27 Best FREE Cell Phone Tracker Apps for Mobile Location in 2024

Tracking a cell phone‘s location can be useful for many reasons – keeping tabs on your kids, finding a lost or stolen device, sharing your location with friends and family, etc. Thankfully, there are many free apps available that allow you to track phones easily and accurately.

In this guide, we will share the 27 best free cell phone tracker apps to use in 2024. We have included both apps designed specifically for location tracking as well as general purpose apps with tracking features. The list covers apps for both iPhone and Android.

Best Free Cell Phone Tracker Apps

1. Phonsee

Phonsee is an excellent phone tracking app that lets you monitor a device‘s location, calls, texts, apps and more. It works on both iPhone and Android.

Some key features of Phonsee:

• Track location in real-time
• View call logs
• Read SMS messages
• Monitor app usage
• Remote camera access
• Set up geo-fences

The user interface is clean and intuitive. You can easily switch between different types of data. Location history is also available.

Overall, Phonsee provides comprehensive monitoring and tracking capabilities in an easy-to-use package.

Availability: iOS, Android

2. Find My Kids

Find My Kids is a child safety app that lets parents track their kids. You can view location on a map, set up geo-fences, see location history and more.

Some useful features include:

• Real-time location tracking
• Location alerts when entering or leaving a specified area
• Driving reports to monitor speeding
• Chat with your kids through the app

Find My Kids provides excellent location monitoring features tailored specifically to parents.

Availability: iOS, Android

3. Spyic

Spyic is a phone monitoring app with powerful tracking capabilities. You can track a device‘s location, messages, calls, apps and more.

Key tracking features offered by Spyic:

• Real-time GPS location
• Location history available for the past 12 months
• Create geo-fences to get alerts when device enters/exits an area
• View detailed location address (street name, city etc.)

Spyic does not require you to install any app on the target device. It works remotely through the cloud. This makes it convenient and discreet for monitoring kids or employees.

Availability: iOS, Android

4. mSpy

mSpy is a long-running phone tracking service. It lets you monitor location, calls, texts, apps, browsing history and more.

Some of its key highlights for location tracking:

• Track in real-time
• Interactive maps
• Address details for location
• Set up geofences
• Locate turned off devices
• Battery efficient monitoring

mSpy offers a range of monitoring plans depending on your needs. It has advanced safety and discretion features as it‘s designed for parental control and employee monitoring.

Availability: iOS, Android

5. FamiSafe

FamiSafe is a parental control app for managing and monitoring kids‘ phones. It has robust phone tracking capabilities.

Some useful tracking features offered by FamiSafe:

• Accurate real-time GPS location tracking
• Location history log available
• Get alerts when your kid leaves or enters specific areas
• View detailed location address
• Low battery usage

FamiSafe also has other parental control features like app blocking, web filtering, screen time limits and more. It‘s easy to set up and use.

Availability: iOS, Android

6. Kaspersky Safe Kids

Kaspersky Safe Kids is a parental control app focused on child safety. It offers multiple ways to track your kids on their phones.

Key location tracking features:

• View location on map in real-time
• Location history available for the past 90 days
• Get notifications when your child visits or leaves specific places
• Child location sharing via private community feed

Additionally, Kaspersky Safe Kids also provides web and app controls, screen time limits, alerts and more for managing your kids‘ phones.

Availability: iOS, Android

7. Norton Family

Norton Family is a parental control service that helps you monitor your kids‘ activities and locations.

It offers the following useful phone tracking capabilities:

• See your kid‘s location on a map
• Location history shows where they‘ve been
• Get notifications when they visit or leave pre-set places
• Can locate offline devices also

Norton Family also provides web supervision, app monitoring, time limits and filters to manage screen time.

Availability: iOS, Android

8. Qustodio

Qustodio offers parental controls to monitor kids on phones, social media and the web. It can track phones on both Android and iPhone.

Key phone tracking features provided by Qustodio:

• Real-time GPS location tracking
• Location history log available
• Usage limits and schedules
• Location alerts
• Track offline devices

Additionally, it also lets you block apps and websites, view texts and set screen time limits.

Availability: iOS, Android

9. Kaspersky Internet Security

Kaspersky Internet Security is a mobile antivirus app with various phone tracking capabilities.

It offers the following key location monitoring features:

• See your phone‘s location on a map
• Location history available
• Option to share real-time location through private messaging
• Lost phone features like lock and wipe

Aside from location tracking, it also includes malware protection, web filtering, app controls, anti-theft tools and more.

