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Samsung Find and Google Find Hub can both help locate and protect a missing phone, but they use different account ecosystems and have different setup requirements. Samsung’s current support materials point Galaxy owners to Samsung Find or SmartThings Find; Google now calls its Android service Find Hub, though some devices may still show the older Find My Device name. Check both services before a phone goes missing if you use both accounts on your Galaxy device.
How the services differ
| What to compare | Samsung Find / SmartThings Find | Google Find Hub (formerly Find My Device) |
|---|---|---|
| Devices covered in the cited guidance | Galaxy phones and tablets. Samsung also documents using a Galaxy watch to locate or ring a phone. | Android devices and Wear OS watches, plus supported accessories. |
| Account and setup | Add a Samsung account and enable remote controls. Samsung lists “Allow this phone (or tablet) to be found,” “Send last location,” and “Offline finding.” | Use a Google Account and turn on Find Hub. For remote secure or erase actions, Google lists requirements including power, a mobile-data or Wi-Fi connection, Google Account sign-in, Find Hub being on, and visibility on Google Play. |
| How to access | Use the Samsung Find or SmartThings Find website, or access the service from a Galaxy phone. | Use the Find Hub app or a browser. Google also offers guest mode so a friend can help. |
| Available actions | Locate, lock with a chosen PIN and optional lock-screen contact details or message, erase data, and ring the phone using a connected Galaxy watch. | View current or last known location, play a sound, mark the device as lost with contact details, factory reset, and manage supported accessories. |
| Offline or powered-off behavior | Samsung’s US guide says only the last known location is available for a phone that is off. It lists an Offline finding setting but does not explain its network behavior in detail. | Google describes encrypted recent locations and a crowdsourced network for offline finding. What works depends on settings and device support. |
These are not interchangeable accounts: Samsung Find relies on Samsung account and remote-control settings, while Find Hub relies on Google Account and Google service settings. Menu names, device eligibility, and availability can vary by region, device, and software release. Samsung’s US support guide and Google’s Android Help guide describe their respective services.
Which service should you use?
Use Samsung Find or SmartThings Find for Samsung-specific controls
For a Galaxy phone or tablet, Samsung’s service offers location and protective actions tied to your Samsung account. Samsung also documents using a Galaxy watch to locate or ring a phone. Set up the Samsung account and remote-control options in advance rather than assuming that signing in alone makes every action available.
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Find Hub is Google’s current name for its lost-device service. Google’s guide notes that a device may temporarily display both “Find Hub” and the former “Find My Device” name during the transition. Its documented scope also includes Wear OS watches and supported accessories.
#1 Best Overall
- Find your things with ease: The SmartThings Find app uses Bluetooth and ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to locate and keep track of your stuff
- Water and Dust Resistant: IP67 rating offers protection against dust and water immersion between 15 cm and 1 meter for up to 30 minutes
- Compatible with Galaxy Devices Only
Consider setting up both
If your Galaxy device is signed in to both accounts, checking the prerequisites for both services gives you access to the options each one supports. They remain separate services, so verify each one’s settings while you still have the device.
What offline finding does—and does not—mean
Offline finding is not a guarantee that a missing phone will report a fresh location. Samsung’s US guide says an off phone can show only its last known location and names an Offline finding toggle without detailing how its network operates. Google explains that Find Hub can use encrypted recent locations and a crowdsourced network; its configuration choices can limit broader network participation while retaining some recent-location or online functions. Google’s location privacy guidance describes those choices.
Rank #2
- Find your things with ease: The SmartThings Find app uses Bluetooth and ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to locate and keep track of your stuff
- Water and Dust Resistant: IP67 rating offers protection against dust and water immersion between 15 cm and 1 meter for up to 30 minutes
- Compatible with Galaxy Devices Only.
Either service may show a last known location when a current one is unavailable. Results depend on power, connection, settings, and supported features. The available documentation does not establish a head-to-head accuracy, recovery-rate, or success-rate comparison.
What to do when a phone is missing
- Open the matching service: use Samsung Find or SmartThings Find for Samsung’s controls, or Find Hub in Google’s app or browser. If you need help from another person, Google documents guest mode.
- Check the location and available options: a current location may not be available; the service may show only the last known location.
- Protect the device: use the service’s lock or lost-device option where available. Google’s “mark as lost” action can display contact details; Samsung lets you choose a PIN and optionally add lock-screen contact information or a message.
- Do not go to a suspected theft location: Samsung specifically warns against going directly to the map location of a stolen phone or tablet. Contact local authorities instead.
- Erase only if recovery is no longer the priority: remote erasure is destructive and affects whether you can keep tracking the device.
What to consider before remotely erasing a device
Erasing is a last-resort action, not simply another way to lock a phone. Samsung recommends backing up before a factory reset and notes that Google device protection can require the Google Account after reset. Google says a reset permanently deletes device data, may not erase an SD card, and ends location availability in Find Hub. To use the device again after erasing it, you will need the Google Account password.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 📱 Global Cloud Positioning – Works with both Google's Find Hub (Android Only,Not for GPS & ios)
- 📢 Loud Alert Sound – Built-in speaker with up to 85dB for quick locating
- 🔋 Far Superior Battery Life – Up to 2 years battery life on Android
- 💧 IP65 Waterproof – It provides protection against rainwaterand splashes
- 👮 Data Encryption – With the help of Google's technology, all location information is encrypted
Rank #4
- REDESIGNED TO DO MORE: The redesigned Galaxy SmartTag2 is made so you can keep calm and keep track; Its design makes it easy for you to tag and carry your belongings
- EASY TO USE: It's IP67-rated water- and dust-resistant, activates your compatible IoT devices and stays powered for up to 500 days or even up to 40% more on Non-Power Saving Mode
- RELAX, YOU'VE GOT IT TAGGED: Simply register a new Galaxy SmartTag2 and get started right away with SmartThings Find; With its intuitive tracking experience, you now have a way to keep track of things you love right in the palm of your hand
- SEARCH NEAR WHEN IT'S NOT FAR: Lose something. Switch on Search Nearby and get guided instructions to your item's location via Compass View; If you still don't see it, just ring your Galaxy SmartTag2 to have it send out an audible signal
- Type of battery needed: replaceable CR2032 1 ea Lithium battery (not included)
Rank #3
- Find your things with ease: The SmartThings Find app uses Bluetooth and ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to locate and keep track of your stuff
- Water and Dust Resistant: IP67 rating offers protection against dust and water immersion between 15 cm and 1 meter for up to 30 minutes
- Compatible with Galaxy Devices Only.
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