Mobile Location Tracking: Technologies, Ethics, and Alternatives

How to Track Someone’s Location Using a Phone Number

Tracking someone’s location with a phone number can be done for various reasons, such as ensuring the safety of children, keeping track of elderly family members, or during emergencies. It’s crucial to use these tools responsibly and obtain the necessary consent to respect privacy.

Why Might You Need to Track Someone’s Location?

Some valid reasons to track someone’s location include:

• Parental Control: To monitor the whereabouts of your children and ensure their safety.
• Elderly Care: Keeping track of elderly family members to prevent them from getting lost or disoriented.
• Emergency Situations: Locating friends or family members in distress.

Before using any tracking service, it’s essential to be aware of the legal and ethical implications involved.

Top Apps to Track Someone’s Location Using a Phone Number

Here’s a list of some of the best apps and methods to track a phone number’s location, considering usability, features, and privacy.

1. mSpy

mSpy’s pricing is structured to accommodate different needs:

• Basic Plan: $29.99/month, offering essential monitoring features like call logs, SMS tracking, and browsing history.
• Premium Plan: $69.99/month, including advanced features like social media monitoring, geofencing, and keylogging.
• Family Plan: $359.99/year, covering up to 3 devices, ideal for larger households.

While mSpy’s pricing is on the higher end compared to competitors like Qustodio and Bark, it offers more extensive social media monitoring capabilities, making it a preferred choice for parents who need comprehensive digital oversight of their children’s activities.

2. Scannero.io

Scannero.io is a web-based global phone tracking service that allows users to pinpoint the location of any device using just a phone number. It is particularly useful for tracking individuals across different phone types and carriers without needing to install any software on the target device.

Key Features

1. Location Tracking: Scannero excels at real-time GPS location tracking. By sending a customizable text message with an embedded link, you can track the exact location of the recipient once they click the link. This feature is compatible with all phone types, including iPhones, Android devices, and even older models.
2. Reverse Lookup Tools: Scannero offers both reverse phone number lookup and username lookup features. This allows users to identify unknown callers and social media accounts, providing details like name, address, and associated social media profiles.
3. Find Lost Phone: If you’ve lost your device, you can use Scannero to send a tracking link to your number. When someone clicks on the link, you’ll receive the exact location of your phone, making it easier to retrieve.
4. Custom Message Creation: You can personalize the message sent to the recipient, increasing the chances of them clicking the link. This customization is a unique feature that enhances user experience and tracking effectiveness.
5. Data Safety and Privacy: All data transferred through Scannero is encrypted, ensuring that your information remains private and secure. The platform operates anonymously, keeping the identity of the tracker confidential.

Pricing

Scannero offers two main pricing plans:

• One-Day Trial: Available for $0.89, this plan provides access to all features for 24 hours, allowing unlimited tracking requests during the trial period.
• Monthly Subscription: For $49.99 per month, users can track multiple phone numbers with no restrictions. This plan offers a more cost-effective solution for long-term tracking needs.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• No installation required; everything is done through a web browser.
• Supports all phone types and works globally.
• Easy to use with a straightforward interface.

Cons:

• The recipient must click on the link for tracking to work.
• The monthly subscription cost may be considered high compared to other tracking solutions.

Overall, Scannero.io is a powerful and user-friendly tool for location tracking with a few limitations, primarily the need for recipient interaction. It’s a great option if you need a reliable tracking solution without the hassle of app installations or complex setups.

3. SpyX

SpyX is a relatively new entrant in the phone tracking and monitoring space, having emerged in 2023. It has quickly matured, offering a range of advanced monitoring features that rival more established brands. Below is a detailed look at its features, pricing, and overall performance.

