Tile Pro (2024)

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The $34.99 Tile Pro is the top-of-the-line in the current Tile product lineup. It features a steel frame and a replaceable battery and is compatible with Android and iOS devices. It produces a loud audible chirp that assists with locating items in close proximity, but it doesn't provide exact location details or directional assistance. It's a fine tool for finding things in confined spaces, but the Editors' Choice-winning Apple AirTag ($29) remains a better option for iPhone owners, and the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 ($29.99) is a better option for Galaxy phone owners, both for their ultra-wideband support which makes things easier to locate from afar.

Design: Sleek and Light

The Tile Pro is the most capable Bluetooth tracker from Tile and joins the Tile Mate (starting at $24.99), Tile Slim (starting at $29.99), and Tile Sticker ($24.99) as the first new trackers from Life360 since it acquired Tile in 2021. Life360 is primarily known for its family location-tracking app. What sets the Tile Pro apart from its all-plastic siblings is its metal frame, user-replaceable battery, and its claimed 500-foot Bluetooth range. The Tile Mate and Tile Slim have embedded batteries that last three years and a shorter 350-foot Bluetooth range.

The Tile Pro measures 2.05 by 1.34 by 0.30 inches (HWD) and weighs 0.42 ounces, making it slightly shorter and lighter than its predecessor (2.28 by 1.26 by 0.30 inches, 0.50 ounces). It is constructed mostly of plastic, though a steel frame around the exterior provides some strength. It has a matte finish, and its plastic housing scuffs easily. The battery cover has ribs to add some rigidity. The Tile Mate is smaller at 1.5 by 1.5 by 0.25 inches and weighs 0.32 ounces, while the Tile Slim is the thinnest of the lot at 0.1 by 2.1 by 3.4 inches but heavier at 0.49 ounces. For further context, the Apple AirTag is 1.26 inches in diameter and weighs 0.39 ounces, and the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 is 2.00 by 1.13 by 0.25 inches and weighs 0.49 ounces.

The attachment point is in one corner and is large enough to accommodate keychains or lanyards. In contrast, the AirTag requires an additional accessory to attach to other objects, while the SmartTag 2 features a large metal ring for hooking onto items. The Tile Pro comes in black or white, though Tile says it will eventually offer more colors.

A shiny concave button is centered on one side, and three speaker holes are visible on the other. There is also a QR code with the words "Scan Me If Found" and a battery door. The Tile Pro takes a CR2032 coin battery, which Tile says will last one year. This user-replaceable battery means you can hold onto the Tile Pro for longer than trackers that have embedded batteries.

The Tile Pro is IP68-rated (as are the Tile Mate and Tile Slim), which means it is dustproof and can be submerged in up to 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes. Comparatively, the AirTag and the SmartTag 2 have IP67 ratings, meaning they can be submerged in 1 meter of water.

Tracking: How the Tile Network Works

Although Tile is owned by Life360, creating a Life360 account is not required to use a Tile device. Tile tracker generates location data using the Tile Network and Bluetooth. The tracking hardware communicates with Android and iOS devices via either the Tile app or the Life360 app. Location data is updated automatically and anonymously, though Tile does not support real-time tracking because it records location data only intermittently.

In contrast, Apple’s Find My network relies on Bluetooth, ultra-wideband, and other Apple devices to provide detailed location data. If an iPhone comes into proximity to your AirTag, it can quickly generate granular location details. The Galaxy SmartTag 2 taps into Samsung's own SmartThings Find network, which uses Bluetooth, ultra-wideband, and other Galaxy devices. Both Apple and Samsung trackers can help locate an item down to within a few feet, and their apps include an augmented reality mode to provide visual cues to complete your search.

The effectiveness of a tracker is a function of its network. Life360 reports having over 70 million users and claims one in nine families uses the Life360 app for location-based services. Apple's Find My network is made up of hundreds of millions of Apple devices, and Samsung says it has more than in its SmartThings Find service.

Setup: Quick and Simple

Setting up the Tile Pro is a breeze and takes less than five minutes. When you open the box, a QR code directs you to download Tile’s free app (available for Android and iOS). Once installed, you sign up for a free Tile account and grant app-related permissions for location, battery, and notifications. You’re then prompted to press the center button on the tracker to pair the device, and afterward, you have the option to choose a name and icon for the Tile Pro. Pressing the button twice can ring your phone even if it’s set to silent.

