A tracker app can always come in handy to remotely track Android phones and iPhones of your family members to ensure their safety. The best remote phone tracker only monitors locations, but all also remotely tracks phone activities, such as calls, photos, and social media. These features will let you keep an eye on your kids' online activities and keep them safe from potential predators and threats. However, finding the right remote mobile phone tracker can be a bit challenging, especially when you have so many options to choose from. Some offer unmatched real-time location tracking and simple installation, whereas others provide you in-depth insights into the target phone’s activities.
In this guide, we have reviewed and listed our top 8 picks for the best remote cell phone trackers of 2025. The reviews and comparison of these phone trackers will give you detailed descriptions of each app, along with their pros and cons to help you make the right choice from free and paid options.
Part 1. Our Top Picks: A Quick Comparison of the Best Remote Cell Phone Trackers
| Google's Find My Device | Apple's Find My | Samsung SmartThings Find | Google Maps | Msafely | SpyX | mSpy | Life360 | |
| Best for | Android phone tracking | Tracking iOS devices | Samsung users | Tracking both iOS and Android phones | For secretly tracking activities | To discreetly track live activities on Androids | Parents tracking their kid's activities | Exclusive safety tracking features |
| Standout feature | Tracks location remotely | Shows location on the Maps | Remotely locks, erase, and reset devices | Real-time location tracking | In-depth social media tracking | Live audio, video, and screenshots | Screenshots every minute | SOS alerts in case of emergencies |
| Pricing | Free | Free | Free | Free | Paid (Free demo) | Paid (Free demo) | Paid (Free demo) | Paid (7-day free trial) |
| Overall rating | 7/10 | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | 9.5/10 | 9/10 | 7.5/10 | 7/10 |
Part 2. Top 8 Remote Cell Phone Trackers: Our Tested Reviews in 2025
2.1. Best free trackers for finding your device
1. Google's Find My Device
Whether you've lost your phone or it got stolen, you can remotely track an Android phone with Google's Find My Device feature. It works as a free remote cell phone tracker to locate a phone in just three simple steps. All you have to do is install Google Find My Device on your phone, log in to your phone's Google account, and select the target device from the list of devices.
Pros
A free remote cell phone tracker.
Shows location on Google Maps.
No rooting needed.
Cons
Requires target phone's account credentials.
Does not work without active internet and location services on the target phone.
No other tracking features.
2. Apple's Find My
Similar to how Google's Find My Device works to remotely track Android phones, Apple's Find My works like magic to track iOS devices. If you want to track your kid's iPhone remotely, just relax because remote phone tracking gets simpler than ever with Find My iPhone. The best part is that this app is in-built in all iOS phones to ensure you can find your lost or stolen phone from anywhere, just by logging into your iCloud. Here’s how you can use Apple’s Find My to track your phone:
- Start with logging in to your target iPhone's iCloud account on iCloud website and click on Find My option.
- Now, select your target iPhone from the list of iOS devices.
- You can see and remotely track phone on the Maps.
Pros
A free remote cell phone tracker.
Built-in iOS software.
Shows location on the map.
Cons
Requires iCloud credentials of the target iPhone.
Only works when target iPhone has Find My iPhone enabled.
No other tracking features.
3. Samsung's SmartThings Find
Just like Google’s free Android cell phone remote tracker, Samsung offers its own remote cell phone tracker, absolutely free of cost. Samsung's SmartThings Find remotely tracks location and location history along with three different options (ring your phone, lock and erase, or reset device) for a missing or lost phone. These options help you save your personal data from going into the wrong hands in case your phone is stolen.
Pros
Free of cost remote phone tracker.
Tracks location and location history.
Three extra options (Ring, Lock & Erase, or Reset).
No need to root a phone.
Cons
Only works if you've installed SmartThings Find app on both phones.
Requires Samsung's account credentials of the target phone.
Does not work without active internet on target phone.
4. Google Maps
Whether your target phone is Android or iPhone, a remote GPS phone tracker like Google Maps can help you effortlessly track someone's phone remotely. Android phones have built-in Google Maps, but iPhone users have to install it. It is a free remote phone tracker to keep track of your family's real-time location and location history.
Not only Google Maps is free to use, it also doesn't require rooting or jailbreaking phones. Just make sure to add your account in the location sharing contacts on your target phone's Google Maps app in advance.
Pros
Tracks a phone for free.
Compatible with Android and iPhone.
Tracks real-time location and location history.
No jailbreaking or rooting required.
Cons
Requires physical access to target phone for prior settings.
Notifies target phone of getting tracked.
Only works with active internet and location services on target phone.
2.2. Best advanced apps for parental control & monitoring
5. Msafely
If you’re looking for an app that does not only track location, but also monitors other apps to ensure your family’s safety, a comprehensive remote cell phone tracker app, like Msafely, is the best pick. With its simple connection methods, you can connect an iPhone using iCloud credentials and an Android using Google Cloud credentials. As an alternative, you can also install the app on your target Android phone. None of these connection methods require rooting or jailbreaking the phones.
Once you've connected your target phone to your Msafely account, you can track SMS, calls, contacts, real-time locations and history, browsers and history, photos, videos, Wi-Fi networks, and installed apps. You also get access to all social media apps including WhatsApp, Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, TikTok, Line, WeChat, X, Kik, Skype, Tinder, and more. In addition, you get exclusive tracking features like geofencing, keylogger, live video, live audio, and live screenshots, remotely.
