'I ditched my AirTag for rival Chipolo Card to track my luggage on flights'

No one wants to lose their luggage on their long-awaited holiday, especially when flying to a different country. An issue which has propelled the popularity of trackable Bluetooth gadgets, including the well-known AirTag.

Apple's famous coin-sized tracker isn't the only option. As someone in the tech world, I've tried a few, including , and

On a recent holiday flying from Manchester Airport, I put to the test. This sleek design mimics a bank card and has been created for slipping into a wallet, passport, or ID, similar to the or - although I chose the pocket of my suitcase to track it as I flew. It has a twist, though, as it only works on Apple's Find My network, not its own app.

Along with its attractive price, £21 in the sale, there are features that make it stand out from the AirTag and Tile crowd. If you have an Android, the will not be for you as it is not compatible. Chipolo has since come out with the more versatile which works with Google's Find My Device Network.

A standout perk to me was the simple set-up, it's as easy as opening the Find My App on your iPhone and syncing the card by pressing the loud buzzer. I also named it and picked a symbol to differentiate it from other gadgets I have. Another perk is that it doesn't use more storage space on a mobile with an app download, as it works through my existing Apple ID.

Tracking the Chipolo gadget is easy, too, as everything runs through the ios Find My App as usual. Any iPhone that moves through the tracker's range can anonymously report its location, which can then be picked up on the map as its 'last seen location'.

Notifications are sent when an iPhone moves out of range, and it pings alerts as notifications to the iPhone it's synced to. The also has a loud alarm for finding items nearby.

This particular feature beats both the Tile and AirTag I've used before. However, regarding versatility, the Slim beats Chipolo as it can be used on both Apple and Android devices.

The battery on the Chipolo CARD Spot is a mixed bag. It lasts up to two years; however, once it runs out, it can't be replaced, a downside to the product that brands like Apple and Samsung have the upper hand on. Both the AirTag and Samsung SmartTag batteries can be replaced.

This, combined with the fact that I can't share the tracker with family who have Android devices, is certainly one of its disappointing features. However, it has a Recycle and Renew program for users who send back their Chipolo device, but only if they send it back when Chipolo has sent the reminder.

Overall, I'd still recommend to iPhone users as a cheaper alternative to the humble Apple AirTag, if you catch the current £21 sale price. It's easy to set up, reliable, and tracks nearly identically to the AirTag in the iPhone Find My App. In my view, it's proof that you don't always have to buy another Apple product to pair with your iPhone - good alternatives exist.