Short answer: Apple's AirTag doesn't work with Android. It relies on the Find My network, which only exists on Apple devices. But Android has its own tracking network, Google Find Hub, and a growing selection of trackers that work with it. Which one is right for you depends mainly on what you want to track.
Why the AirTag doesn't work with Android
The AirTag reports its location via iPhones, iPads, and Macs nearby. An Android phone can neither use this network nor set up an AirTag. The only thing that works with Android: if you find a stranger's AirTag, you can read it via NFC and contact the owner. That's not useful for tracking your own things.
Google Find Hub: Android's equivalent to Find My
Since 2024, Google operates its own finding network, initially called Find My Device, now as Find Hub. It works the same way as Apple's network: Android devices near your tracker report its location anonymously and encrypted to you. According to Google, over a billion Android devices worldwide participate. Android 9 or newer is required.
These trackers work with Android
An honest overview of the known options:
- Chipolo and Pebblebee make tags and clips for Find Hub. Solid choice for key chains and backpacks. Some models come in separate versions for Apple or Google, so check carefully when buying.
- Moto Tag from Motorola has the format of an AirTag and works in Find Hub. Good for anything you can attach a round tag to.
- Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 doesn't work in Google's network, but in Samsung's own SmartThings Find. It only works with Galaxy phones. If you don't have Samsung, you can't use it.
- Trackcard One is a card instead of a tag: credit card format, 1.7 mm thin, made for the wallet. It works in Google Find Hub from Android 9 onwards. Huawei devices are not supported.
For the wallet: card instead of tag
For keys, the shape doesn't matter. For a wallet it does. An AirTag is round and 8 mm thick, a tag in the same format looks bulky in the card slot or won't fit at all. A tracker card has exactly the dimensions of a bank card and disappears in a normal card slot.
The Trackcard One is a rechargeable Bluetooth tracker card in credit card format for Android, tracked via Google Find Hub, 1.7 mm thin and without a subscription. The battery lasts at least 4 months, charged wirelessly without a charging port on the card. It's IP68 waterproof and rings at 100 dB when you search for it. There are no ongoing costs.
Is Google's network sufficient for finding things?
The honest answer: it depends on where you lose your item. In cities and busy areas, the density of Android devices is high, and the location updates reliably. In rural areas or forests, it can take a while for a device to pass by. The same applies to Apple's network, it's just a few years older. For the most common case, your wallet is lying in your apartment, office, or café, something else matters: the last reported location and a loud ring tone for searching nearby.
Briefly answered
Does an AirTag work with Android? No. It can't be set up or tracked with Android.
What's the AirTag alternative for Android? A tracker in Google Find Hub. For keys, a tag from Chipolo, Pebblebee, or Motorola; for the wallet, a card like the Trackcard One.
Do I need a subscription? Not for the Find Hub network. With the Trackcard One, you pay once, nothing after that.
What about Huawei? Huawei devices without Google services can't use Find Hub. None of the trackers mentioned work there.
How a card works in technical detail is explained in the guide What is a tracker card and how does it work?. You can find all models in the overview Tracker cards.
