Best app to track family: 6 Locator apps for iPhone and Android

I would give all the praise I can to family tracking apps. Literally, all from your phone, they keep your loved ones safe, connected, and accounted for.   Whether you’re a worried parent not on the side of the child, a globetrotting sibling, or just for extra prevention (no judgment), this app is the way to get your fix of peace of mind, knowing that your family is safe and secure. So, don’t lag behind when it comes to finding the best app to track family through their mobile devices. 

For this blog, we will look into the top family location apps that make family tracking easier, more effective and even dare I say fun! Breaking it down, let’s find the app that’s right for your needs.

Why do you need a family tracking app?

In today, it is very unpredictable to know how dangers might occur, so it’s important to keep tabs on your dear ones. Family tracking apps bring you a tech way to stay connected and safe.

Here are some key reasons why these apps are indispensable:

• Enhancing safety: These apps are like a wireless connection, whether it’s knowing your child made it to school or making sure elderly parents are safely taken care of. You’ll know exactly where your family is, with GPS tracking and geofencing alerts.

• Providing peace of mind: Clearly, anxiety levels drop when you can see everyone’s location on your phone.

• Staying connected: The communication isn’t seamless, as some apps don’t just track, but incorporate a chat feature, location sharing, along with activity updates.

• Emergency assistance: In emergencies, many apps have SOS or panic buttons that can be critical. It could call for help in seconds with the tap of a finger.

• Managing digital habits: Not all family tracking apps are also parental control tools, but if you do happen to find one, that is, you can also monitor screen time, block inappropriate websites, and the like in order to keep your child as safe as possible.

There are diverse ways to track your family, but a powerful and reliable tracking app is practical and easy to use and integrate with family members. Keeping tabs on them is not just about helping you spy them; it’s about helping you build trust and connection.

Top 6 best apps to track family in 2025

Not all family tracking apps are the same. Some are simple. Some are powerful. Since that scenario remains in the back of our minds, let’s explore the top six location-sharing apps for families. By evaluating these tools, you can confidently select the best app to track your family that meets your needs and provides peace of mind.

1. FlashGet Kids (Top Pick)

Best for: Monitoring young children and elderly families.

FlashGet Kids just found the balance between its safety and privacy as an all-in-one family tracking app. Families who have various levels of tech expertise definitely like this one. Moreover, it is also a wonderful tool for keeping younger or older members safe.

Features:

• This family locator app is for precise location updates by real time GPS tracking.
• Helps people to quickly track their loved ones with surround monitoring.
• Creating virtual safe zones that send out alerts when someone enters or leaves.
• It helps to control kids’ digital activities through screen time management.

Pricing plans:

• Free trial: 7 days.
• Cheapest price: $4.99/month (billed yearly).

Pros:

• Simple and suitable for use by children and seniors.
• It can bind up to 10 devices, which makes it the right choice for large families.
• All features are pretty affordable without compromising on quality.

Cons:

• This family tracker app may slightly impact the battery timing on the target device. 

2. Life360

Best for: Families with kids always on the go.

With a focus on driving safety and real-time updates, Life360 is a family favorite with teens. It’s ideal for parents who want to stay informed about their kids’ whereabouts and activities.

Features:

• You will always know where your loved ones are with real-time family tracking.
• This is where the reports on your driving safety come in handy. They hint at your driving habits, such as speed, hard braking, and phone usage, among others.
• On top of that, you have crash detection and emergency response to add safety.
• A fast chat solution for sharing with family.

Pricing plans:

• Free trial: 7 days.
• Cheapest price: $7.99/month.

Pros:

• Driving safety tools that are robust and perfect for families with young drivers.
• Helps you track your past movements as it provides a detailed location history.
• Easily setup and user-friendly design.

Cons:

• Features are expensive.
• Devices with constant tracking cause battery drain, according to some users.

3. FamiSafe

Best for: Digital safety and how to deal with kids online.

For families that are worried about online safety, FamiSafe is a great option. Also, it’s great for parents who wish to safeguard their kids digitally as well as physically.

Features:

• The app equips GPS tracking and geofencing to help track your family member’s movement.
• Protecting kids from content thanks to app blocking and website filters.
• To monitor your loved ones’ device usage, there are screen time management and activity reports.
• Alerts suspicious activity in order to keep kids safe online.

Pricing plans:

• Free trial: 3 days.
• Cheapest price: $9.99/month.

Pros:

• Digital safety tools for tech-savvy families.
• An excellent parental control tool to keep an eye on your kid’s online activity and stop digital threats.
• Both tracking and managing screen time have versatile features.

Cons:

• Greater steepness of learning curve for non-tech users.
• More expensive than the competitors.