Pros
In-depth social media tracking.
Works in stealth mode.
Remote phone control.
No rooting/jailbreaking required.
Exclusive geofencing, keylogger, and live screenshots features.
Cons
No free trial.
6. SpyX
Whether your kids use iOS or Android, SpyX is a remote cell phone tracker that helps you monitor activities on both. Similar to Msafely, it offers two connection options for Android phones (Google cloud connection and app installation) and one simple iCloud connection method for iOS devices. Remote GPS cell phone tracking becomes incredibly easy with SpyX's amazing monitoring features. You can track SMS, calls, photos, videos, locations, browser history, installed apps, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, Snapchat, Telegram, Skype, TikTok, YouTube, WeChat, Gmail and other apps on your target phone, anywhere any time. While tracking an Android phone, you can also use the live audio, live video, and live screenshots feature.
Pros
Simple iCloud and Google cloud connection.
Tracks social media, browsers, and locations.
Live video, audio, and screenshots on Androids.
Works in stealth mode.
Cons
No free trial.
Requires account credentials to connect a phone.
7. mSpy
mSpy is one of the top cell phone remote trackers of 2025 because of its powerful tracking features. On iPhones, mSpy tracks photos, videos, contacts, events, SMS, browser, Wi-Fi networks, emails, installed apps, keystrokes, WhatsApp and Kik. On the other hand, Android phone tracking with mSpy offers access to more social media apps like Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, Instagram, Skype, and Telegram with locations and screenshots (every 60 seconds).
mSpy offers three different methods for iPhone connection: iCloud, USB, and Jailbreak connections and you can choose the one that you prefer. However, connecting an Android requires physical access to target phone for app installation.
Pros
Tracks locations and captures screenshots (every minute).
Three different iPhone connection methods.
No need to root an Android phone.
Cons
Requires physical access for app installation on Android phones.
Time on screenshots may not match the exact time of the activity.
No free trial.
8. Life360
Unlike other paid options in this list, Life360 is more of a remote GPS phone tracker rather than an activity tracker. Moreover, it is an open family tracker app and does not work in stealth mode. To use Life360, install the app on your and your children's phones, create a group from your phone, and add your children's phones. From here, you all can track each other's locations and whereabouts 24/7.
Life360 doesn't only remotely track Android phones and iPhones, but also offer exclusive safety features. These features include crash detection, SOS alerts in emergencies, emergency assistance, road safety features, and more. You know what's the best part? It is the 7-day free trial of the app that lets you have a closer look and understanding of all the offered features.
Pros
Group members can track each other's GPS locations and location history.
SOS alerts, emergency assistance, and crash detection.
7 days free trial.
No rooting or jailbreaking needed.
Cons
No phone activity monitoring.
Requires app installation on both phones.
Target phone must have active internet.
Not hidden.
Part 3. How to Choose the Right Remote Cell Phone Tracker for You
Selecting the right remote cell phone tracker depends on various aspects, such as your target device type, your tracking requirements, budget, and more. The following are the most essential features to consider before choosing a remote mobile phone tracker:
- Device compatibility
Consider app's device compatibility to make sure that it supports your target phone. If you want to track an Android device, you can go with either Google's Find My Device or Samsung's SmartThings Find (for Samsung only) and Apple's Find My for iOS devices. However, Google Maps or Msafely (with extensive tracking features) are perfect for Androids and iPhones both.
- Tracking features
If you only want to remotely track cell phone location then free apps like Google Find My Device and Google Maps are what you need. At the same time, Msafely and SpyX offer extensive tracking features like calls, SMS, photos, browsers, keylogger, geofencing, and social media tracking, that you do not find in most free apps.
- Ease of use
Analyze the ease of use of an app based on a few things, such as, if the connection methods require jailbreaking or rooting devices. Moreover, see if the app requires physical access to target phone to connect both devices. For instance, except Apple's Find My, all of the free remote cell phone trackers require physical access to target phones. On the other hand, Msafely, SpyX, and mSpy do not require physical access.
- Pricing
The pricing plans differ between apps and you must ensure that the price you're paying to the app is justified by its features and ease of use. Consider all the features to ensure you get the best value for money when selecting a remote cell phone tracking app.
Part 4. How to Use the Best Phone Tracker: Step-by-Step Guide
The method of using cell phone remote trackers may vary depending on each app and its connection requirements, but the basic steps are usually similar. Let's take Msafely as an example and see how to track someone's phone remotely using the best phone tracker:
Step 1. To use Msafely to track a phone, go to the official Msafely website and sign up for free using your valid email.
Step 2. Now select your target device type and connect it to your new account.
Step 3. Choose a subscription plan and start tracking the target phone right away.
The Msafely Control Panel will show all the apps installed on your target phone and you can click on any app to see and track any and almost every activity related to it.
Part 5. Conclusion
Using a remote mobile phone tracker app offers relief by keeping track of your loved ones and their whereabouts. From free remote cell phone trackers like Google's Find My Device and Apple's Find My to paid remote phone tracker apps like Msafely and SpyX, you can select the app you prefer. However, remember to consider device compatibility, tracking features, and pricing plans to select the one that suits your tracking needs and pocket for the best experience. While the free apps are ideal for families who want to monitor their children’s whereabouts, paid options like Msafely, SpyX, mSpy, and Life360 offer more than just location tracking; pick the one that fits your requirements and preferences the best.