Which family location sharing apps are free to use?

Brooklyn_Hart
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 10:36:13 +0000

Short list that actually work cross‑platform without surprise paywalls:

Google Maps Location Sharing — truly free, reliable on iPhone & Android. Make sure background location + battery exclusions are enabled.

Glympse — ad‑hoc, no account, great for temporary tracking (games/practice runs).

WhatsApp / Telegram live location — easy, works everywhere, but needs the messaging app on each phone.

Life360 — free tier handles basic real‑time sharing & place alerts, but some advanced alerts/history are paywalled. Test frequency/accuracy first.

Pro tip: test each app at home (walk a route) to check GPS accuracy and force “high accuracy” mode; disable aggressive battery optimizers on kids’ phones. For more advanced paid monitoring options, mSpy is an option to research.

mspy.com

mSpy™ Cell Phone Tracker: Your #1 Monitoring Tool

Keep your children safe both online and in the real world with our mSpy™ parental tracking app. Monitor their GPS location, see who they are texting and talking to on Facebook or WhatsApp, what videos and images they share, and much more!