The 8 Best Luggage Trackers
Updated by · How we research
Bluetooth luggage trackers for iPhone and Android compared on network, battery and airline rules. The Apple AirTag (2nd Generation) leads for iPhone owners. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
A luggage tracker has no GPS. It is a Bluetooth tag that relies on strangers' phones near your bag to report where it is, so the best one is the one on the network your own phone uses. These picks suit travelers who check bags and want proof of where a suitcase ended up when an airline loses track of it.
Editor's Notes
November 1, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
The Apple AirTag (2nd Generation) now leads, because a tag only finds a lost bag when phones on its own network pass nearby, and Apple's network is the biggest. Only one name from the old list survives: the Tile Pro, in its current version. The Gego GSM Locator, Tile Mate and Chipolo Ultra Thin have left the market, while the ReturnMe Smart ID Tag, Cube Key Finder and Dynotag Smart Deluxe are labels or old short-range finders rather than network trackers.
The new picks follow the phone in your pocket: the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 for Galaxy owners, the Motorola Moto Tag 2 for other Android phones, the Ugreen Finder Duo for families with both kinds, and two flat cards for a tag sleeve. What shaped the order most was travelers' accounts of when tags showed up at the baggage carousel, set beside a side-by-side comparison of how quickly each network located a tag. The Pebblebee Clip 5 and Chipolo Pop are well reviewed, but we couldn't confirm a current listing for either, so they sit in Special Honors for now.
Earlier notes
December 2, 2019, by Melissa Harr:
Unfortunately, we have had to remove several options at this time due to the FAA's ban on lithium batteries in checked bags, including the Spy Tec Mini Portable. We've also opted not to include the Trakdot Palm-Size, as it uses 2G technology that has basically become obsolete. As an alternative, we've added the Gego GSM Locator, which uses 3G. Keep in mind that 3G will also be phased out in the future, making this item not the best for very long term use.
We have kept a range of Bluetooth trackers and key finders, as well, which can help you find a lost bag with the help of other users (rather than sending an exact location to your phone). Top picks for these devices are popular Tile models, including the Tile Mate and Tile Pro. The latter has a 400-foot range, which is double that of the former's 200-foot range. Both have been updated to include a replaceable battery, a big improvement over previous iterations. We did add one similar option with a non-replaceable battery, the Chipolo Ultra Thin. It isn't terribly pricey and is simple enough to use.
Finally, we selected a couple of non-electronic tags, including the ReturnMe Smart ID Tag. It allows anyone who finds your lost bag to quickly get in contact, but without having any access to your personal information, such as your address.
Special Honors
Pebblebee Clip 5 A rechargeable tag that works on either Apple's or Google's network, with a loud ring and a light. Engadget named it the best rechargeable tracker and measured it as the loudest in its group. pebblebee.com
Chipolo Pop Engadget's overall pick among current trackers: a small, colorful tag with a replaceable battery that works with Apple's Find My or Google's Find Hub, one at a time. chipolo.net
Dynotag Not a tracker but a backup: QR-coded luggage labels that let a finder reach you through a web page without seeing your phone number. dynotag.com
Match The Tag To Your Phone's Network
An AirTag can't be set up with an Android phone, and dual tags such as Ugreen's pick Apple or Google during setup and need a reset to switch.
A tracker in a suitcase is only as good as the crowd of phones around it. These tags have no GPS and no cellular radio. They send a short-range Bluetooth signal, and any phone on the same network that passes by reports the tag's position to the owner. In practice that range is short: Tom's Guide measured about 80 feet from a Tile Slim that claimed far more.
So start with your phone. An iPhone owner wants a tag on Apple's Find My network, which is the largest. A Samsung Galaxy owner gets the most from a SmartTag2 on Samsung's own network. Other Android phones work with tags on Google's Find Hub network, such as Motorola's. Tile works with both kinds of phone but has a much smaller crowd behind it. Engadget's comparison of current trackers found Tile tags slow to locate and noted that Tile's alerts for a forgotten item need a paid plan.
