Tile Pro review: Become a pro at never losing things again

While we're still waiting for the arrival of Apple AirTags, for the more forgetful folk like myself, we need a solution right now, especially when it comes to our more important items like keys and wallets. Tile has been around for a while now, and the company releases updated versions of its trackers pretty much every year.

Honestly, if you need a tracker for your items ASAP, Tile is a very affordable investment. Tile has many different versions of trackers in the lineup, from the base-level Tile Mate to the credit card-like Tile Slim.

I know that some of us refuse to buy a Tile at this point and will wait for AirTags, but I often forget where I put things, so I bit the bullet and picked up some Tiles recently. I immediately put my Tiles on my keys and inside my wallet because these are arguably the most important items I can't lose. So far, I believe that the Tile Pro has been worth the cost, making it one of the best Bluetooth trackers on the market.

Tile Pro: Price and availability

The Tile Pro is readily available at most big box retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, and even Target. One Tile Pro costs $35, but you can also pick up multi-packs that range from a 2-pack or even 4-pack. Tile also sells the Tile Pro on its website directly, along with unique combos like Tile Pro + Tile Slim for slightly more.

While the Tile Pro primarily comes in the black color at most big box retailers, there is a white version available only in the 2-pack and 4-pack. The Tile website also has a Ruby Red color available, as well as some unique limited edition designs that are not sold anywhere else.

Tile Pro: Long-range tracking with a loud alarm

The Tile Pro is the most durable Tile offered by the company. It's made with a plastic material that is water-resistant and should be able to withstand anything you throw at it. It's slightly bigger than the Tile Mate with dimensions of 1.64 x 1.64 x 0.26-inches, and it weighs about 12 grams. Still, it's pretty discreet and lightweight, so once you have it in place, you'll barely notice that it's there.

Unless you buy a multi-pack of Tile Pros or pick up a limited edition color, the Tile Pro will be black. It has the Tile logo emblazoned on the front, though it's less noticeable than the Tile Mate or a white Pro because it's all black. However, the Tile Pro's latest iteration has no texture or patterns on it to help it stand out, unlike previous generations. On the back of the Tile Pro are the speaker holes for the alarm and the battery cover for the user-replaceable CR2032 battery that it uses. In the corner of the Tile Pro is a hole, allowing you to attach it to your keyring or carabiner.

Setting up the Tile Pro is easy and straightforward with the Tile app. Just download the app, log in or create an account, choose to add a new Tile, and then follow the on-screen instructions.

With Tile Pro, you get a Bluetooth range of 400 feet, which is double what you get with Tile Mate or Tile Slim. Of course, this is also affected by the environment, so the signal may be stronger or weaker depending on walls and other wireless devices.

In the Tile app, all of your Tiles are shown in a grid. If you can't find the item that your Tile Pro is attached to, tap on the "Find" button to ring it. Tile Pro is equipped with the "loudest" alarm, which is about twice as loud as the Tile Mate, which is twice as loud as the previous generation Mate at 88-decibels. While I find the default ring tone to be fine, you can choose one of the Tile app's various tones.

When Tile says that the Tile Pro has the loudest alarm, they mean it. I had the Tile Pro and Tile Mate side-by-side to compare, and the Pro is louder, though I'm not sure I would say it's twice as loud as the Mate. During my testing, I could hear the Tile Pro slightly better from my home's front porch area all the way to my back office, but this is when the 1500 square foot house is quiet. For a busier and noisier location, the Pro's louder alarm will help, but it still depends on the area. I also tried muffling the Pro's speaker with some clothes, and it became about as loud as the Mate normally — it definitely got faint much faster as there was more distance between the Tile Pro and me.

Like other Tile products, you can also use the Tile Pro to ping your iPhone by double-pressing the Tile logo button. This feature is nice, but it can feel a little redundant if you already have one of the best Apple Watches. Those who don't will appreciate this feature, though. You can also use Siri Shortcuts to help you find your keys, and there is support for Amazon Alexa and Hey Google.

