended range on the latest AirTags also makes it much easier to reliably locate items in multi-story homes, while a series of iOS updates has made it possible to share a temporary map with a host of airlines (including Delta and United), which can help if your luggage should ever go missing.
There are downsides, though. Although their replaceable CR2032 battery helps you save money in the long run, AirTags aren’t truly $29, since you’ll likely need to buy a separate holder to attach one to your keys or luggage. Gape di ile tsa tshwaiwa diphoso ka ntlha ya go dirisiwa botlhaswa ka maikaelelo a a sa batlegeng a go latedisa (o ka bala teko ya rona ya ntlhantlha ka botlalo fano). That being said, Apple is aware of the issue and has since improved unwanted tracking alerts by shortening the time before you’re notified an unknown AirTag is in your vicinity, making chimes louder, and creating a separate app that lets Android users scan for unknown AirTags.
Read our second-generation AirTags review.
The best tracker for Android users Poro ya Thaele Tile Pro ke sediriswa sa go latedisa sa Bluetooth sa khamphani se se kwa godimo thata mme se na le selekanyo se se bulegileng go gaisa sa dikgato di le 400. Gape e na le betri e e ka emisediwang ke modirisi, go sa tshwane le Dithaele tse dingwe.
Where to Buy: $34.99 $30.99 at Amazon$34.99 kwa Thekong e e Gaisang R34.99 kwa Target More and more trackers now support both Google’s and Apple’s Find My networks, but Tile’s trackers remain our top recommendation for both Android users and those in mixed iOS / Android households. What’s more, Tile currently offers four form factors to suit different needs: the card-shaped Tile Slim ($29.99), the square-ish Tile Mate ($24.99), the self-adhesive Tile Sticker ($24.99), and the Tile Pro ($34.99). Tile Pro e e bopegileng jaaka keyfob ke yone e re e ratang thata; e kgolo go feta Mate, e naya Bluetooth e telele go gaisa tsotlhe ka dikgato di le 500, mme e na le lesale le le kwa godimo go gaisa. Mo go tse nne, gape ke yone fela e e nang le beteri ya CR2032 ya ngwaga o le mongwe e e ka emisediwang.
Ntlha ka ga neteweke ya Find Hub ya Google
Ka 2024, kgabagare Google e ne ya simolola neteweke ya yone ya Batla Sediriswa sa Me, e moragonyana e neng ya bidiwa Find Hub. It works similarly to Apple’s Find My network: you’ll be able to share trackers with family members, and there are also unwanted tracking alerts.
Kwa tshimologong, neteweke e ne e saletse morago ya Apple, mme e simolola go tshwara. After several weeks of testing Find Hub-compatible trackers — specifically the Chipolo Pop, Pebblebee Clip 5, and Motorola’s Moto Tag — in April, we found the network had improved significantly, especially in busy areas. Le fa go ntse jalo, go bonala sentle gore Google e ne ya baya polokodiphiri kwa pele ga go dira dilo ka nepo.
Google e dira kgatelopele nngwe, le fa go ntse jalo. In 2024, it also rolled out satellite connectivity to Pixel 9 phones and newer devices, followed by UWB support for more precise tracking with Moto Tags and other compatible phones and trackers. Bosheng jaana, khamphani e ne ya oketsa tshegetso ya karolo e e tshwanang le ya iPhone e e go letlang go abelana mafelo a tracker le palo e e golang ya difofane. Go fitlha ga jaana, lenaane ga le akaretse difofane dipe tse di kwa Amerika, mme le akaretsa Lufthansa, Air India, Difofane tsa China, Saudia, le tse dingwe.
Dilatedi tsotlhe tsa Tile di dira fela jaaka di-AirTag. Like Apple’s, Tile’s platform-agnostic trackers can tap into a larger network — in this case, the Tile Network and Amazon Sidewalk, neither of which is as expansive as Apple’s or Google’s. However, when we tested Google’s Find Hub-compatible trackers, including the Chipolo Pop and Moto Tag, we found that Tile still did better at tracking items outside the home. The biggest downside is that Tile trackers lack ultra wideband support, which means they can’t guide you to a nearby item using distance and directional cues like an AirTag. The company did announce a tracker that supports UWB in 2021, but it’s yet to ship, likely because Apple is effectively blocking UWB compatibility for third parties in iOS and Tile’s priorities shifted after it was acquired by Life360.
