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Tile Pro (2024) Review
Never lose your stuff again with Tile’s most powerful tracker
In This Article
Verdict
The Tile Pro would be well worth the cost if it weren’t for all the other options. At a price point that draws it level with trackers like the AirTag with greater functionality, the Pro makes a good upgrade for those already invested in the ecosystem.
Its greater Bluetooth range than other Tile devices and replaceable battery are particularly eye-catching features, but newcomers may want to inspect other options to make sure their needs are being met. Tile Pro’s SOS signal function, and its integration into the Life360 tracking app, still make it a significant player in the tracker market, however.
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Tile’s largest and most capable location tracker, the Tile Pro is a distinct step up from others in the range.
This new model for 2024 includes Tile’s new SOS functionality, invoked with a triple-press of the Tile Pro’s button, but this is only available if you sign up for the Life360 app rather than the standard Tile one.
The very best thing about the Tile Pro is its claim of an extended Bluetooth detection range: 150m instead of the standard 100m (or 75m for the Sticker). This is important, as Tile locators only work using Bluetooth, with no Ultra-wideband or GPS capability, so being able to ping a receiver at a greater distance increases your chance of finding your lost item.
The Pro is also Tile’s most expensiveBluetooth tracker, with a price that takes it level with the cost of anApple AirTagor Samsung Galaxy SmartTag. Users of compatible phones might like to look at those offerings, or even Tile’s cheaper options, before investing in the Tile Pro.
Design
Tile devices come in fantastically designed packaging, with a tear strip on the side that gets you straight into the box with a minimum of faffing about.
It can be, perhaps, a little large considering the diminutive device held inside, looking rather like the sort of thing that may once have held 3.5in disks, but it’s nice to see that a bit of thought has gone into creating the wrapping for a product that could have been sold in a much less fancy receptacle.
The Tile Pro itself is almost four times the size of the Tile Sticker, and has a replaceable battery. It has a dual-colour look in common with the Tile Mate, which on our review sample is black and grey, with white and silver also available. It doesn’t get the pink, green and blue offerings of the Mate, which is a shame.
There’s a loop on the corner to attach it to key rings or lanyards (it’s fairly roomy so could even perhaps fit a carabiner), a small speaker grille at the back, and a single concave button at the front. There is a Life360 logo printed in the button recess, and a Tile wordmark at the bottom left, so you’re never in doubt about what you’ve got.
On the back, along with the fingernail hold to slip off the battery door, is a QR code bearing the legend ‘Scan me if found’.
The problems with scanning unknown QR codes aside, running your phone camera over this one gets you to a web page with a custom message and your contact details, working in exactly the same way as the Tile Lost and Found labels. It’s a nice little doubling-up of functionality.
Performance
Tile is a Bluetooth tracking system, without any other way to report its position to your phone. This means its Bluetooth range is the most important thing about it, as it needs to be in range of your smartphone, or another device connected to the Tile network, for it to work.
The range claimed by the Tile Pro is longer than others in the 2024 range. Extending the range too much, however, opens up another problem; the Bluetooth tracking is good enough to get you into the vicinity of your tracker, but for the last few metres, a Tile relies on sound.
If the Bluetooth range is longer than the distance that the Tile’s speaker can make itself heard at, you’re going to spend more time hunting for it than is strictly necessary. I could detect and hear the Pro from 30 metres away, but as I wandered further, it was the sound that faded faster than the Bluetooth connection.
In testing, the Pro reported a ‘moderate’ signal strength from around 40m away with a line of sight, but the sound it made was becoming hard to hear and was drowned out completely by a passing car’s engine. Go much further, or lose line of sight among houses, and it vanishes from the tracker display completely, reporting only its last known position on a map and allowing you to schedule a notification if it connects.
40m is still a fair distance, and the Pro beats other models in the Tile line for both detection range and speaker volume, but if you can score a connection at 50 or even 100m (the claimed Bluetooth detection range is a huge 150m), you’re not going to be able to hear the speaker unless you’re in an extremely quiet area with no obstructions.
Software
Tile devices have a choice of apps to connect to, though you’re limited to one of them if you want to use the SOS alert function. Hooking it up to the plain old Tile app will still work, at the time of writing at least, but you’re directed to the app of Tile’s parent company, Life360, if you want to use the SOS alert function.
This, with a triple-press of the button on the Tile Pro, sends an emergency message to Life360 users you set in advance. It is limited by Bluetooth availability, of course, as the Tile Pro has no other way of sending a message, but may be useful if you carry one with you along with your phone, or can convince your children to do the same.
Pairing the Tile Pro with the app is extremely easy, requiring one press of the button to put it into a pairing mode, and then tapping the ‘+’ icon in the app. This prompts the Tile Pro to play a jaunty tune when connected, giving you a preview of how loud its built-in speaker can get.
Tile subscribers in the UK, USA and Australia can also get reimbursed by the company for lost items you’re unable to find even with Tile’s help. For standard subscribers, this tops out at £75/$100/AUS$150, but step up to a Premium Protect subscription and these numbers increase tenfold.
There are a few rules over what’s covered and how to claim, plus you’ll need to register for reimbursement in advance, but it’s a nice thing to have if you’re travelling with something precious but replaceable.
Latest deals
Should you buy it?
You want the longest Bluetooth range from a Tile device
The Tile Pro’s 150-metre range makes it one of the best Bluetooth-based trackers around.
You want a compact, slimline tracker
As handy as the Tile Pro is, it’s quite a lot bigger than the likes of the Tile Slim and competitors like the AirTag, limiting where it can be used.
Final Thoughts
While there are plenty of other Tile trackers to clip or stick to your stuff, the Tile Pro has some extra features that make it the most desirable of the lot.
Its extended range, and the ability to replace the battery rather than throw out the entire unit, will make it worth the higher price for some.
However, it’s also larger than the Mate and Sticker, and won’t fit into small places in the same way the Tile Slim can, so while the Tile Pro may be Tile’s best product, it might not be perfect for everyone.
How we test
We make sure to spend at least a week with each tracker, testing all of the advertised features. We’ll also test the range of the product, and how easy it is to set up.
We spend at least a week testing each tracker
We test the maximum range of each tracker
Extensively test the companion app
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FAQs
Unlike some trackers, the Tile Pro works with both iPhone and Android users. You just need to install the Life360 or Tile apps to set it up.
With a triple-click of the built-in button, you can trigger an SOS message with your current location to be sent to pre-defined emergency contacts on Life360.
Full specs
Ian Evenden is a journalist who’s been writing for newspapers, magazines and websites for over 20 years. When not stuck behind a computer screen, he can be found wrestling with a telescope or attempti…
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Why trust our journalism?
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
