Do AirTags Have A Monthly Fee? (Explained)

image of an AirTag and a stack of dollar bills and a title that reads do AirTags have a monthly fee

Apple AirTags makes it easy to track your items like keys, wallets, purses, backpacks, luggage and more.

However, one question often asked is, do AirTags have a monthly fee? If you’re wondering the same, then read on because I have everything you need to know about the cost of AirTag ownership.

AirTags don’t have a monthly fee. AirTags only have a one-time purchase price of $29 at check out, and that’s it. However, you will need an Apple device with the Find My app installed. 

In this article, I explore topics like, do AirTags require a monthly subscription fee and cover other costs you might want to consider, for example AirTag accessories.

image of an AirTag and a stack of dollar bills and a title that reads do AirTags have a monthly fee
With no monthly fee or subscription, Apple AirTags are a cost-effective way to track your important things.

Do You Have To Pay Monthly For An AirTag?

Quite simply put, you do not have to pay monthly to use an AirTag.

Available individually or in a pack of four, Apple’s Bluetooth and Ultra Wideband tracking device offers up some cool tracking uses, all with no monthly fee.

Since you don’t have to pay a monthly subscription fee to use Apple AirTags, you perhaps might be wondering, why there’s not a monthly fee. Well, each AirTag uses Bluetooth to connect to and use nearby Apple devices to send the location of the AirTag to iCloud, where you can see its location in the Find My app.

Apple has done a great job to ensure all this connectivity happens in an anonymous and encrypted way to protect your privacy. One point to note is that only you can see where your AirTag is. Furthermore, your location data and history are not stored on the AirTag itself.

Do AirTags Have A Monthly Subscription Fee?

AirTags don’t have a monthly subscription fee. Unlike their competition, Apple do not have a monthly subscription fee to track something. Even using the Find My app is free. 

Once you have purchased an AirTag, there is no additional cost to start using and tracking your items on Apple’s Find My network. Each AirTag has a one-time purchase price of $29, and that’s it, although Apple do offer a discount if you purchase a four pack of AirTags.

Do AirTags Have A Data Fee?

Because AirTags use Bluetooth to communicate with nearby Apple devices, there are no data fees.

If you are not familiar with how AirTags work, you might immediately assume that AirTags rely on cell service, but you would be wrong. Thanks to Bluetooth and nearby devices in the Find My network, there are no data fees to be worried about when using an AirTag to track things.

Are There Any Other Costs Associated With Apple AirTags?

Once you have purchased an AirTag, the only cost associated with continually using an AirTag for tracking is the cost to replace the battery.

An AirTag can’t be charged, instead it has an easy-to-replace CR2032 lithium 3V coin battery that will last about one year before needing to be replaced.

The good news is that a CR2032 battery is common place and costs less than $5 at many stores. To learn more about an AirTag’s battery life, check out my other article on do AirTags die.

As with many Apple products, there are accessories available to buy, and AirTags is no different. There is a vast array of accessories available. The Apple AirTag Loop or the Apple Keychain retails between $20-$40 each.

It’s important to understand that purchasing an accessory is not required to use an AirTag for tracking, but, it might just make it easier to attach it to the item you want to track.

Another cost to consider, and perhaps the most important, you will need an iOS device to use an AirTag specifically an iPhone or iPod touch with iOS 14.5 or later, or an iPad with iPadOS 14.5 or later.

For those looking to use Precision Finding, then you will need a compatible iPhone 11 or greater. Check out Apple’s AirTag technical specs for a full rundown.

Frequently Asked Questions

Hopefully, I have answered all of your questions related to, do AirTags have a monthly fee, or monthly subscription. However, you may still have other questions surrounding AirTags. If you do, below I have answered some common frequently asked questions.

Do AirTags need charging?

AirTags do not need to be charged because Apple designed AirTags with a replaceable CR2032 battery.

Are AirTags waterproof?

AirTags are not waterproof, but they are water and dust resistant.

How much does an AirTag weigh?

According to Apple, an AirTag weighs 0.39 ounces (11 grams).

Is an AirTag worth buying?

Yes, especially if you are already invested into the Apple ecosystem and tend to misplace or lose items regularly.

Final Thoughts On Do AirTags Have A Monthly Fee

So, in conclusion. Do AirTags have a monthly fee? No. AirTags do not have a monthly fee making them a great cost-effective option for tracking items, assuming you are already one of the one billion worldwide Apple device users. Apart from needing to replace an AirTags battery once a year, owning an AirTag is a low-cost commitment.


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