Best GPS and Bluetooth trackers to keep tabs on your stuff while you move 2024

The Tack GPS is a compact tracker that strikes a nice balance between cost and capabilities. For $60, it gives you up to 30 days of battery life and the most affordable subscription options on this list. Only two subscription plans exist, but you can pay as little as $2.95 monthly if you prepay for two years.

Once your move is over, the Tack GPS has features that make it handy for keeping track of everything from your bike to your dog and kids. You can set safe zones to get alerts when a child or item you're tracking leaves them, and there's an emergency button on the device that your child or elderly family member can press if they need help.

In a verified purchase review on Amazon from 2023, the reviewer writes "compared to what's available for the summer of 2023 I don't think there's a better choice."

If you want the tracker with the cheapest up-front cost, this one from LandAirSea is worth a look. It's regularly $29.95 but recently saw discounts to $19.95. However, its lowest subscription price is $9.95 per month for a three-minute update frequency, with prices increasing to $24.95 per month for updates every three seconds.

The tracker has a strong magnet that makes it easy to attach to metal surfaces. It's motion-activated to save battery life, automatically switching tracking updates back on once it starts moving. You can also set up geofencing to get alerts when something you're tracking leaves a designated area.

In its review of the device, car enthusiast site Motor1.com said, "as our favorite battery-powered positioning system, the LandAirSea 54 GPS Tracker delivers exceptional tracking."

The Jiobit Smart Tag is designed as a tracker for kids and elderly adults, but its capabilities mean it can pull double duty as a tracker for your moving boxes. It's expensive, though, at $130 and $17 per month for a subscription (or $99 billed annually). If you have small children and don't want to drop money on a tracker for just your move, the cost could be worth it.

In its review of the Jiobit Smart Tag, PCMag said: "In testing, the GPS mode reported extraordinarily accurate location data. When my child was at a camp in a remote location, for instance, the Jiobit was still able to locate them for the entirety of the trip. This is impressive, as my iPhone's built-in tracking features failed to do the same."

Jiobit shares location data every 10 seconds and comes with geofencing to send alerts when whatever you're tracking goes outside a designated zone. Its modular loops and clips make it simple to attach to whatever (or whomever) you need to track.

Apple's AirTag is a great, cheap option for a tracker that you can use for loads of different stuff after your move. It doesn't have GPS capabilities built in, however. Instead, AirTags rely on pinging nearby iPhones over Bluetooth to report their location on Apple's FindMy network.

You have to use an iPhone to use an AirTag, but there's no subscription required like with dedicated GPS trackers. You'll also get a solid year or more of battery life before you have to replace the coin battery inside. They're also small and easy to tuck away inside moving boxes or bags.

In its review of the tracker, TechRadar said AirTags are "an invaluable and easy-to-use tool for reuniting you with your misplaced possessions."

Samsung's SmartTag 2 is its answer to the Apple AirTag, and it comes with many of the same benefits and downsides. Again, there's no dedicated GPS tracking. Instead, the SmartTag 2 pings nearby Samsung phones to report its location to the company's SmartThings Find network.

There's no subscription, but it will only work if you have a Samsung phone. Unlike Apple's AirTag, though, the Samsung SmartTag 2 lets you see location history for whatever you're tracking. Its dedicated keyring hole makes it easy to attach to other objects.

In its review of the SmartTag 2, PCMag said the tracker "is a useful smart tracker that quickly and accurately helps you find your misplaced stuff."

If you have a home with mixed Android and iPhone users who need trackers, Tile Mate is your best bet. The company has made trackers for years, and this GPS-less option has similar benefits and drawbacks to the iPhone and Samsung options. Instead of relying on the FindMy or SmartThings networks, though, Tile's network pings off other Tile users to determine its location when outside the Bluetooth range of your phone.

You can also use the Life360 app to track your Tile, a nice bonus for anyone who already uses it with their family. The keyring notch makes it easy to attach to a bag, and its small size makes it simple to toss in a moving box. Just be aware that it may be less likely that your Tile Mate is in range of another Tile user to report its location compared to Apple and Samsung's larger networks.

In its review of the Tile Mate, CNN said: "If you're an Android user looking for an easy way to track down your lost stuff, the Tile Mate is a great buy."