TL;DR
Android users have a new, ultra-affordable option for tracking items with the LocaTag, a budget-friendly alternative to Apple's AirTag. It attaches easily and pairs with Google's 'Find My Device' network. While great for finding keys around the house thanks to its loud beep and proximity feature, its reliance on multiple nearby Android phones means slower and less precise location updates compared to AirTags, especially in less populated areas. It's not ideal for tracking stolen bikes but excels as a cheap domestic item finder. Curious if this wallet-friendly tag is right for you? Read on to see its real-world performance.
For several years, Android users have observed Apple’s AirTag with interest, recognizing its utility. The ability to easily track keys, bags, and other misplaced items has represented a notable gap in the Android ecosystem.
In 2024, Google launched its ‘Find My Device’ network, but it faced significant challenges. Initial coverage was poor, compatible tags were scarce and expensive, and critically, the network’s performance demonstrated clear limitations compared to Apple’s equivalent.
Now, barely a year later, the market offers tags from established manufacturers (we’ve previously reviewed the MotoTag from Motorola, for instance) alongside highly affordable, lesser-known alternatives. Today, our focus is on one such device: the LocaTag, available at a remarkably low price from retailers like AliExpress.
How effectively does it perform? What is its tracking reliability? And how has Google’s network matured since its initial launch? We aim to answer these questions.
First Impressions: Design and Installation
The LocaTag arrives in a small, unadorned box. Upon unboxing, the initial impression is its sheer simplicity: a small, unassuming black plastic disc featuring a convenient hole for a keyring. Its build quality does not convey a premium feel, being entirely plastic. Furthermore, it lacks an official IP rating, leaving its moisture resistance unknown. A significant advantage, however, is its power source: a standard CR2032 battery, which is easily replaceable and offers up to a year of life.
Thanks to Google’s “Fast Pair,” installation is exceptionally straightforward. Users simply pull a plastic tab to activate the battery, and shortly thereafter, a notification appears on their phone, prompting them to connect the device. With a few taps, it’s linked to a Google account and becomes visible in the “Find Hub” app. The process is remarkably intuitive and seamless.
Network / Technology
It’s important to understand that the LocaTag, like other similar trackers, does not utilize GPS but instead relies on nearby Android phones to determine its position. This is where a fundamental distinction from Apple’s approach emerges. Apple has implemented an ‘opt-out’ network, meaning virtually all iPhones participate in tracking unless a user has actively chosen to disable it. Google, conversely, has deliberately designed its network with inherent latency to mitigate potential tracking and misuse concerns.
This means that multiple nearby Android phones are required for a LocaTag to update its location, whereas a single iPhone can report an AirTag’s position.
Here, you can gain insight into Google’s rationale and the reasons why multiple devices are required to report a location.
So, how well does it work?
Scenario 1: Finding keys in the apartment
In this scenario, the LocaTag performs as expected. Within the “Find Hub” app, users can trigger a sound. The integrated speaker is not exceptionally loud; its tone is somewhat high-pitched and can be challenging to discern if the tag is obscured, but it serves its purpose effectively. The “Find Nearby” feature provides a visual indication of signal strength, offering proximity-based guidance. As the LocaTag lacks UWB, it doesn’t provide precise directional arrows, but for locating items within a home environment, it’s entirely adequate.
Scenario 2: Finding a stolen bicycle
This scenario clearly highlights the compromises inherent in Google’s network. We affixed a LocaTag beneath the saddle of a bicycle and positioned the bike in a somewhat secluded area of a wooded nature reserve, though still adjacent to a moderately trafficked walking path. The tag was then marked as lost. It took just over 3 hours for its location to be reported.
We conducted several similar tests in locations with varying levels of pedestrian traffic. When the bicycle was parked in a public bike rack in a town square, it was located promptly. However, in more secluded spots, the time required for location updates significantly increased.
The location precision also proved inconsistent: sometimes quite accurate, but at other times exhibiting a margin of error of several hundred meters. Therefore, relying on this technology to locate a stolen bicycle or a lost bag does not currently inspire full confidence.
Conclusion
As highlighted earlier in this review, the LocaTag is exceptionally affordable, a point that bears repeating. At the time of testing, a promotional offer meant it cost less than 10 SEK, including shipping, from AliExpress. Even outside of promotions, it remains available at a similarly low price point.
While the price is a significant factor, it’s crucial to understand that the LocaTag is not a direct competitor to Apple’s AirTag for the Android platform. Positioning it as such would establish unrealistic expectations. It fundamentally lacks the precision and real-time responsiveness that Apple’s network offers. This disparity is a direct consequence of the deliberate limitations Google has built into its network to prioritize user privacy.
But does this render it worthless? Not at all. It should be viewed for what it is: an exceptionally affordable item locator designed for domestic use, rather than a real-time tracker for assets like bicycles. For locating keys, or a wallet misplaced in the wrong jacket, it proves to be a useful tool at an unmatched price point. Furthermore, if an item like a bag is left behind at work, the app can indicate its last known proximity to your phone.
Are you seeking a cost-effective solution for domestic item tracking? Then the LocaTag represents a sound investment. If, however, your requirement is for a highly reliable tracker for a valuable asset like a bicycle, it would be prudent to monitor the maturation of Google’s network or explore alternative solutions. It’s important to bear in mind that other tags utilizing Google’s network currently share these same limitations.
AliExpress provided review samples for this test. Material providers have no editorial influence on our tests; we always write independently with our readers and consumers in mind.
