How To Track An Android Phone For Free? 15 Best Apps

Considering that your smartphones are not very big and can easily go missing, you will need something to track them. Not very long ago, I lost my Android mobile phone. This is when I realized that I needed a tracker app on it so that I can find it, in case I misplace it inside my refrigerator again. 

How to Track an Android Phone for Free? 15 Best Apps

While looking at a range of apps that would possibly be helping me find my mobile without paying for the search, I got an idea. And so, I collected all the information that is available regarding Android smartphone trackers and app options for you to use and added it to the article below. 

This article has everything you will need if you are searching for the right android smartphone tracker. How to track an android phone for free? We got your back.

Why would I need a Mobile Tracker?

There are four possible reasons why you will definitely need a smartphone tracker on your or your dear ones’ smartphones.

Safety

Safety is a major factor that has to be taken into consideration at all times. Tracking a mobile with location tracking enabled or an active smartphone tracker can help you find people when they aren’t reachable. This can come in handy for parents to track their kids when they are running late. 

This technique is used by ambulances and other emergency services to reach the location of distress as soon as possible. 

Locating Misplaced Smartphones

It is very common for a smartphone to be set on silent and get placed somewhere. This has happened to all of us. In rare cases, it could have fallen into a sofa crack or got locked in a shelf. With a mobile tracker, the user can easily pinpoint the device’s location, when active. 

Easier Navigation to Locations

Trackers can also be used to find routes to destinations. Though this is not the intended purpose of android trackers, this is an extra benefit that comes with most tracking software. You needn’t depend on a dedicated navigation tool for this instead, your tracker itself will come in handy. 

Behavior Tracking

This might sound like a very complex usage but it is prevalent. Travel and locomotion companies use this feature to analyze how fast the drivers are driving their vehicles, to maintain the safety and concerns of the client aboard.

Another very disturbing factor that cannot be avoided, if you are using a mobile tracker, is that anyone can track those who have a tracker enabled. This means that you have to be very cautious about providing your location permissions to apps, as they can fall into the wrong hands.

What should I look for in a Mobile Tracker?

There is only one feature that you will need in an android mobile tracker; It should allow you to track your device, in case of emergencies. Some additional benefits that you might find useful in tracking software would be navigation and other emergency communication systems built-in.

Apps for Tracking Android Mobiles for Free

  1. Find My Phone
  2. Geo-Tracker
  3. Where’s My Droid
  4. GPS Phone Tracker
  5. Find My Device
  6. Snoopza
  7. Life360
  8. Cocospy
  9. mSpy 
  10. Hoverwatch
  11. Glympse
  12. FamiSafe
  13. eyeZy
  14. XNSPY
  15. FlexiSPY

SoftwareTestTips’ Android Mobile Tracker Recommendations

Key Note: The following Android mobile tracking apps were chosen after meticulous research and testing. This is not in any way a promotion for any of the mobile tracking apps stated below and simple recommendations for these applications that we think you’ll find helpful. 

SoftwareTestTips' Android Mobile Tracker Recommendations

This list of the suggested trackers is arranged in no particular order. We suggest that you use these tracking applications while keeping others’ privacy in mind, as some of these apps have other features that can be intruding when misused. 

Find My Phone

Find My Phone is one of the best apps you can turn to for a missing device. This app is dedicated to finding devices that are not in possession of the owner. 

Benefits

  • Easy tracking of the all synced devices with one main device
  • Real-time location tracking enabled; Even a slight change in the location of the missing device will update the user through notifications and location updates in the interface
  • Cross-device tracking; Users can track android through iOS and vice versa

Pricing

Find my Phone is a free tracking application that can be found in the Google Play Store.

Geo-Tracker

Geo-Tracker

The Geo-Tracker application is a great application that allows users to pinpoint accurate locations, no matter how fast the device moves. This is also very useful when you are tracking the device over long distances. 

Benefits

  • Options for reverse journeying for the user to any known or unknown location
  • Multiple journeys on the same route can be tracked easily. 
  • Quick recording of the tracking statistics 
  • Easy sharing for the tracked statistics and location tags

Pricing

Geo-tracker can be downloaded for no price from the Google Play Store. 

Where’s My Droid

Where’s My Droid

If you are dealing with a lost phone, you can download the Where’s My Droid app. Even if your phone is on lock, you can use this app’s key feature to monitor mobile devices. In easy words, this is one of the best trackers you can use. 

