Guide to RFID Tracking Systems in 2025

RFID asset tracking software offers a modern, convenient way to track and manage business assets. The technology uses radio waves to remotely tag and monitor physical assets – for instance, your business’s high-value shipments – helping reduce labor needs (and therefore costs) while preventing asset loss or theft.

In this guide, we’ll summarize what RFID tracking is, its benefits, its use cases within industries, and its approximate cost. We’ll then go over the five best asset tracking software solutions for RFID tracking available in 2025 and show how RFID asset tracking can enhance operational efficiency in your business.

What Is RFID Asset Tracking?

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a wireless tracking system that uses radio waves to pinpoint and manage physical assets with unique identifiers. Unlike traditional barcode or QR (Quick Response) code systems, radio frequency identification asset tracking doesn’t require a direct line of sight to perform accurate asset monitoring.

How does RFID tracking work?

An RFID system typically comprises three main components:

1. RFID tags: These tiny microchips contain electronically stored information. With a built-in antenna, these tags emit radio waves, enabling remote communication with an RFID reader.
2. RFID reader: A specialized device that receives and interprets data from RFID tags. Readers can be fixed (mounted on walls) or handheld (portable).
3. RFID system: This is the technology responsible for filtering, processing, and transmitting the data captured from RFID tags to asset management software, which can be read and understood by your team.

Types of RFID tags

Now that you understand what RFID tracking is and how it works, let’s look more closely at the tags that make it possible and how to choose the right one for your business environment.

There are three main types of RFID tags used today that you may come across:

For any of these RFID tags to work, they must be attached to or embedded in assets you want to track. When you pass an RFID reader within range of the tag, it sends a signal to the tag, which, in turn, sends back its unique identification and any other stored data.

The data is then processed by the reader and transmitted through to an inventory management system or asset tracking software.

Types of RFID readers

Of course, tags alone won’t get the job done – they need to be paired with the right reader. In this section, we’ll break down the four main types of RFID readers and how to match them with your tracking needs.

The Benefits of RFID Tracking

Understanding the components is one part of the puzzle. But what can RFID tracking actually do for your business?

We found that RFID asset tracking can offer tangible improvements to everyday business operations by directly addressing common pain points in asset management, logistics, and inventory workflows. Let’s explore the concrete benefits it brings to operations, productivity, and your bottom line:

• Reduce inventory shrinkage: Real-time visibility into asset locations helps prevent theft, misplacement, and unauthorized movement.
• Optimize warehouse labor: RFID can reduce inventory counting times by up to 96%, allowing teams to focus on higher-value tasks.
• Increase tracking accuracy: Eliminates human error and manual data entry through automated scanning without requiring line-of-sight.
• Improve asset utilization: Detailed data insights help identify underused equipment and streamline asset allocation.
• Accelerate audits and reporting: RFID’s ability to instantly scan multiple tags enables faster compliance checks and financial reporting.
• Enhance operational agility: Real-time data supports quicker, data-driven decisions in dynamic environments like construction, logistics, or retail.

RFID Tracking Versus Alternative Tracking Options

Here’s how RFID asset tracking generally stacks up against some common alternatives:

• Barcodes: While barcodes are a cost-effective asset identification method, they require line of sight for scanning, are more prone to errors, and can’t hold as much information as RFID tags.
• QR codes: Like barcodes, QR codes also require scanning in the line of sight. While they can handle more data than standard barcodes, RFID offers faster read times and often greater durability.
• GPS tracking: You can track assets without a reader, using real-time GPS tracking. However, this is more expensive and requires integration with a power unit for reliability. This is best suited for high-value assets such as construction vehicles.
• Manual tracking: Reliance on manual methods is labor-intensive, slow, and prone to inaccuracies. It lacks the real-time visibility and data-driven insights of RFID.

How Much Does RFID Asset Tracking Cost?

Now that we’ve covered the “what” and “why” of RFID, let’s tackle a key question: how much does RFID tracking cost to implement?

From tags to readers to installation, we’ve broken down all the potential costs to help you budget effectively.

Note: Costs are approximate and can vary based on specific requirements, the merchant you purchase from, and market conditions.

RFID Cost Examples by Business Size

To help make sense of the numbers, here are some typical cost ranges based on real-world RFID implementations:

Small business (25–50 assets)

A basic passive RFID setup using handheld readers might cost $1,500–$4,000 upfront. This includes around 50 tags ($50–$250 total), a mid-range handheld reader ($500–$1,000), and software licensing ($500–$1,500/year).

Mid-size business (100–300 assets across multiple locations)

A semi-passive system with two handheld readers and fixed reader portals might cost $8,000–$15,000 in total. This accounts for tag variety ($1,000–$2,000), two readers ($2,000–$6,000), setup, and licensing fees.

