Should you buy Chipolo’s ONE Spot or CARD Spot tracker for Find My?

Though Apple’s own AirTag is the tracker of choice for iOS users, there is a slew of third-party Find My trackers springing up. Chipolo offers a couple of different options to suit different needs, but how do you know which is right for you?

Chipolo ONE Spot vs. Chipolo CARD Spot: Breaking it down

Both of the Chipolo trackers being compared here integrate with the global Find My network and offer the exact same tracking smarts with the differences really coming down to shape and size. The form factor impacts some other specs, though, so we’ve broken them all down in full here.

Chipolo ONE Spot
Chipolo CARD Spot

Price
$29
$35

Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth

Works with Find My
Yes
Yes

Works with non-Apple devices
No
No

Left-behind notifications
Yes
Yes

Precision Finding
No
No

Built-in speaker
Yes, 120dB
Yes, 105dB

Battery life
One year (user-replaceable CR2032)
Two years (non-replaceable, Renew & Recycle program)

Water-resistance rating
IPX5
IPX5

Color
Black
Black

Dimensions
1.49 x 1.49 x 0.25 in
3.35 in x 2.11 in x 0.09 in

Chipolo ONE Spot vs. Chipolo CARD Spot: ONE Spot is more of an AirTag competitor

Since both the Chipolo ONE Spot and CARD Spot have the same level of Find My support, you are really comparing them based on other design characteristics and ways they can meet certain needs.

As you can probably guess from the physical shape, the ONE Spot is much closer to Apple’s AirTag. That means it will serve you well as a keychain tracker or clipped to the side of your luggage or backpack.

Chipolo ONE Spot easily clips to keys, bags, and more.

Like the AirTag, it has a user-replaceable coin battery that lasts about a year and you can use the Find My app to see its location, make it ring, and set up Lost Mode if you don’t think you’re going to get the item back. It also offers left-behind notifications.

Thanks to a built-in keychain hole, something the AirTag lacks, you don’t need to buy an additional AirTag accessory in order to attach it to your belongings. That being said, it’s not quite as rugged, with an IPX5 label versus AirTag’s IP67 water and dust resistance rating.

Chipolo ONE Spot vs. Chipolo CARD Spot: CARD Spot is best for the wallet

The only real reason to pick the Chipolo CARD Spot over the ONE Spot is if you specifically need a tracker for your wallet. It’s purpose-built for that use case and makes certain trade-offs to fit into such a tight spot.

The CARD Spot is super slim at 0.09 inches (which is about the same as a couple of credit cards) meaning it can slide into a card slot in your wallet without adding much bulk. While you can slip an AirTag or ONE Spot into a wallet’s coin pocket, that would add a noticeable bulge to the side.

CARD Spot is purpose-built for sliding into your wallet.

The CARD Spot has the same water resistance rating as the ONE Spot and works with Find My in the same ways, but its thinness means that the speaker is a tad quieter (though still louder than AirTag) and there’s no user-replaceable battery. In order to accommodate space for a coin battery, the CARD Spot would have to be considerably thicker but it’s worth considering whether this is a trade-off you want to make.

Though the CARD Spot should last for two years before the battery dies, a year longer than the coin battery-operated ONE Spot, Chipolo does offer a Renew & Recycle program. Returning your expired CARD Spot back to Chipolo will get you 50% off a new one, though that’s still more expensive than just replacing a CR2032.

Chipolo ONE Spot vs. Chipolo CARD Spot: Which should you buy?

For most use cases, the Chipolo ONE Spot will meet your needs better. Its compact and keychain-equipped design means it can be attached to pretty much any valuable item if you want the peace of mind of Find My tracking.

Thanks to its form factor, the Chipolo CARD Spot should be the go-to for anyone who wants a Find My tracker specifically for their wallet. If you are happy with the quieter volume and lack of a replaceable battery, you can enjoy the same level of Find My tracking as the ONE Spot in a shape that will slide into a wallet much more easily.

Chipolo ONE Spot

Best for keys and bags

$28 at Walmart
$29 at Best Buy

Versatile little tracker

Chipolo’s ONE Spot is a lot like Apple’s own AirTag with Find My support, water resistance, and a replaceable battery. Though it lacks Precision Finding, it has a louder speaker and a built-in keychain hole so you don’t need an extra accessory to add it to your keys.

Chipolo CARD Spot

Best for the wallet

Slip one into a card slot

$35 at Chipolo
$35 at Nomad

Chipolo’s CARD Spot benefits from Apple’s robust Find My network and safety features and works great for the specific use case of finding your misplaced wallet.