Benefits

  • GPS signals are sent frequently to locate the device if it is in close proximity.
  • Availability of commander options for users to monitor and track device 
  • Has a loud ringer that helps the users pinpoint the device’s location
  • Allows the users to look for devices whose ringers cannot be heard, through GPS location numbers
  • Users with the premium subscription can delete data on the missing device
  • Gold and Platinum subscriptions have real-time tracker features

Pricing

  • Free plan
  • Silver – 32¢ per device/ $1.60 for a month
  • Gold – 64¢ per device/ $3.20 for a month
  • Platinum – 92¢ per device/ $4.60 for a month

This tool can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or the developer’s website. You can use these same platforms to upgrade to any premium version.

GPS Phone Tracker

GPS Phone Tracker

GPS Phone Tracker is one of the family-friendly options that you can use for tracking your friends and family in supposed emergencies. Under the unfortunate circumstances that something goes awry, you can always find your people. This tool can also be used to create events and cancel appointments.                           

Benefits

  • Easy location sharing to contacts saved on the device
  • Users can create social circles where they can share their location with
  • Location history archives available for 30 days 
  • Basic device location tracking

Pricing

This is a free application that can be downloaded from the Google Play Store.

Find My Device

Find My Device

Find My Device is an application/interface developed by Google Inc. Most of us have used this tool to locate devices through the Google Maps interface. Only the GPS service on the Android device is required for tracking with the Find My Device tool.

Benefits

  • The best option for tracking devices that have the Google account logged in; Works with laptops and iOS devices too.
  • Simple-to-use and understand GUI 
  • Lets users play a sound or the ringtone aloud to help locate the target device if hidden
  • Allows users to reset Android devices since Google and Android work together.

Pricing

Find My Device comes free on all Android devices. If this is not available on your smartphone, you can download it from the Google Play Store. 

Snoopza

Snoopza

Snoopza is just like every other tracking application for your Android phone but there is a tiny twist. Using this application, people can monitor internet usage. This internet monitoring can be specifically done for websites like YouTube. Users with Android versions newer than V4.0.

Benefits

  • Easy call tracking
  • SMS monitoring and management
  • Internet history tracking and management
  • Quick and interactive UI for the interface
  • Up to three devices can be monitored from one main device

The only setback for this app is that the basic edition has only very limited tracking features.

Pricing

There are three versions that can be downloaded and upgraded – 

Basic – Free

Standard 

  • One Month – $14.95
  • Three Months – $34.95
  • Twelve Months – $99.95

Professional

  • One Month – $29.95
  • Three Months – $49.95
  • Twelve Months – $129.95

Life360

Life360

Life360 is also an option that we recommend if you are looking for an application with automated functions. If you are lost with your device, you can use Life360 to send out distress signals to those who can get you to safety. More advanced features can be used by purchasing a paid version/subscription.

Benefits

  • History of locations 
  • Easy location sharing to contacts
  • Fast and automated distress signal broadcasting
  • Roadside help with the assistance feature for pedestrians and drivers
  • Theft warnings
  • Location tracking for a family
  • Infinite alerts when a cell phone is detected near certain places

Pricing

There is a free version of this Family locator available for download from the Life360 website and also the Google Play Store. If you are considering getting an upgrade to the Premium version of this tool, you will find this helpful. 

  • Monthly Premium subscription – $4.99
  • Yearly Premium subscription – $49.99

Cocospy

Cocospy

Cocospy is one of the most recommended options for parental monitoring. This is a great option to not only track children’s network usage but also to find the phone’s location. This tracking app can be used to track the timings of even the deleted messages on your system. 

Benefits

  • Easier web browser history, call history, and SMS tracking
  • Quicker geo-fence alerting to the concerned user or emergency contact
  • Manages installed applications
  • Detects potential threats through spying applications

Pricing

There are three paid versions for the Cocospy full versions, based on the duration of the subscription purchase. 

  • One Month – $49.99
  • Three Months – $27.99 per month
  • Twelve Months – $11.66 per month

A free trial of the application can be downloaded from the website.

mSpy 

mSpy

mSpy is one of the best GPS tracker options for parents to track their children with iOS, Android, or Kindle devices. This has an edge over other trackers because there are extra features that are not usually available on a mobile tracking tool. This tool is available for android devices with version 4.0 and iOS devices that haven’t been jailbroken.

Benefits

  • Recording user displays
  • Text message alerts during usage of specified keywords
  • Blocks websites, suspicious online platforms, and applications that are from unknown sources
  • Deleted files and message recovery and backup
  • Supervision and analysis of user behavior with the device

Pricing

There are three subscription plans users can buy from the mSpy website – 

  • 1 Month – $48.99 a month
  • 3 Months – $27.99 a month
  • 12 Months – $11.66 a month

A free demo version can be downloaded from the website and used for a period of 30 days.

Hoverwatch

Hoverwatch

Users can download and create a Hoverwatch profile for free. This is well known for its geofencing feature that will help you precisely pinpoint a specific location. Keylogging is also a very useful future that comes with this application. 

