Looking to track someone’s cell phone location secretly without permission? You don’t have to be a hacker or a government spy to do it. With the advancement of GPS technology, tracking apps are now accessible to everyone.
In this guide, we reveal some really powerful GPS-based apps that can track someone else’s phone and let you know its locations. So, if you need to secretly track someone’s cell phone location without them knowing, this guide is for you.
In fact, these apps, also known as spy apps, can track more than just locations – text messages, phone calls, app activities, literally everything.
Fortunately, after 100+ hours of intensive research and testing, spending roughly $5000+ dollars, we finally managed to come up with 5 phone tracker apps without permission that actually work to save you from hours of frustrations. Heck, I even cherry picked the one single app that has worked consistently for us.
But before that:
How to track someone’s location without them knowing?
You can track someone’s location without them knowing by installing a tracker app secretly on their phone. The app is hidden from plain sight thus giving them no idea that you are tracking/spying on them. The moment the app is installed on the target phone, you can see the exact location of the phone via your private dashboard accessible online. I have shortlisted the best phone tracker app that has consistently worked for me on both Android and iPhone devices.
30 Seconds Summary: My Top Recommendation
mSpy – I have personally tested most, if not all, of the phone tracking apps available out there. I can tell you from experience that mSpy is probably your best bet if you are looking for the most comprehensive option at an affordable price. Not to mention that most so-called tracking software are scams – they either don’t work as advertised or simply don’t reply to any of your messages.
mSpy is different though. Installation is really simple on both Android and iPhone devices as detailed guides are provided. Plus, their customer support is top notch and they will try their very best to make the app work for you. With over 2000+ positive reviews, you can’t go wrong.
Right now (Valentine’s Day), mSpy is offering a special discount on all Premium Plan subscriptions to Suspekt readers. Click here to check price (discount applied automatically after clicking the link, valid only for a limited period of time). Don’t miss this special phone tracker app deal.
App | Features | Editor’s Comment | Rating | Get The Best Deal |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. Easy installation process 2. Powerful tracking features 3. 2000+ positive reviews |
mSpy is probably the best phone tracker app you could ever get your hands on. It provides live location data as well as a detailed history of location traveled. | 10/10 | Check Current Price | |
1. Multiple installation process 2. Advance tracking capabilities 3. 1500+ positive reviews |
Eyezy is an advance tracking app that does not require permission as it has multiple installation methods. Interface is very well built and organized | 9.5/10 | Check Current Price | |
1. Best Android spy app 2. Packed with premium features 3. 1000+ positive reviews |
Slightly more expensive compared to mSpy and other apps. That said, it has the most premium design and functionality. Customer support is average though. | 9.0/10 | Check Current Price | |
1. Free trial available 2. Full suite of tools 3. 500+ positive reviews |
Famisafe is part of Wondershare’s suite of monitoring tools. The company is highly reputable and it’s a good option if you are looking for a complete suite of tools all managed under one system. | 7.5/10 | Check Current Price | |
1. Free trial available 2. Top notch user interface 3. 100+ positive reviews |
A new comer to the phone tracking / spying industry. Design and user interface is top notch. | 7.5/10 | Check Current Price |
Top 6 Phone Tracking Apps Without Permission for iPhone and Android
Here are 6 of the best phone tracker apps without permission in the market:
1. mSpy – Best Phone Tracking Apps for Android and iPhone without permission
mSpy is an impressive app to track cell phones without your target permission and knowledge. We should mention here that mSpy works as a spy app too, and was intended as such when it was made.
It can operate in stealth mode to track any iOS or Android devices without much hassle. Like its counterpart, FamiSafe, this software tool has the ability to operate in the background while it does its job in tracking someone’s phone.
It can track a wide range of activities including chats, browsing histories, call logs, SMS, and whatnot. All these you can do so on your target devices without them knowing.
Not forgetting to mention how mSpy has a firm foothold in regards to compatibility. It allows you to monitor Android and iOS devices in the same way. You may choose to jailbreak the mobile phones too (if you choose to).
Perhaps some of the best features that mSpy offers is its stealth mode operation to track iPhone and Android mobile devices. It can track various activities on the target phone apart from its location. Activities like WhatsApp, Facebook and other social media, Viber, call logs, and similar are some of the apps it can track without much hassle. Furthermore, it is very user friendly, especially with its best call log monitor that comes with a lot of features.
