If you want to track the location of a phone or its owner, the apps listed here can help. We’ve examined the pros and cons of the best phone tracker apps for iOs and Android.
Share Your Location: Glympse
Glympse allows you and your contacts to share location information with an easy-to-understand interface that clearly shows who’s where. Use it to send an update, so others know when to expect you for a family gathering. Request an update to find out how much longer you have to wait at the restaurant for your coworker. Or set up a group to see a map of where your friends are in relation to the theater on movie night. You can also use it to get help more quickly in an emergency.
Supports geofencing.
Can be used between platforms.
No sign-up required.
Some users report freezing at times.
Glympse is free to download and use on both iOS and Android.
Download For:
Let Your Partner Know You’re Safe: Life360
Life360 lets you know where your loved ones are and lets them know your location. It allows you to see the real-time location of those who give permission to be tracked (it isn’t legal to track someone without their permission). Know when your partner or other family members leave and arrive at specified locations, such as work, home, and school. There’s also a chat function so that you can communicate about transportation or safety matters.
Don’t have to send text messages about arrival times.
Car crash detection with the premium service.
Location history.
Some users report accuracy issues.
Life360 has Silver, Gold, and Platinum plans that cost $4.17/month, $8.33/month, and $16.67/month, respectively.
Keep Track of Your Kids: Familonet
This app is designed for families or other groups who want to know each other’s locations in real time. You can see where everyone in your group is at any moment, and you get notifications when they leave a place (such as school, work, or home) or arrive at one. You can also see all group members at a glance. The app can also locate lost or stolen phones.
Panic button for emergencies.
Create multiple groups.
Chat function.
Some features, like the panic button, aren’t free.
Familonet is free with an option to upgrade to a Premium version that starts at $9.49.
Each contact you want to track must give you permission to do so.
Stay Connected With Family Members on iOS: Find My
Apple’s Find My combines the features of its old Find My iPhone and Find My Friends apps into a single app for iOS 13 and up. With it, you and your family members can share your locations at any time. You can set up location-based alerts, so you know when family members are safe at home. Done sharing? You can easily stop at any time.
Can be used across Apple devices.
Includes parental restrictions.
Share location with nearby (~30 feet away) friends using AirDrop.
Only available for iOS.
It comes installed on iOS devices, and it’s free to use. You can also use it on iCloud.com or in conjunction with Family Sharing. Those you want to share your location with must also have the app.
Find a Misplaced Phone: Find My Phone Whistle
If you tend to misplace your Android phone or tablet, this app is for you. Set it up so that when you whistle, it makes a loud noise, even if it’s currently in silent mode. You can even upload your own melody to use as the response when you whistle. Keep in mind the app responds to all whistling (even from other people) and other high-pitched noises in the immediate environment.
Easy setup.
Choose the sound you want your phone to make when you whistle for it.
Saves time.
May not work as well if there are a lot of background noises while you whistle.
Find My Phone Whistle is free, or you can upgrade to Premium for additional functionality, starting at $0.99.
Locate a Seriously Lost Phone: Find Lost Phone
Install this app on your Android phone to easily find it if it ever gets lost or stolen. It uses GPS tracking to find your device, so you get a precise map location by sending a command from another mobile phone. You can also assign a friend as a trusted contact who will receive a message if a thief replaces the SIM card in your phone. The app also includes favorite places and reminder functionality so that you can get alerts when it’s time to go to the gym or wherever you need to be.
Clean interface.
No internet required to find your phone.
Can be used to find a misplaced phone on silent mode.
Too many ads.
No iOS version.
Find Lost Phone is free. To retrieve your phone, you may need to get help from the police.
The Granddaddy of Android Phone Trackers: Where’s My Droid
Where’s My Droid is one of the first phone tracking apps to appear on the Android market, and it’s still a solid option if you want to safeguard your devices. It can help you locate your phone by making it ring or vibrate. It also uses GPS to help you find a lost or stolen device, even on a low battery. Other notable features include the ability to remotely lock your device, remotely wipe the SD card and phone data, passcode protection to prevent unauthorized app changes, and more.
Locate your device using ring, vibrate, and GPS.
Remotely lock your phone and wipe your data.
It’s light on the phone battery.
Some features are hidden behind a paywall.
Features don’t always work properly.
Where’s My Droid offers a free version and a paid version that costs $0.99 per month.
A Phone Tracker That Doubles as a Walkie Talkie: iSharing
iSharing’s standout feature over other apps on this list is the walkie talkie. This lets you send and receive free voice messages with family members. It also has many of the same benefits as other family tracking apps, including real-time locations of family and close friends, real-time alerts, GPS tracking for lost or stolen phones, and more.
Real-time locations of family members.
Turn your device into a walkie talkie and send free voice messages.
Automatic notifications when friends are nearby.
The best features require a premium subscription.
Like other apps on the list, it offers both a free version and premium version, which costs $3.99/month.
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