10 Best Kids Location Tracking Apps for Caring Parents

10 Best Kids Location Tracking Apps for Caring Parents. Keeping track of kids and other family members may be a real pain. However, with today’s tracking and mobile technologies, the procedure is simpler and quicker than it was before.

This article lists some of the greatest real-time location tracking apps and their benefits and drawbacks. You’ll find wonderful apps like Findmykids, which provide precise child tracking and additional alternatives to improve your child’s safety and aid in crises. Here’s all you need to know about the best apps for tracking kids’ whereabouts!

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You may track your loved ones’ whereabouts and get alerts when they arrive or go by utilizing a smartphone location-tracking app. Depending on your preferences, the various tracking apps available on the market provide different features. You may learn more about them and choose the ideal app for you and your family by clicking here.

Best App to Track Your Child’s Location

1. Findmykids

Findmykids is the best GPS location-tracking app for parents. To assist you in ensuring your child’s safety, the app can give you their present location and history. It’s also easy to use—all you have to do is install it and follow the setup instructions.

The app is available for both Android and iOS smartphones. Click here to download and test it for free right now!

The Findmykids app is quite easy to use. You can’t put a price on this app’s peace of mind. You’ll also receive comprehensive app data, so you’ll know how much your child spends on social media, messaging apps, and the phone.

Findmykids offers monthly, yearly, and unlimited subscriptions for up to three devices, guaranteeing that everyone may find their ideal price.

The primary features of the Findmykids GPS app are:

• accurate geopositioning for up to 12 meters;
• alert notifications when your child steps into an unauthorized area;
• compatibility with GPS smartwatch devices;
• a report on your child’s smartphone activity (app management);
• the audio recording of your child’s surroundings (Android only).

Pros:

• all features are available with the free trial;
• certified by COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act ) under the kidSAFE Seal Program;
• includes an SOS button for emergency alerts;
• accurate location information;
• easy-to-use interface;
• minimum impact on device autonomy;
• grants admin rights only to parents;
• option to add an unlimited number of devices to your account.

Cons:

• limited-time free trial.

Most parental control apps don’t have a geolocation feature, so Findmykids is a good choice if you want to combine these two features—geolocation and child phone usage analytics.

 

2. Hoverwatch

 

 

Hoverwatch is one of the most authentic mobile location tracking apps for Android cell phones accessible to parents. With the use of Wi-Fi signals, cell towers, and GPS satellites, the remarkable geolocation tool precisely pinpoints the location of your kid’s Android smartphone.

While Hoverwatch is a sophisticated app for monitoring your child’s internet behavior, it is also one of the most costly options.

Monthly, quarterly, and yearly memberships are available, with the latter costing €99.95, which is rather expensive.

Apart from location tracking, the app offers some useful features that include:

• ability to track the messaging activity on apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, etc.;
• tracks the internet history of a device;
• traces received calls and SMSes;
• takes phone screenshots when you want.

Pros:

• simple and easy-to-use interface;
• accurate GPS tracking;
• can track messaging apps;
• records incoming and outgoing calls.

Cons:

• advanced features require the target phone to be rooted
• limited free-trialю

3. Life360

 

Life360 is up next on our list. This app is ideal for families since it helps keep track of various family members and keeps everyone connected.

The concept of location sharing is useful, particularly if you are driving. When you tap on a picture of a family member, the system will immediately offer instructions to that location.

On the other hand, the free version only provides two days of location history and has restricted place alerts, which may limit the app’s effectiveness. At the same time, the premium features cost $4.99 monthly.

You can use the app on Android and iOS devices.

Some of the features of Life360 are:

• displays the ETA (estimated time of arrival) of a user;
• notification alerts when a member arrives/leaves a saved place (like home or school);
• an SOS option that notifies your family when you need help;
• helps family members share their locations;
• automatic car crash detection (US users);
• driver Protect version tracks the driving behavior of members.

Pros:

• accurate location sharing;
• emergency panic button;
• in-app messaging;
• car breakdown assistance.

Cons:

• many features need to be paid for.

4. FamiSafe

 

FamiSafe, one of the most trusted real-time location-tracking apps for families, has many features that make it handy. Aside from precise location, it also offers a “geofencing” function that allows you to define a certain area and get real-time alerts when someone enters or exits that area.

FamiSafe may be downloaded from the Google Play Store for Android smartphones or the iOS store for Apple devices. The monthly plan begins at $10.99, with an annual membership available for $60.99.

That’s not all. Some other features that you can find on FamiSafe include:

• website filtering to block inappropriate content;
• parental control app features such as screen time control;
• app blocker and activity tracking;
• location history report;
• explicit content detection.

Pros:

• tracks real-time location;
• compatible with Android and iOS devices;
• useful phone usage analytics;
• cyberbullying prevention.

Cons:

• limited-period free trial;
• no call monitoring.

5. Find My Phone

 

This GPS location tracker is for you if you’re faced with the worry and inconvenience of a lost or stolen smartphone. The navigational aid of Find My Phone directs you to your lost smartphone device, making recovery fast and easy.

Using this GPS tracker app, you can instantly:

• find a lost, stolen, or missing device, no matter who it belongs to;
• keep a tab on missing or lost devices;
• track where a device has been using the location history feature.

Pros:

• provides an accurate location of your device;
• easy user interface;
• helpful in tracking lost devices;
• provides location history;
• free to use.

Cons:

• limited features;
• cannot track app activities.

6. Find My

 

After the iOS 13 release in 2019, Apple merged two apps, Find My Friends and Find My iPhone, to form the new real-time location tracking app Find My. This app is pre-installed on all iOS devices. It not only helps you track the whereabouts of your iPhone in case it is lost, but it also helps you track the whereabouts of your loved ones once they share it with you.

