Pros and cons of tracking your lost items using Apple AirTag versus Tile trackers

Jun 07, 2024

Kurt "The CyberGuy" Knutsson helps break down the pros and cons of using the Apple AirTag and the Amazon Tile Tracker, so you can know which one to purchase.

If you often lose things, having a tracker can be very helpful. Both Apple's Find My Network with the AirTag and Amazon Sidewalk with the Tile tracker have fantastic features that can help you locate your lost items every time.

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However, both have their pros and cons. Let's see what Find My and Sidewalk can do and whether the Air Tag or the Tile device suits you better.

Apple's Find My Network is a crowdsourced network of hundreds of millions of Apple devices that use Bluetooth wireless technology to detect missing devices or items nearby and report their approximate location back to the owner.  It's completely free to use and can help you to keep track of your Apple devices 24/7, even if they are offline or have low batteries.

However, it requires that you have an Apple ID and enable Find My on your device. The Find My network is also compatible with AirTags and Find My network accessories. The Find My Network accessories are third-party products that use Find My technology to locate lost items.

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The Find My network is designed to be end-to-end encrypted and anonymous, so no one else, not even Apple or the third-party manufacturer, can view it. device's location or information. Only the person seeking the lost device can see the item's location.

Amazon Sidewalk is a shared network that helps devices like Amazon Echo devices, Ring Security Cameras, outdoor lights, motion sensors, and Tile trackers work better at home and beyond the front door. When enabled, Amazon Sidewalk can unlock unique benefits for your device, support other Sidewalk devices in your community, and even locate pets or lost items.

Amazon Sidewalk is free to use and is designed to be end-to-end encrypted and anonymous, so no one else, not even Amazon or the third-party manufacturer, can view a device's location or information. Amazon Sidewalk requires that you have an Amazon account and enable Sidewalk on your device.

 For the best AirTag and Tile tracker options, go to CyberGuy.com/BluetoothTrackers

This is a tough question to answer because both devices have their advantages and disadvantages, and it really depends on what exactly you're looking for in a tracker. Let's go over the pros and cons of each device so that you can see everything laid out for you to help you make a decision choosing between both options.

AirTag (Apple Only)

Tile (Apple and Android)

The pros of both AirTag and Tile are that AirTag can be used for any Apple device, while Tile can be used for on an Apple or an Android device. (Apple)

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AirTag

Tile 

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AirTag

Tile 

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A con of the AirTag is that there is no way to ping an iPhone from the tag and a con of Tile is that size and reach of the Find My network utterly dwarfs Tile. (Tile)

AirTag

Tile

When it comes to the price of AirTag, a pro is that it is available in a 4-pack for a discounted price, however a con is that it's only available in one size and form factor. A pro of the Tile is that it offers various models with various prices, sizes and colors, however the basic version is slightly more expensive than a single AirTag. (Tile)

AirTag

Tile

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Now that we have all the pros and cons of each tracker listed, you should have a better idea of which one you want to use. Once you purchase it, connecting it to your device and getting it ready to use are pretty simple. Let's go over how to get each device up and running once you have it.

How do I use the Find My Network with an AirTag? 

Connecting your AirTag is pretty simple, and you can do it with any Apple device. Before you set it up with your iPhone, make sure you have the following settings:

Set up your AirTag on your iPhone

Once you complete those steps, you can set up your AirTag on your iPhone.

How do I connect my AirTag to Apple's Find My Network?

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Set up your Tile on your iPhone and/or Android

You can enable Amazon Sidewalk to work with your Tile device. Here's how to set it up.

Then you'll want to Enable all of your Tiles for "Find My"

You can find more detailed information about setting up Amazon Sidewalk with Tile on their official website here. 

Overall, both devices have their pros and cons, so it's important to consider what's most important to you. With the right setup, either tracker can be a useful tool to help you keep track of your belongings. Be sure to check out more of my picks for the best Bluetooth trackers out there by heading over to Cyberguy.com/BluetoothTrackers

How do you feel about these devices being able to track location? Does it give you peace of mind or make you uncomfortable? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

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Copyright 2023 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

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