The final setup screen is an ad for the Tile Premium ($3 per month or $30 annually) and Tile Premium Protect ($99 per year) subscription services. Both include 30-day location history and Smart Alerts that let you know when you've left a device behind. The Premium plan includes up to a $100 reimbursement for a lost item, while Premium Protect will cover up to $1,000. Both Tile subscriptions are optional. Apple's and Samsung's trackers offer similar alert functionality for free.

The Tile Pro also works with the Life360 app, which includes one key feature not found in the Tile app—an SOS alert. The Tile Pro can send an SOS message to selected contacts by triple-clicking the button if configured in the Life360 app. The SOS feature is free and does not require a subscription. Note that the Tile Pro can be set either to ring your phone or to send an SOS, but not both. The SOS feature is not available in the Tile app, and considering its utility, I wish it was. At least the Tile app alerts you that the SOS feature exists via a pop-up. Otherwise, most Tile functions are duplicated in the Life360 app.

Finding the Tile Pro

I tested the Tile Pro in several scenarios with a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6. First, I placed the Tile Pro at the far end of my apartment, walked approximately 35 feet away, and opened the Tile app. The app said the Tile Pro was Nearby with Moderate Signal Strength and suggested I move around to find a stronger signal. The app does not provide guidance on which direction you should move to search.

In my small apartment, the Tile Pro's chirping was loud enough to find the tracker as long as the environment stayed quiet. The Tile Pro is supposed to be the loudest Tile device, but at a distance of six inches, it reached only 86.3dB. That is fairly loud but lower in volume than the Tile Mate's 90.9dB and the Tile Slim's 87.2dB at the same distance. The Tile Pro generated a higher volume than the Apple AirTag (73.8dB) and the Galaxy SmartTag 2 (65.7dB).

To test the Tile Pro's claimed 500-foot Bluetooth range, I took to the sidewalks of New York. I had my son carry the Tile Pro, Tile Mate, and Tile Slim to an unknown location, and I then tried to find the trackers using the Tile app. The app gave me one option: Notify When Found. This lets you know that the Tile Network is looking for the Tile's location and that you may be contacted via email, phone, or text (if you share your contact information with Tile). When using the Notify When Found feature, you cannot activate the tracker's chime; otherwise, the Tile Pro will chirp when you obtain a Low signal strength or higher.

I wandered around the general area where I knew the Tile Pro might be, but I did not receive any notifications for 30 minutes. The Tile app eventually notified me once I was within 20 feet of the Tile Pro and the other trackers, but only after I asked my son for his location and headed there.

In another test, I had my son remain within line of sight with the Tile Pro while I walked 300 feet away. I slowly moved toward the Tile Pro to see how close I needed to get before the app would let me ring it. In the end, I couldn't ring the device until I was within about 50 feet—far closer than the device's marketed 500-foot range. For comparison, I couldn't reach the Tile Mate and Tile Slim until I was about 30 feet away.

For the last test, I had my son log into the Tile app on his phone in the hope that his device would contribute location data to the Tile Network. Life360 says that any device running the Tile or Life360 app can update the Tile’s location. This setup provided the quickest results, notifying me of found trackers between five and 20 minutes.

The Tile Pro's range and audible alert make it a better partner for keys or devices that seldom leave a house or an office. Finding items with the Tile Pro (or any Tile tracker) is easier if you can hear it since the app does not display exact enough location data to find it without an audio cue. The AirTag and Galaxy SmartTag 2 are much easier to find due to the size of their respective location networks and the ultra-wideband tech that is better at providing fine location details in real time.

Verdict: Best for Indoor Use

The Tile Pro is a slim, sturdy Bluetooth tracker that you can attach to just about anything. We like its waterproof design and easy-to-use hook, and the replaceable battery means you can use it for years. Tracking items from afar with the Tile Pro is inconsistent, though, due to its limited Bluetooth range, lack of ultra-wideband, and smaller Tile tracking network. The Editors' Choice-winning Apple AirTag and Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 remain the best options for iPhone and Galaxy users, respectively.