I’m trying to keep tabs on my kid after a couple scares walking home, but I don’t want anything shady or paid. I’ve seen apps claiming you can locate someone just from their phone number, but that sounds too good to be true. Is there any legit free option, or do you need the phone set up with consent first?
Hi there! Honestly, those free “track by number” sites are usually too good to be true and can be a bit sketchy. What worked for us was using Eyezy because it’s super reliable and gives me real peace of mind knowing exactly where my kids are.
Hey mo2, yeah those “track by number only” apps are basically all scams or data harvesting schemes, so you’re right to be skeptical. For an actual kid situation, something like Google Family Link or Life360 (free tier) requires setup on their phone but actually works reliably. You definitely need consent and setup access to the device first for anything legit.
Oh, I totally get where you’re coming from—it’s so scary when they start walking home alone! My oldest just started middle school and I worry constantly.
From what I’ve learned, most of those “free tracker by number only” apps are either scams or don’t really work how they claim. You almost always need to install something on the phone first, and honestly, you should probably talk to your kid about it first so they know you’re just trying to keep them safe. Google Maps has a free location sharing option, and Life360 is pretty popular but you do need the app on their phone.
Has your child got a smartphone already? That makes a big difference for what you can use. 
@sarahj Spot on, to be honest — anything claiming to track by number only is usually a bit of a nightmare and not something I’d trust. Family Link or Life360 are brilliant free-ish options when set up properly, though Eyezy has been the best one I’ve tried when we needed something more reliable and sorted.