Apps & Games Reviews

Family Locator Apps Review For iOS & Android

Are you looking for the best family locator apps? Location tracking might prove to be an amazing service when you want to know where’s your child at. We would agree with the fact that it bothers us whenever our friends or family members are traveling. Now texting or calling is also the choice but it can’t help while someone is driving or in a meeting for hours far away from home.

For the sole purpose, we have made a list of few apps that would allow you to share and view the location of your loved ones if they select to share. In this section, we are ignoring native device tracking choices such as Find my Device on Android or Find my iPhone on iOS.

List Of Family Locator Apps:

Here is a complete list of family locator apps:

Glympse

glympse

In the list of family locator apps, Glympse provides you the information on where your loved ones are in real-time. After using Glympse, you can instantly find the details on the GPS locations of other members of the family. To do so, just open the Glympse app on your mobile, click on “New Glympse”. Then, you can send an email or SMS to the other person. After you do this, you can receive information on the GPS location or network that someone is located at. It provides you the details of real-time on where someone might be at a given time.

However, there are lots of apps that provide real-time location sharing (such as Google Maps or WhatsApp), Glympse doesn’t need the other person to install an app. All they want is a web browser to access the link that you share through SMS or email.

Advantages:

  • Does not needs you to install anything on another person’s phone
  • It has a mandatory low power mode that updates your location if someone is recently watching
  • Adjust how information looks on the program for a specific period

Disadvantages:

  • It can’t offer real-time tracking
  • You have to manually update the location

Price:

Totally Free (Android | iOS)

Life 360

Life360 is another formidable option when you like to be updated about the safety of your loved ones. The app is available on both platforms, Life360 allows people to check in with each other during online. The feature check-in ensures people can allow others to know when they have reached specific destinations or when they are getting to these places. The app works with circles that you can program for adding details on where some clients are located in for use.

In Life360 you can automatically get alerts that someone has arrived or left at a designated place. However, it means you don’t need to constantly view their real-time location in the app.

Advantages:

  • It can loads up route info or driving directions
  • Lets people to interact without using SMS on one’s mobile bill
  • You can also share information on people within a circle that you save

Disadvantages:

  • You want to send invitations to all other devices you like to track
  • It had combined reviews on battery usage but your mileage might vary

Price:

Free, paid $5 monthly for premium (Android | iOS)

Foursquare Swarm

Foursquare Swarm-Family Locator Apps

In the list of family locator apps, the app provides you with the best layout where you can easily tab on where your children are going. However, it works with a platform identical to what you would get off of the daily Foursquare social media website. After you check-in at a place, you should leave a pin displaying where you are. Your friends can do this when they get to various other spots of value.

The program provides a statistics report system that provides you data on the places where people visit frequently. Also, you can use this to track the person’s behaviors in your family. The program shows data on location types.

Advantages:

  • Record network information or GPS based on check-in spots
  • Works with some types of popular locations in mind

Disadvantages:

  • Uses a huge amount of battery power
  • Works well for people familiar with Foursquare

Price:

Free (Android | iOS)

Trusted Contacts

In the list of family locator apps, trusted contacts is an application from Google to view the real-time location of your friends or family members. After downloading the app, you want to choose the contacts you trust using your location. Once done, your friends receive an email, allowing them to know that they are now your trusted contact.

Quite identical to the other apps, you can enable the tracking feature and share friends with a text so they know where you are. In case, if the recipient can’t reach for a certain period of time, it shows you its last location automatically. For example, after you ping your contact for their recent location, they have the choice to either reject or accept the location request. However, if they don’t react within 5 minutes, you’ll have access to their last possible location. Want more Family Locator Apps? Scroll down!

Advantages:

  • Display the general status of your mobile battery.
  • Like Glympse mentioned above, your Trusted Contacts don’t require to install any application on their mobiles. They can also record your location through a browser.