Availability: iOS, Android

10. ES File Explorer

ES File Explorer is a popular file manager and explorer app for Android. It has a useful phone tracking feature.

You can track your Android phone using ES File Explorer in the following ways:

• Locate your lost phone on a map
• Make phone ring to find it even on silent mode
• Remote lock
• Remote wipe data
• Backup photos and other files remotely

Aside from phone tracking tools, ES File Explorer is great for general file management and access.

Availability: Android

11. Google Find My Device

Google Find My Device is Google‘s tracking service to locate lost Android phones.

Key features offered by Find My Device:

• Remotely locate your lost phone on a map
• Make it ring loudly to find it
• Lock the phone remotely
• Erase all data if device cannot be recovered

The tracking works even if phone is offline by locating it the next time it comes online.

Availability: Android

12. iPhone Where Are You

iPhone Where Are You is a straightforward app for iPhone tracking and security.

It offers the following helpful tracking features:

• Track your iPhone location in real-time
• View location history
• Share live location via messaging
• Locate lost iPhone remotely

Aside from location tracking, it also includes other tools like backup, lock and wipe. It can track multiple iPhones.

Availability: iOS

13. Life360

Life360 is a family safety app for location sharing. You can add family members and view each other‘s location directly within the app.

Key features of Life360:

• See family members‘ real-time location
• Get notifications when someone leaves or reaches specific places
• View location history
• Drive safety features like crash detection

Life360 promotes collaboration and coordination by letting families share locations. It is easy to set up and use.

Availability: iOS, Android

14. Glympse

Glympse is a simple real-time location sharing app. You temporarily share your GPS location with selected contacts.

To use Glympse for tracking:

• Share real-time location with anyone from your contacts
• Recipient can view your location on a map
• Customize length of time they can view location
• Works even without Glympse app installed

Glympse provides a quick and easy way to share live location without needing accounts or sign up.

Availability: iOS, Android

15. Facebook Messenger Kids

Facebook Messenger Kids is a messaging app for kids that gives parents control. It has a good location sharing feature.

Messenger Kids location sharing allows:

• Kids can share location with approved parent and friends
• Parent can view kid‘s real-time location
• Set up one-time or recurring location sharing

Other controls in Messenger Kids include review of messages, copy of chats, screen time limits and more.

Availability: iOS, Android

16. Find My Friends

Find My Friends is Apple‘s friend/family location sharing app. You can share your real-time location with selected people.

Key features offered by Find My Friends:

• Share real-time location with friends/family
• See friends‘ location directly in app
• Location history available for past 24 hours
• Get notified when someone leaves or reaches specific place

The app lets you control who can view your location at all times. It is seamlessly integrated with iOS.

Availability: iOS

17. Google Maps – Location Sharing

Google Maps has a useful location sharing feature. You can temporarily share your live location with someone right from Google Maps.

How it works:

• Open Google Maps app
• Tap on profile icon
• Choose ‘Share location‘ and pick contact
• Recipient will see your real-time location on Maps
• Customize how long you want to share location

It provides an easy way to share your location without needing a separate app.

Availability: iOS, Android

18. WhatsApp – Live Location Sharing

WhatsApp now allows users to share live location from chats. It‘s handy for temporary location tracking.

To use it:

• Open chat in WhatsApp
• Tap ‘Attach‘ > ‘Location‘ > ‘Share Live Location‘
• Choose duration and tap ‘Send‘
• The user will now see your real-time location

You have full control over when to stop location sharing. It provides an easy way to share location on WhatsApp without third-party apps.

Availability: iOS, Android

19. Snapchat Map

Snapchat has a Map feature that lets you share your location. You can see friends‘ locations and share yours as well.

How Snapchat Map works:

• Open Snap Map and zoom into your area
• See friends‘ Bitmoji avatars pinned on the map
• Share your location to let friends see you on the map
• Change settings anytime to control location visibility

It offers a fun way to see and share locations especially for teens. Parents can turn off location sharing if needed.

Availability: iOS, Android

20. Nextdoor

Nextdoor is a neighborhood social network. It has options for location sharing.

Nextdoor‘s location features allow:

• Share your precise location or general area with neighbors
• View nearby neighbors on map
• Get recommendations based on your location
• Local feeds based on your neighborhood

Optional location sharing helps build hyperlocal community connections.

