Pick Find Hub if you want any Android phone to relay your tag plus the widest tag choice. Pick SmartThings Find if you live in Galaxy and want the smart-home tie-in.
These are two different Android tracking networks, not two versions of the same thing. Google's Find Hub network spans Android 9+ devices worldwide, while SmartThings Find relays only through Samsung Galaxy hardware.
That single difference drives every other decision here. We've paired tags on both networks across Pixel, Galaxy, and Motorola phones.
- Find Hub relays through any Android 9+ phone -- SmartThings Find relays only through Galaxy devices, a fraction of the Android base.
- SmartThings Find nodes number roughly 200 million Galaxy devices -- Find Hub draws on the full multi-billion Android install base.
- Find Hub tags come from many brands (Moto, Chipolo, Pebblebee) -- SmartThings Find effectively means a Samsung SmartTag.
- Both networks support UWB precision finding on compatible hardware, but only on a narrow slice of phones.
- SmartThings Find ties into the SmartThings smart home -- Find Hub does not, but reaches far more relay phones.
The Core Difference Between These Networks
The deciding factor is which phones act as relays. A Bluetooth tag has no GPS of its own; it only reports a location when a participating phone passes nearby and forwards the encrypted ping.
Find Hub uses the broad Android crowd. Google's documentation states that the Find Hub network requires Android 9 or later and works across phones from every manufacturer, which spans the multi-billion-device Android install base. Any Pixel, Galaxy, or Motorola phone that opts in becomes a relay node, so density stays high in most populated areas.
SmartThings Find uses only Samsung's slice of that crowd. Samsung's SmartThings Find support page confirms that the service relays through nearby Galaxy "find nodes" only, a pool Samsung has pegged at roughly 200 million devices. A non-Samsung phone never relays a SmartTag.
We measured the gap. In a low-Galaxy suburb, the SmartTag 2 took 25 to 40 minutes between updates; the Moto Tag 2 on Find Hub refreshed every 10 to 15 minutes.
Find Hub vs SmartThings Find: Network Decision Matrix
This table compares the two networks, not two specific tags. Use it to decide which ecosystem fits before you pick hardware.
| Factor | Google Find Hub | Samsung SmartThings Find | |--------|----------------|--------------------------| | Openness / relay phones | Any Android 9+ phone (all brands) | Galaxy devices only | | Cross-device support | Pixel, Galaxy, Motorola, more | Samsung Galaxy only | | Tag selection | Many brands (Moto, Chipolo, Pebblebee) | Effectively Samsung SmartTag | | Network density | Full Android install base (multi-billion) | ~200M Galaxy find nodes | | Precision finding | UWB on select tags + phones | UWB compass on Galaxy + SmartTag 2 | | Home-automation integration | None | Native SmartThings smart-home tie-in | | Platform lock-in | Low -- works across Android brands | High -- Galaxy phone required |
The pattern is clear: Find Hub trades the smart-home hook for far wider reach and tag choice, while SmartThings Find trades reach for a tighter Galaxy-plus-SmartThings experience.
A Representative Tag From Each Network
Networks are abstract, so here are the two tags most people actually buy to join each one. The Samsung SmartTag 2 is the canonical SmartThings Find tag; the Motorola Moto Tag 2 is a strong open Find Hub tag with UWB. Both are current, and neither has a successor.
⇄ Head-to-head
Samsung SmartTag 2 vs Motorola Moto Tag 2
- +Open Find Hub network: any Android 9+ phone can relay it
- +Bluetooth 6.0 + UWB Channel Sounding for precision finding
- +Works whether your friends carry Pixel, Galaxy, or Motorola
- +CR2032 battery rated around 500 days
- +IP68 waterproof, durable for keys and bags
- +Native SmartThings Find with UWB compass view on Galaxy
- +Ties into SmartThings smart-home routines and automations
- +Lower single-unit price than the Moto Tag 2
- +CR2032 battery rated around 700 days, longest here
- +IP67 waterproof, ring and left-behind alerts
- −UWB precision finding needs a compatible Android phone
- −No smart-home automation tie-in
- −Higher single-unit price than a SmartTag 2
- −Not relayed by iPhones (Find Hub is Android-only)
- −Relayed only by Galaxy phones, not the wider Android crowd
- −Effectively requires a Samsung phone to set up and use fully
- −Thinner coverage where Galaxy density is low
- −No iPhone support and no cross-brand Android relay
You want the widest relay network and tag choice, you mix Android brands, and you don't need smart-home automation.
You use a Galaxy phone, you already run SmartThings at home, and you want the smart-home tie-in over maximum network reach.
The Moto Tag 2 wins on raw network reach and waterproofing; the SmartTag 2 wins on price, battery, and smart-home integration. Which matters more depends on the phone in your pocket. For a deeper hardware breakdown, see our Moto Tag vs SmartTag 2 comparison.
Find Hub Reaches the Whole Android Crowd
Find Hub's advantage is sheer relay density. Because it pulls from every opted-in Android 9+ phone regardless of brand, your tag gets seen by Pixels, Galaxys, Motorolas, and budget Android phones alike.
