Update: 1/8/18:
TrackR will now replace your first battery for FREE! I’ve been using TrackR for a couple of months now without issue. But I am surprised that the initial battery only lasted 2 months. TrackR states that it should last a year, but have seen 3-4 months usage out of them. The one in my wallet has not died yet and I got them both at the same time.
Original Post
I just made the switch from Tile to Trackr. I bought two Tiles around this time last year, one for my keys and one for my wallet. The Tile worked well for a while, but then it didn’t, and then the battery died, so I was on the hunt for a different option. I did a bunch of research and finally landed on the Trackr because it was the second highest rated tracker after the Tile and it has a replaceable battery.
The two big reasons I made the switch was because the Tile didn’t always work and the battery isn’t replaceable.
Tile dosn’t always work
It seems that everytime I wanted to find my stuff, the Tile couldn’t find it. It would say it is nearby, but couldn’t connect to it. Or it would tell me it couldn’t find it even though I was holding both my phone and my wallet. When I contacted support, then sent me a slew of questions, but never resolved my issue.
- When was the last time your Tile played a tune when you pressed “Find” in the app?
- In the app, were you able to press “Find”? Did the green “Find” button change to a blue “Done” button?
- Does your Tile play a tune when you press the silver or “tile” button firmly for one second?
- Does your Tile ring your phone when you double-press firmly on the silver or “tile” button on your Tile?
Ultimately, I never got around to figuring out why it didn’t work…then…
Tile’s battery isn’t replaceable
After about 9 months, I got a message from Tile saying that both of my Tiles needed to be replaced. Apparently, the battery only lasts one year and then it shuts off. I didn’t realize this when I bought them. I thought it would last at least a few years.
The Tile Slim for my wallet is $30
The Tile Mate for my keys is $25
That’s $55 a year to track my stuff. It’s not that expensive, but I’m considering getting a few more for my family. I don’t want to have to spend $100 a year. I’d rather buy the device once and swap the batteries out when needed.
The Trackr, on the other hand, is $25 ($14 after coupon) and the battery (CR2016) can be found for a couple bucks each on Amazon.
Trackr Coupons
If you do decide to purchase a Trackr, make sure you google ‘trackr coupons’ first. I was able to get $10 off each of the two I ordered directly from their website.
Jon