However, the total usefulness is fairly restricted. We realize that Find My is free and was never intended to be a tracking app, but if you like thorough reports and other features for your monitoring tool, this is different for you.

Other features of this app include:

• can share location through the app or iMessage;
• helps locate all kinds of Apple devices—iPhones, iPads, AirPods, Macs, and Apple Watches;
• can instantly and remotely lock your device;
• can erase your data if necessary.

Pros:

• provides the location of your missing Apple device;
• locate your device even if it isn’t connected to the internet;
• easy to share location with friends and family;
• can be used on multiple Apple devices.

Cons:

• limited features;
• doesn’t track app activity.

7. Google Maps

Google Maps, well-known for delivering directions, is the greatest app for location tracking on iPhones and Android smartphones. It lets you share your location with friends and family, letting them know your whereabouts and estimated arrival time.

Google Maps is free and handy, but its features are fairly limited. You won’t find complete child activity tracking here since no screen time management or social media monitoring features exist. However, Google Maps may be handy until you find a better choice for your kids’ online safety.

Some other features of Google Maps include:

• real-time travel updates—shows road blockages, delays, accidents, etc.;
• suggests the fastest routes;
• finds directions to almost every location you can think of.

Pros:

• you can select a duration for sharing your location;
• maintains a timeline of your location history;
• supported by iOS as well as Android devices;
• provides highly accurate location sharing.

Cons:

• directions can be inaccurate at times;
• has limited features when it comes to activity tracking.

8. iSharing

For families, the best app for tracking location is iSharing. The app is incredibly secure, and the GPS tracker lets you track your family members securely and in real time. It also sends alerts when someone leaves/arrives at a certain location or is close.

Although the basic version is free, you may apply for a Premium membership, which starts at $3.99 per month. Even with those alternatives, don’t anticipate any extra features, such as the ability to monitor calls.

Some other features include:

• directions to your loved one’s location;
• can send a panic alert to selected contacts;
• shows the battery status of your loved one’s phone;
• can convert phones into walkie-talkies;
• message your loved ones in-app.

Pros:

• clean and easy-to-use UI;
• displays driving habits through summary graphs;
• available on iPhones and Android devices;
• essential features available in the free version;
• provides a person’s location history.

Cons:

• in-app purchases.

9. Kaspersky Safe Kids

 

Given that tracking is the subject of our review, it is worth noting that Kaspersky Safe Kids always delivers extensive information about your child’s whereabouts. However, it merely scrapes the surface of what this app can do.

The most significant benefit of Kaspersky Safe Kids is screen time monitoring. It’s a parental control app that allows you to set how much time your kid may spend on each device daily and even prohibit them from downloading social media apps. Using Safe Search and web filtering to conceal harmful information is another approach to keeping youngsters safe.

Although you may download the app for free, full functionality is only available with the premium edition, which is a little pricy. It will also take some time to install on your and the kid’s phones.

Some of the other features of Kaspersky Safe Kids are:

• GPS tracking used to monitor the child’s location;
• detailed reports about the app, internet, and YouTube activity;
• web filtering and Safe Search options;
• available on Android and iOS devices;

Pros:

• provides highly accurate real-time locations;
• it helps build proper digital habits with device scheduling;
• you can block apps to prevent your kid from using them;
• excellent internet filtering options;

Cons:

• installation takes a bit of time and effort.

10. Google Family Link

Google Family Link is more than just a basic location-tracking application. You may also take control of your child’s phone and set different app permissions. Monitoring the app in detail and setting time limitations is also possible.

When it comes to placement, you can see where numerous members of your family are at the same time. You only need to link the appropriate devices to your app. The greatest part is that this is a free app, so you will not be charged anything.

Google Family Link has a simple layout but few features, particularly compared to premium apps in this category. However, it is accessible for Android and iOS smartphones so that you may try it out.

Some of the Google Family Link features are:

• tracking multiple family members from a single device;
• adjusting app permissions to protect your child’s privacy;
• receiving notifications and alerts when your kid leaves a location
• setting screen time limits and guiding them to age-appropriate content

Pros:

• available on Android and iOS devices;
• it’s easy to set screen time limits;
• free to download and use forever;
• a simple and intuitive interface;
• it’s not only parental control app.

Cons:

• its features aren’t as expensive as other child-tracking apps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it legal to track my child’s location?

No legislation prohibits you from using a GPS device on your child’s gadgets if they are minors and you are their parent or legal guardian. Knowing their whereabouts may help them avoid difficulty and ensure that you can track them if they get lost.

Which features should I look for in a location-tracking app?

You want a dependable app that will work with your child’s phone. GPS is the most common tracking technology, and providing real-time data on your kid’s location is critical. Screen time monitoring (similar to parental control apps), audio and video calls, and emergency alerts are all important features.

How accurate is a location-tracking app?

It depends on the parent tracker app utilized; however, if GPS technology is used to find the child’s smartphone, it should be accurate. That implies the app should be able to pinpoint the kid’s location within 10-50 feet.

Can a location-tracking app drain my phone’s battery?

A family tracking app uses your battery, but no more or less than most other apps you use regularly. The GPS option on your kid’s phone will drain their battery faster than normal. However, if you have a smartphone with a stable and robust battery, these apps should be fineery use.

How to make the iOS app run location tracking even if it is closed?

Take the following steps:

1. Navigate to Settings, Privacy, and Location Services.
2. Make sure “location services” is enabled.
3. Continue scrolling until you find the location-tracking app you wish to keep running.
4. Tap the app and choose the option “always.”

Even when the app operates in the background, it can now access your location.