2. FlexiSPY
FlexiSPY is another app or software that initially started out as a spy app. That does not mean you cannot track your target cell phones with the help of a spy app – as spy apps are designed to track phones anyway (part and parcel of a spy app).
As an app, FlexiSPY does offer a lot of solid features. It is expected as it is one of the best apps on the market as a spy app or a spy software, so naturally it’ll work pretty well with tracking your targets.
On a side note, we should mention how FlexiSPY works and requires you to let your targets know that you will be installing this app on their phones. However, they will not be able to know that you are tracking them, as the app will not show up on their devices. If you were tracking them live, they will not know that you are doing it in the background.
As we have mentioned previously, this app also has some pretty solid features that leaves users in want. It does all the necessary basic stuff like allowing you to spy on calls, listen to your target devices in secret, check out the messages and calls in full (you even get to keep a log of them), and track the person’s movements and the cell phone location, thanks to the GPS technology (on Google Maps mostly).
FlexiSPY even allows you to take complete control of both iPhone and Android phone and gain direct access to perform your own evidence gathering. You can take a picture, which cannot be seen by the phone owner, and have it sent to your account. You can even restart the target phone and check the battery status. That way your target will not be able to get away with telling you how their phone was flat or has gone dead.
We should mention here that FlexiSPY is considered on the pricier side, as it charges US$68 for 1 month access, or US$149 for 1 year. It includes the majority of the features we have discussed above. This is its premium package.
Its premium plan, however, is even more expensive. It comes in at US$199 just for 3 months access. However, it comes as a premium plus, which includes live calls, control mic, and control camera.
If you find that you do not need access to live call monitoring, or if you just want to use the advanced eavesdropping tools, then the Premium package is recommended. The premium package is more than sufficient for the average parent to monitor and track their kids without their knowledge (and permission too, so to speak). Read full review of Flexispy.
However, our testing results have shown that mSpy offers a much better tracking experience at a better price. Also, over the years, Flexispy has become relatively outdated compared to other tracking spywares which use more advanced technologies.
>> Click here to check out the best price for mSpy <<
3. FamiSafe
FamiSafe claims to be the number 1 app to track target phones without your target person knowing. It is due to its flexibility with various smartphones and its easy-to-use and all-powerful feature.
With this tracker app, you get to track your target device(s) in the matter of a few minutes. It will then send you messages like notifications when you are tracking your target phones and other devices.
However, from our recent tests, we can conclude that FamiSafe is considerably less effective and efficient when compared to mSpy in terms of the accuracy of location tracked. mSpy uses more advanced capabilities giving you instant location reporting.
>> Click here to check out the best price for mSpy <<
Its geofencing feature is considered one of the most useful and important functions in the FamiSafe app. It allows you to set a boundary on your kids’ phones and will inform you immediately when your kids leave or move away from that boundary.
At the same time, FamiSafe can also help you block all websites, phone app, and the internet at night to let your kids have a great night’s sleep. After all, it is less likely that they will check or play their phones when it is blocked.
The key feature is that it lets you as parents to locate your family member’s device location and control their smartphones. Especially when it is your children’s phones. You also get to save your kids’ location history, black ads website(s), geofencing, and allows you to view their browsing history.
At the same time it helps you block nasty apps and games at any given time you needed. Furthermore, it gets to detect those dangerous keywords from YouTube and social media apps. It will send alerts whenever it discovers any suspicious or violent photos or videos.
4. KidsGuard Pro App
KidsGuard Pro is another professional GPS location app to track your targets without them knowing. It also provides top security for your kids in the digital atmosphere and can track a phone in a real-time location on the dashboard. It can then let you see if your children (or your family members) are safe or not.
At the same time, KidsGuard Pro allows you to check the history of your kids’ location by using it. Furthermore, with KidsGuard Pro you can also monitor your kids’ phones and its contents – photos, messages, browser history, and other data in the media apps. All that includes social media platform and chat platforms such as WeChat, WhatsApp, Line, and so on.
The bottom line is that KidsGuard Pro provides some pretty solid key features for doting parents who are very concerned of their kids’ activities. It provides effective features for you to keep your children safe, and even offers a real-time position tracking.
It also lets you check the detailed location history with time and data, and is 100% compatible with most smartphones on the market too. What’s more, it is an easy and fast to use app, so as a parent who has very little time on their hands to learn a new app, then this one will be a good choice for you. It even helps you to track all apps and those related activities to keep your loved ones safe too, so to speak.
