When it comes to which is the better tracker, the Pebblebee Clip 5 or the Apple AirTag, the answer lies in how you use it. (Chris McGraw/Yahoo)
When it comes to tech I use pretty much every day, the list is surprisingly short: my iPhone, AirPods, Garmin smartwatch and AirTags — the last one because I was apparently born without the part of my brain that remembers where I put my keys.
Thankfully, the fix is simple. I slide an AirTag into one of the many inexpensive holders you can find on Amazon, clip the carabiner to my keyring, and whenever my keys inevitably vanish, I open the Find My app. Precision Finding takes it from there, telling me exactly how far away they are and which direction to walk. It’s basically hot-and-cold for adults who lose things.
There are plenty of other Bluetooth trackers out there, but as an Apple guy, I never felt much temptation to stray. When the four-pack goes on sale (like it is right now), I grabbed a couple and moved on. They’ve always worked, never giving me a reason to look elsewhere.
So when my colleague, Senior Tech Writer Rick Broida, whose tech opinions I take very seriously, named the Pebblebee Clip 5 his top overall Bluetooth tracker, I had to see what I was missing. I ordered one, clipped it to my keys and set out to compare it head-to-head with my daily driver. After a month with the Clip 5, I get the appeal. But better than AirTags? I’m not so sure. Instead of publicly roasting Rick for his choice, I figured it might be better to let him make his case, and we can argue it out right here and now.
Amazon
Battery: Replaceable CR2032 | Rated battery life: 1 year | Apple Find My: Yes | Google Find Hub: No | 2-way tracking: No | Scan-if-found QR code: No
Read Rick’s complete AirTag 2 review if you want a deeper dive.
ProsVery easy to set up and usePrecision Finding steers you to within centimeters of the AirTagFrequently discounted, especially the 4-packConsNo case or clip includedNo 2-way trackingPoorly implemented “left behind” featureDoesn’t help you locate your phone
Amazon
Battery: Rechargeable | Rated battery life: 12 months | Apple Find My: Yes | Google Find Hub: Yes | 2-way tracking: Yes | Scan-if-found QR code: Yes
ProsWorks with Android phones and iPhonesRechargeable battery good for up to 12 monthsVery loudOffers safety features as wellScan-if-found QR codeWell-designed appConsNo clearly defined button to pressLacks AirTags’ precision finding
Rick: Let me be blunt: We waited five years for new AirTags, and all we got was slightly better range and slightly louder beeps? That’s disappointing to say the least. In the interim, companies like Pebblebee and Chipolo stepped up with vastly superior trackers, all of them leveraging the same Apple Find My network. Plus, you get a built-in keychain loop, a rechargeable battery, flashing LEDs to aid in locating and — wait for it — two-way tracking. Yep, I can use my Pebblebee to find my misplaced iPhone. Can an AirTag do that, Chris? Can it??
Chris: You got me there. Pebblebee gives you more features for sure. The rechargeable battery is a big one. I would’ve loved to see that in a second-gen AirTag. And the two-way tracking was my favorite feature of the Clip 5. But only because it was missing the one feature my AirTags have that I use constantly: Precision Finding.
I rarely use the sound on my AirTags because I don’t need to — the directional guidance is enough. Most of my key hunting happens early in the morning or in the evening when at least one family member is still asleep and the house is quiet. The last thing I want is a siren going off. Also — and this is embarrassingly common — about half the time my keys are still in the car in the garage. A louder alarm and brighter LEDs don’t help much when there’s drywall and a closed car door between us. The arrow does.
The Pebblebee Clip 5 has many features the Apple AirTag is lacking, except one: Precision Finding. (Chris McGraw/Yahoo)
Rick: That’s a fair point, and you’re right that Precision Finding — which is exclusive to AirTags — can be helpful. Interesting to hear your use case because in my house it’s almost always the other way: Keys easy to find, phone constantly lost. (We park our keys on a hook like normal people, lol.) Remember, though, that PF doesn’t kick in until the AirTag gets within about 45 feet, so it’s less useful in the outside world.
Chris: I’ll concede that for luggage, you have the stronger argument. If a bag is behind a counter or across an airport baggage room, louder is better. Harder to ignore, even in a noisy airport. The siren helps.
Rick: Point, Broida! I guess for many users it’ll come down to what’s more important: Finding misplaced items around the house or finding them if they’re still in the backseat of that Uber you exited 20 minutes ago. It’s too bad we don’t have a best-of-all-worlds solution — yet. The lack of two-way tracking in the new AirTags is, to me, unforgivable. Tile trackers have had that for years. But almost as annoying: Apple still forces you to buy a case if you want to attach an AirTag to anything. What’s next: AirPods that don’t fit your ears without an adapter?
While the Clip 5 comes with a clip to easily attach it to your keys, the AirTags require a separate, albeit inexpensive case. (Chris McGraw/Yahoo)
Chris: Aha! I was hoping you’d bring up the case! You fell right into my trap! I’m quoting your best Bluetooth tracker article here: “Pebblebee says it has improved the strength of the Clip’s plastic keychain loop, making it less likely to break.” Less likely to break is not a zero-chance it will break. And what then? I guess you have to go out and buy another $35 tracker. Not so with the AirTag. Those cases are like a buck apiece and also not very likely to break to boot. And what about third-party accessories? There are AirTag cases and mounts for everything, including pet collars, backpack straps, bikes, Yeti water bottles, even a case that powers your AirTag for up to 10 years! Where are those for the Pebblebee?
Rick: Chris, I underestimated you. Though I don’t know what kinds of abuse you’re subjecting your keychains to that a reinforced plastic loop can’t hold up. It’s true, that huge market of inexpensive cases and mounts does expand AirTags’ versatility. So let me bring out the big guns: The Pebblebee is also compatible with Google’s Find Hub network. It has a scan-if-found QR code to help good Samaritans reunite you with your lost thingie. And it has safety features: Rapid-press the Clip eight times and it emits a super-loud siren, flashes its LEDs and sends your location to any contacts designated in your “safety circle.” (No extra charge for that, by the way.)
All that on top of the two-way tracking, rechargeable battery, keychain loop and flashing LEDs. Game, set, match, sir.
Another strike against the Apple AirTags? The lack of a rechargeable battery. Having to buy a new battery is so 2005. (Chris McGraw/Yahoo)
Chris: All good points. My arguments are dwindling, so let me fire off my last couple shots. First off, you can only use Google’s Find Hub or Apple’s Find My network, not both at once. And to switch between the two, you have to factory reset the Pebblebee. Hardly ideal.
Finally, price. Sure, this isn’t a landslide win for AirTags, but they still come out ahead. When a four-pack dips to around $64 (we’re talking first-gen here), which happens pretty regularly, you’re looking at roughly $16 per tracker. If you want to buy a single standalone tracker right now, you’ll pay $17. Even at its best-ever sale price, the Clip 5 sat at $26 and it’s usually priced in the mid-$30s. Multiply that by four (or eight) and it starts to add up.
Rick: Way to hit me where it hurts, Chris. (I was “The Cheapskate” in my former professional life, after all.) Yeah, AirTags are cheaper, which is a surprising thing to say about any Apple product. I guess all I can do is argue for the added value you get by spending just six additional dollars. The Pebblebee Clip 5 outmaneuvers AirTags at nearly every turn. But here’s where I’m going to throw a curveball: Consider both! Maybe an AirTag for your keychain so you can take advantage of Precision Finding and a Clip for your luggage? Yes, I’m advocating for spending more money, but we all know the pain and suffering of looking for lost stuff. The mental-health benefits alone are worth the investment.
