Comparing Blue Tooth Tool Trackers – Toolie vs AirTag vs Tick

Momentum Toolie vs. Apple AirTag vs. Milwaukee Tick

Not all Bluetooth tool trackers are created equal.

The Momentum Toolie, Apple AirTag, and Milwaukee Tick are all Bluetooth-enabled tracking devices — but they have very different use cases and capabilities. This guide breaks down the pros and cons of each, so you can choose the right tool tracker for your field service business.

Why This Comparison Matters

Business owners have specific needs and comparisons like these help them choose the best option for their business. It’s important to note that we use some of the products we are comparing our hardware to because they solve different problems.

What Makes the Toolie Unique?

Well, we have a patent. Toolie is the only Bluetooth tool tracker with a built-in accelerometer that enables it to log both location and activity.

Why Activity Tracking Matters

Most trackers just tell you where something is. The Toolie tells you how long it’s being used.

For example, if you’re a landscaper, Momentum can tell you exactly how long a mower, blower and edger are being used for each job. You can compare the indisputable activity data against your estimated production rates so you can know if that job is profitable.

Small in size. Big in problem solving. The Momentum Toolie solves some of the biggest and most expensive issues that field service businesses face. Equipment loss and actual production rates. The existing Bluetooth tracking solutions (like the AirTag and Tick) require a smartphone or don’t provide activity sensors needed for utilization analysis.

Forever, field service businesses struggled with ZERO visibility for equipment location and utilization, wasted hours trying to location equipment and tools, underused equipment at job sites, inefficient equipment maintenance and inventory.

All of these problems caused service businesses to waste time and lose money.

Pros of the Toolie:

• Works without a mobile phone
• Shows activity, not just location
• Provide job progress visibility
• Works on any tool or piece of light equipment
• Cost effective
• Easy to install and use
• Lifetime warranty
• Connects to Momentum’s nationwide mesh network
• Guaranteed for life / free replacements

Cons of the Toolie

• Must be within range of an Eagle One GPS tracker (~150 ft)
• Works as part of a “hub and spoke” technologuy

Apple AirTags are fantastic — for what they were designed to do: track personal items. They weren’t built for tool tracking in a business environment.

New for 2025:

• You can now track up to 32 items per Apple ID (previously limited to 16).
• You can share an AirTag with up to five other people.
• With iOS 18.2, you can create temporary shareable links to let others track an AirTag for up to seven days

These features make AirTags more usable for very small teams. But they still fall short for larger, fast-moving field service operations.

Major Limitations:

• Requires Apple devices
• Tied to a single Apple ID
• Still lacks activity tracking
• Limited to Apple ecosystem only

Pros:

• Easy to set up
• Replaceable battery
• Affordable
• Great for personal items
• New sharing features (2025 update)

Cons:

• Not business-friendly beyond very small teams
• No insight into tool usage
• Still not scalable for large equipment inventories

If you’re running a field service company, this Bluetooth tool tracker just doesn’t fit the job.

The Milwaukee Tick was created to expand Milwaukee’s One-Key system to non-Milwaukee tools. It tracks location using the mobile app.

The Tick is durable, allows for easy mounting/installation and has a range of ~100 ft.

But, like the Apple AirTag – there are a few major limitations that make the Tick a less-than-ideal option for the vast majority of service businesses.

Limitations:

• No activity tracking
• Data is stuck in the Milwaukee mobile app
• Detection times can be slow (up to 4 minutes)
• Not designed to integrate with job costing or productivity tracking

Pros:

• Durable
• Works on any tool
• Replaceable battery
• Compatible with existing Milwaukee systems

Cons:

• Requires Milwaukee app to function
• Data can’t be exported or integrated
• No job or activity insights
• Battery changes required

Choosing the right Bluetooth tool tracker depends on what kind of data you need, how your crews work, and how much visibility you want into your business.

• If you’re looking to manage tools, track activity, and improve job costing, the Toolie is built for you.
• If you’re looking to find your keys or track your backpack, the AirTag is solid.
• And if you’re already bought into the Milwaukee ecosystem, the Tick might fit some basic needs.

Want to see how Toolie helps landscapers and service pros track equipment and job profitability automatically?