5. GPS Tracker App (Google Maps / Apple Maps)
This is a non-professional tool that you can choose to track your family member if you feel the others listed above is not really your thing. If you are an Android phone user, it is quite likely that you have used Google Maps at least once in your lifetime. Google Map comes as a default application in all Android OS platforms. But do keep in mind that Apple iOS no longer run on Google Maps (due to having a history of clashes with Google).
If you wish to track your loved ones, it may not be able to do it very well like some of the apps that are intended to do as such. However, you are limited to getting your target to sharing their live location on a chat platform (like WhatsApp, for instance), so you may be able to view their location.
But you are limited to just that – seeing your target’s location via the “live location” sharing. You won’t be able to view their text messages to their friends, listen to the calls, monitor their social media presence, etc. It’s all that they offer.
More importantly, the phone owner will be notified so there’s no way to track their location secretly without them knowing. It’s a free alternative, but limited in many ways.
6. Eyezy
Although Eyezy has been newly released into the market, it has quickly gained traction among spy app and phone tracker users. This app uses the latest gps tracking technology which allows it to track live location accurately without excessively draining the capacity and battery of the targeted device. Some other apps we have tested burn a lot of battery when location tracking is enabled.
Also, EyeZy subscription comes with other powerful spying features – recording phone calls and text messages on all major social applications, accessing photos and videos, detecting keystrokes and a bunch of other helpful features. If you are looking to track more than just locations, then EyeZy might be a good option.
More importantly, EyeZy is extremely easy to install without permission on both Android and iPhone devices as there are multiple installation methods. You get to select the installation method that makes the most sense in your situation. Detailed instructions are provided for all the installation methods. If you are still facing difficulties installing the phone tracker, EyeZy support team provides responsive live chat support on their website.
The only potential downside of EyeZy is that it’s relatively new in the market. You might notice glitches and bugs as you would in any new software. That said, our experience so far has been great.
Our Verdict – Right App To Track Phone Without Them Knowing
We will recommend that you install a proper phone tracker app that provides you with all the proper features to track your targets. Normally, the best phone tracker app which works properly and could let you install without permission will inevitably be slightly more expensive than other options.
Just remember that some of those phone tracker apps come as a paid package, or as a free phone tracker. Some are easy to use, some may not. Just make sure that you find one that fits your needs and also offers most, if not all the basic features.
Some cell phone tracker apps that didn’t make it into this list include Hoverwatch, Cocospy and iKeyMonitor. They are great apps but not as efficient as the ones we recommend above.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) some people may have about tracker apps.
Q: How can I secretly track a phone?
You will have to use a spy tracking app in order to be able to secretly track a phone. Android and iPhone spy apps will find the location of a smartphone pretty quickly and efficiently. Like with most tracking methods, you will need to turn on the target phone’s location setting so the GPS signal can be intercepted.
At the same time, you will have to keep in mind regarding the legality of tracking apps. If you are planning to track someone without them knowing, it may be seen as a violation of the law and you may be charged with hefty penalties link to your so-called bad behavior. Some countries see tracking without permission as threats towards any individuals. Some countries even see tracking apps as spyware.
If your country permits tracking as long as there is open communication, your chance of being charged for unlawful behavior is a lot less. Remember that when you choose to use a phone tracker app without permission, you may want to acquire consent first – if you are living in a country that has strict tracking laws.
On a side note, if you are using an iPhone you will find that you are able to track the whereabouts by turning on the “find my iPhone” or “find my friends” feature. That can count as a tracking app too.
Q: Can I track my wife’s phone without her knowing?
You can absolutely track your wife’s phone without her knowledge once you have installed one of the apps recommended above. Take mSpy for example, it will be hidden and out of sight after you have installed it on the device. So, there’s literally no way for your wife to find out. Here are some extra options to catch a cheating spouse.
Q: Can I track someone using their phone number?
Yes, certain services allows you to track the location of a phone device just by inputting the phone number. However, if you need more spying functions, then you would have to preinstall a more comprehensive spyware like mSpy on the phone.
Q: Where can I find free phone trackers?
There are many phone trackers that offer a free version including “Find my phone” by iPhone. That said, premium trackers offer better tracking options like location history where you get to see every single place a person went to.
Q: How does a mobile tracker work?
