Chipolo One review: free features and gorgeous colors for everyone

Bluetooth trackers have been around for a while, who can blame them. We all lose things from time to time, so why not make life easier? The problem is that most options are available in gray, black, or white-shades that are not entirely exciting for most people. Now, Chipolo is changing the status quo with its vibrant One Tracker and One Spot that supports Apple Find My. Learn how they stack up in our Chipolo One review.

You can also take a look: The best Apple AirTag alternative

• Chipolo One (one pack): 25 USD/25 EUR/22 GBP
• Chipolo One (pack of four): 75 USD/75 EUR/66 GBP
• Chipolo One Spot (one pack): 28 USD/30 EUR/28 GBP
• One Chipolo in stock (four pieces): 90 USD/100 EUR/90 GBP

Chipolo One is a small disc-shaped Bluetooth tracker, you can connect it to almost anything. It has a small hole, which is perfect for keyrings, pet collars, and even some camera straps. Although it uses a lightweight plastic construction, the six color options are different from most colors you find from competitors. You can choose Chipolo One in black, white, red, blue, yellow or even green, or you can buy multiple packs to mix and match.

Chipolo’s main competitors are Apple AirTag and Samsung Galaxy SmartTag, although it is most similar to the Tile Mate tracker. It is not tied to Android or iOS, so you can download the app and share your account in both ecosystems. The companion app is the only accessory that your smart device really needs. It is the center of everything you do with Chipolo. You will need it to set reminders, manage your ringtones, and register each new Chipolo of your choice.

After setting Chipolo One, you can press it twice to make your phone ring. If you misplaced One, just go back to the app and press the Ring to Find button. When you find your Chipolo, click to mute the ringtone.

There are actually two different versions of Chipolo One available for trial-the classic One, which uses Chipolo’s community for tracking, and One Spot, which uses Apple’s Find My network to improve tracking. The latter is only compatible with Apple devices with the Find My app, such as iPhone and iPad. Sadly, Chipolo One Spot is only black. Shhh.

The convenient $25 Bluetooth tracker has an almost unparalleled two-year battery life, and you can replace the battery yourself. You only need another CR2032 battery and you can track it for years. Overall, Chipolo One sounds very impressive, so let’s test it.

The all-plastic design makes Chipolo’s One feel as light as a feather. It is not much different from a big coin, and it is easy to forget that you carry it with you. Another benefit of the plastic method is the rainbow of color choices. There is nothing wrong with a simple black or white tracker, but it is also good to show a little personality occasionally. You can also remove the rear battery color and replace it with another Chipolo One for more color combinations.

Chipolo’s free features are the best. You can take advantage of the additional fees that some other third-party trackers (such as Tile Mate) will charge you. Once your Chipolo One is out of range of your phone, the app will send you a ping signal—especially convenient if you are tracking your car key. If you want to take perfect photos without any camera shake, One can even double as a camera shutter. Enter the in-app camera, you can double-click to capture the content of your mind.

The last feature you need application control is your ringtone. I currently set mine to Pixel Dance to match my Pixel 5, and the sound is loud. Chipolo claims that One can achieve an output of up to 120dB, which I cannot refute. Even if I toss the Chipolo One into the laundry basket, I can easily hear the bells from a few rooms. In contrast, the ratings of AirTags and SmartTags are both around 90dB.

If you choose to pass your Chipolo One to friends or family, you can also delete it from your account with a few taps in the app-this is something you can’t do with the Tile tag.

What’s wrong?

Chipolo One has many things to love, but it is not a perfect Bluetooth tracker. Chipolo claims that the battery is replaceable-and it is true-but it is more difficult than you think. You have to pry open the entire rear panel, which is difficult unless your fingers are small. It is easier to complete with a small screwdriver, but you may scratch the plastic finish. At least two years of battery life, you don’t have to worry about this often.

My other major complaint about Chipolo One comes from the app. Overall, this is not a bad app, but the ringtone options are very limited. They are free, which is true, but three of your seven options are Christmas themed. If it is December and you celebrate Christmas, you may not mind too much, but this severely limits your flexibility for the rest of the year.

The Bluetooth range advertised by Chipolo One is 200 feet, which is impressive. However, this is almost impossible to achieve. You can’t have any kind of disturbance-no trees, rocks or walls. Once obstacles are introduced in the equation, the range drops to around 40 or 50 feet.

Chipolo also complicates things in terms of anti-tracking capabilities. If an unregistered Chipolo tracker is close to you for a long time, Chipolo One Spot based on Find My will send you a notification on your iPhone. This reflects Apple’s AirTags. However, the conventional Chipolo One does not have any anti-tracking features at all. A Chipolo representative stated in a statement Reddit post The omission is “a priority that we must consider” and implies a firmware update, but it also points out that there is “no set date” for any current upgrades in this area.

You also need to be extra careful around the water, because Chipolo One only has an IPX5 rating. It should be able to handle splashes without problems, but if it falls into a lake or pool, you may be in trouble. Tile’s top tags and AirTag provide more protection here.

Chipolo One Review: Should I buy it?

If you want a truly flexible Bluetooth tracker, Chipolo One should be your first choice. It combines excellent free features and excellent battery life while maintaining a wallet-friendly price point. You cannot get a blue AirTag or a green Galaxy SmartTag, but you can buy Chipolo in two shades and more.

Chipolo One is the closest to Tile Mate, but Tile only has an advantage in battery replacement. After all, the inconvenience of two minutes every two years is better than the annual battery replacement and additional subscription fees. Chipolo may not offer as many shapes or sizes as Tile, but One is small enough and thin enough for most purposes. Don’t forget, Chipolo won’t lock you in Android or iOS like Apple’s and Samsung’s competitors do-you can bring this tracker to any new device you pick up.

As for Chipolo One Spot, it is an excellent alternative to Apple’s own AirTags. Although you will lose some features due to lack of some hardware (especially without precise search or contact sharing in lost mode), One Spot is louder and cheaper than Apple’s label, and you can still access “Find My” The internet.

Those who are afraid of Christmas music may think twice, but there are other ringtones to try. At only $25 (or just a few more dollars for Spot), this is the peace of mind that most users are willing to pay.