Bluetooth tracker Black Friday: specs to check before you buy

What does the range figure mean?

Range is a line-of-sight number. BlueTag is specified for up to 60 m in the open, and that is a ceiling rather than a promise. Walls, vans and a bag full of metal cut it down. Treat any figure as the best case, and treat a listing that gives no figure as a warning.

Beyond that range, a Bluetooth tag cannot talk to your phone directly. Whether it still reports depends on the network behind it, which is the next question.

Which network is it on?

A tag is only as good as the crowd that can hear it. A tag on Apple's Find My network is heard by passing Apple devices, which are numerous across the UK. A tag on a small private network is heard by far fewer. Network matters more than any hardware spec in this list, and it is also the one that is hardest to check from a box. Look for a plain statement that the tag works with Find My and, if you are on iPhone, ignore any that do not.

How loud is the speaker?

The speaker rating, given in decibels, is what you rely on when the tag is in the next room. BlueTag rings at 80 to 100 dB. A quiet tag fails the sofa-cushion test, so look for a figure rather than the word loud.

What is the ingress rating?

IP67 means dust-tight and able to survive a short dip in water. It covers rain, splashes and a dropped keyring in a puddle, which is the set of accidents a tag is likely to meet. A tag without a rating is a guess.

What kind of battery does it take?

Look for a replaceable CR2032 coin cell. BlueTag runs on one for up to two years. A sealed battery sets a hard stop on the life of the tag, and an increasing cost over time, because you replace the whole tag instead of a cell.

How big and heavy is it?

BlueTag is a 36.3 mm square, 9 mm thick, and weighs roughly ten grams. Size decides where it will fit, so check it against the item. A wallet tag needs to be thin; a luggage tag can be thicker. Weigh the figure against your purpose, not a rule.

Is it certified?

For iPhone use, look for MFi certification, which means the tag is part of Apple's accessory programme for Find My. It is a sign that location data is encrypted end to end and that anti-stalking alerts are supported. An uncertified tag that claims Find My support is a risk you can avoid.

What does the discount tell you?

A discount tells you nothing about any of the seven above. Run the checks first, then look at the price. If a tag passes them at a sale price, it is a bargain. If it fails one, it is not.

How BlueTag helps

BlueTag passes the checks above on paper: 60 m range in the open, 80 to 100 dB speaker, IP67, a replaceable CR2032 and MFi certification. It is sold as a box of two for under £15 and works with Apple Find My on an iPhone running iOS 14.5 or later.

It is not compatible with Android, has no Ultra Wideband radio, and is not a GPS tracker. If those are acceptable, look at BlueTag on the home page and hold its numbers against whatever the sale shows.

Frequently asked

What specs matter most on a Bluetooth tracker?

Network, speaker loudness, ingress rating and battery type matter most in daily use. Range is next, though the figure assumes a clear line of sight.

Is a cheap Bluetooth tracker any good?

It can be, provided it is certified, sits on a large network and has a replaceable battery. A very low price with missing specs is usually where the corners were cut.

Do Bluetooth trackers need a subscription?

Tags on the Find My network do not. Some other tracker types, particularly those with a mobile data radio, charge a monthly fee.

Does a Bluetooth tracker work on Android?

BlueTag does not. It is designed for Apple Find My on an iPhone, and Android owners need a tag built for their own network.