Key Features

1. Location Tracking: SpyX provides accurate real-time GPS tracking along with location history logs. This feature helps users monitor the whereabouts of a device effectively.
2. Social Media Monitoring: SpyX allows monitoring of various social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and more. It can capture deleted messages and interactions, though performance on certain platforms like Discord may be buggy and slow.
3. Call and SMS Monitoring: You can view call logs, including caller details and timestamps, and monitor all text messages sent and received. However, there’s no option to block or whitelist numbers.
4. Live Recording: The app supports live screen recording, audio recording, and screenshot capture, providing a real-time view of the target device’s activities. This feature is particularly useful for parental control or employee monitoring.
5. Email and Media Monitoring: SpyX can monitor emails and access media files such as photos and videos on the target device, providing a comprehensive view of the user’s digital interactions.
6. Keylogging: This feature is available only on Android devices, allowing you to track everything typed on the device, including messages, search queries, and passwords.

Pricing

SpyX offers three main pricing plans:

• 1-Month Plan: $49.98 per month.
• 3-Month Plan: $28.32 per month.
• 12-Month Plan: $11.66 per month.

The annual plan provides the best value for long-term use, but there are no free trials or money-back guarantees, making it crucial to be certain before committing to a plan​.

4. EyeZy

EyeZy is a versatile phone monitoring app designed to provide comprehensive tracking and monitoring features for both iOS and Android devices. It is popular for its real-time location tracking and discreet monitoring capabilities. Here’s a detailed look at what EyeZy offers:

Key Features

1. GPS Location Tracking: EyeZy leverages the device’s built-in GPS to track the real-time location and historical location data. It also includes geofencing capabilities, allowing you to set up safe or danger zones and receive notifications when the target device enters or exits these areas. This feature is ideal for parents to keep track of their children’s movements.
2. Social Media and Communication Monitoring: EyeZy can monitor activities on major social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, and more. It captures messages, including deleted ones, and provides detailed insights into social media interactions.
3. Call and Text Message Monitoring: The app allows you to track all incoming and outgoing calls and text messages, including deleted ones. It also provides detailed call logs with timestamps and durations. This feature helps parents or employers keep track of communication activities.
4. Keylogging and Screen Recording: EyeZy’s keylogger captures all keystrokes made on the device, including messages and search queries. The app also has a screen recording feature that captures live activity on the device, offering detailed insights.
5. Web and App Usage Monitoring: EyeZy lets you view browsing history and block specific websites or apps directly from your dashboard. This is useful for parents who want to restrict access to inappropriate content.
6. File Access and Email Monitoring: EyeZy gives you access to all saved files on the device, including photos, videos, and documents. You can also monitor sent and received emails, including details like timestamps and contacts.

Pricing

EyeZy offers three main subscription plans:

• Monthly Plan: $38.39 per month.
• 3-Month Plan: $22.39 per month (billed as $67.17 every three months).
• 12-Month Plan: $7.99 per month (billed as $95.88 annually).

The app also has a 14-day money-back guarantee, but only if the support team is unable to resolve technical issues with the app during the first subscription period.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Comprehensive monitoring features, including GPS tracking, social media monitoring, and keylogging.
• Easy setup and user-friendly interface.
• Offers geofencing and alerts for safe and danger zones.

Cons:

• Requires jailbreaking or rooting for some advanced features, which can be risky and may void the device’s warranty.
• Limited customer support and refund policy.
• Can be expensive for monitoring multiple devices.

EyeZy is a robust monitoring tool with powerful features suitable for parents and employers. However, it lacks some basic parental control features like screen time management and can be challenging to set up for users unfamiliar with jailbreaking or rooting devices. For those looking for comprehensive monitoring without the need for extensive setup, alternatives like Qustodio or Bark might be better options.

5. Hoverwatch

Hoverwatch is a versatile phone tracking and monitoring app primarily designed for parental control and employee surveillance. It provides a wide range of features, including call recording, text message monitoring, social media tracking, and location tracking. This makes it a robust choice for those who need comprehensive device monitoring capabilities.