Availability: iOS, Android

21. Samsung Find My Mobile

Samsung Find My Mobile enables tracking lost Samsung phones. You can remotely control the phone.

Key capabilities offered by Find My Mobile:

• Remotely locate phone on map
• Make phone ring to find it
• Lock and erase data
• Access photos and files from remote web portal

Set up Samsung account in advance to use Find My Mobile features.

Availability: Android

22. Family Atlas

Family Atlas is designed specifically for family location tracking. Parents can view kids‘ locations and set alerts.

With Family Atlas you can:

• See family members‘ phone location in real-time
• Define places of interest to get entry/exit alerts
• Enable location notifications
• View location history

A dashboard provides an overview of all family members‘ locations. Easy to set up and manage locations.

Availability: iOS, Android

23. FollowMee

FollowMee is another family location tracking app. It lets you track phones and set up alerts.

Key features of FollowMee:

• See family locations on a map
• Create custom areas for entry/exit alerts
• Share locations via private feed
• Location messaging within app
• Review location history

FollowMee focuses on child safety by giving parents control over monitoring locations.

Availability: iOS, Android

24. Tabs Family Locator

Tabs Family Locator is designed for families to monitor and share locations. Parents can track kids while kids check-in at school etc.

Some key features offered by Tabs:

• Real-time family location tracking
• Define places of interest for alerts
• Location sharing within private group
• Location history and reports
• Works offline also

Tabs provides good family coordination based on locations.

Availability: iOS, Android

25. Family Link

Family Link by Google is an app that lets parents supervise their kids‘ phones. Location tracking is one aspect.

Family Link enables:

• View kid‘s location on real-time map
• Review location history
• Get notifications when your kid leaves or arrives at specific places
• Set screen time limits based on locations

Family Link also features app limits, screen time management and more parental controls.

Availability: iOS, Android

26. Bit Guardian

Bit Guardian is a family safety app that offers location tracking features. Parents can monitor kids‘ locations.

With Bit Guardian you can:

• See child location on real-time map
• Define safe places for entry/exit alerts
• Track school attendance based on location
• Review detailed location history reports
• Detect speeding and crashes

Bit Guardian also has web filters, app limits and SMS monitoring features.

Availability: iOS, Android

27. Fleet Tracker

Fleet Tracker is designed for businesses to monitor fleets of vehicles. But it can also be used by families to track phones.

It provides:

• Real-time location of all tracked devices
• Location history and reports
• Speed alerts
• Geo-fences and location alerts
• Locate stationary devices also

Fleet Tracker offers advanced GPS tracking capabilities intended for commercial usage.

Availability: iOS, Android

FAQs about Phone Tracking Apps

Can I track a phone for free?

Yes, there are many apps like Find My Device, Google Maps, Life360 etc. that offer free phone tracking features. Free options tend to provide basic capabilities for personal use. For advanced monitoring and control, paid subscriptions are required.

Do I need to install any app on the target phone?

For Android phones, you typically need to install a tracking app on the target device to track it since Android does not have built-in tracking like Find My iPhone. For iPhone, you can track without installing any app using Find My iPhone with the target user‘s iCloud credentials.

Why would I need to track someone‘s phone?

Reasons can include:

• Parents wanting to monitor kids‘ location for safety
• Find a lost or stolen phone
• Track employees on field service
• Share location with friends/family
• GPS navigation and fitness tracking

What are the benefits of a phone tracking app?

Benefits include:

• Monitor kids‘ location for safety
• Quickly find lost devices
• Share real-time location with anyone
• View location history and trips
• Monitor phone usage patterns
• Prevent misuse of company devices

What precautions should I take when tracking phones?

Things to keep in mind:

• Maintain user consent/notify users they are being tracked
• Prioritize child safety but respect privacy also
• Don‘t overuse tracking data
• Use a reputable tracking app that keeps data secure
• Monitor your own phone also if tracking kids

Conclusion

Location tracking via mobile phones has many legitimate uses for families, businesses and personal needs. However, it also raises privacy concerns if misused.

When picking a tracking app from our list of top 27 options, analyze your specific needs. Look for things like platform support, ease of use, battery optimization, data privacy and pricing. Read app reviews and research the provider as well.

Set some ground rules when using location tracking apps – be transparent about monitoring, don‘t be overly intrusive, respect personal space and prioritize child safety. With a measured approach, mobile phone tracking can be very beneficial.