Why I Prefer This Bluetooth Tracker Card In My Wallet Over Airtags - Especially At This Price

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• Thinner than akin locator tags by immoderate 30%
• 18-month artillery life, rechargeable utilizing a Qi charging pad
• Tough, durable, and dust- and water-resistant.

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My Camino Frances hike -- well, nan past 70 aliases truthful miles -- starts successful a fewer days for maine and my stepping buddy, and 1 of nan things that I don't want to hap on nan measurement is that we suffer thing important. Keys, backpacks, wallets, passports, and moreover coats are finder tagged. 

I'm an iPhone user, and truthful I've stuck AirTags onto beautiful overmuch everything of worth (using nan fantabulous accessories that Elevation Lab makes for that task). My way buddy is an Android user, and they're having to usage thing different. 

Also: I recovered an AirTag replacement that thumps nan Bluetooth locator successful meaningful ways (including price)

While keys and backpacks are protected utilizing nan caller Pebblebee Clip 5 tags, they're a spot connected nan large broadside to spell into a wallet. Yet fearfulness not, because Pebblebee has thing for that request -- nan Card 5.  

The Card 5 looks and feels somewhat thicker than a normal in installments card. I've had credit-card-sized locator tags successful nan past, and astatine only 0.07 inches/1.74 mm thin, this tag is importantly thinner than those -- immoderate 30% thinner, according to Pebblebee. 

The Card 5 is super, ace thin.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Inside nan tough, durable exterior -- designed to IPX6 standards to motion disconnected particulate and rainfall -- is simply a batch of cool electronics.

There's a Bluetooth finder tag pinch a clear statement of show scope of 500 feet (150 meters) that useful with Apple's Find My network or Google's Find My Hub. To make uncovering things easier, nan tag features a super-loud beeper that is importantly louder than nan AirTag's, arsenic good arsenic agleam LEDs, allowing you to hunt successful nan dark.

Also: I thought this iPhone surface protector was overrated - until I deed it pinch a brass knuckle

I've tested this tag, and it had nary problem uncovering a wallet astatine a 500-foot distance, and it happily connected to my iPhone erstwhile hidden successful a conveyance that was immoderate 250 feet away.

Charge nan Card 5 from immoderate useful Qi charging pad.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

There's besides a rechargeable artillery wrong that'll support nan tag moving for 18 months. When it's clip for a recharge, you conscionable spot nan tag connected a wireless charging pad -- nary USB-C ports aliases cables.

All this exertion operates successful a finder tag that weighs conscionable 0.49 ounces/14 grams.

ZDNET's buying advice

AirTags are great, but nan UFO-esque style doesn't lend itself to being put into a wallet aliases purse. The Pebblebee Card 5 is perfect, because it's conscionable a small thicker than a card, and yet it packs a batch of locator tech into a mini space. It's tough, resists bending and flexing, shrugs disconnected water, and lasts good complete a twelvemonth connected a azygous charge.

And it useful for some iPhones and Android devices.

Normally priced astatine $35, there's presently a monolithic 30% off, bringing nan value down to $24. This makes nan instrumentality a must-have for tech aficionados and a awesome gift for those successful your life who often misplace their belongings.