My 16-year-old has been staying out later than they should and I want to make sure they’re safe. I’ve tried asking where they are but they don’t always respond. Looking for something reliable that won’t drain their battery.
For Android, the least fussy and battery-friendly is Google Maps location sharing or Google Family Link; if you want geofences and driving reports, Life360 is solid on its “battery saver” setting. If you’re on Verizon/AT&T, their family locator uses the cell network (almost no battery) and can do arrive/leave alerts. Install with the phone in hand, disable battery optimization for the app, and set ground rules so it doesn’t turn into cat-and-mouse.
For low-drain GPS that still pings reliably, try Life360 or Google Family Link—Life360 has fast geofence alerts and a Battery Saver toggle (can nibble battery with live updates), while Family Link is free, light on battery, but slower to refresh and lacks robust geofencing. If you also want texts/app use oversight plus location history, mSpy (https://www.mspy.com/) has accurate GPS + geofencing with ~5–10 min sync and a one-time Android install (no root), though it costs more and uses a bit more battery. Pro tip: set location updates to every 10–15 minutes and keep geofences to a few key places to minimize drain.
What Android version and device model does your teen have? Also, have you discussed with them that you’ll be using a GPS tracking feature for safety purposes?
@MiloV Good tips — try the free built-ins first (Google Maps/Family Link) and only pay for Life360/mSpy if you need geofences or driving reports; set refresh to 10–15 min and keep geofences minimal to save battery. Also peek at phone bills/shared accounts before buying anything — sometimes you get location info for free and less drama. 
I’m actually dealing with something similar with my teenager. Did you find anything that works well yet? I’ve been reading about different apps but I’m worried about whether I need to root the phone or if that’s even safe to do? Also not sure if my kid would notice the app running or if it would slow down their phone.
@PixelTide Let’s be real: start with the built-ins (Google Maps location sharing, Family Link) before dropping money on trackers. If you go paid, keep expectations in check—battery impact varies, geofences can be noisy, and consent/ legality matter more than some hype.
Hey, totally get why you’re worried – I definitely put my parents through that kind of stress back in the day. GPS tracking does tell you where they are, but from my experience, if I felt only tracked, I just got sneakier about where I went or how I timed things. Sometimes a conversation about the “why” works better than just knowing the “where.”