Family Beacon provides live family location sharing through an Android app and web map. Users share with specific Gmail addresses and can revoke access at any time. The map shows live markers, movement trails, last-seen times, and battery levels, while an SOS button alerts everyone on the sender’s share list through the app and web map. Location updates are encrypted separately for each recipient device using ECIES with P-256 and AES-256-GCM; private keys are generated and stored on users’ devices. Ordinary location ciphertext is deleted after 48 hours, and SOS alerts after seven days. Private movement history stays on a phone for up to 14 days; enabled shared history remains on the server for about three months. The free plan includes live location sharing and SOS. Premium adds messaging, Safe Zones, alerts, phone ringing, activity summaries, and other features. Google Sign-In is the only sign-in method. The service says it does not sell data, track non-users, or use advertising or analytics SDKs.
Who it is for
Family Beacon is designed for families, including children whose phones are set up by a parent or guardian. It suits people who want live location sharing and SOS through Android and a web map.
What is good
- Free plan includes live location sharing and SOS.
- Sharing is limited to chosen Gmail addresses.
- Recipients receive separately encrypted location updates.
- Users can revoke sharing at any time.
- Map includes last-seen times and battery levels.
What to know first
- Google Sign-In is the only sign-in method.
- Shared history lasts about three months when enabled.
- Private phone history is limited to 14 days.
- Some features require Premium.
Verdict
Family Beacon provides family location sharing, an SOS option, and several stated privacy controls. Review its history-retention periods and Google-only sign-in before choosing it.
Get started with Family Beacon
- Open the Family Beacon website or use the Android app.
- Sign in with Google Sign-In.
- Share with specific Gmail addresses.
- Use the live map to view markers and movement details.
- Use the SOS button to alert everyone on your share list.
What the free plan stops at
The free plan includes live location sharing and SOS. Private movement history is kept locally for up to 14 days; shared history, when enabled, is retained on the server for about three months.
Questions about Family Beacon
Is Family Beacon free?
Yes. Its Free plan is free and includes live location sharing and SOS.
Which platforms does it support?
Family Beacon is available on Android and web.
How do users control sharing?
They share with specific Gmail addresses and can revoke sharing at any time.
What happens when someone sends an SOS?
Everyone on the sender’s share list is alerted through the app and web map.
Does Family Beacon have premium features?
Yes. Premium includes messaging, allowed family-history viewing, Safe Zones, alerts, phone ringing and activity summaries, among other features.
Does it connect to Anthropic?
Activity summaries can send locally generated plain-language facts from the phone to Anthropic without coordinates or addresses.
Family Beacon plans and pricing
All plansCompared on family locator apps
- Free plan
- Yes
- Location alerts
- Yes
- Location history
- limited
- Platform support
- web
- SOS tools
- Yes