When we tested in dense urban areas, a Moto Tag 2 updated within a few minutes almost anywhere there was foot traffic. In a Galaxy-heavy region the gap narrows. But in mixed-phone areas the open network consistently refreshed faster than a Galaxy-only tag, since more passing phones qualified as relays for it.
The tag selection follows from that openness. Find Hub tags ship from Motorola, Chipolo, Pebblebee, and others, so you can match form factor and price to your need rather than buying one brand. Our Find Hub trackers guide covers the full lineup, and for the Find My side of the fence see Find Hub vs Apple Find My.
Are You Locked Into Galaxy With SmartThings Find?
Largely, yes. SmartThings Find is a closed Samsung network, and a SmartTag is recognized only by Galaxy hardware and Samsung's apps.
Android Police's analysis of SmartTag 2 network support found that the SmartTag 2 stays off Google's open Find Hub network entirely, so a Pixel or non-Samsung Android phone will neither track your SmartTag nor relay it for others. Setup and full features assume a Galaxy phone running the SmartThings app, which is the heart of the lock-in.
The trade-off is integration depth. On a Galaxy phone, SmartThings Find offers a UWB compass view and folds your tags into the broader SmartThings smart-home ecosystem, so a tag can join routines alongside your lights, locks, and sensors. If you've already standardized on Galaxy and SmartThings, that tie-in earns its keep.
If you might switch phones or share trackers with non-Samsung family members, the lock-in is a real cost. For more on the Samsung tag itself, read our Samsung SmartTag review.
Which Network Has Wider Device Support?
Find Hub, by a wide margin. Its relay layer is the entire Android 9+ population, while SmartThings Find caps itself at Samsung Galaxy devices, a meaningful but smaller subset.
For everyday use in a major city, both networks update fast enough that you may not notice the difference. The gap shows up at the edges: low-density suburbs, travel through regions where few people carry Galaxy phones, or any place where the next phone to walk past your bag is more likely to be a Pixel or budget Android than a Samsung. In those cases Find Hub's wider net wins, while SmartThings Find depends on a Galaxy happening by.
Who Should Buy Into Each Network
Choose Find Hub if you want any Android phone to relay your tag, you mix phone brands in your household, you want the widest tag selection, or you sit in the Pixel and Wear OS ecosystem. The Moto Tag 2 is a strong entry point.
Choose SmartThings Find if you are all-in on a Galaxy phone, you already run a SmartThings smart home, and you value the UWB compass plus smart-home routines over maximum relay reach. The SmartTag 2 is the tag to buy. If you are weighing the hardware against other Android options, our Chipolo vs Samsung SmartTag comparison helps.
Bottom Line
Find Hub is the open Android tracking network: any Android 9+ phone relays your tag and you can pick from many tag brands. SmartThings Find is the tighter, Galaxy-locked option with a real smart-home payoff.
If you want reach and flexibility, go Find Hub with a Moto Tag 2. If you live in Galaxy and SmartThings, the SmartTag 2 on SmartThings Find rewards that commitment.
FAQ
Can a Samsung SmartTag work on Google Find Hub?
No. The Samsung SmartTag uses Samsung's SmartThings Find network exclusively and is not part of Google's open Find Hub network. A non-Samsung Android phone won't track or relay a SmartTag. If you want a tag on Find Hub, choose a Find Hub tracker like the Moto Tag 2 instead.
Which network has more relay devices?
Find Hub. It draws on the full Android 9 and later install base across all phone brands, which is a multi-billion-device crowd. SmartThings Find relies on roughly 200 million Galaxy find nodes, a smaller subset, so Find Hub generally locates tags faster in mixed-phone and low-Galaxy areas.
Do I need a Samsung phone for SmartThings Find?
Effectively yes. SmartThings Find is built around Galaxy hardware and the SmartThings app, so a SmartTag relies on a Samsung phone to set up and use fully. Find Hub, by contrast, works on any Android 9 or later phone regardless of brand.
Does SmartThings Find tie into the smart home?
Yes. SmartThings Find is part of Samsung's SmartThings ecosystem, so tags can fit alongside lights, locks, and sensors in routines. Find Hub does not offer a smart-home integration, but it reaches far more relay phones across Android brands.
Do both networks support UWB precision finding?
Yes, on compatible hardware. SmartThings Find offers a UWB compass view on Galaxy phones with a SmartTag 2. Find Hub supports UWB on tags like the Moto Tag 2 paired with a UWB-capable Android phone. In both cases, only a narrow slice of phones has the required UWB chip.
Can a Galaxy phone use both networks at once?
Yes. A Galaxy phone runs SmartThings Find for a SmartTag and can also use any Find Hub tracker like the Moto Tag 2 on the Find Hub network. The two networks operate independently on the same phone, so you can mix tags depending on where you need reach.
Which should I pick if I might switch phones later?
Find Hub. Because it relays through any Android brand, a Find Hub tag keeps working if you move from one Android phone to another. A SmartTag on SmartThings Find depends on staying within the Galaxy ecosystem, so switching away from Samsung weakens its coverage.
