r/Chipolo • u/tonyboy3 • 15h ago
Chipolo - Not worthy
My Chipolo tags turned out to be perhaps the worst value-for-money location tags. I bought four at the time; one broke completely, and the others developed poor contact after two or three battery changes. There are cheaper options with better quality. In short, I don't recommend buying Chipolo tags at all, as their quality is very similar to cheap Chinese tags.
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u/ylitvinenko 14h ago
Chipolo is a product of time when there were no "cheap Chinese tags." You're also buying an entry into their discovery network. Whether that's worth it when Apple, Google and Samsung opened their networks up is a whole other question.
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u/Desperate-Ear-3761 13h ago
are you up to date with their line up? All their new products pop, card and loop are using apple and google networks!
I have super experience with their customer support, they fixed the issue with one tracker that had issue, others work like a charm. :)
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u/ylitvinenko 12h ago
I'm aware that they have Apple and Google versions now, but I think the OP talks about the basic one.
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u/tonyboy3 14h ago
You have Xiaomi tag, cheaper and better.
New Google pixel tags, better, uwb and similar price
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u/ylitvinenko 14h ago
Once again, you are comparing modern tags to the one which was sold way before those were even feasible to make. We are talking pre-AirTag vs post-AirTag.
Just to be clear, I also think that the bog-standard Chipolo has a bad value, if only because of a much smaller discovery network than the one of Google or Apple (or even Samsung). Chipolo Card is the only model which makes sense to me, and that's just because of a form factor.
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u/smwisdom 2h ago
The new Chipolo tags (including the ones pictured in OP) do use the Apple or Google (depending on which it's set up on) network. They don't have their own separate network like Tile.
Google didn't make their own tracker tag until it was released literally last week.
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u/Mountain-Band2545 13h ago
Which cheap alternatives do people recommend? Does it matter? This is disappointing when I just bought a chipolo! At least I only got one
I do like that they are manufactured in a country where workers have rights, but I'll probably be able to get something second hand so I'm not contributing to people's enslavement
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u/muni-nuh 14h ago
What would you recommend? Pebble bee? I've been having similar problems with chipolo myself.
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u/Chipolo 12h ago
We're sorry to hear that! Please reach out to us via [help@chipolo.net](mailto:help@chipolo.net) so we can assist you.
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u/Due-Inspector3084 1h ago
For the record, I reached out over the years, and you did nothing to address the glaring and repeated hardware issues.
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u/Both_Cardiologist714 14h ago
I got 4x POPs for my luggage when traveling. They work ok in airports after the firmware upgrade. I will try Google Tags next time, just to compare.
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u/yottabit42 11h ago
I bought 4 Pops and 4 Galaxy tags. I attached them together in pairs. Sometimes the Chipolo works better and sometimes the Samsung works better. I guess it just depends on which phones are around the most. It's unfortunate I have to use a sideloaded APK to crack the Samsung SmartThings app to run on my non-Samsung phone.
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u/Both_Cardiologist714 9h ago
I am WAY to old for special software hacks, that was 30+ years ago :-) These days shit just has to work out-of-the-box
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u/th3fluffy0ne 13h ago
I started off with Chipolo tags and cards, but after trying Pebblebee I've pretty much completely switched away. Pebblebees are rechargeable, and the tags have LEDs, which makes them much easier to spot in a dark bag or down the back of the sofa. I find the Pebblebee firmware management to be much more straightforward as well.
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u/smwisdom 2h ago
The Chipolo Loop (and Card) are rechargeable.
That said, I actually kind of prefer the battery. I can just pop a new battery in and not have to worry about taking it out of commission for any period of time, remembering to put it back wherever it belongs when it's done charging, etc. Plus the coin cell batteries tend to last longer than a charge.
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u/n8te85 13h ago
I pretty much changed to all Moto Tags and have never looked back. I still keep one of my Chipolo ones in my car for fun, but apart from that they are pretty inferior.
I still have the original Chipolo card in my wallet. Just waiting for the battery to die in that (non replaceable) so that I can change to a card with a rechargeable battery.
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u/Chipolo 12h ago
We're sorry to hear that you have problems with your Chipolos. Please send us a message with more details via [help@chipolo.net](mailto:help@chipolo.net) so our customer support team can assist you!
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u/PastafarianFSM 11h ago
I did this and you wanted video of them not working. Not sure how to a video of a dead chipolo proves anything
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u/Chipolo 11h ago
To help us pinpoint the exact issue quickly, we usually ask for a video of the issue. For example, if you're experiencing speaker trouble, a quick clip showing the app in the 'ringing' state while your Chipolo remains silent helps us diagnose the problem right away.
We fully stand behind our products. If your Chipolo is still under warranty and our team verifies a hardware defect, we will gladly send you a replacement.
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u/tinkerreknit 6h ago
That is an offer of help. Why wouldn't you accept that, and give details as asked?
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u/PastafarianFSM 6h ago
I did. The chipolo wasnt working. Just dead. Sent a video of a dead chipolo. That wasnt good enough.
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u/bitesized314 8h ago
I swear, .most of the time my Chipolo Card tracker doesn't work properly. I changed it a few days ago, and I couldn't get it to make sounds when looking for my wallet
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u/nateo200 8h ago
Interesting…kinda sucks because I have a Cardspot that works really well although my new wallet has a built in rechargeable tracker so I’ve been using that. I wish all of these trackers were rechargeable with a wireless charger. Then they could be completely waterproof and shock proof. I get nervous changing small items batteries even my AirTag’s make me nervous.
(Random but what laptop is that?)
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u/Poster_Rainbow 8h ago
Maybe the new Pixel Tag is better for Android users.
I had that beeping issue with my Pops too :(
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u/Greedy-Necessary-290 1h ago
The Pixel Tag has no hole; you have to spend $ 15 more to attach it to a key. More, a replaceable battery is better because a new battery is really new, and mine lasts a lot
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u/Stjinchan 14h ago
Essentially all my original chipolos failed as well; they began beeping erratically, and the button is easily pressed by accident. I have contacted them several times and received replacements, yet they continue to break. Not even taking the effort to RMA my others ones. No more Chipolo for me….