I use a LoRaWAN tracker and Traccar. But you shouldn't take it on international flights due to frequencies being different in other countries.
this post was submitted on 27 Jan 2026
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Are there any (ideally waterproof) compact devices with long battery life (months~years)?
On the website I only found a long list of supported devices with brand name search and protocol type. grep showed no LoRaWAN devices though?
My use-case is theft tracking. I only need the device to be able to locate itself after a theft actually occurred and I request it remotely. (Perhaps also periodically with very low frequency.)
I use Google FindMy devices which use the same tech as airtags. Still Google, which is bad, but at least I don't have to buy an iPhone.
Which tag devices would you use?
Pebble bee I think? They've been fine. They're rechargeable, which is nice.
Interesting! Looked through the Home Assistant forums and seems there is little to no support for them as a product.
I'm not sure what you mean by that, there's a plugin that adds FindMy network support to Home Assistant that seems to be up to date. If you mean Google doesn't support them, I'm also not sure what you mean by that. The app is on my phone, up to date, and tracking devices, same as the Apple network, just with Google devices. If your issue is Pebblebee, there are multiple different brands you can buy from depending on your needs, but generally, a tracker is a tracker.
As far as how well they work to track lost items, I'm honestly not sure, as I haven't lost anything yet. They should be comparable to an Airtag, as they can ping off of all Android devices unless someone opts out.
but generally, a tracker is a tracker.
Most tracker brands for Android only ping from phones that have their app installed. Not all Android devices. Since there is no brand that has an overwhelming market share that means the chance to find a lost Android tracker is much smaller than the apple ones. I have some, but I only trust them to find my keys within Bluetooth range.
Most tracker brands for Android only ping from phones that have their app installed. Not all Android devices.
There are tags for both Apple and Android that connect to their respective networks; and phones of the right network passing by will spot and announce locations.
This year there are trackers which will connect to either distinct network, albeit you can only choose once and it can't switch without a factory reset. Those brands will have an overwhelming market share AND not require a branded app for daily use and recovery.
Since there is no brand that has an overwhelming market share that means the chance to find a lost Android tracker is much smaller than the apple ones.
In the known universe, Android has 73% of the market. 73 is bigger than 27.
I have some, but I only trust them to find my keys within Bluetooth range.
I can confirm you can find the right tags even when outside of BT range.
The chipolo Loop
- is a rechargeable fob
- will work with either 'find my' network
- doesn't therefore depend on app popularity
- pairing is "oh it's done" level of easy. Bizarre.
The chipolo Card (not card One or card Spot; Card)
- is a card shape, of course
- also works with either 'find my' network
- therefore doesn't need an app installed or running
- recharges by qi
The Rhino key device leverages/licenses chipolo tech, uses its tools, and therefore
- either 'find' network
- no special app required for daily use
The Rhinokey Card (this is getting repetitive)
- backs onto chipolo
- either network
- app not required for regular use
- Qi charges
The chipolo app:
- allows to adjust volume
- I forget what else.
We have one Loop we're testing, and it works as expected, right outta her S24 or so, and with my S10. She shares me the loop right outta Find My. She installed no app. We did not pair it with an iPhone as hers is a work phone.
We intend to get more Loops, and Cards for the parents and ourselves. The boomers are all on iPhones so it will be fun science.
I meant a Google FindMy compatible tracker, they ping off of all Android devices, I believe it's opt-out to be a part of the network. It's honestly a failure on Google's part that so many don't seem to be aware that Google has an alternative to AirTags.
I manage mine from ios and macos. It’s worth it for being able to track checked guns.
If the consequences of losing the thingy are grave enough then it justifies even keeping a device you don’t want.
Exactly why I'm asking. Doesn't have to be Apple, because seems this won't work for me without a MacOS or iOS device from them for registration, but it is in consideration of tracking items that are checked on flights and worth the cost.
The best tracking is through airtags. There are some circumstances where things even out between them and all the competitors/homebrew options but nothing else is better.
The benefit of airtags over all the alternatives isn’t that they work best and most consistently, but that everyone understands the technology and isn’t going to give you the run around when you show up claiming that your suitcase is in the wrong country.
Even though the alternatives use the same underlying technology, the branded airtag version and its implications are understood from the baggage handlers all the way up to the late night magistrates. Alternatives often need to wait for someone who recognizes that they’re near incontrovertible evidence of a fuckup to come around and whip all the rest of their colleagues into a frenzy over it.
There are some cheap macos and ios doodads out there if it’s just gonna be a tracker.
afaik airtags are apple-proprietary, so someone would need to reverse-engineer them first. that's probably not a small ask. i haven't personally looked into it though, so here's hoping! 🤞
The system was reverse-engineered almost as soon as it was released. You can do the reverse of what OP is asking using OpenHaystack (track a non-Apple device using Apple's Find My Network).
It looks like they have an Android app which means a Linux app could exist, and wouldn't that do exactly what OP wants to do?
Edit: Looks like it might depend on Apple Mail. I wonder how the apps work. It must need to be running on a Mac somewhere or something?
Edit: Yup, that's exactly it, needs to be running on a Mac.
You know... I know how to take care of my stuff, without making Apple or anyone else rich. ;-)
Doesn't help with check-in luggage
Well, don't put anything in your luggage that you can't afford to loose. People strangely enough still traveled before any kind of tags (besides those in paper and plastic, put on the luggage). :-)
That's very unhelpful. Sometimes traveling is not optional and you can't take everything in the cabin.
People strangely enough still traveled before any kind of tags
People also used to travel on wooden boats with a fair chance to never reach the destination alive. How does that help anyone?
Right, what about in the case of something like luggage that was checked onto a flight and lost. Wondering about this scenario, which has happened twice.
If don't trust the airline, don't put something in your luggage you can't afford to loose. Take responsibility for the things you have, and if you need it, get an insurance for your luggage.