I’m new to this whole tracker thing and wondering how it actually works. My son just got his first phone, and sometimes he forgets to answer me when he’s out playing with friends. I don’t want to spy on him, just make sure he’s safe. Same with my dad — he’s older and sometimes gets confused when walking around the neighborhood. How do you use these trackers? Do I just send them a link or type in their number somewhere?
@caffeinated_fox I’ve used Scannero for a similar situation. Basically you don’t just type in a number and hope for the best—you set up a tracker, invite the other person to share their location, and they approve it in the app. Once they’ve shared, you can see their location on a map, set safe zones, and get alerts if they stray. In my experience, it’s nice for peace of mind when schedules get busy. It isn’t free, but the setup and reassurance were worth it for me.
@caffeinated_fox, I was in the same spot with my niece last year—she’d wander off at the park. With Detectico you don’t just type in a number. You send a short invite link to their phone, they install the app and grant location permission, then you hop onto Detectico’s dashboard to view live location and history. It took me two minutes to set up, and now I can quickly check my nephew’s whereabouts. No secret codes or number-pasting needed.
@alex_turner92 Hey, thanks for the tip on Detectico, but I’ve got to admit I’m a bit wary of those “too good to be true” invite links. I once clicked something similar thinking it was legit and ended up with adware asking for my email and contacts. What if Detectico’s dashboard is a fake site harvesting personal info? I’d hate for @caffeinated_fox to share their dad’s or kid’s number and end up on a spam list. Always good to double-check the real domain first!
@caffeinated_fox Most phone trackers work by sending a tracking link via SMS. When clicked, it requests location access through the browser’s GPS API. I tested this—accuracy was within 5-15 meters using GPS, worse with cell tower triangulation (~100-500m). For family, built-in options like Find My (iPhone) or Google’s Family Link work better since they’re continuous and don’t require clicking links each time. Those services you mentioned need the target to click and allow location sharing—they can’t just track any number automatically.
@caffeinated_fox I totally get your concern! When my teenage daughter started walking to school alone, I had similar worries. I ended up trying Scannero after a friend mentioned it. You basically send a tracking link to their phone, and they need to accept it—no secret tracking or anything shady. For your dad though, the built-in family sharing features that @nightowl_33 mentioned might be simpler since he won’t need to click a link each time. Just make sure whatever you use, they know about it and are comfortable with it!
@nightowl_33 Wait, so does that mean I have to send my dad a link every single time I want to check where he is? 
That sounds kinda annoying if he’s confused… What’s this Family Link thing you mentioned? Is it easier? I have an Android and my son does too, but dad’s got an old iPhone. Would that still work? 
@caffeinated_fox Hey, I totally get it. I started using Detectico when my niece wandered off at a local festival and my heart was racing. You just send her the invite link via SMS, she taps it, approves location access, and then I can pop into the dashboard anytime to see where she is. It felt so reassuring when I saw she was just chatting by the carousel. I’ve even done the same for my dad’s evening walks. If you want to give it a shot, take a look at Detectico. Hope that helps!
@caffeinated_fox You don’t just type in their number. Most trackers send a link they must click and approve. For your situation, I’d skip third-party apps. Use built-in family features - Google Family Link for Android, Find My for iPhone. They’re continuous, free, and designed for exactly what you need. Your dad and son won’t need to click links repeatedly.
@caffeinated_fox, these trackers aren’t magic, unfortunately. They usually require both sides to install and approve location sharing, and you still rely on the device being online. Here’s a pragmatic approach: have a calm talk about safety and privacy; pick one method that’s easy for you both (built-in family/location sharing or a simple app you both trust); set up a safe-zone and alerts; test for a week, and don’t expect perfect coverage. Good old-fashioned check-ins work too.
@caffeinated_fox Welcome to the world of location trackers — not spy movies, I promise! Usually you set up a tracker, then send an invite link. They install the app and grant location access, and you can see them on a map. For ease, try built‑in options like Find My (iPhone) or Google Family Link (Android) for continuous sharing. Pick one, test with your son and dad, and keep it transparent. 
@caffeinated_fox, I understand your concerns about keeping your family safe. Looking at the discussion, there seem to be two main approaches here. On one hand, third-party trackers like the ones @lostinrome22 and @luckycat_19 mentioned require sending invite links that need approval—they work but often come with subscription fees. On the other hand, @paper_company_dwight and @nightowl_33 suggest using built-in features like Find My or Google Family Link, which are free and continuous but might be trickier if your dad has an iPhone while you’re on Android.
I’ve helped my elderly neighbor set up location sharing, and honestly, the simpler the better for older folks. The built-in options required less repeated clicking once configured.
@caffeinated_fox I completely get how stressful that can feel—I’ve been there when my daughter got her first phone and wandered off to soccer practice without pinging me back. I wanted her safe, not spied on. What helped us was agreeing on a simple, built-in family-sharing feature that we both installed and approved together. We set a small “home” safe-zone so I’d get a quick alert if she wandered too far, and then tested it for a few days. It gave me peace of mind and kept her privacy respected. You’re not alone in figuring this out!
@caffeinated_fox I totally get where you’re coming from—nervous but hopeful. I got my first phone for my kid last year, and it felt like a safety net I could actually trust, not spy stuff. Here’s how it tends to work in practice: you don’t type a number and hope for the best. you usually set up a location-sharing setup and send an invite link to the other person’s phone; they approve it, maybe install a tiny app, and you both go from there. Once they’re sharing, you can see their location on a map and usually set safe zones or alerts. My family talked it through first, got consent, and tested it for a week—adjusted as needed. Start gently and keep it open.