Apple AirTag or Tile Pro (2022): Which should you buy?

Both the Apple AirTag and the Tile Pro (2022) are great trackers that can help you keep track of your keys, car, luggage, purse, or anything you don’t want to lose. With an app on your iPhone, you can track down the lost item you’ve attached your tracker to, so you’re less likely to lose your valuables. Both trackers will do the job, but there are some important differences to be aware of before you make your choice.

Apple AirTag vs. Tile Pro (2022): Breakdown

The Apple AirTag and the Tile Pro (2022) have a lot in common. They are both pretty small and affordable, though the AirTag is slightly cheaper and smaller. Both have an easily replaceable battery that should last about a year. Both are water-resistant with an IP67 rating, meaning they can be dropped into a body of fresh water up to a meter (three feet) deep for half an hour. Both offer left-behind alerts, meaning that your iPhone will let you know if you separate from your tracker. Both can be bought singly or in money-saving multi-packs.

While the AirTag is tiny and round, like a button, the Tile Pro is longer and has a built-in hole, perfect for attaching to a key ring. You’ll need an AirTag accessory of some kind in order to attach the AirTag to most items. This may seem like a disadvantage at first but actually gives it quite a bit more flexibility in terms of how you can attach it to things. For example, there are accessories with sticky backs, or long straps, so you’re not limited to keychains and the like. You’ll have more options for attaching the Apple AirTag to items than you will with the Tile Pro. You can also get the AirTag engraved, which you can’t do with the Tile Pro.

The Tile Pro’s big advantage is that you don’t need to be an Apple user at all to use it. You access it with the Tile app on your smartphone of choice.

The Apple AirTag’s big advantage is that it integrates seamlessly with the Find My app on your iPhone or iPad. It’s incredibly easy to use and you have the power of the entire worldwide Apple user database to help you find your items. The Tile Pro depends on the Tile user database, which varies from place to place and certainly is nowhere near as large as Apple’s. You’ll need to pay for the Tile Premium subscription in order to get some of Tile’s features, such as left-behind alerts.

The Apple AirTag works for Apple users with an iPhone SE, iPhone 6s or later; or iPod touch (7th generation) with iOS 14.5 or later; or iPad Pro, iPad (5th generation or later), iPad Air 2 or later, or iPad mini 4 or later with iPadOS 14.5 or later. In order to use Precision Finding, you’ll need to have a device with the U1 chip: any handset from the iPhone 11, iPhone 12, or iPhone 13 lineup. Precision Finding gives you exact directions to your lost tracker, as opposed to just giving you the general vicinity.

Apple AirTag
Tile Pro

Retail price
$29
$35

Two-pack
No
$60

Four-pack
$99
$100

Works with
iPhone/iPad
Android and Apple devices

Use Apple’s Find My app
Yes
No

Battery life
One year
One year

Replaceable Battery
Yes
Yes

Engraveable
Yes
No

Accessories available
Yes
No

Keyring hole
No
Yes

Precision Finding with U1 chip
Yes
No

IP67 water resistance
Yes
Yes

Premium subscription to unlock all features
No
Yes

Left-behind alerts
Yes
Yes, with subscription

Dimensions
31.9-by-31.9-by-8 millimeters
58-by-32-by-7.5 millimeters

Apple AirTag vs. Tile Pro (2022): Which should you buy?

For Apple users, the choice is quite easy: go for the Apple AirTag. It sets up like a dream, integrates beautifully with the Find My app, offers free left-behind alerts, and takes advantage of the U1 chip on newer iPhones for Precision Finding. The endless number of accessories means you can use it to track a huge variety of items.

For Android users, you’ll want the Tile Pro. With the Tile app on your smartphone, you’ll take advantage of the Tile user database to track your precious items anywhere. You won’t need any additional accessories; a hole at the top lets you slip it onto your keychain or similar item.

The winner for Apple users

Apple AirTag

The choice is clear

$29 at Amazon
$29 at Best Buy
$29 at Apple

Get the easy setup and seamless integration with Find My that you’d expect from Apple’s own tracker.

Ecosystem agnostic

Tile Pro

The tracker for anyone

$30 at Amazon
$35 at Best Buy
$35 at Tile

If you’re not an iPhone user or you like to switch between ecosystems, the Tile Pro is the way to go.