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An asset tracking device is a tag or tracker attached to equipment, tools, vehicles or inventory so you can see where it is and how it is used. The right device depends on one question more than any other: do you need to know that an asset passed a checkpoint, which room it is in, or exactly where it stands? This guide compares the main types of asset tracking devices and tags, explains where GPS works and where it does not, and gives a checklist for choosing the right asset tracking hardware.
New to the topic? Start with A Beginner’s Guide to Indoor Asset Tracking.
What Is an Asset Tracking Device?
An asset tracking device is any tag, label or tracker that identifies an asset and lets a system record its location. Some devices are passive and only identify an asset when it is scanned. Others are active: they have a battery, broadcast a signal and report their location continuously, without anyone scanning them.
Asset tracking devices come in many forms: stick-on labels, small tags for tools, rugged tags for equipment, wearable badges and vehicle-mounted trackers. What they share is a unique ID that links the physical asset to its record in software.
Asset Tags vs. Asset Tracking Tags
The terms sound alike but describe two different things:
- Asset tags are identification labels, usually barcodes, QR codes or metal plates with an asset number. They support audits and inventory counts, but they only tell you where an asset was the last time someone scanned it.
- Asset tracking tags are electronic devices that report location. Active tags using BLE, UWB or GPS show where an asset is right now, without a manual scan.
Many organizations use both: an asset tag for the fixed asset register, and an asset tracking tag on equipment that moves, gets shared or goes missing. Asset tag tracking with labels alone works for annual audits. Live location needs tracking tags.
Types of Asset Tracking Devices
Each technology answers a different location question:
Device type | How it finds the asset | Typical accuracy | Battery | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Barcode / QR label | Manual scan | Location of the last scan | None | Fixed asset registers, audits |
NFC tag | Phone or reader held within a few centimeters | Location of the last tap | None | Check-in and check-out, maintenance logs |
Passive RFID tag | Reader detects it within several meters | Presence at a read point | None | Gates, doors, shelves, inventory counts |
BLE tag | Gateways locate it continuously | 1 to 3 m | Months to years | Room and zone tracking of equipment and tools |
UWB tag | Anchors locate it continuously | 10 to 30 cm | Up to several years, or rechargeable | Precise tracking, forklifts, high-value assets |
GPS tracker | Satellites | Several meters outdoors, unreliable indoors | Rechargeable or wired | Vehicles, trailers and equipment outdoors |
NFC Tags for Asset Tracking
NFC tags for asset tracking are cheap, battery-free stickers or tokens read by a smartphone held a few centimeters away. They are a good fit for check-in and check-out of tools, maintenance logs and inspection records. They do not show location on their own: the system only knows where the asset was when it was last tapped.
RFID Tags
Passive RFID tags are read automatically when they pass a reader, which makes them ideal for doors, gates, dock doors and smart shelves. They confirm that an asset passed a point, not where it is between points. Learn more in RFID Asset Tracking: How It Works.
BLE Tags
BLE tags broadcast short signals that fixed gateways use to estimate location continuously, typically to 1 to 3 meters. They are small, low cost and run for months or years on a battery, which makes them the most common choice for tracking equipment and tools across a whole facility. See BLE Indoor Positioning & Tracking.
UWB Tags
UWB tags are located by anchors that measure the travel time of radio pulses, reaching 10 to 30 centimeter accuracy. They are used where precision matters: telling which bay a forklift is in, which station a tool is at, or triggering proximity alerts. See What Is UWB?
GPS Trackers
A GPS tracking device for assets works anywhere with a clear view of the sky, which makes it the standard for vehicles, trailers and construction equipment outdoors. It needs a cellular or other network to report its position, and it loses accuracy or stops working inside buildings.
GPS for Tool and Equipment Tracking: Where It Works and Where It Fails
GPS for tool tracking is a common first idea, and it works well in some cases:
- Works: equipment spread across outdoor job sites, yards and vehicles; GPS tags for equipment that travels between locations.
- Fails: tools and equipment inside warehouses, factories and hospitals. Roofs and walls block satellite signals, so GPS tags for tools either lose their position or report it with errors of many meters. Most GPS trackers are also larger and need more frequent charging than indoor tags.
For assets that move between indoors and outdoors, such as trailers, carts and ground support equipment, hybrid tags combine GPS outside with BLE or UWB inside. Read more about why GPS fails indoors.
Tracking Tags for Equipment and Tools
Tracking tags for equipment and tool tracking tags have to survive the environment they work in. Look at:
- Size and mounting: small asset tracking devices for hand tools, rugged tags with screw or rivet mounts for heavy equipment, and adhesive tags for carts and containers.
