{"id":618491,"date":"2026-09-08T19:04:12","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T19:04:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/618491\/"},"modified":"2026-09-08T19:04:12","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T19:04:12","slug":"i-tested-a-finder-tag-thats-louder-than-the-airtag-and-its-cheaper-too","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/618491\/","title":{"rendered":"I tested a finder tag that’s louder than the AirTag – and it’s cheaper, too"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Roam<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tAdrian Kingsley-Hughes\/ZDNET\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tRoam Smart Tracker\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t3.5
\n\/ 5 Good\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tPros & Cons\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tDual-platform tag with Apple\u2019s Find My and Android Find Hub.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tLouder and cheaper than AirTags.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tVery durable.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tRange doesn’t quite match the AirTag.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Follow ZDNET:\u00a0Add us as a preferred source<\/a>\u00a0on Google.<\/p>\n

I think finder tags such as the <\/a>Apple AirTag<\/a> have been some of the most game-changing tech to land in consumers\u2019 hands this side of 2020 (feel free to tell me I\u2019m wrong). Personally, eliminating the headache of lost keys and temporarily misplaced wallets or passports has saved me no end of time and frustration.<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t imagine going back to a time when I paid a steep price whenever I didn\u2019t pay heed to grandpa\u2019s wise words: \u201ca place for everything, and everything in its place\u201d.<\/p>\n

But AirTags aren\u2019t perfect, and Apple knows this. The speaker on the first-generation units was so weak, Apple made the next-gen tags 50% louder and modulated the tones to make them easier to find by ear.<\/p>\n

Also: How an $80 accessory turned my tablet from mouse pad to productivity powerhouse<\/a><\/p>\n

But I and many others still don\u2019t think that the speaker is loud enough, so I\u2019m always impressed when I find a third-party finder tag that dares to be different. The Roam Smart Tracker<\/a> is just such a tag. And best of all, these tags are cheap. <\/p>\n

Testing the tags<\/p>\n

This is a dual-platform tag that works with the Apple\u2019s Find My (iOS devices running iOS 14.5 or later) or Android Find Hub (devices running Android 9 or later with Google Play Services) networks. If you change platforms, you can reset the tag<\/a> and bind it to a different network at a later date.<\/p>\n

Note that the tag can\u2019t work on both networks simultaneously (and before you ask, I don\u2019t know of any that do, but it seems a lot of consumers think they do, and I see negative reviews based on this).<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve tested literally dozens of finder tags from a range of manufacturers, and while there\u2019s no doubt that the AirTag is, overall, the tag to beat, there\u2019s plenty of room for the competition to make an impression.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Roam Smart Tracker is small, but loud!<\/p>\n

One metric to test is range. Under ideal conditions, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) has a range of 100 to 400 feet (30 to 120 meters) in open, unobstructed conditions, and it\u2019s the AirTag that comes closest to this, delivering a clear line-of-sight range of 100 to 130 feet (30 to 40 meters), with this dropping to 50 to 65 feet (15 to 20 meters) indoors.<\/p>\n

Also: I tried a solar-powered AirTag alternative that lasts 2 years \u2013 and looks like my Apple Watch<\/a><\/p>\n

Remember, there are a lot of things that can affect Bluetooth, from radio-frequency (RF) interference to the antenna in the smartphone, and my indoors is going to be different from your indoors, so take my tests as ballpark estimates, not something written in stone.<\/p>\n

The Roam wasn\u2019t far behind the AirTag with a clear line-of-sight range of 85 to 100 feet (25 to 30 meters), and about 50 feet (15 meters) indoors.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe range on the Roam is about as good as it gets for Bluetooth tags.<\/p>\n

Not as good as the AirTag, but a very good range. In fact, up there with some of the best I\u2019ve tested.<\/p>\n

Note that the AirTag is the only finder tag that offers the precision finding feature that guides you right to the tag. No third-party tag offers this for the iPhone, and for Android systems you\u2019ll need both a smartphone kitted out with Ultra-wideband (UWB) tech and a tag that supports UWB (such as the Moto Tag 2<\/a>, Galaxy SmartTag 2<\/a> or the upcoming Google Pixel Tag<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Also: Google\u2019s new Pixel Tag tracker has a big advantage over AirTags (and they cost the same)<\/a><\/p>\n