In case you are interested in the science behind phone trackers, these software use the GPS (Global Positioning System) to track location. Once the phone tracker is activated, signals are transmitted to a network of satellites which will pinpoint the exact location of the device. Most advance trackers keep a history of these locations so you know exactly where and when the devices have been.
Reasons to Consider a Cell Phone Tracker
Well, for a start, you may be a concerned parent about your children’s phone activities. Or you may be an employer who is concerned about why your employees spend so much time on their phones. The key idea for using a mobile tracker is to use it as a family locator, the windows to your target’s device usage, track social media usage (Eg. : Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc.), track phone or tablets’/tablet message, keep track of your kids’ safety, etc.
Employers are allowed use this software tool, it isn’t limited to anyone. It’s one of the many ways to track people, that’s all. Sometimes, all you need is to key in contact numbers in order to track your person of interest.
Another common reason you would want to use a phone tracker app without permission is to monitor your spouse for abnormal activities.
One of the greatest benefits of downloading and installing a phone tracker app on your Android and iPhone devices is that you are always able to know where you have left it. It does not matter if you happen to misplace it or lose it, or have the misfortune to have it stolen. There are many GPS tracking apps that are available out there; all you have to do is to choose the one that fits your needs.
The Importance Behind Getting the Best Phone Tracker Apps Without Them Knowing
Your children may have the tendency of not telling the whole truths to you or not tell you the whole thing they did for a specific time – especially where they go. As their parents, you may be concerned about their security. Cell phone tracking app is here to help you to make the invisible visible – by rooting out what lies your children are saying. More importantly, you need to be able to do this without getting their permissions.
On the other hand, you are not able to limit or restrict our kids from going out of our premises as their parents. It is almost impossible to always keep beside them in person. With that being said, a reliable and proven solution to this problem will be the use of a Global Positioning System (GPS) tracker app. This is also known as location tracking software that can help you in tracking the exact whereabouts of your kids 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.
If you know the exact whereabouts of your children, even if you are miles and miles from them, you can have a general idea of where they went without you knowing, and this will help you to keep them safe and sound from unsavory places. After all, their security is paramount to you as their parent. Here are some of the best apps that allow you to track a cell phone without permission that you can get for both Android and iPhone alike.
Phone tracking apps do not limit you to just track your children’s online activities and phone usage, it also helps you locate your lost or stolen phones. Hence, with that being said, it does not mean the application is limited to just tracking your children, or just to track your lost or stolen devices too.
Main Criteria: How To Choose The Right GPS Tracker?
With the consistent expansion of technology for tracking a phone, a lot of users find it hard on how to choose the best ones. You can consider while thinking of buying a new phone tracker app factors like why you need to buy one, who you are tracking (your workers, kids, or partner), your budget, as well as the usability of the app. We highly recommend that you choose for yourselves the best tracker app without permission for your devices. Some are free phone trackers, some are not. As long as you are able to track the phone activity, it’s good enough.
Compatibility
When you choose the tracker app, you will definitely want to settle for one that is compatible with your phone and your target devices. Most of the installation process is pretty straightforward for an application that does tracking from the phone, so to speak. But that is beside the point.
Ultimately, not every tracker app is compatible with your device’s operating system. Usually it is compatible with the latest operating systems, however, the ones running on older systems may have issues with it. That can complicate your user experience greatly if that is the case. You just have to follow the info and details provided by the software, and you’re good to go.
Ease of Setup
You will be surprised that not all phone tracker app without permission are user friendly. There will always be a few that can be really complicated and makes you really aggravated. When you set up the program, it should reflect how simple it is for the user to monitor their target phones. The login page, the online dashboard, must be user-friendly and makes tracking hassle-free as well as comfy.
Setting up the cell phone tracker app has to be easy on both iPhone and Android devices. There shouldn’t be any need for you as a user to jailbreak your devices or go for rooting. This is something that your regular users may not have an idea on how to do it.
Available Features
This is one of the most common criteria that you should consider when choosing a tracker app for an iPhone or Android. The phone tracking app should state the features they have that are useful and functional. For example, you may have a plan of tracking the device of your partner or child. In that case, it is a great choice for you to pick up a tracker app or a GPS phone tracker that is especially targeted at phones. It can provide you with a real-time access to the phone and its surroundings and locations too. The location feature (and even social media monitoring to an extent) can be proven as useful in this case. Some even come with really easy to use user interface too.
