How to Track a Phone: Top Tools for Parental Control & Catching Cheaters
There are many valid reasons to track a phone. It could be to keep your child safe, keep a close eye on a relative with a disability, or clear your doubts about a partner’s honesty. It could help you a lot, but only if you use the right tool and follow the law.
In this guide, we will talk about the five leading apps you can use on how to track a cell phone: Parentaler, Spynger, EyeZy, mSpy, and Hoverwatch. You’ll see exactly how each one works on iOS and Android, what it costs, and where it stays hidden (or fails).
We also outline the key legal limits in the U.S., EU, and the U.K., so you stay on the safe side.
Ready for the details? Let’s dive in!
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Quick Snapshot: Top 5 Best Phone-Tracking Apps in 2025
| App | Main feature | 12-month plan (monthly cost) |
| Parentaler | AI word alerts + geofence-driven GPS tracking | $10.17 |
| Spynger | Hidden screen recorder with live mic/camera access | $9.28 |
| EyeZy | No-jailbreak iCloud sync with instant “Magic Alerts” | $7.99 |
| mSpy | Long-running all-in-one monitor with wide social-app capture | $11.67 |
| Hoverwatch | Full call recording and screenshots on Android | $8.33 |
How Phone Tracking Works in 2025 (GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Carrier APIs)
All phone tracking apps follow the same three steps, more or less. First, they acquire authorization for full “usage-access” and accessibility rights, as soon as they are downloaded on a phone.
On Android, this authorization opens call logs, texts, keystrokes, app folders, the microphone, the camera, and every GPS/Wi-Fi/Bluetooth feed. On iOS, the app installs an MDM profile or relies on a jailbreak to reach the same data (depending on the user’s choice).
Secondly, they dump raw content, which includes location pings, screenshots, social-media chats, deleted messages, and browser history, into an encrypted local cache. As the third and final step, they sync that cache to a cloud dashboard as soon as the phone is online, so the owner of the tracking account can search or export it later.
1. Parentaler: Powerful Controls for Modern Parents
Parentaler brings exact-location tracking with AI-based content monitoring, and earns the top spot on our list as the best parental control app. Its signature move is geofencing, which gives you an instant alert the moment the phone you are tracking leaves a zone you previously determined.
Here’s why Parentaler sits at the top of our list:
- Live GPS + location history: The app tracks the phone in real-time, stores every stop, and fires geofence alerts when predefined “safe” or “danger” zones are crossed.
- AI-based content monitoring: The AI robot notifies you instantly if a word you pre-determined appears on any major social media apps, including Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram, Viber, and more.
- Web & app control: This feature blocks dangerous sites, filters searches, and can cut Wi-Fi if screen-time limits are broken. Parents can also lock any installed app remotely.
- Stealth cross-platform install: The app works on Android and iOS without root/jailbreak. Meaning that the icon stays hidden and data syncs to a cloud dashboard for easy review.
Parentaler's pricing starts at $10.17 per month on an annual plan. The pricing increases to $24.40 per month if you commit for three months, and raises up to $42.69 per month with zero commitment.
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2. Spynger: Flexible Monitoring for Every Device
Spynger is fundamentally different than Parentaler, yet it follows Parentaler as a close second. While Parentaler focuses on parental oversight, Spynger focuses mainly on catching cheaters. It’s discreet evidence-gathering and a hidden screen recorder.
Here’s more on Spynger’s nest features that allow you to see and hear what is happening around the target phone in real time:
- Hidden screen recorder & live camera/mic access: Captures the whole screen, audio, and surrounding sound, and stores the recordings in your web dashboard.
- Keyword alerts & chat monitoring: Can read 16 major social media apps, including WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Telegram, Viber, and Tinder. If any word you determine appears, the app notifies you instantly.
- GPS tracking with geofencing: The app follows the target’s live location and location history. If the phone crosses any fence you draw, you receive a push notification.
- Stealth mode & keylogger: Spynger runs invisibly even to task managers, while still logging every keystroke, password, and search, even if the user deletes the text later.
The cheapest Spynger tier is the annual plan at $9.28 per month. A three-month subscription costs $25.99 per month, while a single month is $44.56. All tiers also include a 30-day money-back guarantee.
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3. EyeZy: Advanced AI Alerts and Stealth Mode
EyeZy also makes it to our list because of its Magic Alerts engine, which allows you to set up a list of dangerous words or forbidden places. It also alerts you in real-time when they pop up.
Here’s more on EyeZy’s key features:
- Magic Alerts Engine: This feature comes with AI keyword detection and geofence warnings. EyeZy scans chats, searches, and GPS zones, and the moment your flagged word appears or the phone crosses a no-go area, you get an alert.
- Social Spotlight: Pulls full threads, media, and deleted messages from major social media apps, along with all keystroke records. It also allows you to remotely take screenshots, switch on the microphone or camera, and save the recordings to your dashboard.
- Pinpoint GPS + 60-day history: The app logs live location, location, and route history and the Wi-Fi the phone joins, then applies the same geofence rules as Magic Alerts.
EyeZy pricing starts at the 12-month plan at $7.99 per month. Then it rises to $22.39 per month for a 3-month plan, and a single month is $47.99. All plans include a 14-day money-back guarantee; while extra phones require separate licenses.
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4. mSpy: The Long-Running Leader - Still Worth It?
mSpy has dominated the field for more than a decade thanks to its remote screen recording and live microphone control, letting you see and hear exactly what is happening on the target device.
- Real-time GPS & geofence alerts: Tracks current position, logs every stop, and pings you the moment the phone exits a safe zone.