The tag is powered by a CR2032 button cell<\/a> \u2014 like the AirTag \u2014 and this offers about a year of service before it needs to be replaced, about the same that you\u2019ll get from an AirTag.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also a pretty tough tag. It\u2019s been built to IP67 standards, so it has enough water and dirt resistance to survive life in the great outdoors. I had a tag on the outside of my backpack while roaming the Lake District, and it had no problem surviving several days of heavy rain.<\/p>\n

The three big features<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get onto what separates this tag from the competition.<\/p>\n

First, it has a really neat built-in elastic strap that makes it easy (or at least easier) to attach the tag to things. Anything is easier than trying to attach a smooth UFO-like disc to something, but this attachment system that\u2019s made up of shock cord and a plastic clip is a nice touch.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe built-in loop on the top is handy.Adrian Kingsley-Hughes\/ZDNET<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a little loop on top, perfect for attaching the tag to keys or a bag. Sure, none of this is as tamperproof as an AirTag holder by Elevation Lab, but it\u2019s far better than what comes with most tags.<\/p>\n

On the tag is a laser-engraved QR code that is key in helping to reunite you with your lost property. When setting up the tag, you scan to create an account. Now, if someone finds the tag and scans the QR code, they can send you a message and optionally send you the location of the tag \u2014 a handy additional recovery mechanism for when things go bad! \u00a0<\/p>\n

\"TheThe QR code offers a way for finders to reunite people with their lost items.Adrian Kingsley-Hughes\/ZDNET<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s the tag\u2019s built-in speaker. To my ears this feels like it\u2019s louder than the AirTag\u2019s ping, and this is backed by my testing with a smartphone app, but again, testing acoustics is a specialist thing, and I\u2019m earholing it and using an uncalibrated app.<\/p>\n

But then when it comes to the crunch, it\u2019s ears we\u2019re going to be using to find a lost tag, so a group of us carried out a blind test where we hid this tag and an AirTag in various spots, and said which one we felt was the loudest, and most of the time the lineup said that it was the Roam tag.<\/p>\n

Also: This $50 power bank is safer than my lithium-ion battery \u2013 and it\u2019s coming on my next flight<\/a><\/p>\n

So, in my testing, the Roam tag beats the AirTag in terms of volume. It\u2019s not as melodious as the AirTag, but in terms of sheer \u201cfinding your keys when they\u2019re behind the sofa cushions,\u201d loudness, I prefer the Roam tag.<\/p>\n

ZDNET\u2019s buying advice<\/p>\n

You can pick up a Roam Smart Tracker for $14.99<\/a>, and they come in a variety of colors. You can also pick up a twin-pack for $30<\/a>, and a six-pack for $80<\/a> if you want to go to town on tracking your stuff.<\/p>\n

For the price, these tags offer excellent value for money, and given their durability and the power of the loudspeaker, they get a double thumbs-up from me. They\u2019re not AirTags, but these Roam Smart Tracker tags are more affordable than the AirTag\u2019s $24 price tag. <\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Adrian\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAdrian Kingsley-Hughes\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSenior Contributing Editor\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAdrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over two decades to helping users get the most from technology — whether that be by learning to program, building a PC from a pile of parts, or helping them get the most from their new MP3 player or digital camera. Adrian has authored\/co-authored technical books on a variety of topics, ranging from programming to building and maintaining PCs. His most recent books include ‘Build the Ultimate Custom PC’, ‘Beginning Programming’ and ‘The PC Doctor’s Fix It Yourself Guide’. He has also written training manuals that have been used by a number of Fortune 500 companies.
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSee full bio\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Adrian Kingsley-Hughes\/ZDNET Roam Smart Tracker 3.5 \/ 5 Good Pros & Cons Dual-platform tag with Apple\u2019s Find My…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":618492,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[203,61,60,80],"class_list":["post-618491","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-gadgets","tag-gadgets","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/618491","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=618491"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/618491\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/618492"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=618491"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=618491"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=618491"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}