Hundreds of millions of people own Apple devices, though, and those strangers’ gear will actually help you find your stuff. When someone else’s iPhone is near the AirTag, encrypted Bluetooth technology will help you locate your lost stuff in the Find My app. Plus, an AirTag has a battery life of one year, so you don’t have to worry about it dying on you while you’re on the search. And although it’s an Apple product, AirTags sync up with Androids too, provided the product in question has the corresponding Tracker Detect app. (For the real neurotics, Apple also builds in a safety feature to let you know when an unfamiliar AirTag has been following you for a long time.) In our experience using Apple AirTags for travel, these Bluetooth devices couldn’t be easier to use.
The Best Budget Luggage Tracker: Tile Mate
Tile became a standout name in Bluetooth tracking way before Apple released the AirTag, and the water-resistant Mate works in very much the same way. It boasts a Bluetooth range of 250 feet, and when it’s farther away than that, it’ll bounce off of other Tile devices to help you approximate its location. Its battery life is around three years long, which is a huge bump up from the AirTag’s. You don’t need a Tile subscription to tap into the network of Tile users, but an optional Tile Premium membership offers perks like a Smart Alert—for when you leave something behind—and a $100 reimbursement fee if Tile can’t find what you’re looking for.
The Best Luggage Tag for Android Users: Samsung SmartTag+
The best luggage trackers for Android users, Samsung SmartTags are essentially AirTags for Samsung Galaxy users. Their Bluetooth range is 120 meters, or around 393 feet, and you can tap into the Galaxy Find Network to find your stuff when things are out of range. The SmartTag+ has a very cool feature that lets you use augmented reality to give you step-by-step directions to your tracker. Basically, you can use your phone’s camera to give you real-time directions to locate your tracker, which’ll glow green once you’re nearby. The only downside, as you might expect, is that SmartTags are made exclusively for Galaxy users so they’re largely useless to everyone else.
The Best Battery-Free Luggage Tag: Dynotag Luggage Tracker
Dynotag’s tracker relies solely on good Samaritans. (Trust us, they still exist.) You can’t track it remotely, but if someone else finds it they can scan the QR code, which will trigger an email sent to you with the tracker’s whereabouts. It’s essentially a teched-out version of an old-school luggage tag, and unlike the other options on this list, it doesn’t require batteries.
The Best Luggage Tag for Real-Time Tracking: Tracki
Tracki looks like an old-school beeper, and it’s built for those who are super anxious when it comes to their checked baggage. Using 4G LTE and WiFi networks (both in the US and globally), Tracki will give you real-time, precise updates to wherever your bag may be. If you’re wondering why these GPS trackers for luggage are so cheap though, it’s because you can only take advantage of this pin-point accuracy by paying a $20 monthly fee. If you’re going away for a weeklong trip, that months-long tracking might actually be worth it to offer you some peace of mind. Unlike the AirTag or SmartTag+, the battery on the Tracki is rechargeable, but it drains quickly when in use, or any time you activate it to give you those real-time updates.
The Best Trackers for Forgetful Folks: Tile Mate Essentials
Although Apple’s Find My network is widely considered the gold standard for item recovery, Tile also boasts a global network of users, which increases the likelihood of recovering your lost luggage. And unlike Apple luggage trackers, you can use Tile devices with iOS or Android. We’ve tested the standard Tile Mate, Tile Mate Essentials, and the premium Tile Pro, and all of these products proved incredibly easy to set up and use. So far (knock on wood), we haven’t seen our luggage or tagged items disappear from GPS while using the Tile App to track real-time location.
Tile Mate Essentials comes with four individual trackers, so you can virtually tag your carry-on and other travel accessories. If you’ve ever left your wallet at home or forgotten your keys at airport security, then the Tile Mate Essentials bundle was made for you. Plus, if you sign up for a paid Tile Premium subscription, the Tile app will also send you proactive smart notifications when you accidentally leave a tagged item behind. The next time you forget something at home in your rush to get to the airport or to leave for work on time, these notifications can be a lifesaver. Of course, if you’re determined to buy luggage trackers with no monthly fee, this is an optional add-on.
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