Enterprise (400+ assets, high automation, multiple sites)

A fully integrated active RFID system with long-range fixed readers and complex infrastructure could range from $20,000–$100,000+, depending on asset volume, environmental requirements, and integration needs.

The Companies Using RFID Tracking Today

Major industry players leverage RFID technology to improve supply chain management, manufacturing processes, and asset tracking. Here are a few notable examples:

• Retail: Since 2005, Walmart has mandated RFID tags on all pallets and cases shipped to its stores by its top 100 suppliers. That’s across product categories like toys, home goods, electronics, and sporting goods to help improve inventory management and reduce errors overall.
• Ecommerce and fulfillment: Amazon extensively uses RFID technology in its warehouses to track packages and optimize order fulfillment. The company’s “Just Walk Out” technology also utilizes RFID to have frictionless checkout experiences (where, after logging into their Amazon account, customers can walk out of the store). This helps reduce wait times and the company’s labor costs.
• Aviation: The Boeing Company employs RFID to track aircraft parts and tools in more than 25 facilities, improving maintenance efficiency and reducing errors.

But in 2025, RFID is no longer just for big tech or retail giants – it’s being used across a wide range of industries to streamline operations, cut costs, and increase transparency. Here are some further examples in different industries:

• Construction: Turner Construction uses RFID to tag tools and equipment across job sites, reducing downtime and tool loss. By integrating RFID readers with their construction management systems, they gained real-time visibility into equipment usage, improving site efficiency and cutting project delays.
• Healthcare: Froedtert Hospital in Wisconsin implemented RFID-enabled enclosures and TrackCore software to automate tissue and implant tracking. The system improved inventory accuracy, ensured regulatory compliance, and enhanced patient safety in surgical departments.
• Manufacturing: Southeastern Container, a Coca-Cola supplier, uses RFID to track reusable plastic containers across its manufacturing network. The system cut container loss, reduced transport costs, and paid for itself within two years through improved traceability and warranty compliance.

The 5 Best RFID Asset Tracking Systems in 2025

Finding the right RFID asset tracking software can help you effectively manage your valuable assets. After careful consideration, we have selected the top five options for 2025:

1. Wasp Barcode AssetCloud: Best for Comprehensive RFID Support

Wasp Barcode AssetCloud stands out with its extensive RFID capabilities designed for large-scale implementations. It offers support for both handheld and fixed readers, single sign-on (SSO) integration, and multi-location scalability. If your organization has complex asset tracking needs that require a system as robust as your inventory, Wasp Barcode AssetCloud could be a wise investment.

Wasp has over 500,000 customers as of today, including Microsoft, Tesla, and Sony, reflecting its increasingly large market presence. While the “Complete + RFID” plan is on the higher end price-wise, it offers features like SSO, unlimited locations, custom reporting, and work order management, which are essential for larger enterprises.

Unlike more basic RFID solutions such as EZOfficeInventory, Wasp Barcode AssetCloud is geared toward handling the challenges of RFID in complex and high-volume asset environments.

The software integrates with various enterprise systems, such as ERP (enterprise resource planning) and top CRM (customer relationship management) platforms, to streamline data management. Wasp Barcode AssetCloud supports a wide range of RFID hardware, including handheld readers and fixed portals, ensuring compatibility with your existing infrastructure.

Compared with RFgen, we’d argue Wasp offers broader enterprise functionality and more robust support for high-volume RFID hardware setups. While RFgen is great for label printing, Wasp is better suited for organizations managing RFID at scale across multiple departments or locations, such as compliance-heavy sectors like healthcare or finance.

2. EZOfficeInventory: Best for Businesses Starting Their RFID Journey

EZOfficeInventory is an excellent choice for smaller businesses or those new to the world of RFID asset tracking. Its user-friendly interface and intuitive features offer a smooth onboarding process, getting you up and running with RFID without unnecessary complexity or costs.

Elsewhere in its software, EZOfficeInventory provides helpful tools like alerts, basic maintenance tracking, and reporting capabilities to streamline your RFID workflows.

It has also added a new tool to its offering called the EZ CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System). It expands beyond its core asset tracking functions to support greater maintenance management capabilities, such as scheduling, which is a rare feature at this price point.

While Itemit also offers mobile-friendly tracking, pre-configured templates, and a simple UI (user interface), EZOfficeInventory is better tailored for smaller teams thanks to its lower price point and streamlined setup. That makes it ideal for US-based businesses just starting with RFID, or businesses with limited IT support that need to tag and track assets quickly without training costs.

Still, compared to other solutions, EZOfficeInventory doesn’t offer quite the same level of customization and depth of features, which could be a drawback (although that also makes it a less overwhelming option for businesses wanting a straightforward approach to RFID tracking).