Benefits

  • The front camera can be programmed to snap a picture whenever an improper attempt to unlock the device takes place. 
  • Either Wi-Fi, cellular service connectivity, and the positioning system can be used for geolocating.
  • SMS and MMS tracking can be immediately done
  • Recording timestamps of media files on Facebook, Telegram, Snapchat, Skype, and Instagram walls and chat windows can be monitored.
  • An online profile, created in the Hoverwatch profile, can be used to check the tracking reports and other relevant stats.

Pricing

You can get three different paid versions of the Hoverwatch cell phone tracker app from the official website. 

  • Personal – $24.95 a month
  • Professional – $9.99 a month for one device
  • Business – $6.00 a month for one device

A free profile can be created on the website with a free demo available for download. 

Glympse

Glympse

Glympse is a free tracking app that can be used on several occasions to find a device. Real-time users of the app can help track people through their phones. The best part of Glympse is that it does not need to be downloaded to get tracking updates. 

Benefits

  • Groups with your loved ones can be created to share a location with concerned groups
  • Sharing walking paths and bike track routes are easier for those interested
  • Dynamic mapping for the users
  • Highly rated by users on Google Play Store and the iOS AppStore

The only downside to this tracker is that there are a few bugs that show the users a different pin on the Google Maps interface.

Pricing

Glympse is a free application that can be downloaded from its official web page. 

FamiSafe

FamiSafe

If you have a wide range of devices and are looking to track all of them through their different Operating Systems (OS), try WonderShare’s FamiSafe. Famisafe is an excellent option for monitoring children’s behavior and device tracking. You can download this program for Android, iOS, and Kindle Fire smart devices. 

Benefits

  • Enabled secure searching and browsing filter for protection from threats and inappropriate content
  • Tracks movement speed when driving
  • Blocks application and other device activity, if active

Pricing

Users can buy FamiSafe for their family or school, at varying price points. If you want to buy subscriptions for your family, these are the prices – 

  • Monthly – $10.99 a month
  • Quarterly – $20.99 for three months
  • Annual – $60.99 a year

For school plans, the prices depend on the number of devices and length of the plan. The subscription price starts from $39.98 (monthly plan for 11 – 20 devices) to $2399.8 (annual plan for 151 – 200 devices).

eyeZy

Eyezy

eyeZy is a pretty catchy name and the application lives up to the mark with its pretty advanced features. Users can not only track Android and iOS devices but also cross-check the devices irrespective of their OS. A simple eyeZy profile will help you with tracking location and other elements like media and other files.

Benefits

  • Locates files instantly 
  • Tracks social media activity and user behavior
  • Provides detailed reports
  • Blocks threatening websites online and stops potential threats
  • Monitors keystrokes on your system
  • Simple device tracking

Pricing

There are three plans that you can get, depending on the duration of the subscriptions – 

  • $47.99 for a month
  • $27.99 a month, for 3 months
  • $9.99 a month, for 12 months

XNSPY

XNSPY

XNSPY is a multi-platform solution that may be used for both parental and staff monitoring. It gives you up-to-the-minute information about what’s going on. It has features like in-app screen recording for all well-known messaging apps.

Benefits 

  • XNSPY can not only track GPS locations but also keystrokes and other notifications through messaging tools. 
  • Triggers instant ringers on the usage of explicit words in apps like the Facebook Messenger, Tinder, Whatsapp, and other message apps
  • System analytics are monitored by XNSPY 
  • Phone calls and device location is constantly monitored in case of emergencies
  • Network monitoring when the device is connected to public wireless networks

Pricing

There are two annually priced subscription plans for XNSPY. There are also monthly and quarterly subscriptions but we recommend getting the annual plan. 

  • Basic plan – $4.99 a month
  • Premium edition – $7.49 a month

Before you purchase an XNSPY subscription, you can try the demo version that can be downloaded from the official website.

FlexiSPY

FlexiSPY

If you are concerned about employee safety and behavior in an office, FlexiSPY has got your back. It focuses mainly on supervising communications on your android device. This program is a step further than others as this can also be used to monitor Windows and Mac devices, not just track phones. 

Benefits

  • FlexiSPY can monitor, record, and intercept calls 
  • Since this is a spy application, it can be used to track people’s locations and even read messages and other browser activities
  • One of the best features is that your internet usage can be monitored and managed to cut costs

Pricing

For Android trackers, there are three price plans for FlexiSPY subscriptions – 

  • Lite – $29.95 a month
  • Premium – $68 a month
  • Extreme – $199 for a quarter

These are the fifteen best Android cell phone trackers you can use to locate an Android device when it is not within your visibility and may or may not be within your reach.

For more information on these apps, you can visit the respective websites. Because of complete concern for user privacy, it is important to use the apps the way they are intended to be used.