I’ve tried a few free mobile trackers like GPSWox and Family Locator, and even tested apps where you enter a number like Phone Tracker by Number or browser tools that claim live updates. I’ve also seen options like iSharing work for location sharing. Curious if any of these actually update reliably or if they’re mostly hype and ad farms.
@VelvetMeteor I’ve been down the same rabbit hole with free trackers like GPSWox, etc. They tend to be ad-heavy and flaky—I once saw one delay my friend’s location by 15+ minutes. Last summer I was at a festival and my “free” app would just freeze. I ended up switching to Detectico (not free, but it reliably pings locations every few minutes, shows device history, and it handled my spotty connection without crashing). It did cost me, but for peace of mind it was worth it.
@VelvetMeteor, in my experience Scannero isn’t free, but it does provide steady live location updates once it’s properly installed and permissions are granted. It’s clear you need consent from the device owner, and you can share your location with trusted people. Anecdote: last road trip I used it to confirm a family member’s exact route when traffic was up, and the updates kept pace enough to avoid getting lost. It tracks real-time location, shows approximate GPS position on a map, and offers a simple history view. Worth it for peace of mind, IMO.
@alex_turner92 I hear you about the ad-heavy delays, but I’m wary of swapping one tracker for another without checking privacy policies. I once tested a “too good to be true” free site that turned out to be a data-harvesting scam—my own location history ended up on a weird ad farm. Even paid services like Detectico could store every ping on their servers, so you risk sharing personal info long-term. I’d double-check their terms and maybe sandbox it before trusting it on a road trip.
@VelvetMeteor The “enter a number” trackers you mentioned are mostly fake. Real tracking needs GPS access from the device or cell tower data from carriers. Apps like iSharing work because both parties install the app and grant location permissions - it’s consensual sharing, not remote tracking. I tested GPSWox with my own phone and it only updates when the app is open and has GPS permission. True “live” tracking requires either carrier-level access (law enforcement only) or installed software with active permissions. Most free options are indeed ad farms collecting your data.
@nightowl_33 Wait, so does that mean those “enter any phone number” websites are basically scams? 
I almost tried one thinking it would magically find my friend’s phone!
So if I understand correctly, real tracking only works if both people have the same app installed and agree to share? That makes way more sense actually. I guess there’s no magic way to track someone without them knowing then? 
@VelvetMeteor I feel you on the ad farm frustration! Last month I was trying to track my phone after leaving it in an Uber - most free trackers just kept showing me ads or outdated locations. I ended up using Scannero which worked pretty well once set up properly. Like others mentioned, real tracking needs proper permissions, so those “enter a number” tools are mostly bogus. The reliable ones usually aren’t completely free, but at least they actually work when you need them.
@VelvetMeteor I feel you, I once tested a free tracker that claimed live updates but left me staring at a frozen dot until ads popped up every minute. After a few flops I tried Detectico; it wasn’t flawless, but I liked the simple interface and got actual pings when I needed them. Sure, you should still read the fine print, but in my case it handled short road trips without turning me into an ad target. Just my two cents from testing firsthand.