Cheap bluetooth tracking tags from aliex

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Cheap bluetooth tracking tags from aliex - any good?

richms

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#324422 7-Apr-2026 17:06

Getting sick of tile being useless, and seeing many $4-6 tags on aliex that say google find support.

Is this real or is it like the tuya based trackers that are basically useless? Anyone bought any and found either way with them being good or not?

Richard rich.ms

nzkc

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#3478874 7-Apr-2026 17:19

Cant speak for AliExpress tags you're referring to... but I bought a pack of these a little while back and have found them good: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0DK79C8TT

Hid one in my daughters e-scooter and its location updates frequently enough if it were stolen. Worked in luggage too.

freitasm

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#3478888 7-Apr-2026 17:52

I use Chipolo, and they are really good. They won't be El Cheapo, like AliExpress. But you will get something a lot better, I bet.

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johno1234

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#3478901 7-Apr-2026 19:40

I’ve been ripped off with tags on AE. Would recommend against. Get a name brand from a reputable retailer.

openmedia

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#3478964 8-Apr-2026 09:24

I've been using these rechargable ones and they've been reasonably reliable.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008985226950.html

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

KiwiSurfer

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#3478968 8-Apr-2026 09:37

I've tried a few mid-tier brands (e.g. Tile, Pebblebee, etc) and while they often work well at first over time both seemed to run into a range of odd issues. E.g. battery going low/flat but no notification of this (so I find out only when I needed to find something), randomly losing tracking needing reset (again no notification so I often only found out when I needed to find something), no able to track due to not enough compatiable devices nearby (a common issue with luggage -- often it only picks up once the luggage is on the conveyer belt and I can see the luggage anyway!), devices refusing to recharge, devices refusing to reset itself, etc. My last attempt was with 6 pebblebees. Within 2 years only two were still working correctly -- the rest had various faults. And I only found out the 4 were broken when I decided to sit down one day and test all six -- some were reporting locations but testing showed they were old data being parroted.

Got so sick of fiddling with them that I gave up on these and just switched to Apple AirTags. Now these work 100% of the time, 100% of the places my tracked devices go to. No ifs, no buts, etc. Given my poor experiences with previous trackers I now test the Apple AirTags more regularly to ensure they are working as expected. Not had a single fault yet.

richms

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#3478993 8-Apr-2026 10:20

openmedia:

I've been using these rechargable ones and they've been reasonably reliable.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008985226950.html

The images look the same as one that I was offered in bundle deals to hopefully its all good. I'm getting 2 of each of a few of them that were offered at between $4 and 5 each.

The issue I have with tiles is that I will open the app, it will show that it was at home last seen a min ago, and when I go to it to try to beep it to find it then it just sits at connecting and nothing happens. If I pick up another phone and open the tile app and press on it on that phone, then it will connect and work. There seems to be a limit of phones or tiles that can be in play at one time and it just fails if you go past that. I would have 4 on the key rack for old cars and sheds and stuff, and then 3 more that I carry with me, and its always the one that I need that will not connect.

Richard rich.ms

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richms

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#3478995 8-Apr-2026 10:22

johno1234:

I’ve been ripped off with tags on AE. Would recommend against. Get a name brand from a reputable retailer.

For almost a 10:1 price difference on some of the "name brand" ones I can afford to get a few duds. In the past I got some that were just ones that connected over bluetooth and you could beep them, and kept a bluetooth connection open to their app all the time rather than being BLE beacon type things. That is what I am hoping the clone market has moved on from with google opening up the google find stuff to them.

Richard rich.ms

freitasm

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#3478998 8-Apr-2026 10:29

KiwiSurfer:

I've tried a few mid-tier brands (e.g. Tile, Pebblebee, etc) and while they often work well at first over time both seemed to run into a range of odd issues. E.g. battery going low/flat but no notification of this (so I find out only when I needed to find something), randomly losing tracking needing reset (again no notification so I often only found out when I needed to find something), no able to track due to not enough compatiable devices nearby (a common issue with luggage -- often it only picks up once the luggage is on the conveyer belt and I can see the luggage anyway!), devices refusing to recharge, devices refusing to reset itself, etc. My last attempt was with 6 pebblebees.

I bought a couple of packs of Chipolos when they came out with Google Find compatibility. They have been solid, working in all situations and I had no problems with notifications when they were running low on power.

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johno1234

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#3479047 8-Apr-2026 10:40

Are there any alternative tracker tags that are compatible with Apple's Precision Find feature?