- Screen recorder & live camera/mic: Captures the screen and activates the camera or microphone silently, storing the clips in your dashboard.
- Social media and text capture: Pulls full threads (including deleted messages) from WhatsApp, Snapchat, Instagram, Telegram, Viber, Facebook, and Tinder. Also records every keystroke, draft, and search, no matter where it’s typed.
- Custom keyword alerts: Sends an instant notice whenever a flagged word appears in chats, searches, or notes.
The cheapest subscription option to mSpy is the 12-month plan at $11.67 per month. A three-month plan costs $28 per month, and a single month is $48.99. All tiers also include a 14-day money-back guarantee.
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Hoverwatch: Budget-Friendly Tracker with Unique Extras
Hoverwatch makes it to the end of our list because it's one of the most cost-effective phone tracking apps on the market, yet it offers many standout features:
- Screenshot + remote camera shots: Hoverwatch captures the target device’s screen at set intervals and can take a selfie with the front camera.
- Full call recording: The app stores both sides of every incoming and outgoing call, playable or downloadable from your web dashboard without rooting the phone.
- SIM-change alert & stealth install: All the features run invisibly in the app list and ping you the second someone swaps the SIM, which is often a sign they’re hiding something.
- GPS tracking with Wi-Fi fallback: This feature logs live location and route history even when GPS is off, then plots movements on a timeline.
Howerwatch stands out with its pricing. The Personal plan is cheapest at $8.33 a month for 12 months. If you prefer less commitment, it comes to $19.93 for 3 months or $29.95 for a single month. All tiers unlock every feature for one device, renew automatically, and include a three-day free trial.
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How to Install & Stay Hidden (iOS + Android)
Installing a phone tracker app takes just a few minutes, but staying invisible afterward is what matters. Here are some platform-specific tips to help you stay hidden like a pro.
Installing on iPhones (cloud sync and MDM / jailbreak)
Cloud-sync method (no jailbreak): Sign in to the parental control app for iPhone web panel with the target Apple ID, enter the two-factor code once, turn off “Find My” alert emails, and keep iCloud Backup on so new chats and locations upload silently.
MDM or jailbreak method: If you need a live microphone, camera, or keystrokes, push the app’s Mobile Device Management profile from a Mac (or jailbreak and sideload the .deb file), then hide apps on iPhone (MDM settings) or Filza (jailbreak).
Lock Screen-Time settings so the profile cannot be removed; the hidden service survives reboots and updates.
Android
First, download the company’s installation file for its tracker app (vendor APK) to the target phone. Enable “Install unknown apps,” then open the APK and grant every accessibility and usage-access prompt.
When Google Play Protect warns you, tap Allow anyway. Exclude the tracker from battery optimization so background location pings keep running.
Last, choose the Hide icon in the setup wizard; the app disappears from the drawer and shows only as a generic “System Service” in Settings.
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Is Phone Tracking Legal? Key Rules You Must Know
Unless it's court-ordered, phone tracking is only legal when the data owner gives clear, revocable permission. Every major privacy regime treats live location as sensitive personal information, so you must collect the user’s consent and secure the data:
- United States: Since 2013, the FTC’s revised COPPA rule has demanded verifiable parental consent before any app gathers a child’s precise location, while secret installs on an adult’s device risk federal cyber-stalking or wiretap charges and stiff state penalties.
- European Union: Under GDPR, continuous share location tracking needs explicit, freely given consent and a lawful purpose; users must be able to withdraw that consent at any time, and you must erase the data when it is no longer needed.
- United Kingdom: The ICO’s Children’s Code states that geolocation for under-18s must be off by default and sign-posted whenever it is on, so hidden trackers violate the rule.
Next Step: Pick the Best App for You
Parentaler, Spynger, EyeZy, mSpy, and Hoverwatch all provide real-time location data and remote access to messages, calls, and media, but each focuses on a different strength.
Choose the one whose core feature matches your exact tracking need and the platform you must monitor, and click Install!
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FAQs: Common Questions About Phone Tracking in 2025
Can I track a phone without the owner knowing?
Many apps hide their icon, but tracking an adult without explicit consent is subject to restrictions in many countries.
Is there a free cell phone monitoring app for parents?
A few free parental control apps offer basic GPS, yet full features (texts, social-media logs, screenshots) require a paid plan.
How do I track someone’s phone from my iPhone?
Sign in to the tracker’s web dashboard (Parentaler, Spynger, EyeZy, mSpy, or Hoverwatch) through Safari; no separate iOS app is needed.
Does phone tracking drain the battery?
Set updates to every 5 - 15 minutes and the impact is small; live screen streaming or constant mic recording drains power quickly.
Can I install a tracking app remotely on Android?
No. You need brief physical access to sideload the company’s APK and grant accessibility and usage-access permissions.
How can I find hidden apps on Android that might be spying on me?
Open Settings › Apps › All Apps and look for odd names like “System Service,” or run Google Play Protect to scan for sideloaded spyware.
Will iPhone parental controls let me track location for free?
Yes. Apple’s built-in Find My Device shows a child’s location, but it can’t record calls, texts, or social-media activity.
How to track someone’s phone?
Install a legitimate phone tracker/phone locator app on the target device. With consent, the tracking app pushes live GPS, calls, and chats to your web dashboard.
How to find hidden apps on Android?
Open Settings › Apps › All apps and scroll for generic names like “System Service” or icons with blank thumbnails: common disguises for spy apps, cheating apps, phone monitoring apps, phone locator tracking apps, and mobile tracker free clones. Delete or disable anything suspicious, then reboot and rescan.