AirTags vs Tile: Which Tracker is Better for Business? (2025)

The Network Size Problem

Every review of Tile vs AirTag eventually comes back to one unavoidable reality: network size determines tracking effectiveness, and Apple wins this comparison by orders of magnitude.

This isn't marketing spin—it's the fundamental architecture of how crowd-sourced tracking works. Your item only gets located when a device from the network passes nearby. With Apple, that's essentially every iPhone user on the planet. With Tile, it's only people who've specifically downloaded an app.

Real-World Tracking Performance

Lab specs don't tell the full story. Here's what testing reveals:

AirTag Performance

• Location updates occur within minutes in populated areas
• ~30 meter accuracy in testing
• Unknown iPhones automatically update location
• Works reliably in urban, suburban, and transit corridors

Tile Performance

"After a 10km trip, its location remained stuck at the original office—likely due to low network participation."

This isn't a fluke. Multiple testers report:

• Location updates taking hours or not occurring at all
• Items showing at wrong locations for extended periods
• Dependence on Tile users happening to pass by

The hardware is fine. The network just isn't large enough.

Feature Comparison

The Subscription Question

Tile Premium: $3.99/month or $29.99/year

What you get for paying:

• Smart alerts (leaving item behind)
• 30-day location history
• Unlimited sharing
• Priority customer support

AirTag: $0/month

What's included free:

• Separation alerts (built into iOS)
• Location history (via Find My)
• Sharing with family members

For business use, AirPinpoint adds extended history, multi-user access, and business features—but you're not paying Tile's premium just for basic functionality.

Over 3 years, 50 Tile trackers with Premium:

• Hardware: $1,750
• Subscriptions: $1,800
• Total: $3,550

50 AirTags:

• Hardware: $1,450
• Subscriptions: $0
• Total: $1,450

AirTags cost 59% less before even considering tracking effectiveness.

Tile's Advantages

To be fair, Tile has legitimate strengths:

Cross-Platform Compatibility

Tile works with:

• iOS devices
• Android devices
• Windows computers (Tile app)
• Some Bluetooth headphones and laptops with built-in Tile

For businesses with mixed device environments, Tile offers flexibility AirTags can't match.

Longer Bluetooth Range

Tile Pro reaches up to 400 feet vs AirTag's ~30 feet for direct phone-to-tracker connection. This matters for:

• Finding items in large spaces
• Direct tracking without network assistance
• Scenarios where you know an item is nearby

Life360/Amazon Sidewalk Integration

Tile's acquisition by Life360 and partnership with Amazon Sidewalk (Echo and Ring devices) has expanded the network. If you're in an area with high Amazon device density, this helps.

When to Choose Each

Choose AirTags When:

1. Your team uses iPhones: The network advantage is overwhelming
2. Tracking effectiveness matters: If finding lost/stolen items is the goal, AirTags deliver
3. You want precision finding: UWB shows exact direction and distance
4. Budget matters: Lower hardware cost, no subscription for basic features
5. You're tracking valuable equipment: Theft recovery depends on network size

Choose Tile When:

1. Your team uses Android: AirTags simply won't work
2. Cross-platform flexibility is essential: iOS, Android, and Windows support
3. Direct Bluetooth range matters more than network tracking: Large warehouse, single facility
4. You'll have many Tile app users in your environment: Internal network density compensates for limited public network

The Business Reality

For most businesses tracking tools, equipment, and assets:

AirTags + AirPinpoint provide:

• Vastly larger network = more reliable tracking
• No subscription for basic features
• Precision finding capability
• Lower total cost

Tile makes sense only when:

• Android is your primary platform
• OR everyone in your organization installs the Tile app
• AND items rarely leave your controlled environments

The network size gap is simply too large to ignore. Milwaukee recognized this problem with their ONE-KEY system. Google recognized it when building their Find My Device network. Tile's 2025 expansion efforts show they recognize it too.

Until Tile's network approaches Apple's scale, AirTags will provide more reliable tracking for the majority of business use cases.

Our Recommendation

For Apple-centric organizations: AirTags are the clear choice. The tracking effectiveness difference justifies using them even if some team members have Android phones.

For Android-heavy organizations: Evaluate whether tracking reliability matters. If items are always within your facilities, Tile can work. If you need to find things in the broader world, consider whether equipping key personnel with iPhones might be worth it for AirTag access.

For mixed environments: Test both in your actual use case. Deploy 5-10 of each and see which provides usable location data. Real-world performance in your specific geography will tell you more than any comparison article.

The technology is similar. The network is not. Choose accordingly.