Major Bluetooth Tracker Brands Ranked Worst To Best

Bluetooth trackers can be incredibly useful pieces of technology. While there are plenty of different ways to keep an eye on vital items like keys and wallets, being able to just search for the item on your phone is a massive convenience. Plus, with a focus on Bluetooth, there's hardly a need to worry about server outages or monthly subscription costs like you'd find with GPS trackers. There aren't very many brands out there that deal with Bluetooth tracking, though, so finding the right one for you might be a bit of a challenge.

We've taken a look at various Bluetooth trackers before. In our Apple AirTag review, we noted how there are many important aspects to determining a great tracker, including the range of features and ease of setup. And it's not just about which one reviews well — it's about how many devices it works with, and how well integrated it is with them. While some brands manage to excel in these departments, others come up just a bit too short, and don't give you much of a good reason to pick them over their competitors.

Let's take a look at all the major Bluetooth tracker brands, ranked from worst to best.

While the Jiobit brand falls under Life360, a company focused on apps and trackers centered around location, it only really earns a spot on this list due to a technicality. The brand's Jiobit Gen 3 Tracker primarily uses GPS, but it combines this system with other signals for maximum accuracy and range. This includes Bluetooth signals, letting it compete with similar trackers on the market. It even has a specialized Bluetooth Alert function, which lets you know when whatever you're tracking ends up outside of a certain range around you.

Unfortunately, one major flaw of Jiobit makes it a poor choice compared to other trackers. You simply aren't allowed to use the Jiobit — including its Bluetooth capabilities — without paying a monthly subscription for its GPS and cellular services. Its price is also massive compared to all other items on this list, reaching above $100 just for the tracker and requiring nearly $20 a month for it to work. Combined with poor customer reception and a history of faulty products, it makes for an unreliable product even if you're willing to pay extra for GPS. If all you care about for a new tracker is Bluetooth connectivity, Jiobit should not be your first choice.

Compatibility is a major factor in determining whether a Bluetooth tracker is worthwhile. This is why eufy trackers fall near the bottom of this list, only boasting compatibility with Apple devices across all of their alternative form factors. Considering how Apple products already have the dedicated AirTag, there's very little reason to pick lower-rated alternatives from this brand. There have also been issues with eufy itself — we think privacy-minded buyers should stay away from the brand's security cameras, too.

In spite of these restrictions, there are a few benefits to eufy trackers. On top of bein inexpensive, they come in a variety of form factors, letting you use card-shaped trackers in wallets or small rounded trackers on keychains. Various reviews from publications have also been very positive toward the brand's reliability and functionality with Apple's Find My network, though user opinions have been somewhat mixed, thanks to misleading battery life and a lack of extra features. The company has also made efforts to increase compatibility with Android devices, but this hasn't applied to all of its trackers, and non-iOS users have plenty of better options.

When you add it all up, we think there are simply too many reasons to avoid these trackers to make it worth taking a risk on them, even though they're cheaper than any other product on this list.

The Chipolo ONE is the primary tracker from Chipolo, one of the few brands solely focused on Bluetooth trackers that's also carried by Best Buy stores. This gives it a wider range of availability compared to previous items on this list, and its features make it competitive even against more popular brands. When comparing the Chipolo ONE vs. the Apple AirTag, the former is cheaper and boasts a longer-lasting battery, making it a fine choice even if you have an iOS device. There are unfortunately some limitations to be wary of, though, primarily regarding the tracker's compatibility.

The basic Chipolo ONE only works with its own specific app, requiring separate, slightly more expensive alternatives to work with Apple's and Google's services. Its reliability has also come into question, with poor Bluetooth range and lower water resistance ratings being common criticisms. Its specs also tend to vary between versions, with some having a life of 2 years and others lasting for only one. It can still be worthwhile if you're willing to put in the research over which specific variant you need, but letting go of a few extra bucks to have a higher-quality solution might not be the worst alternative.

Pebblebee's trackers are designed as Bluetooth trackers first and foremost, but the brand still offers an optional GPS subscription if you'd like the extra functionality. On top of being able to be used with iOS, letting it act as an AirTag alternative that can easily be hooked to a keychain, it also happens to be compatible with Android and Google devices and services. You'll have maximum compatibility with this tracker no matter what phone you own, which is a level of freedom not shared by most other alternatives. In spite of its relative lack of recognition, Pebblebee is a remarkable competitor in the realm of Bluetooth trackers.

