I tried the smart wallet Google fans have been waiting for – but it’s overrated

Apple’s AirTag and Find My ecosystem have had a head start on Google’s Find Hub for years now. With built-in tracking that can be quickly deployed from an iPhone or iPad, it’s easy to find objects beyond simple Bluetooth trackers—bikes, purses, backpacks, luggage, and more. But if you’re using an Android phone, you’ve been limited to simple trackers until now. Versatile but not fully optimized.

That’s starting to change now, as companies embrace Google’s improved and reliable Find Hub everything from luggage Check out this new Trackable Mini Wallet from Secrid ($140 on Amazon), comes as a collaboration with Chipolo. It’s the first smart wallet you’ll find with your Android phone using Google’s network, but is it worth the hefty price tag? Well, let me answer that.

Secrid’s new Traceable mini wallet Chipolo CARD ($39 on Amazon). I’ll get to the rest of the wallet in a moment, but let me focus on what we’re all wondering about: How is this a trackable wallet?

Well, Secrid made sure that the wallet’s leather case has a special card cutout dedicated to the Chipolo CARD. No need to struggle to insert the card like other wallets that only consider thin credit cards and not the 2.5mm thickness of the tracking card. The cutout is also designed to ensure the card doesn’t sound muffled, but rings 3dB louder than other wallets.

But the highlight is the die-cut button on the outside of the wallet, which perfectly matches the button of the Chipolo CARD. With the card inside the wallet and the wallet completely closed, you can double-tap the button to call your phone without having to guess where it is. (This is a reverse find feature that Chipolo implemented in its own app because Google’s Find Hub API doesn’t yet support it natively.)

You don’t even need to take the tracker out of your wallet to charge wirelessly over Qi – I’ve tested it to make sure it’s skin-tight. The problem is that when the tracker is in the wallet, you can’t see the LED light to confirm if it’s charging, so if you misalign it with your charging pad, it might not charge.

And…that’s all there is to magic. There’s nothing extra special about this wallet other than having a dedicated slot for slightly thicker cards, a patterned design that allows you to press the CARD button precisely, and a reasonable thickness for wireless charging.

Obviously the included $39 Chipolo CARD is great in my opinion. I’ve had a Secrid wallet for a few months now and I can only say good things about it. is one of them My most recommended Android compatible trackers. It has an extremely loud 110dB siren, an IP67 rating and is future-proofed with Bluetooth 6.0 and Channel Audio. Google hasn’t updated the Find Hub API to support this feature in trackers and make them easier to find (alternatively UWB), but the hardware is there when needed.

Chipolo is also one of the few companies to add some additional functionality to their Find Hub trackers through their app. If you move away from the tracker, you can get left-behind alerts, which is very important if your tracker is inside a wallet. You can also find reverse by ringing your phone (without a button), customize tracker ringtones and volume, and even use the button as a camera shutter remote. Plus, it’s also compatible with Apple’s Find network if you’re thinking of switching platforms. The battery lasts a full year, charging it to charge Qi.

After nearly two years of testing Google’s Find Hub compatible trackers, I can say with more confidence than ever that The Google network has improved a lot and is very reliable today. Find Hub helped me find my lost luggage at Athens airportand it’s what I rely on when I’m traveling on trains, planes, or just backpacking around Paris. Plus, the Chipolo CARD is actually the card I had in my personal wallet before testing it again in the Secrid Trackable Miniwallet. I have relied on it to help me find my wallet at home and on the off chance that I lose it elsewhere. I have no reservations about the tracker part of this tracked wallet. But the wallet?

To be clear, I like the Secrid Trackable Mini Wallet. It’s a premium leather and aluminum combo that looks amazing, especially in this dark blue, light blue and orange combo. If you’re a boring person (ha!), there’s also an all-black version, but this color mix is ​​very spot on. Serious but playful.

Leather quality is also exceptional; the stitching is perfect and the finish is impeccable. The main light blue aluminum compartment holds up to five cards, and the orange latch clicks and releases very satisfactorily. Cards slide smoothly. Add two extra card cutouts to the leather packaging (one of which was made for a Chipolo tracker) and I can easily carry everything I need here in style.

I have two issues with this wallet. One is a cheap, plastic, black money holder that pops up when you open the wallet and, on closer inspection, is mostly attached to the blue aluminum part. It doesn’t match the rest of the wallet, especially at the $140 asking price. My current minimalist wallet, €50-60 Cascade Slim by Ogonit has a leather trim in the same color as the wallet to hold cash, and it looks more classy than the black plastic that Secrid is going for.

The second issue is one of preference. I am not a fan of the snap closure of this wallet. It’s certainly a high-quality snap that works to keep everything together, but it’s quite thick and causes my wallet to stick in my jeans pocket every time I slide it or try to take it off. I’m more of a fan of the magnetic closure on my Ögon wallets because they’re frictionless.

These two disadvantages as well a rather prohibitive $140 price (€120 or £120), despite the included Chipolo CARD, make it hard to recommend this wallet ($39 on Amazon). Regular Secrid mini wallet (without tracker or tracker button) It sells for $60-$70 on Amazonand I can’t explain why there is such a markup to get the Watchable version. If it was only $100 with this tracker, it would be an easier recommendation. But paying an extra $40 for something other than a leather button shell feels like a big ask.

At this rate, you’re better off buying a regular $60 Secrid Mini Wallet and a $39 Chipolo CARD, then inserting the button facing out. Memorize where it is and you’ll be able to activate it – skin is flexible like that. I know because I tried flipping the card in the same wallet and it worked on the other side too. It won’t be as obvious as having the button cutout there, but it works. Or, you know, you can still buy any other wallet and do the same thing. After testing this setup, I changed the orientation of my Chipolo CARD in my Ögon wallet so that the button faces outwards and I can now run it from inside the wallet. Easy.