Keep in mind that some of the tracker app without permission may sometimes come with a spy app. It may even be a spy app to begin with, since that tracking your target device is part and parcel of one.
The basic features across all tracker apps are more or less the same. Like it comes with location tracking or track location, GPS tracking, web browser tracking, track phone, track social media accounts, track phone calls, has a keylogger feature, track messaging apps, to name a few.
Usually having most of the basic features will make your spying experience all the easier. Some of the tracking software only requires you to have your targets’ phone numbers or contact information, and it’s more than good enough to start tracking their smartphone activities. A device without having even the most basic features can make your user experience complicated. Hence, it is good to get a phone location tracker app to make your life easier.
At the same time, a lot of the tracking apps come as a spy app. So don’t be surprised if they come as such, because the spy app also has the same features too.
Pricing
Another common factor to consider before buying a phone tracker app without permission is the price of the software, sometimes with a monthly subscription fee too. In all honesty, the better ones usually cost a bit more than your usual and average tracker software. There’s a stereotype that the more expensive it is, the more features it offers. One can even say that the price point is justified because it offers so many features. That or it can also mean the money is needed to maintain the upkeep of the app.
However, you may find that some users mentioned despite the “extortionate price point”, the features are abysmal or mediocre at best. That simply means the features are unworthy of the price point.
The bottom line is that this is your call as you get the final say in whether if you want to buy the app. After all, your money is yours to spend, right? If you are not entirely satisfied with the service, you can always check the refund policy to see if you can stop the payment at any given time.
After Sales Support
The customer support is important in a sense that there may be times when you have issues with using the tracker app. You will want to seek the help and advice of its developers to find out a solution for your issue. Sometimes the mobile tracker app work can be really complicated for both parents and business owners alike.
This is important in a sense that you will definitely want around the class help for your potential issues. That can help you get answers to all your questions as quickly and easily.
The Common Features of a Cell Phone Tracker App
Since there are so many tracker apps that are available on the market, a lot of it promised to give you the best service. A lot of them tend to have an extra feature that stands out here and there, but it all boils down to just that few main and basic features.
Here is a list of some of the most common basic features that you can find in just about any tracker apps.
Live Screen Recording – This feature allows you to access the tracked device with the help of a live screen software. At the same time, it enables you to record the screen rapidly and send it to the software’s control panel to view the live videos. You can also carry out screen recording – like from a YouTube screen recording, Live Chrome screen recording, email, SMS and text messages, social media, and as well as applied keywords.
Call Recording – This is a popular feature among a lot of phone tracker apps. It allows you to record as well as listen to phone calls with the help of this recording program. What’s more, you can also save the call information that has been recorded in the control panel apps. Note that not all apps have this feature. Some may let you keep long term until you have deleted it, some only allows you up to 1 week, and some only lets you keep it for 24hrs. You may want to choose one that fits your need best.
GPS Location Tracker – What is a tracker app without a location tracker? It allows you to follow your targets live as well as an existing GPS location with the use of a global positioning system location tracker. You can follow the history of the locations of the entire week, weekly location history, as well as make safe and restricted locations on the map.
Text Messages and Calls (includes emails) – This feature usually allows you to monitor sent and received text messages remotely, in private. You can track the MMS, SMS, iMessages (for iOS platforms). It’s the same with the calls made and received. You are able to keep tabs on it. Some tracker apps even allow you to view deleted messages or calls. Others will need you to track a number by its number.
Keylogger – Not every app has this, but it is a vital feature to look for in a phone tracker app. It allows you to check phone activities, including the words used in browsing the internet.
These are just some of the common device activities you can have in most of the cell phone tracker apps and monitoring software. And yes, it does work as a cell phone tracker app too.
Note that some of these monitoring apps allow you to even track laptop, computers, keystrokes, address even, real-time location, internet activities, mobile phone, track a cell phone, track the location, etc. These are just some of the common features in the both free phone tracker app and paid versions too.
Note that some of the features are only available for Android phones, but not iOS devices. The monitoring features may not always necessarily be the same. Some of the apps even have a dashboard available on computer or desktop versions, which makes things a lot easier for you as a parent or business owner.
As a Master Degree graduate in the Internet Technology field, Stefan is highly dedicated towards improving the overall web security so internet users can browse freely without having to be afraid of technical loopholes. With over 15 years in the internet security industry, you should definitely take his advice seriously.