Seo se ntse se boletswe, Tile trackers etsa na le bohale fetang AirTags ha ho tluoa tabeng ea ho hlaphoheloa lintho tse utswitsoeng le likarolo tsa polokeho. Seo se bakilwe thata ke karolo ya Tile e e thibelang bogodu, e e dirang gore dilatedi di se ka tsa bonala go lemoga fa selo sa gago se utswitswe. Go e dirisa go tlhoka gore motho a netefadiwe gore ke mang mme go na le dikotlhao tse di gagametseng, go akaretsa le tuediso ya diranta di le dimilione di le 1 tsa go e dirisa ka tsela e e sa siamang. Tile also offers a “Scan and Secure” tool for detecting unknown Tile devices nearby, though potential victims still have to proactively scan their surroundings.
To round things out, Tile users can manage their trackers directly within the Life360 app and send SOS alerts to emergency contacts with the push of a button (or several). New Tile users are also eligible for up to $100 in reimbursement for lost items and free replacements for damaged trackers, as well as access to 30 days of location history and unlimited sharing within their first year. After that, Tile owners will have to pay the $29.99 annual premium subscription fee to continue enjoying those perks, though every Tile user gets two days of location history for free.
Mofuta o o gaisang wa AirTag le Tile Setshwantsho sa Notshi 5 The Pebblebee Clip 5 supports Apple’s Find My and Google’s Find Hub networks, but also has a 500-foot Bluetooth range, LEDs that flash to help you locate it, and a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 12 months on a single charge.
Moo o ka Rekang ka teng: R1 200 kwa Pebblebee R1 200 kwa Amazon Fa o batla mofuta o mongwe wa AirTag kgotsa Tile, Pebblebee Clip 5 ya $34.99 ke tlhopho e e siameng thata. It’s one of a growing number of trackers that support both Apple’s Find My and Google’s Find Hub networks, which is a major improvement over its predecessor. Thulaganyo keseamless bakeng sa basebedisi ba iOS le Android, empa hobane app ya Pebblebee ha e sebetsana le ho latedisa, dikarolo tse kang geofencing le dibaka tse bolokehileng di itshetlehile ka hore na o kgetha neteweke efe. Ka sekai, Find My ya Apple e tshegetsa ditsiboso tsa “ba ba tlogetsweng kwa morago” le mafelo a a babalesegileng; Google’s Find Hub still lacks an equivalent.
Selo se re se ratang thata ka Pebblebee Clip 5 ke beteri ya yone e e tšhajiwang. E ka nna ngwaga ka go tšhaja gangwe fela, le fa o ka nna wa bona nako e e fetang eo go ikaegile ka tiriso ya gago. E na le kou ya USB-C, mme Pebblebee e bapatsa mofuta wa Bluetooth o ka fihlang ho maoto a 500, e leng maoto a 100 ho feta Tile Pro, kgetho ya rona bakeng sa basebedisi ba Android. Mo godimo ga moo, Clip 5 e na le mogala wa LED o o panyapanyang o o phatsimang thata go feta dikai tsa pele le modumo o o kwa godimo thata, o o dirang gore go nne bonolo go bona dilo tse di latlhegileng, tota le mo mafelong a a lefifi kgotsa a a leratla.
O sa ntse o ka dirisa tiriswa ya Pebblebee go seta ditheke tsa lentswe, kopa Amazon Alexa kgotsa Mothusi wa Google go go thusa, kgotsa tobetsa sediriswa sa go latedisa gabedi go letsa founo ya gago. Le fa Clip 5 e le kgolo go feta AirTag, gape e akaretsa lesale la selotlolo le le ka tshwarwang, ka jalo ga o tlhoke go duelela sedirisiwa se sengwe fela go se gokelela mo dilong tsa gago. Gape e lekanyeditswe IP66 ya go emelana le lerole le metsi, e e dirang gore e nne e e tshwarelelang go le gonnye go feta di-tracker tsa pele tsa Pebblebee.
The best AirTag alternative for wallets Karata ya Notshe ya Matlapa 5 Pebblebee Card 5 e na le betri e e tšhajiwang e e tsayang dikgwedi di le 18 mme e tshegetsa go tšhaja ntle le mogala. E dira le Find My ya Apple le Find Hub ya Google, mme gape o ka dirisa tiriswa Pebblebee go tshwaya ka lentswe.
