Which is best for tracking lost tech?

• 

  Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2

  Long battery life and convenient design

  $28 $30 Save $2

  With an extended battery life and convenient cutout design, the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 is the perfect Bluetooth smart tracker to loop around your backpack, luggage, or keys. Its battery lasts up to 700 days when used in Power Saving Mode and has an IP67 weatherproof rating.

  Pros

  • Cutout makes it easy to loop on keys and backpacks
  • Uses NFC to help recover lost tags
  • Longer 390-foot Bluetooth range

  Cons

  • Only functional with other Samsung devices
  • Battery isn’t rechargable

• 

  Pebblebee Tag

  Plays nicely with all smartphones

  Low profile and unobtrusive, the Pebblebee Tag is an adhesive-backed smart tracker ideal for items like TV remotes, tablets, bicycles and helmets, or power tools. It has a rechargeable battery and built-in LEDs that illuminate to help you locate the device in the dark.

  Pros

  • Works with iOS and Android
  • Rechargeable battery
  • LED light to see your tracker in the dark

  Cons

  • Different hardware versions for Apple Find My and Google Find My Device
  • Adhesive backing may become less secure over time

If you’ve ever ransacked your house to find car keys or watched the luggage carousel spin without your luggage, you probably understand the importance of smart tags. Usually a little bigger than a quarter, these smart tags communicate with your cell phone to keep track of your belongings.

Smart tags have evolved quite a bit since their earliest days. Their range and battery life have improved, and many model varieties are available. The Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 and the Pebblebee Tag are two standout options among the masses. These tags will both locate lost items as intended, but each device completes the task a little differently. To help determine which tag fulfills the purpose best, we’re comparing their compatibility, features, and best scenarios for overall use.

Price, availability, and specs

Similar pricing and availability

The Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 costs $30 and is available from most retailers, including Amazon, Samsung, and Best Buy. They are available in black and white colorways and can be purchased singly or in multiples to accommodate several items at a discount.

Pebblebee’s Tag is available from $30 to $35 through Amazon and Pebblebee’s sites. On its native site, it can also be bundled into packs of two or four.

• 	Pebblebee Tag	Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2
  Brand	Pebblebee	Samsung
  Connectivity	Bluetooth, GPS	Bluetooth LE, Ultra Wideband, NFC
  Battery	Rechargeable, lasts up to eight months	Up to 500 days (normal mode), up to 700 days (power saving mode)
  Range	300 ft	Up to 120m
  Water Resistance	IPX6	IP67

Design, build, and battery

Recharging more frequently, or buying new batteries less often?

The Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 is an oblong pill-shaped smart tag with a strong, metal-reinforced eyelet for looping onto belongings like key chains or luggage tags. It’s available in standard black or white colorways, and the neutral shades should complement your belongings.

Samsung’s smart tag is powered by a CR2032 coin battery, which lasts up to 700 days when used in power-saving mode. And the Galaxy SmartTag 2’s battery is fully replaceable, so there’s no need to service or replace the tag when the battery dies. However, you do need a pin tool to access the battery tray. But maintenance is simple and since the device doesn’t require complete replacement, it’s more sustainable and easier on the wallet.

The Pebblebee Tag is a rectangular black tracker that attaches to items with double-sided adhesive. So installation is as easy as stick and go. Unlike the Galaxy Smart Tag, this model has some interesting features. It has an integrated light and a proprietary magnetic charging port.

While the actual size of the Pebblebee Tag’s rechargeable battery is not specified, it should last around 8 months before it needs a refresh on the charger. This means purchasing replacement batteries are unnecessary, which will save the trouble and batteries. However, if the rechargeable battery in the Pebblebee Tag goes kaput, you’ll need to contact Pebblebee for service or order a replacement.

Features

Both tags boast pretty long ranges

Each tag offers a couple of features that the other lacks. To start, their attachment styles differ; the Galaxy tag has an eyelet and the Pebblebee Tag has adhesive. So, depending on the item you’re monitoring, one may win out over the other. The SmartTag 2 is great for bags and keys, while the Pebblebee is ideal for remotes. Water and dust resistance also varies between the models. Pebblebee’s tag is not rated against dust or sand and can’t be submerged in water, while the Galaxy tag is rated against the elements, including water submersion. So, the Samsung option is better for objects that will experience the outdoors.

As far as localized tracking goes, both tags play an alert when prompted. Pebblebee’s chime is quite loud, but the Galaxy tag alert could be louder according to some users. The Pebblebee surpasses the SmartTag 2 a bit, pairing the alarm with an onboard LED light to help you locate the tag (and the attached item) in the dark. This means finding the tag in the house should be easy.

However, Samsung’s tag has more precise UWB tracking that the Pebblebee lacks, so finding a lost item’s location could be more accurate. More accurate, that is, while the device is still within its approximately 394-foot Bluetooth range. Once outside this radius, the Galaxy SmartTag 2 relies on the Galaxy Find My Network for location services. This system uses a network of Galaxy devices to assist the Find My network in pinging you with the tag’s location. So, if your item is lost-lost, like dropped on some remote hiking trail, it may be a while before another Galaxy device wanders within the SmartTag’s range and picks up its location.

On the other hand, the Pebblebee Tag can be operated on the Google Find My Device network or the Apple Find My network, depending on whether you buy the Android or iOS version of the device. Confusingly, either model will work with the Pebblebee app and network on both operating systems, but you need to buy the right one if you want to hook into Google or Apple’s own networks. Plus, the Pebblebee option does offer GPS-powered location tracking outside its 300-foot Bluetooth range. So, depending on the device’s location, and which network you’re using (Google, Apple, or Pebblebee), it may still be easier to locate at both short and long ranges.

Neither tag requires any paid monthly plan for use, giving both tags an edge over the competing brand, Tile. But do note that Samsung’s tag will pair quickly with compatible devices, while the Pebblebee Tag may require an additional step or two, like downloading the app.

Which one is better for you?

In some cases, this is a complicated question to answer. It requires carefully considering every feature and a customer’s needs. But when it comes to the Pebblebee Tag versus the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2, the answer is quite simple. If you use a Galaxy phone, the native Galaxy tag is best. Samsung’s tag simply isn’t an option for non-Galaxy phone users, since Google and Apple’s Find My networks don’t acknowledge or track their competitor’s tag.

Even though Pebblebee Tags are friendly with more smartphones than the Galaxy SmartTag 2, the tag’s design and attachment style are very different. If you’re shopping for a smart tracker with an eyelet to put on keys or a backpack, the Pebblebee Tag probably won’t suit your use case. (For a keychain style tracker that isn’t exclusive to one network, Tile Pro is an easy choice.)

The Pebblebee Tag doesn’t need its batteries replaced; you just need to get the tag on the charger about once a year. Unfortunately, if the tag attaches with adhesive, so the object must also accompany the tag to the charger. This can be quite an inconvenience if you are tracking, for instance, a bicycle. But for smaller things like helmets or remotes, this can be considerably less of a hassle than digging around in every drawer for a coin battery.

Overall, the Pebblebee Tag will work for most smartphone users. It’s great for people who frequently switch from a purse to a backpack to a suitcase and want a tracker to simply toss into the bag, or for cyclists who want to keep track of their helmets. There are tons of possible uses for this sticky-backed tracker.