The Tile alternative built for trade kit
Tile is a genuinely good consumer finder, and unlike AirTag it works across iPhone and Android. For a van full of tools, though, you want an asset register, a shared dashboard and a recovery workflow. Here is an honest look at where Tile wins and where Localizit fits better.
What Tile is best at
- •Finding everyday personal items: keys, bags, remotes and luggage.
- •Cross-platform from the start: the app and finding network run on both iPhone and Android.
- •A large, established consumer finding community and easy high-street and online availability.
- •A low entry price and a simple, polished consumer app.
What Localizit is best at
- •An asset register: make, model, serial, photos and value against every tag, so you can prove what is yours.
- •Accountability: QR check-in and out shows who had each tool last and on which job.
- •Covert tags that hide in a case, drawer or power tool instead of a recognisable branded fob.
- •4G GPS for vans, plant and high-value kit on the same map as the BLE tags.
- •A business account with team access, geofences, out-of-hours alerts and a live police recovery link.
| Tile | Localizit | |
|---|---|---|
| Designed for | Personal items and everyday carry | Business kit: tools, plant, vehicles and equipment |
| Platforms | Cross-platform: iPhone and Android | Cross-platform: iPhone and Android, plus a web dashboard |
| Form factor | A recognisable branded tag or sticker | Covert tags (paper-thin, card, capsule, hard-wired) plus 4G GPS units |
| Live GPS option | Bluetooth only, located by passing phones | BLE tags by passing phones, plus 4G GPS that reports its own position |
| Asset register | Consumer app, no serial or ownership register | Serial, make, model, photos and value against every asset |
| Who had it last | Not built for shared, multi-user accountability | QR check-in and out with a full assignment history |
| Business features | Personal account, limited sharing | Workspaces, team roles, geofences and out-of-hours alerts |
| Recovery | Find it on your own phone | Share a live, revocable recovery link with the police, no login for them |
| Running cost | Tags are cheap; some features need Tile Premium | No SIM or data fee on BLE tags; one monthly platform plan covers the fleet |
Tile is a trademark of its respective owner. Localizit is not affiliated with Tile. This comparison reflects each product's design intent and publicly described features.
When Tile is the better choice
- •You mainly want to find personal items like keys, a bag or a laptop sleeve.
- •You want the widest possible consumer finding network for items left in busy public places.
- •You want something cheap you can buy off the shelf today, with no business account to set up.
When Localizit fits better
- •You are a business tracking shared kit across vans, crews and sites.
- •You need a register with serial numbers for insurance and police reports.
- •You want covert tags, plus 4G GPS on vehicles and high-value plant, all on one map.
- •You want to hand the police a live tracking link when kit is stolen.
Both Tile and Localizit BLE tags rely on passing phones to update, so both report often in busy areas and less often in remote spots. The real difference is the job each is built for: Tile is a consumer finder, while Localizit is a business platform with a register, accountability and a 4G GPS option for the kit you cannot afford to lose.
Localizit vs Tile FAQs
Is Localizit a good Tile alternative for work tools?
Yes, if you are tracking business kit rather than personal items. Tile is a polished consumer finder, but Localizit adds the things a trade business needs: a serial-number asset register, QR check-in and out so you know who had a tool last, covert tags, a 4G GPS option and a live recovery link to share with the police.
Does Tile or Localizit work on both iPhone and Android?
Both do. Tile has been cross-platform for years, and Localizit also locates tags via passing iPhone and Android phones, with a web dashboard on top. Neither is tied to one phone brand, unlike AirTag or Samsung SmartTag.
Can Localizit track vehicles and plant, not just small items?
Yes. Alongside covert BLE tags, Localizit offers 4G GPS trackers for vans, plant and high-value assets that report their own live position over the mobile network, on the same map as the tags. Tile is Bluetooth only.
Is there a subscription?
Localizit BLE tags carry no SIM or data fees and are a one-off hardware cost. The platform is a single monthly plan that covers your whole tag list, from £29 a month, with geofencing, alerts, the asset register and police-share links included. Tile tags are cheap to buy, though some Tile features sit behind its own premium subscription.
Why not just use Tile for everything?
For keys and bags, Tile is great. For a business, the gaps show up fast: no shared asset register, no who-had-it-last accountability, no geofenced out-of-hours alerting, no 4G GPS and no police recovery link. Localizit is built around those workflows.
See if Localizit fits your kit
Covert BLE tags and 4G GPS on one map, with an asset register and a police recovery link.