Last updated: October 22, 2026. Details come from Apple's January 26, 2026 AirTag announcement, Engadget's tracker guide (updated February 3, 2026), and Apple and Google safety pages, all read October 22, 2026.
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Quick answer- Apple's second-generation AirTag costs $29 ($99 for four) and needs an iPhone on iOS 26 or later; Chipolo Pop and Pebblebee Clip 5 work with Apple's or Google's network.
- Engadget measured the Pebblebee Clip 5 at 97 decibels versus roughly 65 for the first-generation AirTag, and found Apple's network fastest for lost-item finding.
- Apple and Google both provide unwanted-tracker alerts, so turn them on and learn what to do if one appears.
Bluetooth trackers help you find keys, bags and luggage, and Apple's AirTag is no longer the only serious choice. Google's Find Hub network now supports third-party trackers, and several makers sell tags that work with iPhone or Android. This guide explains how trackers work, what changed in Apple's second-generation AirTag, which alternatives Engadget tested, how unwanted-tracking alerts protect you, and how to choose. Prices and features come from the cited sources and can change.
1. How Bluetooth trackers actually work
Engadget describes Bluetooth trackers as small discs or cards that use short-range, low-energy wireless signals to talk to your phone. If the tag is in range, your phone can make it ring. Some trackers also use a larger network of smartphones to locate the device when it is out of range, using anonymous signals that ping other people's devices.
That network is what matters most. Engadget says Apple's Find My network is the largest, built on more than a billion iPhones and iPads that run the Find My app by default. Google launched its network in 2024 as Find My Device and has since renamed it Find Hub, and Engadget calls it a close second in the U.S. Samsung's SmartThings Find network comes third, and Tile uses the Life360 network, which Life360 says has more than 70 million monthly active users.
In Engadget's tests, AirTags and third-party tags using Apple's network were the fastest to find lost items. Google's network was noticeably slower right after launch, but when Engadget retested in mid-2025 the community took less than 20 minutes on average to locate a tag. Engadget says Tile's network was not able to consistently locate its lost fobs. A tracker is not GPS, so results depend on other phones passing nearby.
2. What changed in the second-generation AirTag
Apple announced the new AirTag on January 26, 2026. It costs the same as its predecessor: $29 for one and $99 for a four-pack. According to Apple, a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip lets Precision Finding guide you to a lost item from up to 50 percent farther away than before, an upgraded Bluetooth chip extends the range at which items can be located, and the speaker is 50 percent louder, so you can hear it from up to twice as far.
- Precision Finding is available on Apple Watch Series 9 or later and Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later, for the first time.
- It needs an iPhone running iOS 26 or later, or an iPad running iPadOS 26 or later, plus an Apple Account.
- It keeps the same form factor, so existing AirTag accessories fit. Apple sells the FineWoven Key Ring separately for $35.
- Share Item Location lets you send an item's location to a participating airline, and Apple says it has partnered with more than 50 airlines.
Engadget noted that the new AirTag still has no keyring hole and said it was still testing the new model, so its AirTag details in the next section describe the first generation. Engadget said the new one will probably stay its top iPhone pick.
3. AirTag alternatives Engadget tested
Engadget's guide, updated February 3, 2026, highlights several options. Prices below are the ones Engadget listed, and they may have changed.
| Tracker | Works with | Price per Engadget | Notable points |
|---|
| Chipolo Pop | iPhone (Find My) or Android (Find Hub), one at a time | $29 | Replaceable battery, about 1 year; has a hole; rings your phone through its app |
| Pebblebee Clip 5 | Find My or Find Hub, one at a time | $35 | USB-C rechargeable, up to 12 months per charge; loudest tested at 97 decibels |
| Chipolo Loop | Find My or Find Hub, one at a time | About $10 more than the Pop | Rechargeable, about 6 months per charge |
| Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 | Samsung phones only | Not listed | Replaceable battery, about 16 months |
| HyperShield Universal Locator | Apple or Google network | $20 | 50 ft Bluetooth range, no water resistance |
Engadget measured the first-generation AirTag at roughly 65 decibels, and says it only rings for seven seconds at a time. It also notes that Tile trackers use Life360's network, and a CNN Underscored guide updated June 23, 2026 says its long-range test turned the reviewer against Tile's network compared with Google's Find Hub.
4. Privacy and unwanted-tracking alerts
Because trackers can be misused, Apple and Google built protections. Apple's support page, dated September 24, 2026, says that if an AirTag, AirPods, Find My network accessory or compatible Bluetooth tracker is separated from its owner and moves with you over time, you are notified by an alert on your device or by a sound from the tracker. Apple and Google created an industry specification so these alerts work across iOS and Android.
Turn the alerts on
On an iPhone, Apple says to go to Settings, then Notifications, scroll to Tracking Notifications and allow notifications. Also turn on Find My iPhone under Location Services System Services, keep Bluetooth on, and make sure airplane mode is off, because you will not receive alerts in airplane mode. Apple says Android 6.0 or later devices can automatically notify you if an AirTag or another item tracker is moving with you, and you can run a manual scan or use the Tracker Detect app.
Google's July 2023 announcement described a manual scan at Settings, Safety and emergency, Unknown tracker alerts, then Scan Now, which takes about 10 seconds. Menu names can change, so check Google's current help page. Apple says that trackers should not be used to track people, and that anyone who feels unsafe should contact local law enforcement.
5. How to choose the right tracker
Start with your phone. Engadget says AirTags work only in the Apple ecosystem, Samsung's SmartTag2 works only with Samsung phones, and Chipolo and Pebblebee make models that work with either Apple's or Google's network, which lets iPhone and Android users buy the same tag. Tile works with both types of phone but uses its own network.
- Attachment: AirTags have no hole, so a key ring or case is an extra cost. Chipolo, Pebblebee and Tile make fobs with holes and card-shaped versions for wallets.
- Battery: AirTag, Tile Pro, SmartTag2, HyperShield and Chipolo Pop use replaceable batteries rated for at least a year. Pebblebee Clip 5 and Chipolo Loop recharge over USB-C.
- Left-behind alerts: Apple's Find My offers them, but Engadget says Google's Find Hub does not. The Chipolo app adds them on Android, and Tile requires a subscription for alerts.
- Loudness: sound matters if your keys are in a couch or a noisy room.
Engadget also cautions that neither Apple nor Google promotes its tracker network as a way to deal with theft, while GPS trackers are typically marketed for that purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do AirTag alternatives work with iPhone?
Some do. Engadget says Chipolo and Pebblebee make trackers that work with either Apple's Find My network or Google's Find Hub network, though only one at a time. Samsung's SmartTag2 works only with Samsung phones.
Do Bluetooth trackers use GPS?
No. Engadget describes them as using short-range Bluetooth signals and, for finding items out of range, a network of nearby phones that anonymously report the tag's location.
Can I tell if someone is tracking me with a tracker?
Apple says iPhones notify you when an AirTag or compatible tracker is moving with you, and Android 6.0 or later can notify you or run a manual scan. Follow the steps in the alert, and contact local law enforcement if you feel unsafe.
Are trackers good for recovering stolen items?
Engadget says results are mixed and that neither Apple nor Google promotes its network as a theft solution. GPS trackers are typically marketed for that purpose.
Shop These on Amazon
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