Smartphones in today’s world are much more than mere calling devices. They are used for banking, shopping, emails, social networking, and everything else you can think of! Almost all of our day-to-day activities are predominantly associated with using a smartphone.
So, losing or misplacing our smartphones is scary, as we not only lose track of our daily activities, but our sensitive information is also at stake. In times like these, a phone monitoring app comes in handy. It lets you monitor the location of your lost device.
Now, scouring the Play/App Store will fetch you a plethora of phone trackers that might aid in locating your lost cell phone. However, picking the right one might be a bit daunting, and that’s why we tested 5 free/paid apps to track a cell phone location for you. Note that all these are mature apps made by responsible developers. Learn more.
1 – uMobix – Best Phone Tracking App for Modern Parents
uMobix is a mobile spying platform that allows you to remotely monitor a target iOS or Android-based cell phone via an online control panel. It is capable of live GPS location tracking of your device, all social media activity, phone calls, and sent and received text messages in real-time.
With the help of this phone tracker application, you can even view deleted contents such as deleted phone numbers, text messages, and even renamed contacts. This is a handy tool to have if you want to monitor and control children’s smartphones. After all, nearly 54% of teens have admitted to spending too much time on their smartphones.
With uMobix, you can restrict your child’s phone functionalities to keep them safe. Also, you can keep your child from falling prey to cyberbullying or harassment. One can also access their child’s microphone and camera if needed.
Pros
- Secretly spy on your child to ensure their safety
- Monitor continuously without interruptions
- Recover all deleted information
- Regular log updates
Cons
- No free trial
2 – Hoverwatch – Best Android Tracker App Without Permission
Founded in 2002, Hoverwatch offers staff monitoring and parental control solutions that serve users in as many as 196 countries.
This phone tracker application will allow you to track basic information on your target’s Android smartphones, such as text messages, calls, and networks. It can also provide you with the location of the target smartphone via its GPS tracker feature.
Hoverwatch has a ton of packages to offer; each varies greatly when it comes to monitoring capabilities. Also, keep in mind that the functions Hoverwatch offers may not be compatible with all devices. If you want to track something specific, double-check all information provided on Hoverwatch’s official website before opting for any of their offerings.
Pros
- Stealth mode tracking
- A decent social media tracking experience
- You can take desktop screenshots
Cons
- Physical access to the device is necessary to install Hoverwatch software
3 – SpyBubble Pro: Mobile Phone Tracker That’s Compatible with Most Smartphones
SpyBubble is what you should be using if you need regular updates from the target device. This device will send you regular screenshots of the target device’s screen, ensuring that you’ll have enough proof of your partner’s disloyalty.
What’s more, this phone tracker is compatible with almost all Android or iOS devices. Moreover, you will have access to any data that the target user might have deleted from their device while they were under SpyBubble’s surveillance.
SpyBubble is a simple to set up spy tool; all you have to do is choose a subscription plan (note that it’s a pretty affordable tool), install the app on your cheating spouse’s device, and wait for the data to pour in.
And unless someone digs deep into their device settings, they would never know that SpyBubble is tracking their device — a standout feature of this application.
Pros
- Easy to install
- Real-time tracking
- Tough to detect
- Can access deleted data
- Physical proximity to the target is not needed
Cons
- The UI is pretty old school, feels outdated
4 – Cocospy – Best Stealth Mode Phone Tracking App
Cocospy is an affordable phone tracker with a fairly intuitive UI that offers a demo to check whether it would suit your needs the way you expect it to. With Cocospy, you can gather all the essential information you wish to know via an easy-to-understand web-based dashboard.
You can also easily track a device’s social media activities on Facebook, Snapchat, WhatsApp, and Twitter. That’s not all, Cocospy also gives you a real-time update on all incoming and outgoing calls and text messages, and that too, with timestamps.
Also, you can get to know about the deleted phone calls and text messages of the target device. And as far as tracking device location is concerned, Cocospy can do it either by keeping a bird’s eye view on the SIM card of the target device or by its real-time GPS tracking.
Pros
- Easy to set up
- 24/7 customer support
- Continuous tracking without interruptions
- Real-time location tracking
Cons
- Target devices must undergo jailbreak for social media apps like Snapchat and Messenger monitoring
5 – GEOfinder – Best Real-Time Tracking Features (only 1$!)
