Head-to-Head: AirTags vs. Logistimatics GPS Trackers

It’s always important to compare products when you have a particular need, and GPS trackers are no different. At Logistimatics, we never want you going into this decision blind. You might be looking for personal GPS tracking options for your vehicle, boat, RV, or travel adventures. Or you could be a business owner who needs to track hundreds of assets all over the country. The GPS product you settle on should be able to meet your unique needs.

Today, we’ll compare the features and advantages of Apple’s AirTags to our product offering.

AirTag Basics

The Apple AirTag is a compact tracker designed to help you find whatever you attach it to. They’re small enough to fit in your purse or on a keychain and, with the help of your iPhone and a Bluetooth signal, make it easy to locate those items. While any iPhone may detect your AirTag (for privacy reasons to discourage unwanted tracking), all your location data is anonymous and is not stored on the AirTag itself. The AirTag and iPhone app are easy to set up and deploy, making it an attractive purchase for anyone who wants to keep an eye on something.

Logistimatics trackers and AirTags share a core philosophy—tracking your assets. However, at Logistimatics we differ by focusing on long-term, remote access to track anything and anywhere. To AirTag’s credit, the coin-sized compact shape is its greatest strength. But that compact size also leads to shortcomings that make it less useful in a few key aspects.

AirTag Shortcomings

You need an Apple device. 

Apple’s proprietary nature keeps everything in-house, so if you want an AirTag tracker, you’ll need an iPhone to go along with it. Some features like their Precision Finding even require an iPhone 11 or better to work! If you don’t already have an iPhone, that’s a pretty expensive bar of entry.

You (or someone else with an iPhone) must be in Bluetooth range. 

If there’s no iPhone nearby, an AirTag won’t transmit anything. This is helpful from a “lost your keys in your house” point of view, but it becomes less useful in the case of losing your asset while traveling or in the unfortunate event that something is stolen. The best you can do at that point is put the AirTag in Lost Mode for it to notify you when an iPhone gets in range.

An AirTag’s battery is limited to around a year of use.

And that’s assuming only a few uses of its “play sound events.” After you’ve used up the battery life, the battery or AirTag must be replaced as there is no recharging option.

Logistimatics Alternatives

In contrast, Logistimatic’s solution helps you keep tabs on everything you’re tracking from most devices—iPhone, Android, or desktop. A combination of location and communication technologies also allows you to see where your asset is from nearly any range. Additionally, our anti-tampering programming lets you know whenever a tracker is removed from its mount. Regarding battery life, our products come with rechargeable and replaceable battery options that you can decide on based on specific considerations like how regularly you’d like to receive location updates.

Lost-and-Found vs. Long-lasting Peace of Mind

AirTags have their use. They make it easy to locate your items, especially if you’ve misplaced them nearby. IF you have an operational AirTag on your keys, IF you have a compatible iPhone, and IF you’re nearby, you’re only one short game of Marco Polo away from finding your keys.

But when it comes to tracking your assets—whether that’s a car, a suitcase, or an entire shipping network for your business—you don’t want to rely on those necessary factors to know your assets are safe. You need a tracker with plenty of customizability, long-term reliability, and regular updates to offer peace of mind and plenty of data to inform your future choices.

We Solve Bluetooth Tracking Challenges

We’ve touched a little bit on how Logistimatics trackers size up against the AirTag’s utility, but let’s get specific:

Accessible From Anywhere: We don’t require a particular mobile device to host our app, though our in-house app is designed to help you get the most out of your GPS tracker. The mobile app lets you view real-time location updates on all your trackers with plenty of customization options. Both our mobile and web interfaces offer a powerful set of tools and customization options that not only show you where each of your trackers is, but also allow you to rename them for easy identification, and add optional notifications like individual email addresses to update various people regarding each tracker’s location.

Distance: Logstimatics trackers use 4G cellular networks and produce signals capable of transmitting through shipping containers. Our trackers will continue to poll and store their location, so even when coverage is lost, the location history uploads to the Logistimatics platform once the device re-enters the coverage area, eliminating any gaps in location data.

Battery life: Our trackers have no one standard for battery life. The Pocket Tracker comes with up to 10-days of battery life per charge and is an ideal tracker for keeping an eye on luggage, photography equipment, frequently used tools, and other assets. On the other side of the battery life spectrum, our Asset-432 comes with up to 3-years of battery life, making it perfect for tracking containers over long distances and longer timelines.

Our mission is to provide you with the reliable tracking you need—no matter your situation. If you’re interested in investing in the kind of peace of mind GPS tracking can offer, feel free to contact the Logistimatics Team to discuss your tracking needs today.