3. RFgen: Best for Companies Needing Flexible Label Printing

RFgen distinguishes itself with integrated barcode label design and printing capabilities, making it an excellent fit for organizations heavily reliant on customized labeling for asset tracking, such as those in the manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics sectors.

While RFgen shares some usability traits with EZOfficeInventory, RFgen’s real differentiator lies in how users can design and deploy barcode and RFID labels tailored to their specific needs, reducing errors and increasing efficiency in the asset identification process.

With support for a wide range of label printers and materials, it ensures your labels are durable and long-lasting, even in harsh, industrial-grade environments. Better yet, RFgen is a certified reseller of Loftware enterprise labeling solutions and provides seamless integration and support should you be a Loftware customer.

And RFgen’s software has other perks too, including robust inventory management features, such as real-time tracking, automated replenishment, and detailed reporting, making it a comprehensive solution for companies with complex labeling and tracking requirements.

Unlike TrackAbout, which emphasizes long-term asset lifecycle tracking, RFgen is ideal for organizations focused on the front end of asset management, especially those with heavy label printing and inventory movement needs. Likewise, manufacturing or logistics companies that need to comply with traceability regulations or manage mixed inventory types will find this complete solution valuable.

Overall, we’d say RFgen provides a streamlined in-house approach for businesses invested in barcode and RFID label design.

4. Itemit: Best for International Teams and Companies Needing a Global Solution

Itemit is an ideal solution for teams with operations spread across multiple locations or those working internationally. This cloud-based system offers GPS capabilities, a user-friendly mobile app, and support for both handheld and fixed RFID readers, providing the versatility needed for managing globally dispersed assets.

Itemit’s multi-language support and global partnerships make it well-suited for international operations. It offers worldwide shipping of RFID hardware and has offices in multiple countries to assist with implementation. The software is designed to handle various currencies, time zones, and units of measurement, making it easy to manage assets across different regions, unlike EZOfficeInventory.

Given this international outlook, Itemit is suitably protected with advanced security features, such as role-based access control and data encryption, ensuring your asset data remains secure and compliant with international regulations.

While it lacks deep customization options, Itemit compensates with its focus on ease of use, accessibility, and flexibility across global teams. If your team operates internationally, we’d say Itemit is likely a better fit than EZOfficeInventory, thanks to global shipping support, multi-language capability, and GPS integration. However, for deep maintenance or repair workflows, TrackAbout might be a better long-term fit.

5. TrackAbout – Best for Tracking the Full Asset Lifecycle

TrackAbout is purpose-built for supporting the complete asset lifecycle, from initial acquisition to eventual disposal, with maintenance logging, mobile scanning in offline mode, and repair history tracking all present and correct.  This makes it a strong choice for industries with high-value returnable assets, such as oil and gas, industrial equipment, and medical devices.

Its focus on maintenance tracking, repair features, and reporting tools makes TrackAbout a valuable aid in maximizing the lifespan of tracked assets and getting the best return on investment. Plus, TrackAbout’s mobile-first design and offline capabilities ensure seamless asset tracking even in remote or disconnected environments.

In October 2024, TrackAbout introduced two key updates to its RFID tracking system. Continuous Scanning in TrackAbout Mobile 7 allows users to efficiently scan and record multiple barcodes at once rather than scan them individually, which is a major timesaver for logistics teams or healthcare workers handling hundreds of items per shift. Similarly, syncing improvements in TrackAbout Web mean that duplicate trip numbers no longer disrupt syncing processes.

Compared to a provider like RFgen, which prioritizes label printing, TrackAbout emphasizes long-term asset management and performance optimization with continuous updates to its system. That’s because TrackAbout’s strength lies in its lifecycle tracking, which sets it apart from more general tools like RFgen and Itemit. If you manage reusable equipment or operate in regulated industries, TrackAbout’s repair and compliance features may deliver more long-term value.

Our team of independent researchers took a deep dive into the most used and top-rated asset tracking suppliers in the US. Specifically, for this page, we only considered RFID tracking devices and rated each of the competitors on the following criteria:

• Price: The provider with the best value for money, looking at pricing versus features offered.
• Features: Providers that offer the widest range of hardware and software features rank above those that have a thinner or more basic offering.
• Scalability: We considered whether the software could grow alongside a business, from a smaller operation to a larger enterprise with complex tracking needs.
• Customer support: We looked at the type of features the providers offer to support their customers in case of a project management SOS.
• Reputation: We aggregate customer reviews from platforms like Trustpilot and Capterra to assure you that our knowledge is not only robust on paper but also in practice.

After factoring in all of the individual scores from these categories, we calculated an overall score for each supplier to help guide your buying decisions.