Say you want to know the precise location of a cell phone number. In that case, GEOfinder will be your friend. It can pinpoint the location, including location history, of any cell phone number no matter how poor the network connection may be.
To track the location of a particular device via this phone tracker, enter the cell phone number you want to track and select a personalized message you want to send to the user. Then, the device owner will receive a text message with a link. Once the user clicks on it, you get to know the exact device location which you can then view from the GEOfinder dashboard.
Also, you need not worry about your identity being revealed; the device owner will never come to know that it was you. Moreover, you can get the job done without having to install any software — GEOfinder is a web-based tracking platform.
Pros
- No physical access to the target device required
- Real-time location tracking with 100% accuracy
- Easy to use
- No installation required
- Compatible with all devices
Cons
- You can only track the target’s location, and that’s all
- A tad expensive
- No continuous tracking is available as you can only send one message every 3 hours
Main Criteria: How to Choose the Right Phone Tracker Apps?
Phone monitoring applications are becoming increasingly popular these days. However, with hundreds of options to choose from, picking one that is best suited for you can be a bit daunting.
So, we are here to assist you in laying down a blueprint that will help you choose the right phone tracker for yourself:
Ease of Setup (No Technical Knowledge Needed)
There are a ton of phone trackers out there that are pretty complicated to get started with, and we’ve not considered them in curating our top 5 phone tracker apps list. Sure, complex software may offer you a plethora of features, but it’s not easy to understand and setup involves a steep learning curve.
Go for easy-to-use and setup applications, like uMobix and Cocospy.
Features
Every other phone tracking application has something new to offer. So, we recommend listing down the features you would need from a phone tracker. Also, check whether it’s in your budget.
For instance, GEOfinder is great if you want your application to tell you the exact location of a target mobile device. However, it’s of little use if you need to track your target’s social media activity. In that case, you need to consider options like uMobix, which has great social media tracking capabilities.
After Sales Support
It doesn’t matter how easy a tool is to set up or how many features the software provides; the phone tracking application you pick must have good after-sales support. This is because once you purchase a certain tracker, you may bump into a lot of queries, which only representatives of the tool can solve.
A good after-sales support will be willing to solve all your doubts and queries regarding the product and even assist you in the setup process.
Our Verdict About Best Phone Tracker Apps
Having discussed five adept phone tracker apps, we recommend uMobix as the #1 phone monitoring on the market right now. Unlike most phone trackers, uMobix can show you deleted contacts, messages, etc., on the target phone. You can also access the target’s camera and microphone if need be, not to mention that it’s an affordable tool that works equally well on both Android and iOS devices. Regardless of the tool you use, make sure you adhere to Chrome Privacy rules.
FAQ
Can someone put a phone tracker on your phone without touching it?
One can put a phone tracker on an iOS device without ever touching it, but this isn’t the case with Android devices! There are a couple of applications out there that can track target iPhones without accessing or even touching them. But Android device tracking demands physical access to the target device.
How to find someone’s location by cell phone number on iOS or Android?
GEOfinder, a phone tracking software, can pinpoint the location of any cell phone number no matter how poor the network connection may be. All you have to do is enter the cell phone number and select a personalized message you want to send to the target user. The device owner will then receive a text message with a link. Once the user clicks on it, you will have the device’s exact location.
Is it legal to use a phone tracker by number without them knowing?
It is legal to use a phone tracker (1) if your children are below the age of 18, and you’re concerned about their safety, (2) for personal use, that is, for locating your lost or misplaced device, (3) for tracking employees, if you’re a business owner, and (4) if you have the consent of the target device owner. It’s illegal to use a phone monitoring app for reasons other than these. Threatening someone’s privacy is punishable by law in the States and many other places.
How long does it take to track someone’s location?
Most phone tracking software take anywhere around 30 minutes to track your target device’s location. That said, there are tools — such as uMobix — that can track a location in as little as 5 minutes.
Can I track a mobile without internet and GPS?
It’s almost impossible to track a mobile device without internet connectivity and GPS technology. That said, there are a couple of ways you can still know the location. For instance, one of them is a good old telecom operator service that can track the location of the target phone through the IMEI number as soon as it gets connected to a telecom network.
How to stop someone from tracking or spying on your cell phone?
Some of the many methods you can employ to stop someone from tracking or spying on your cell phone include using a secure password, installing security applications and VPN, and using anti-malware and encryption tools. Another way out is to hire a professional hacker, which is perhaps the most extreme fix out there.