Disadvantages:

  • Use app both parties to turn on Google’s Location History

Price:

Free (Android | iOS)

Google Maps

Google Maps-Family Locator Apps

Google Maps provides the best-inbuilt location sharing feature that is available both on the android and the web app. From the home screen of Google Maps, just tap on the menu button (three horizontal bars). Then click the Location Sharing tab and tap on the “Share Location” button located on the pop-up. Then, choose contacts you like to share your location with. The contacts you choose will quickly initiate getting your location. However, to view their location you’ll have to request access.

You can share location for a time duration between 1 hour to 3 days or you can select to share location until you disable it. Rather than this, you can easily view the contact’s accurate address and can move through the directions tab. If there is any clutter on the map, you can select to hide some contact numbers which might be added back later.

Advantages:

  • Available in some mobiles
  • Display battery percentages of added devices which is essential in case of kids

Disadvantages:

  • No alerts service for departure or arrival for contacts
  • It can drain the battery

Price: 

Free (Android | iOS)

Google Family Link

Google Family Link is not just a location-sharing application but an app for checking your child’s device. It can also integrate uisng your Google account and allows you to monitor your child’s mobile. Location sharing is an important aspect of the app and you can then view your child’s location anytime. The main difference with Google Family Link is that the kid doesn’t need to share his location. The application also updates the background location and you can also keep a check on your child anytime.

Also, you have the choice to set the limit of app time on their device, lock their device, etc. In case your children want to install an app, it’ll quickly send you approval. After your approval, they can install and use the application.

Advantages:

  • Quickly locate your child’s device
  • Control bedtime or screen time on your child’s device
  • Approve application before they can install it

Disadvantages:

  • Child and parents want to install a separate app

Price:

Free  (Android | iOS)

Find My Friends (iOS)

Find My Friends (iOS)-Family Locator Apps

You don’t need to confuse with Find my iPhone; Find my Friends is also available in the Apple walled garden. So, if your family or friends have an iPad or iPhone, Find my friends also becomes the best family tracker application for you. It can also found on all iOS devices and also on Apple Watch. However, there is no support for macOS, the feature can also be accessed on the iCloud web. You must keep in mind since iCloud isn’t compatible with some browsers your only choice is the Safari browser. Want more Family Locator Apps? Scroll down!

If you want to get begin,

Step 1:

Just open the ‘Find My Friends’ app

Step 2:

Click the Add button located on the top right.

Step 3:

Choose the contacts you like to share location with.

on the other hand, you can input someone’s Apple ID to share a request. When the contact turns on the location-sharing from their end you’ll be able to view them on the map. The application also offers the best feature of alerting you about the contact movement. After you click on a contact, you’ll then view the ‘Notify Me’ tab on the top center. Click on the tab and you’ll then two options, when a contact leaves a location and when a contact arrives at a location. You can select to get alerted when a contact arrives or leaves at a location by just pinning the location on the map.

Advantages:

  • Native app
  • The app notifies you

Disadvantages:

  • Limited to Apple Devices

Price: 

Totally free (iOS)

Microsoft Family Safety

In the list of family locator apps, this one is the best app. Microsoft recently released a dedicated Family Safety app. However, you should move through the tiresome process of making a Microsoft ID and then including them to the group of your family, the app work well. Just like Google Family Link, it allows you to monitor your child’s device. The extra advantage of MS Family Safety is Office 365 sharing. You can also share your license with other family members.

One big advantage is that the Family Safety syncs using Xbox or Windows devices. MS can’t specify when the application will be available on iOS or Android, but meanwhile, you can also access it after filling this form here.

Advantages:

  • Allows you to share location
  • Set application limits and share Microsoft Office 365 license
  • Filter games, content, and web activity for your child

Disadvantages:

  • Need to create a Microsoft ID and create a family group
  • Mobile apps still in preview

Price: 

Free (Preview Form)

Conclusion:

Here’s all about “Family Locator Apps”. These programs do well when you are trying to track family members. Be sure to view how these choices for the best family locator app can work for you. Well, I personally recommend through the privacy policy as it is a location tracker app. Also, note that you don’t abuse these apps after using it to stalk anyone. What are your views about these facinating apps? Let us know below!

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Alex Joshua

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