Chipolo One Vs. Apple AirTag: Which Is Right For You?

In normal everyday life, there are few more annoying feelings than the frustration of losing something. Whether it is something small like not being able to find your car keys or something big like your suitcase not showing up in baggage claim after a long airplane flight, the pang of not knowing where your property is will eat at you. Beforehand, all you could do was retrace your steps or frantically turn your house upside down in order to find your lost items, or in the case of a missing bag, hoping that it turns up somehow, somewhere. In one of the more under-sung technological breakthroughs in the last several years, you are able to take out a lot of the guess work of finding your missing items (or pets and children) thanks to smart trackers.

By simply attaching a small little tag to your key ring or bag, you are able to know either the precise location or a close estimation of where exactly your stuff has gotten to. Several different companies sell these kinds of tags. One of the biggest is, of course, Apple, which released its first Apple AirTag smart tracker in 2021. However, some companies have a more meager starting point, like Chipolo. 

This is a company that began with a Kickstarter in 2013 and has expanded in the last 11 years to become a company with a massive, global reach that deals exclusively with smart trackers. Here, we are going to break down what exactly makes each of these trackers their own and weigh the pros and cons of each product, and in the end, we will hopefully be able to point you in the right direction to buy your own smart tracker.

Chipolo actually has two different smart trackers available, but the one we are going to focus on is the Chipolo One, which is the tracker designed to attach to things like keychains or bag zippers. What immediately sets it apart from the Apple AirTag is that there is a hole built into the actual tracker, whereas the competitor is just one solid piece with no holes. This allows it to be easily attached to items without needing to purchase an additional key ring that could actually cost more than the actual tracker itself.

As you probably expect, the Apple AirTag is only compatible to use with iOS devices, but on the other hand, the Chipolo One is able to be used with Android devices as well as Apple ones. The standard Chipolo One utilizes the Chipolo app that can be downloaded from each app store, but if you want to use the native Find My Device apps that come with each device, Chipolo offers One trackers that support those as well. The Chipolo One Spot works with Apple's Find My app, and the One Point works with Google's Find My Device. These models are slightly more expensive, as they cost $28 compared to the standard Chipolo One retailing for $25, but no matter what, they are all less expensive than the $29 Apple AirTag.

Another way that the Chipolo One trackers are more affordable is if you purchase them in packs. The company offers them in packs of four and six for $75 and $105, respectively, which ends up being a rather significant discount.

Based on the description of the Chipolo One above, it seems like it would be a no-brainer. It's cheaper and works on more devices. However, there are some major ways in which the Apple AirTag outperforms the Chipolo device, and that starts with the actual technology used to locate these tags. The Chipolo One uses a Bluetooth network to determine where a particular tag is. That is fine for a missing item that is in the kitchen while you are in the living room, but when you are dealing with missing items far away from you, the overall Bluetooth network is not exactly the most precise network you are hoping for, nor is it the quickest.

On the other hand, the Apple AirTag works by using what is called ultra-wideband technology, or UWB, for precision tracking that is able to direct you to your missing tagged item with near pinpoint accuracy. The speaker on the Chipolo One may be louder than the AirTag's, but when the accuracy of this particular tracker is so good, the need for a blaring speaker to find your tag isn't quite as necessary.

While the Chipolo One's battery last longer than the AirTag's — up to two years compared to more than one year — the AirTag itself is far more durable, particularly when it comes to water and dust. This is measured by a two-digit IP score. The first indicates its resistance to solid objects like dust and dirt, and the second indicates water-resistance. The Chipolo One is rated IPX5, the X meaning it hasn't been tested for solids. Meanwhile, the AirTag is rated IP67, which is a perfect dust-resistance rating and a higher water-resistance rating too. The elements won't hinder the AirTag.

There is so much to like about both the Chipolo One and the Apple AirTag, and quite frankly, either one of these smart trackers will be a beneficial addition to your luggage or just your car keys. As for which one you should get, you need to examine what you already have and what you want to get out of this new purchase. If you are someone who uses an Android device, then you have to go with the Chipolo One, as the AirTag won't be compatible with your phone. If you are firmly in the Apple ecosystem, then there's little reason not to remain in it with the AirTag.

Beyond that, you need to determine whether accuracy or convenience is the more important factor in why you want to get a smart tracker in the first place. When it comes to accuracy, then the Apple AirTag is absolutely the way to go thanks to the UWB technology. What objects you want to attach the tracker to is also important. If it something that could frequently be impacted by the elements, the AirTag is the sturdier, more battle-tested option.

However, if all you want is a simple tracker that makes a loud noise when you need it, then there's no reason to steer away from the Chipolo One. After all, it is a very effective product that you are able to get for a significantly lower cost, especially if you want trackers on several different things you own. The Apple AirTag may be the fancier, sleeker, and more accurate product, but for the average person, you are going to get everything you need out of the Chipolo One.