Key Features

1. Call and SMS Monitoring: Hoverwatch allows users to monitor call logs, record phone calls, and view all text messages sent and received on the target device. This includes deleted messages, giving you a comprehensive view of communication activities.
2. Social Media Tracking: The app can track activities on popular social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Snapchat, and more. It logs messages, multimedia files, and even captures screenshots of the activity, which is useful for parents monitoring their children’s online behavior.
3. Location Tracking: Hoverwatch’s location tracking feature is capable of pinpointing the device’s location even if GPS and Wi-Fi are turned off. It uses cell tower information to provide location data, which can be crucial in situations where other methods fail.
4. Keylogging and Browsing History: Hoverwatch includes a keylogger feature that records every keystroke made on the device, capturing everything from messages to search queries. Additionally, it monitors browsing history and can block specific websites, making it useful for parental control and employee monitoring.
5. SIM Card Change Detection: If the target device’s SIM card is changed, Hoverwatch sends an alert, which can be particularly useful if the device is stolen or if someone is trying to evade tracking.

Pricing Plans

Hoverwatch offers three different subscription plans, each catering to different user needs:

1. Personal Plan (1 device):
   • Monthly: $29.95
   • Quarterly: $59.95
   • Annually: $99.95
2. Professional Plan (up to 5 devices):
   • Monthly: $49.95
   • Quarterly: $99.95
   • Annually: $199.95
3. Business Plan (up to 25 devices):
   • Monthly: $149.95
   • Quarterly: $299.95
   • Annually: $499.95

Each plan provides access to all monitoring features. The business plan includes additional tools like the Mobile Viewer app, which allows for offline viewing of stored data from all tracked devices.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Extensive monitoring features for both Android and Windows devices.
• Cost-effective for monitoring multiple devices under one plan.
• Operates in stealth mode, making it difficult for the target user to detect.

Cons:

• No iOS support, limiting its use to Android and desktop platforms.
• Physical access to the device is required for initial installation.
• Customer support response can be slow, and there is no money-back guarantee.

Final Thoughts

Hoverwatch is a powerful and comprehensive monitoring solution ideal for parents and employers. Its rich feature set and flexible pricing make it a strong contender in the phone monitoring market, but the lack of iOS support and the need for physical access to the device may limit its appeal for some users.

For more detailed information and to explore its features, you can visit their official website

6. uMobix

uMobix is a powerful phone monitoring and parental control app that offers a wide range of features for tracking and managing device usage. It is particularly effective on Android devices, providing robust monitoring capabilities that include call logs, social media activity, and real-time location tracking.

Key Features

1. Call and Text Monitoring: uMobix tracks all incoming and outgoing calls on the device, providing details such as call duration, time, and phone number. It can also read and display all text messages, including deleted ones, making it easy to monitor your child’s or employee’s communication.
2. Social Media Monitoring: uMobix supports over 20 social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Snapchat, and TikTok. The app takes periodic screenshots of activity on these platforms, enabling you to see messages, posts, and interactions in real-time.
3. Location Tracking: The app provides real-time GPS tracking, showing the current location of the device on a map. It logs historical location data and can alert you to new locations visited. However, it does not support geofencing, a feature that alerts you when the device enters or leaves specific areas.
4. Keylogging and Screen Recording: For Android devices, uMobix includes a keylogger that records all keystrokes on the device, allowing you to see everything typed, including messages, search queries, and passwords. It can also take screenshots and record audio and video from the device.
5. Browser History and App Monitoring: The app can track browsing history, including deleted records, and monitor app usage. It can also block specific apps or websites, providing parents and employers with control over what content is accessible on the device.

Pricing

uMobix offers different pricing plans for both iOS and Android devices, with a focus on flexibility and affordability:

• 1-Month Plan: $49.99
• 3-Month Plan: $79.99 (equivalent to $26.66/month)
• 12-Month Plan: $149.99 (equivalent to $12.49/month)

These plans provide access to all features, but it’s important to note that the iOS version has fewer capabilities compared to the Android version due to platform restrictions.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Comprehensive social media monitoring.
• Real-time location tracking and activity monitoring.
• Detailed call and message tracking with access to deleted data.

