AirTags vs Hilti ON!Track: Tool Tracking Comparison 2025

Two Different Philosophies

Hilti ON!Track and AirTags represent fundamentally different approaches to tool tracking:

Hilti ON!Track: Enterprise asset management system using RFID tags, Bluetooth beacons, and manual scanning. Built for inventory control and accountability tracking within the Hilti ecosystem.

AirTags: Simple Bluetooth trackers leveraging Apple's massive Find My network of 2+ billion devices. Designed for knowing where things are, automatically.

The choice depends on whether you need inventory management or location tracking—they're not the same thing.

How Each System Actually Works

Hilti ON!Track

1. You attach RFID tags or Bluetooth beacons to tools
2. Workers scan tools at job sites, warehouses, or vehicles using phones or handheld scanners
3. Each scan records the tool's location at that moment
4. The system tracks who has what and where it was last seen

Critical limitation: You only know where tools were last scanned, not where they are now.

AirTags

1. You attach an AirTag to equipment
2. Any iPhone, iPad, or Mac that passes nearby automatically and anonymously detects it
3. Location updates happen continuously without any user action
4. You see current or recent location in Find My (or AirPinpoint for business)

Key advantage: Automatic, passive tracking without manual scanning.

The RFID Problem with Metal Tools

Here's the issue Hilti doesn't emphasize in marketing: RFID and metal don't mix well.

RFID tags use radio waves that can be absorbed, reflected, or distorted by metal surfaces. This creates real problems for construction tools:

• Adhesion issues: Tags struggle to stick to curved metal surfaces
• Read interference: Metal can block or weaken RFID signals
• Durability problems: Tags get knocked off in harsh environments
• Range limitations: Metal interference reduces scan distances

Contractor reviews frequently mention these issues:

"The RFID tags kept falling off our metal tools. We spent more time retagging than tracking."

"Had to buy special on-metal tags that cost 3x more, and they still only worked about 70% of the time."

AirTags don't have this problem—they work regardless of what material they're attached to.

Pricing Comparison

Hilti ON!Track Costs

For a 100-tool fleet over 3 years:

• Software: $3,600-36,000+
• Tags/beacons: $500-5,000+
• Total: $4,100-41,000+

AirTags + AirPinpoint Costs

For a 100-tool fleet over 3 years:

• AirTags: $2,900
• AirPinpoint: $3,600-7,200
• Total: $6,500-10,100

The cost difference narrows at scale, but AirTags still offer significant savings—especially when you factor in the eliminated scanning workflow.

Feature Comparison

What ON!Track Does Better

Let's be fair—Hilti ON!Track has legitimate strengths:

Enterprise Inventory Management

ON!Track excels at knowing what you have and who has it:

• Complete tool inventory database
• Check-in/check-out workflows
• Worker accountability tracking
• Maintenance scheduling
• Calibration tracking
• Compliance documentation

Integration with Hilti Fleet

If you're heavily invested in Hilti tools, ON!Track provides:

• Automatic tool registration
• Warranty tracking
• Repair scheduling
• Usage analytics

Audit Trails

For companies requiring detailed accountability:

• Who took what, when
• Chain of custody documentation
• Compliance reporting
• Loss investigation support

What AirTags Do Better

Actual Location Tracking

The fundamental difference: AirTags tell you where things are, not where they were last scanned.

• No scanning workflow required
• Location updates automatically
• Works 24/7 without user action
• Covers everywhere Apple devices exist

Theft Recovery

When tools are stolen, scan-based systems fail because thieves don't scan. AirTags:

• Continue broadcasting regardless
• Get detected by any passing iPhone
• Work in vehicles, buildings, anywhere
• Provide actionable location data for recovery

Simplicity

• Deploy in minutes, not days
• No training required
• No scanning workflow to enforce
• No infrastructure to maintain

Cost Efficiency

For pure location tracking needs, AirTags deliver more capability at lower cost without ongoing complexity.

Real User Experiences

ON!Track Feedback

Positive:

• "Great for knowing what tools we own and who has them"
• "Hilti support is responsive when things go wrong"
• "The inventory features are comprehensive"

Negative:

• "RFID tags and metal tools don't work well together"
• "App crashes frequently, loses sync with cloud"
• "Workers hate the scanning—it slows everything down"
• "Expensive for what we actually use"
• "We know where tools were scanned, not where they are"

Common ON!Track Complaints

Based on reviews across multiple platforms:

1. Reliability issues: App crashes, sync problems, data loss
2. RFID limitations: Tags falling off, read failures on metal
3. Workflow friction: Workers resist mandatory scanning
4. Cost vs value: High subscription for scan-based tracking
5. Implementation complexity: Takes weeks to fully deploy

Choosing the Right Solution

Choose Hilti ON!Track When:

1. Inventory management is the priority: You need to know what you own, who has it, and maintain detailed records
2. Worker accountability matters most: Check-in/check-out workflows and audit trails are essential
3. You're already Hilti-invested: Heavy Hilti tool fleet benefits from ecosystem integration
4. Compliance requires documentation: Calibration tracking, maintenance records, regulatory compliance
5. You can enforce scanning discipline: Workers will consistently scan tools

Choose AirTags + AirPinpoint When:

1. Location tracking is the goal: You want to know where things are, not just where they were scanned
2. Theft recovery matters: If finding stolen equipment is important, network size wins
3. Mixed-brand tool fleet: Tools from multiple manufacturers without ecosystem lock-in
4. Simplicity is valued: No scanning workflows, no training, no infrastructure
5. Budget is constrained: Lower total cost for pure tracking functionality
6. Fast deployment needed: Deploy across your fleet in a day, not weeks

The Hybrid Approach

Many contractors optimize by combining both:

Use ON!Track for:

• Hilti tools requiring maintenance tracking
• High-value equipment needing audit trails
• Calibrated instruments with compliance requirements

Use AirTags for:

• Everything else
• Theft recovery capability
• Tools that move between sites frequently
• Equipment where you just need to know location

This gives you inventory management where it matters and practical location tracking everywhere else.

Our Recommendation

For most contractors, AirTags provide better value:

• You actually know where things are (not where they were scanned)
• No scanning workflow to enforce
• Lower cost, simpler deployment
• Better theft recovery capability
• Works with any brand equally well

Choose ON!Track only if inventory management, worker accountability, and Hilti ecosystem integration are more important than actual location tracking.

The question to ask yourself: Do you need to know what you have and who has it? Or do you need to find things when they go missing?

For finding things, AirTags win. For inventory management, ON!Track has features AirTags don't match. Most businesses need finding more than inventory management—they just don't realize it until something valuable goes missing.