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A stylish tracker
Chipolo One
The Chipolo One smart tag is available in three variants, each offering a choice between the company’s own network, Google’s Find My Device, and Apple’s Find My network. Two are catered to users using a single ecosystem, and one works across all.
Pros- Loud built-in speaker
- Built-in cutout
- Replaceable battery
Cons- Limited to IPX5 water resistance
- No UWB
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For everyday use
Pebblebee Clip for Android
The Pebblebee Clip is one of the first smart tags to support Google’s Find My Device network. It can easily be attached to key chains and used with Android devices to track belongings. It’s not as advanced as some other trackers on the market, but it offers an excellent feature set that’s easy to use.
Pros- Rechargeable and long-lasting battery
- Convenient form factor
- Supports Google’s Find My Device Network
Cons- Google’s Find My Network isn’t perfect
- No UWB
There are many great Bluetooth smart trackers available. Now that Google’s Find My network has rolled out and become available, we’ve put two popular devices to the test to determine how they fare comparatively. One of the main benefits of these trackers is that they let you easily find your belongings just by using your smartphone, showing you the last known location of your backpack, pet, keys, wallet, and other devices.
Price, availability, and specs
The Chipolo One is available in three models: Chipolo One, One Spot, and the One Point, The One Spot and One Point retail for $28, while the Chipolo One can be purchased for $25. The company also sells a four-pack that can save you some money when buying in bulk. The devices can be purchased from Chipolo’s website or Amazon.
The Pebblebee Clip retails for $30 and can be purchased from Pebblebee’s website or directly from Google. It works with Google’s network and even Pebblebee’s own solution if you’re willing to sacrifice some functionality and support.
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Chipolo One
- Brand
- Chipolo
- Connectivity
- Bluetooth LE
- Battery
- Up to two years, user-replaceable CR2032 coin cell battery
- Range
- Up to 60m (200 feet)
- Water Resistance
- IPX5
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Pebblebee Clip for Android
- Brand
- Pebblebee
- Connectivity
- Bluetooth LE
- Battery
- Up to 1 year, rechargeable
- Range
- Up to 150m
- Water Resistance
- IPX6
Design, build, and battery
Similar build quality, but the Clip is more rugged
All three Chipolo trackers have the same circular design, featuring a durable plastic material with a cutout at the top. The cutout makes it easy to attach the tracker to luggage, keys, backpacks, and other items. Chipolo One is available in several color options, while the One Spot and the One Point are limited to a single color.
The Pebblebee Clip has a reinforced metal band, but it’s still made of plastic. The device has a cutout at the top that slightly bulges out, unlike on the Chipolo where it’s built-in to the construction of the tracker. The cutout can be used to easily attach the device to pets, bags, keys, and other objects.
Both trackers are made well and are relatively durable thanks to their plastic build. They can bump into other objects, and remain intact, as we found during our testing. The Chipolo One trackers have an IPX5 rating, meaning they can survive a bit of moisture and water, but they’re not recommended to be dipped in fluids, and can’t stand up against dust. The Pebblebee Clip has an IP67 rating, meaning it fares much better against water and dust, and it’s far more rugged than Chipolo’s option.
And when it comes to the battery, the Chipolo One promises to last up to 2 years, and it has a user-replaceable CR2032 battery, so you can easily swap it out when it depletes. The Clip is rechargeable, but it’ll only last about a year at most and notify you when its battery is running low.
Performance and features
Mostly the same, but there are a few caveats
Both Chipolo and Pebblebee have trackers that support the Google Find My network, and while it took an exceptionally long time for Google to roll out this service, it’s finally here. Having said that, the network isn’t as great as Apple’s Find My solution, and it still lags behind the competition.
Chipolo and Pebblebee rely on Google’s network to track objects, which leaves a lot to be desired. They do work, but they’re not as reliable as the likes of Apple’s AirTag. But as far as positives go, there are tracking features built into the devices that prevent unauthorized people from tracking you; a notification will be sent to your phone if this happens.
Neither Pebblebee nor Chipolo offer UWB (Ultrawide Band) tracking features for AR (Augmented Reality) tracking, which can make recovering your belongings a little more tedious but not impossible. Luckily, a map can always show the last known location, and both devices allow you to ring the trackers, making them slightly easier to find in crowded spaces.
Chipolo is relatively customizable, enabling you to set your own ringtone; it can even conveniently be used as a selfie remote. In terms of performance, however, these devices will perform mostly the same way, allowing you to easily recover stolen or lost items.
Which is right for you?
Smart trackers have come a long way, and the introduction of Google’s Find My Network has made things significantly easier — although not as smooth as we expected. Finding and recovering objects is easier than ever, but neither of these trackers particularly offers a leading edge when it comes to precisely pinpointing a lost item’s location.
The Chipolo One Point device is an ideal choice for users seeking a versatile, customizable, and user-friendly smart tracker. Available in various colors to complement your style, it is fully compatible with Android devices. Additionally, depending on the model you choose, it also supports other operating systems.
Chipolo One
Customizable and stylish
The Chipolo One is an excellent smart tracker for those looking for a versatile device that can easily be attached to any object. It supports Google’s Find My network, and it is easy to use and provides understandable steps to relocate objects.
The Pebblebee Clip offers a similar performance to the Chipolo, but it has a more rugged design, making it a far better option for those who plan on placing it on an outdoor object or a pet. It can survive more challenging weather conditions, so you’ll never have to worry about water and dust getting into the small plastic construction. In terms of tracking, both work similarly, but the rugged design gives the Clip a slight edge if you’re looking for durability.
Pebblebee Clip for Android
It’s great for indoor and outdoor use
The Pebblebee Clip is a rugged smart tracker, ideal for outdoor enthusiasts, and those looking for something sturdier. It lets you quickly recover wallets, keys, pets, and other belongings, helping you see the last known location on your smartphone.