Cons:

• Limited features for iOS devices compared to Android.
• No geofencing or time management features.
• No free trial and a strict refund policy.

Final Thoughts

uMobix is a powerful tool for parents and employers seeking detailed monitoring of digital activities, especially on Android devices. Its extensive social media tracking capabilities set it apart from other parental control apps, but the lack of key features on iOS and its stringent refund policy are notable downsides. For users needing a comprehensive and affordable monitoring solution, uMobix is a strong contender, particularly for Android

7. Phonsee

Phonsee is a versatile app to find location using phone number. It excels in precisely determining a target device’s location via GPS. It offers geofencing, alerting you to device entry or exit. Discreetly providing detailed data and timestamps, it’s ideal for parental monitoring or basic phone spying, encompassing email reading, call tracking, and contact list access, among other features.

Features:

• Establish virtual boundaries and receive notifications from the target phone.
• Accurately mark the phone’s GPS location.
• Examine a detailed timeline and specific visited locations.

Pricing:

Basic Plan:

• Price: $29.99 per month
• Features: SMS tracking, location tracking (essential features)

Standard Plan:

• Price: $49.99 per month
• Features: SMS tracking, location tracking, geofencing (additional features)

Premium Plan:

• Price: $69.99 per month
• Features: SMS tracking, location tracking, geofencing, keylogger (most comprehensive set of features)

8. Spynger

Spynger is a comprehensive phone tracking and monitoring app tailored for both personal and professional use, offering robust features for tracking calls, messages, and social media activity on target devices. It is particularly useful for parental control and monitoring employees’ device usage.

Key Features

1. Call and Text Monitoring: Spynger allows users to monitor all incoming and outgoing calls, including call durations, timestamps, and contact details. It also tracks sent and received text messages, including multimedia attachments and deleted messages.
2. GPS Location Tracking & Geofencing: It provides precise real-time GPS location tracking and allows you to set up geofencing alerts. This means you get notifications when the target device enters or leaves specific areas, making it ideal for monitoring the whereabouts of loved ones or employees.
3. Social Media Monitoring: Spynger supports monitoring on various social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and more. This feature captures chats, posts, and interactions, giving you a comprehensive view of the target device’s social media activity.
4. Keylogger & Screen Recording: The app records every keystroke made on the target device, allowing you to capture messages, search queries, and even passwords. It also features a screen recorder that captures everything happening on the device in real-time.
5. Wi-Fi Monitoring: This feature shows which Wi-Fi networks the target device connects to, providing details such as network names, connection times, and locations. This can help identify patterns in the device’s usage and ensure it’s not being used in unauthorized locations.

Pricing Plans

Spynger offers three main pricing options:

• Monthly Plan: $44.56 for the first month, then $60.56/month afterward. This plan includes access to all monitoring features but lacks priority customer service.
• 3-Month Plan: $25.99/month initially, then $39.99/month after renewal. This plan is ideal for medium-term use and offers better value compared to the monthly plan.
• Annual Plan: $9.28/month in the first year, increasing to $14.27/month afterward. This is the most cost-effective plan, offering priority customer support and full access to all features.

All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to test the app before committing long-term

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Extensive monitoring features, including keylogging and screen recording.
• User-friendly interface with easy setup.
• Compatible with both Android and iOS devices.
• Operates in stealth mode, ensuring discreet monitoring.

Cons:

• Higher pricing compared to some competitors.
• Customer support is often slow and unresponsive.
• Performance issues like device overheating and lag have been reported by some users.

Final Thoughts

Spynger is a powerful tool for those who need comprehensive monitoring capabilities, but it’s crucial to use it ethically and in compliance with local laws. If you’re looking for alternatives, apps like mSpy or uMobix offer similar features and might provide better value, depending on your specific needs.