Moo o ka Rekang ka teng: R1 200 kwa Amazon R1 200 kwa Pebblebee O ka leka go tsenya AirTag mo sepatšheng se se menaganeng gabedi mme o solofele gore e tla nna e ntse e le teng — kgotsa o tlhophe mofuta o mongwe o o tsamaelanang le Find My o o diretsweng diwallet, jaaka Karata ya Pebblebee 5 ya $34.99. all with a super loud ringtone. Ga e neele go latedisa ka nepo ka gonne e tlhoka UWB, mme e e dira ka medumo e e boletsweng. Gape e tshegetsa ditsiboso tsa go latedisa tse di sa batlegeng jaaka karolo ya neteweke ya Find My.
Card 5 e tlhomologile ka ntlha ya moakanyetso wa yone o o borethe le go tšhaja ntle le mogala. Ka bokima jwa 1.8mm fela, ke nngwe ya di-tracker tse di sesane go gaisa tse o ka di rekang mme di lekana le bogolo jwa karata ya sekoloto, se se rayang gore o ka e tsenya bonolo mo sepatšheng se se tletseng thata se se tletseng go fitlha kwa ntlheng ka dirasiti, dikarata tsa dimpho le madi a a seatleng. Ga se ka metlha go ka buiwang se se tshwanang ka sedirisiwa sa go latedisa sepatšhe sa Tile, se se batlileng go menagane gabedi ka bokima. Ho feta moo, Card 5 e nka dikgwedi tse 18 ha e tjhajiwa hang mme e tshehetsa ho tjhaja ntle le mohala, kahoo ha ho hlokahale hore o tshwenyehe ka ho nkela dibeteri tse ling.
Ga go gakgamatse go bo Card 5 e na le maatla a mantsi a a tshwanang le a Pebblebee Clip 5, go akaretsa le tshegetso ya tiriso ya Pebblebee le go tshwaya ka lentswe. Gape o bona selekanyo sa go fitlha go dikgato di le 500, tekanyetso ya IP66 ya go emelana le lerole le metsi, le konopo e e ageletsweng e o ka e tobetsang go thusa go bona founo ya gago.
Other Bluetooth trackers to consider
Chipolo Pop and Chipolo Loop
Chipolo Pop ya $ 29 e fana ka ntlha e tshwanang ya sebopeho sa AirTag ya Apple ka sephuthelwana se bobebe, se mebalabala se nang le lesoba la keychain kapa thapo, bipi e phahameng, le ho dumellana le dinetweke tsa Apple tsa Find My le tsa Google tsa Find Hub (le ha e le e le nngwe feela ka nako). O ka nna wa dirisa le Pop jaaka setswalelo sa khamera e e kgakala mme wa tobetsa konopo e e ageletsweng gabedi go batla founo ya gago e e latlhegileng. Ho fapana le di-tracker tse ding tsa Chipolo, e ithorisa ka Bluetooth e bulehileng ya maoto a 300, tekanyetso e matla haholo ya IP55 bakeng sa ho hanyetsa metsi le lerole, mme e kenyelletsa betri e ka nkelwang sebaka ke mosebedisi e ka nkang selemo.
Mo ditekong tsa rona, go latedisa go ne go nepile mo dinetewekeng tsa Apple le tsa Google mo maemong a mantsi, Google e ne e kgaratlha thata go latedisa dilwana tse di kwa ntle ga legae ka tsela e e ikanyegang fela jaaka Tile. Mme ntle le UWB, Pop e ne e sa kgone go tshwana le go tlhomama ga AirTag. Le fa go ntse jalo, app ya Chipolo e naya badirisi ba Android ditsiboso tse di ikanyegang tse di kwa ntle ga selekanyo le dikitsiso tse di tlogetsweng kwa morago — sengwe se di-tracker tsa Pebblebee le Moto Tag di se tlhokang —tse, go ya ka maitemogelo a rona, di tlhotlheletsang ka bonako go feta Tile.
Fa o iketleeleditse go dirisa $10 e e oketsegileng, Chipolo Loop ya $39 e tshwana thata le Chipolo Pop, e na le bontsi jwa maatla le makoa a a tshwanang. Le fa go ntse jalo, e tšhaja ka USB-C mme e akaretsa lesale la silicone le le tsenngwang mo teng le le bonolo go le gokelela mo dinotlolong, mo dikgetsaneng le mo dilong tse dingwe. Gape o bona tekanyetso ya IP67 e e tshwarelelang thata le dikgato di le 100 tse di oketsegileng tsaBluetooth range — up to 400 feet total. Ela tlhoko fela gore o tla tshwanelwa ke go tlamela ka kheibole ya gago ya USB-C.