Both consumer reviews and major publication reviews for Pebblebee products aren't too impressive, but this is primarily thanks to network difficulties and not their Bluetooth tracking capabilities. There are some other quirks about these trackers that might have prospective buyers wary, such as their battery not lasting as long but also being rechargeable, or their price being higher than competitors' by just a couple of bucks. Its worth will mostly depend on which device you have, especially if the GPS capabilities matter to you.

Kicking off the top three of this list, Samsung offers its own specially branded Galaxy SmartTag trackers. For such a massive company, its SmartTags come with a few notable limitations, primarily being only compatible with Samsung Galaxy smartphones and having unimpressive battery life. At first glance, this might make it seem like a terrible purchase when looking at how much more reliable the alternatives are. But for Galaxy phone owners, and especially for die-hard Samsung fans, the SmartTag is the best possible choice you can make.

You can benefit most from getting a SmartTag if you happen to have a whole suite of Samsung devices in your home. Of all of the smart ways to use Samsung Galaxy SmartTags, this one is the most unique by far, letting you connect to nearby devices and effectively expand the range of the tag. Of course, this isn't a big deal if you're mostly traveling, but it can prove to be a massive help when you need to find lost important items at home. Its extra compatibility with ultra-wideband on newer phone models will only be an even greater help in keeping track of your valuables. The tag's tendency to go on sale should make it an easy choice for any Galaxy owner.

Like with Galaxy phones and the SmartTag, Apple's iPhones are best used with the AirTag supplied directly from the company itself. Its greatest downsides amount to simply okay battery life and a lack of places to put the tracker without accessories. Even with these downsides, this manages to be one of the simplest and most feature-rich trackers out there, which is a fact we confirmed ourselves after trying Apple's AirTag. The fact that it's an Apple product is likely why it's so easy to use, letting you stay connected with modern iOS devices with minimal setup and maximum features.

The AirTag has all the vital features you'd expect from a top three tracker brand, including a built-in speaker to alert you to its location and IP67 water resistance. Its Apple-designed features also allow for a great number of tricks, such as letting one AirTag be connected to two iPhones at the same time. You're unlikely to find the tracker on sale very often outside of bundles, but it's worth every penny for those who are already on Apple devices. Unless you need the extra capabilities of GPS trackers, an AirTag is all any iOS user will ever need.

[Featured image by Swisshashtag via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and Scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0]

Topping off this list above all other trackers is Tile, another brand under the Life360 company. Unlike Jiobit, however, Tile is purely focused on Bluetooth tracking, and it absolutely excels in its duties. Its compatibility blows Samsung's and Apple's out of the water, allowing it to be used with all phones — though it does lack connectivity with certain services. The basic Tile Mate's battery is non-replaceable as well, forcing you to buy a new tracker once it's used up, but its cheaper price and 3-year lifespan will keep you from breaking the bank to constantly replace it. Besides, there are other versions of the tracker as well — the Tile Sticker, Slim, and Pro cover new form factors, and the Pro even offers replaceable batteries and greater range.

The Tile trackers come to blows with Apple's Airtag, with the latter being reported to have better accuracy and faster tracking. But there isn't much room to doubt the brand's capabilities, as it boasts some of the most positive reviews of any Bluetooth tracker on Amazon, proving its usefulness for most buyers. Tile's wide selection of options also allows you to refine your choices, letting you decide whether extras like a smaller size or a sticky back are worth paying a little extra for. You might be able to get more out of other trackers, but you should consider Tile the baseline for Bluetooth tracker brands — and the best choice for most people.

The reliability of Bluetooth trackers can vary from person to person, especially if their phone is a little older. While user reviews from websites like Amazon were considered in these rankings, the features and usability of each device were given more consideration. Samsung and Apple both have trackers that can outperform Tile's products in the right contexts, but Tile's compatibility means far more people will be able to use it — especially if they don't care for the alternatives' extra features. The existence of reliable and popular products like Tile's also makes it difficult to recommend alternatives even if they happen to share most of their features, which is why the Chipolo falls short in comparison.

As always, your mileage may vary depending on how you use the tracker you purchase. Some buyers found the Chipolo to be the absolute best tracker of them all, while other rankings had multiple Tile products occupying the top spots. An Apple user will surely have very little reason to get a Tile in the first place, especially if they're willing to spend a bit extra on AirTag-compatible wallet cards or stickers. 

Pretty much all of the trackers here will still be able to work with your phone as long as they're compatible, which means you can easily get trackers from multiple brands and use them together. If you happen to have a lot of items that get lost commonly, that might actually be the best option of all.