4. Google Family Link

Best for: People already using Google devices and services.

With that said, if your family already uses Android devices or Google services, Google Family Link is an inexpensive and easy option for tracking and parental control.

Features:

• Parents with kids can use GPS tracking to track the kids’ location.
• As well, there are screen time management tools that allow parents to set daily limits for the child.
• Parents have control over what kids can install for apps by app approval requests.
• Usage reports provide detailed usage insights.

Pricing plans:

• Free trial: N/A (free app).
• Cheapest price: Free.

Pros:

• Free and fully featured.
• Works perfectly with Android devices and Google accounts.
• Perfect for smaller children and relatively basic tracking goals.

Cons:

• Few functionalities are available when using iOS.
• It lacks most tracking tools, such as paid apps.

With that said, if your family already uses Android devices or Google services, Google Family Link is an inexpensive and easy option for tracking and parental control.

5. GeoZilla

Best for: Families on a budget.

For families looking for reliable tracking without frills, GeoZilla is an affordable, easy-to-use choice. It has features like location history, check-ins, and the ability to set notifications for arrivals and departures.

Features:

• Alerts on key movements with real-time location tracking.
• Review past visits with location history and timeline.
• Notifications when the battery is low to track devices.
• Notifications when entering or leaving of a specific location and customizable alerts.

Pricing plans:

• Free trial: Yes, 3 Days.
• Cheapest price: You pay $4.99/month (billed annually).

Pros:

• They’re affordable yet reliable for basic tracking needs.
• It works perfectly across iOS and Android platforms.
• Then there’s the fact that it doesn’t drain my device too quickly.

Cons:

• Not the same amount of advanced features as premium apps.
• It might not fit larger families who need many functionalities.

6. mSpy

Best for: People seeking in-depth knowledge about their older kids’ online activities or even spying on cheating spouses. It allows users to monitor phone calls, text messages, social media activity, and real-time location.

Features:

• Where your child is at all times in terms of location tracking.
• Monitoring of visited websites and apps to prevent them from being exposed to inappropriate or harmful content.
• Tracking of social media for platforms including Instagram, Facebook, and snapchat.
• Everything from browsing history, reveal call logs, messages and more.

Pricing plans:

• Free trial: No.
• Cheapest price: $16.99/month.

Pros:

• Both physical and online safety monitoring tools.
• It is great for detecting harmful digital behavior.
• It works discreetly, providing parents with an in-depth look into their child’s life.

Cons:

• On the pricey side compared with the other apps.
• If not used transparently, they may feel overly intrusive.

If you care about your child’s safety online and are looking for an app with lots of advanced monitoring features, the go-to app is mSpy. While it should be used with clear communication as a breach of trust might happen when you spy on your loved ones with family safety apps. 

How to choose the best tracker app for your family?

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when choosing the best family locator apps in 2025, but it becomes easier when you break it down into key factors. Let’s focus on key factors that simplify decision-making for the best app to track family.

1. Consider your family’s tech usage

• Is your family tech-savvy?
• Would they want to use a simple one or an app with sophisticated features?

2. Evaluate privacy measures

• In what ways does the app deal with our sensitive data?
• Is it encrypted and private?

3. How much is your budget

• Do you need a free solution, or do you want premium features?
• Don’t forget to balance costs with features that are warranted.

4. What features you need

• Do you need geofencing, SOS alerts, or driving safety tools?
• Parental controls for digital safety are a part of some apps as well.

5. User-friendliness

• Can teens and other tech-savvy people use the app to personalize their imagination?

Doing it thoughtfully ensures you achieve the right functionality, affordability and privacy for your family.

Best practices for using tracking apps and protect kids

While they are powerful, it’s really important people are respectful when using family tracking apps. Here’s how to make them work for everyone:

1. Be transparent

• Always inform your family that they will be tracked.
• Clear communication can help build trust and prevent misunderstanding.

2. Set boundaries

• You’re using the app for safety, not micromanaging.
• It also ensures that you have peace of mind, but also respect privacy.

3. Teach your kids

• Describe the flow of the app and explain why it matters.
• Making the family decision involves them in the setup process.

All of these are good practices for making a healthier dynamic and making sure the apps are doing their work and what they’re designed for.

Conclusion

You don’t have to be overwhelmed when looking for the best app to track the family. The key thing is balancing safety, convenience and respect, especially when it comes to Geo-location tracking for families. 

Whether you need simple tracking like FlashGet Kids or all the bells and whistles of mSpy, we’ve got you covered. Be sure to select an app that’s both under budget, as well as appropriate for your skill level and overall technological level.

Family life is messy. It’s a little less so with the right app, however. Stay safe, stay connected and have peace of mind with your loved ones just a tap away.