Theke e e botlhale ya Samsung2
If you’re a Samsung Galaxy phone user, the $29.99 Samsung SmartTag2 gets you UWB tracking and can tap into the Galaxy Find network, which operates similarly to Apple’s Find My network. Ke mofuta o mongwe o mogolo wa AirTag, mme ga se tlhopho ya rona ka kakaretso ya Android ka gonne e lekanyeditswe go badirisi ba Samsung Galaxy. Seo se boletswe, SmartTag2 ya moraorao e kenyelletsa Compass View e ntlafaditsweng, bophelo bo bolelele ba betri, le boiphihlelo bo betere ba app. Gape e na le moakanyetso o mosha, o o moleele o o nang le lesale le legolo la selotlolo go feta SmartTag ya ntlha.
Theke ya Moto
Motorola’s $29.99 Moto Tag is the first tracker on Google’s Find Hub network to offer ultra wideband for locating lost items on phones equipped with a UWB chip, which is a feature Google enabled via a firmware update after releasing the device. Fela jaaka AirTag ya Apple, e ka go kaela ka tlhamalalo kwa selong sa gago se se latlhegileng ka ditshupo tsa kaelo mo tirisong ya Find Hub. E ne e dira sentle mo ditlhatlhobong tsa rona, le fa AirTag ya Apple e ne e tlhomame thata ka dinako tse dingwe fa e latedisa dilo tse di kgakala kgotsa mo maboteng. Moto Tag le yone e ne e sa dire sentle go feta di-tracker tsa Tile mo go batleng dilwana kwa ntle ga legae.
Le fa go ntse jalo, fa o batla tracker go batla dilo mo ntlong, Moto Tag ke tlhopho e e tiileng. It also fits most AirTag accessories, carries an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, and uses a replaceable CR2032 battery that lasts up to a year. E ka letsa fono ya gago e e sa bewang sentle, le yone, mme e dira gabedi jaaka shatara e e kgakala ya difouno tsa Motorola. Just know that Motorola recently announced the Moto Tag 2, which can last more than 500 days on a user-replaceable CR2032 coin cell battery and offers improved dust and water resistance. Khamphani ga e ise e tlhalose letlha le le tlhomameng la go gololwa ga US (le fa go ntse jalo), le fa gone e tshwanetse go nna teng nako nngwe ka Q2 2026.
Karata ya Chipolo
Karata ya Chipolo e e tšhajiwang gape ke sediriswa se se siameng sa go latedisa diwallet. E rekisiwa ka tlhwatlhwa ya R1 200, e dira le neteweke ya Find My ya Apple kgotsa ya Find Hub ya Google mme e na le tekanyetso ya IP67 ya go emelana le lerole le metsi. E tshehetsa Qi wireless tjhaja, ho fapana le Chipolo Loop, 'me e na le moralo o mosesane o thellang ka matsetseleko sepacheng sa hao. E boetse e fana ka Bluetooth ya maoto a 400 — e batlang e le tlase ho Pebblebee Card 5 — mme e nka dikgwedi tse ka bang tse tsheletseng ka tefiso. Ka kakaretso, ke tlhopho e e tiileng fa o batla sengwe se se bonolo, le fa se tlhoka khoutu ya QR e e fitlhelwang mo di-tracker dingwe tse di gaisanang.
Eufy Security SmartTrack Card E30
Eufy’s rechargeable $34.99 SmartTrack Card E30 is another good option for wallets, one that can also tap into Apple’s Find My network like the aforementioned Pebblebee Card 5. On the back, there’s also a QR code — similar to the ones Tile uses — that helps good Samaritans return your item to you. Fela jaaka ditshupetso tse dišwa tsa Pebblebee, o ka e abelana gape le batho ba le bantsi fa o e seta ka tiriso ya Eufy Security.
The bummer mona ke hore E30 ha e sebetse le Android mme e hloka UWB. However, the upcoming Eufy SmartTrack Card E40 will add support for Google’s Find Hub network while continuing to support Apple’s aforementioned Find My feature. E ka boela ya tjhaja ka tjhaja efe kapa efe e se nang mohala e sebetsanang le Qi mme e na le alamo e phahameng, ya 100dB. Khamphani e re e tla nna teng nako nngwe ka Q1 2026.
Ntšhwafatso, Mopitlwe 12th: Ditlhwatlhwa tse di fetotsweng / go nna teng le go ananngwa ka AirTag ya bobedi ya Apple jaaka tlhopho ya rona ya No. 1 ya badirisi ba iPhone.