A tag can only report to one network at a time. An AirTag can't be set up with an Android phone, and dual tags such as Ugreen's pick Apple or Google during setup and need a reset to switch. Batteries come in three kinds: a coin cell you replace about once a year, a sealed cell that lasts a few years before the whole tag goes, and rechargeable tags that need a charger every few months to a year (Life360 battery guide).
Flying With A Tracker In A Checked Bag
In the U.S., the FAA has said that luggage trackers powered by a small lithium coin cell may ride in checked bags. Its line is 0.3 grams of lithium, and an AirTag's cell holds about a third of that (AFAR). Lufthansa briefly called active trackers dangerous goods in 2022, then reversed itself after Germany's aviation authority found no risk. Rules on some international carriers are stricter, so check your airline before a long trip, especially with a rechargeable tag.
Don't expect live tracking in the air. A tag sealed in a cargo hold rarely meets a phone, so the useful moments are on the ground. Travelers on the Rick Steves forum describe tags showing up when the bag reaches the terminal, often just as it lands on the carousel, and some baggage-claim readings that were off. One traveler's real-world bag test found an AirTag almost at once while a Tile took about 15 minutes.
If a bag goes missing, file a report with the airline first. iPhone owners can then create a temporary link that shows the AirTag's location and hand it to the airline, which Tom's Guide explains here; not every carrier accepts it yet.
Where To Put It, And What It Can't Do
Hide the tag in an inner pocket, not on the outside handle where it can be pulled off or spotted. Pair and test it at home, and keep Bluetooth on when you land. A flat card fits a luggage-tag sleeve or passport wallet. A printed return label with your phone number or a QR code still helps the honest finder who doesn't own a phone on your network.
Coin cells are a serious hazard if a small child swallows one, so store spares out of reach and close the battery cover firmly. Trackers can also be misused to follow people. Apple, Google and Samsung phones warn their owners about an unknown tag traveling with them, and that's why your own tag may set off a warning on a companion's phone. Never put a tracker in someone else's bag or car.
Recall checks with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission on November 1, 2026 found no recalls for Apple, Samsung, Tile, Motorola, Ugreen, Eufy or Nomad trackers.
How we researched this
We compared 14 current trackers and tracking cards, read makers' spec sheets and support pages for the eight finalists, weighed a hands-on comparison of trackers from Engadget and a traveler's real-world bag test, read baggage-claim reports from a travel forum, reviewed the FAA's position on coin-cell trackers in checked bags, and checked every brand for recalls with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Sources (9)
- Engadget: The best Bluetooth trackers
- AFAR: FAA says you can put AirTags in your checked bag
- Solo Traveler: A review of luggage trackers
- Rick Steves Travel Forum: Bluetooth luggage trackers
- Tom's Guide: Share AirTag location with airlines
- Tom's Guide: Tile Slim (2022) review
- Life360 support: Tile models and batteries
- Life360: How to change a Tile Pro battery
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalls
Frequently asked questions
Is a luggage tracker a GPS tracker?
No. It's a Bluetooth tag. Nearby phones on its network report where it is, so it works best in busy places like airports and poorly in remote ones.
Can I put a tracker in my checked bag?
In the U.S., yes. The FAA has said trackers with a small lithium coin cell, such as an AirTag, are allowed in checked bags. Some foreign airlines are stricter, so check before you fly.
Will it show where my bag is during the flight?
Rarely. A bag in a cargo hold seldom passes a phone. Most tags update once the bag reaches the terminal or the carousel.
Can I use an AirTag with an Android phone?
No. An AirTag sets up only with an iPhone or iPad. Android owners should pick a Samsung tag for a Galaxy phone or a Google Find Hub tag for other models.
How long do the batteries last?
Coin-cell tags run about a year to a year and a half before a swap. The Tile Slim's sealed battery is rated up to three years. Rechargeable tags range from a few months to about a year per charge.
Is the airline's own bag tracking enough?
Use both. The airline's app confirms the bag was loaded and handles the claim, while your tag shows where the bag actually is once it's on the ground.