- Metal surfaces: radio tags placed directly on metal can lose range. Use tags designed for metal mounting, or a spacer.
- Protection: an IP rating suited to dust, washdown or outdoor use, and a temperature range that matches the site.
- Battery: replaceable or rechargeable, and how long it lasts at the reporting rate you need.
- Extras: motion sensors that show when equipment is actually in use, and buttons or LEDs that help find a tool on a shelf.
How to Choose an Asset Tracking Device
Work through these questions in order:
- What do you need to know? That an asset passed a door (RFID), which room it is in (BLE), or exactly where it stands (UWB).
- Indoors, outdoors or both? Indoors rules out GPS alone. Both calls for hybrid tags.
- What is the asset like? Size, value, material (metal or not) and how often it moves.
- Who maintains the tags? Battery life and how easy it is to replace or recharge them.
- What infrastructure exists? Existing Wi-Fi, RFID readers or none at all.
- Where does the data go? Integration with your CMMS, ERP or WMS so location updates asset records automatically.
For most facilities, the answer is a mix: low-cost BLE tags on general equipment and tools, UWB tags where precision or safety matters, and RFID at key checkpoints. Compare the technologies in detail in UWB RTLS vs. BLE, GNSS, Wi-Fi and GSM.
Asset Tagging Systems: A Rollout Checklist
An asset tagging system is the combination of tags, readers or gateways, software and process. A successful rollout usually follows these steps:
- Build the asset list. Decide which assets get tags, starting with the ones that cost the most time or money when missing.
- Choose the tag per asset type. Use the questions above. One site often needs two or three tag types.
- Prepare the tagging equipment. Tags, mounting kits, any labels for the fixed asset register, and gateways or anchors for live tracking.
- Pilot one area. Tag a few hundred assets in one zone, check accuracy and battery life, and measure search time before and after.
- Connect to your systems. Link tag IDs to asset records in your CMMS, ERP or inventory tagging system.
- Scale and maintain. Roll out zone by zone, and set a routine for battery checks and new assets.
Read more about a phased RTLS rollout.
Where Asset Tracking Devices Are Used
- Manufacturing: tools, fixtures, work-in-progress and reusable containers. See manufacturing RTLS.
- Warehousing and logistics: forklifts, pallets, carts and returnable assets. See warehouse and logistics RTLS.
- Healthcare: infusion pumps, beds, wheelchairs and monitors. See medical asset tracking.
- Construction: tools and equipment shared across sites. See construction site RTLS.
- Airports and seaports: ground support equipment and tools on the apron. See aviation GSE tracking.
How Litum Asset Tracking Tags Fit
Litum designs its UWB and BLE asset tracking tags, anchors and software in-house, so one platform can track general equipment with BLE and high-value or safety-critical assets with UWB. See the Litum Dualis Tag and the real-time asset tracking system.
Frequently Asked Questions About Asset Tracking Devices
What is the best asset tracking device for indoor use?
For indoor use, BLE tags are the most common choice because they are low cost, run for months or years on a battery and locate assets to within 1 to 3 meters. Where 10 to 30 centimeter accuracy is needed, such as for forklifts or high-value equipment, UWB tags are the better option.
What is the difference between an asset tag and an asset tracker?
An asset tag is an identification label, such as a barcode or QR code, that shows where an asset was the last time it was scanned. An asset tracker is an electronic device, such as a BLE, UWB or GPS tag, that reports the asset’s location continuously without a manual scan.
Can I use GPS to track tools inside a warehouse?
Not reliably. Roofs and walls block GPS satellite signals, so GPS trackers lose their position or report large errors indoors. Inside warehouses and factories, BLE or UWB tags are used instead, and hybrid tags can combine GPS outdoors with BLE or UWB indoors.
Are NFC tags good for asset tracking?
NFC tags are good for check-in and check-out, maintenance records and inspections, because a phone can read them from a few centimeters away. They do not show live location, so they are usually combined with BLE or UWB tags for equipment that moves.
How long do asset tracking tag batteries last?
Passive tags such as barcodes, NFC and passive RFID need no battery. Active BLE and UWB tags typically last from several months to several years, depending on how often they report, and some are rechargeable. GPS trackers usually need recharging more often.
Conclusion
The best asset tracking device is the one that answers your location question at the lowest total cost: labels and NFC for records, RFID for checkpoints, BLE for room-level visibility, UWB for precision and GPS for the outdoors. Most sites combine two or three. Contact a Litum RTLS expert to plan the right mix for your assets.