The best thing about Tile is that it has a huge population of users already, though this is dependent on where you live. With the Tile community, if you leave your item behind, you can tap the button in the app to get a notification when your item is within range of another Tile user. But don't worry — all of this data is anonymous, so the other person won't know they are near your Tile. Again, Tile's community aspect works best in more populated areas since there may be more users, but Tile has been around for a long time, so even if you're not in a dense city, it should work.

Now, since the Tile Pro is an item tracker, you're going to want notifications when you leave something behind that you shouldn't have. For Tile, this is called Smart Alerts, but it is only available if you have a Tile Premium subscription. Tile Premium's other benefits include free battery replacements, unlimited sharing with friends and family, 30-day location history, an extended 3-year warranty, and premium customer care. Tile Premium starts at $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year, and you can get a 1-month free trial before committing.

There is also Tile Premium Protect, which costs $99.99 a year. The only difference is that Premium Protect adds item reimbursement up to $1000 through XCover.com. If you cannot find your lost item with your Tile Pro, you'll get reimbursed up to $1000 for the item per year.

Smart Alerts is undoubtedly the most useful feature for a Tile Pro (or any Tile tracker). It's unfortunate that such a basic feature is locked behind a subscription, but Smart Alerts makes Premium worthwhile if you don't mind an additional cost.

Tile Pro: Lost some of the unique charm

It doesn't affect the functionality at all, but the design of the latest Tile Pro is a little disappointing. I enjoyed the previous iteration's looks because it had textures and patterns that made it stand out from the entry-level Tile. However, this new design is bland, boring, and just uninspired unless you pick up one of the limited edition ones. But of course, that will cost you extra, and you can only get them on Tile's website. It is also annoying that you can't purchase the white Tile Pro individually.

While Tile claims that the Pro is equipped with the loudest alarm, it sounds like it is only ever so slightly louder than the Mate. I was expecting it to be much louder than it is, but at least the Bluetooth range has doubled.

And again, I really wish that Smart Alerts was a feature that came with any Tile without subscribing to a premium service. For a device that is supposed to help you track important items, getting notifications when you leave it behind should just be included. And honestly, that's the only thing that would make me want to subscribe in the first place, so it's annoying that it's used as a pull.

Tile Pro: Competition

The Tile Pro is one of the few trackers out there with an incredibly long range of 400 feet. However, a good alternative to consider is the Chipolo One, mostly because you get the notification that it's left behind included with your initial purchase, no subscription required. However, the range is only 200 feet.

If you don't need the 400-foot range, then you could consider the Tile Mate. It's a few dollars less than the Pro, and it is smaller and more lightweight. However, the alarm is not quite as loud as the Pro, and it only has a range of up to 200 feet.

For those who want a Tile tracker designed to go in the wallet, consider the Tile Slim. Just keep in mind that the Slim also only has a 200-foot range, and while it has three-year battery life, it is not replaceable.

Tile Pro: Should you buy it?

• You want the most range in an item tracker
• You want the loudest alarm to track something down
• You often forget where you place important objects

• You are waiting for Apple AirTags
• You don't want to pay a subscription for one feature
• You don't forget where things are

If you tend to lose your important items more often than not, then the Tile Pro is a good investment. It has the longest range out of all the Tile trackers, as well as the competition. The alarm on it is also the loudest, making it easier to track your object down when it's lost, and you're nearby. And if you don't have an Apple Watch, the Tile Pro can be used to ping your phone.

Just know that Smart Alerts, which is one of the most useful features of any Tile tracker, is locked behind a Tile Premium subscription. Honestly, this feature should be included with a Tile purchase, so it is a little annoying that you need to pay more to have a basic feature. But the Tile community is large and vast, and it can easily help you find your missing items.

If you can't wait for Apple AirTags any longer, consider picking up a Tile Pro or Tile Mate if you need a slightly cheaper option.