# Homebound Check-In — Safety for every adventure

> Personal safety app for outdoor adventurers to share plans and get help. (iPhone/iPad app by Hudson Schmidt.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/homebound-check-in/id6754800989 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Hudson Schmidt](https://appshunter.io/developer/1850166133)
- Category: Travel, Lifestyle
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 12 App Store ratings · 6 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 26.0 · 22 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2026-01-19
- Data updated: 2026-09-03
- Monetization: freemium
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/homebound-check-in/id6754800989/reviews.md

## What is Homebound Check?

Homebound is a personal safety app for outdoor adventurers. Hiking, climbing, diving, or exploring the backcountry, Homebound makes sure someone always knows where you are and when to expect you back. Share your live location, watch your group in real time, and run a trip from your wrist with Homebound for Apple Watch.

It fits any time you want someone to know your plan: a night walk back to the dorm, kids on a field trip, or a night out with friends. Share your plan with someone you trust.

How It Works
1. Create a Trip – Your activity, location, and return time. No signal? Plan it anyway; it activates when you reconnect.
2. Add Safety Contacts – Emergency contacts or Homebound friends.
3. Check In – Tap to start when you head out.
4. Check Out – Mark yourself safe when you're back. Miss your return time plus your grace period and your contacts are alerted with your trip details and last known location.

KEY FEATURES

Homebound for Apple Watch
  • On Your Wrist – Check in, check out, extend your return time, or send an SOS without reaching for your phone.
  • Glanceable Countdown – Add a complication to your watch face or Smart Stack to see the time you have left.
  • Even Out of Service – Your watch taps you when a check-in or your return time is close. Plan on iPhone, run it from your wrist.

Trip Planning
  • Activity Types – Hiking, climbing, skiing, diving, kayaking, boating, and more, each with custom safety tips.
  • Quick Trips – Save the routines you repeat and start one in a single tap, with travel time estimated live from wherever you are.
  • Siri & Shortcuts – Ask Siri to start a Quick Trip, or put one on your Home Screen or in an automation.
  • Plan From Anywhere – Create trips offline; they activate when you reconnect, with automatic time-zone detection.
  • Grace Periods, Reminders & Quiet Hours – A buffer before overdue alerts, and control over when you're reminded.
  • Discover – Places and activities nearby with current conditions, from trailheads to concerts with dates, times, and tickets.

Safety Notifications
  • SOS – Send your safety contacts an immediate alert during a trip, with your location and a note.
  • Alerts That Reach You – Break through Focus and Do Not Disturb and appear on CarPlay.
  • Real-Time Updates – Contacts are notified when you start, check in, extend, or finish.

Live Location & Circles
  • Live Location Sharing – Optionally share your real-time location during a trip.
  • Circles – Share your live location with exactly the friends you choose, for a day, 3 days, or a week, and stop anytime.
  • Live Map – See everyone you're watching on an active trip, live, in one place.

Group Adventures
  • Plan Together – Start a group trip and add people even after it's underway.
  • Finish On Your Own Time – Each person checks in and finishes individually; everyone's notified as each one makes it home.

Friends & Social
  • Add friends as safety contacts and see their adventures, with a profile photo so they know it's you.
  • Privacy Controls – Choose exactly what friends can see.
  • Report & Block – Report a post, a comment, or a person, and block anyone you'd rather not see.
  • Adventure Log – Past trips, stats, safety score, and achievements as you go.

Privacy First
  • Sharing is always opt-in: share live during a trip, or with a Circle for a set time, and stop anytime. We never track you in the background unless you turn it on.
  • Delete everything anytime, or download your full history.

Homebound is not an emergency service. It alerts the people you choose. It does not contact 911, search and rescue, or any public emergency service, and delivery depends on connectivity. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

Terms of Service: https://www.homeboundapp.com/termsofservice/
Privacy Policy: https://www.homeboundapp.com/privacypolicy/
Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

## Key features

- Trip planning with custom safety tips
- Flexible location settings
- Smart grace periods for alerts
- Automatic overdue notifications
- Real-time location sharing
- Connect with friends as safety contacts

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Homebound+ Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Homebound+ Monthly | $4.99 | per month |


## Recent user reviews (6 of 6)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/homebound-check-in/id6754800989/reviews.md

### 5/5 — So helpful

*2026-03-14*

This is a rly good app

### 5/5 — Unreal

*2026-02-04*

This app gives me the ability to take adventures I didn’t feel comfortable taking before. This app keeps my mom and I at ease when I’m traveling in the backcountry.

### 5/5 — awesome app

*2026-01-21*

LOVE THIS APP! It has been so helpful for when my partner goes on outdoor adventures! And for myself no matter the activity it notifies my emergency contact that I’m safe! SOOO AWESOME

### 5/5 — Will help a lot of people

*2026-01-21*

I might be biased, but I really think that this app can help a lot of people and I’m excited to see where it goes.

### 5/5 — Wow!!

*2026-01-20*

I can’t believe there aren’t more apps like this. I love spending time outdoors, and this is such a great way to ease my girlfriend’s worries while I’m gone. The interface is simple, as to not distract from the activity, but engaging enough to make me actually want to use it. It’s also a great way to look over all the trips I’ve done and relive some memories. I highly recommend this app for anyone wanting to explore our nature, and stay safe while doing so.

### 5/5 — BEST APP

*2026-01-20*

Super helpful for planning trips and keeping your loved ones informed. Pretty easy and very useful for a variety of activities, trips and groups!

## Frequently asked questions about Homebound Check

### What is Homebound?

Homebound is a personal safety app designed to help you share your outdoor adventure plans with trusted contacts. It ensures someone knows your location and expected return time, with automatic alerts if you don't check out.

### How does Homebound work?

You create a trip with activity type, location, and expected return time. Then, you add safety contacts. You check in when you start and check out when you finish. If you don't check out by your ETA plus a grace period, your contacts are alerted.

### What kind of outdoor activities can I use Homebound for?

Homebound supports a variety of activities including hiking, climbing, skiing, diving, kayaking, cycling, and more. Each activity type comes with custom safety tips.

### Can my contacts see my location in real-time with Homebound?

Yes, you can optionally share your real-time location with your safety contacts during active trips. This allows them to follow your progress.

### Does Homebound have ads?

No, Homebound does not contain advertisements. The app is ad-free, allowing for an uninterrupted safety experience.

### What are the subscription options for Homebound?

Homebound offers subscription plans including Homebound+ Monthly for $0.99 and Homebound+ Yearly for $9.99. These plans likely unlock additional features or benefits.

### Is Homebound available on multiple devices?

Currently, Homebound is supported on iPhones. Information regarding availability on other platforms like Android is not specified.

### How often is Homebound updated?

The latest version of Homebound is 1.2.0, last updated on March 20, 2026. This indicates a relatively recent update, suggesting ongoing development and support.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.4.0 — 2026-08-08

Homebound for Apple Watch
- Check in, extend your ETA, or send an SOS right from your wrist. Add a complication for a countdown on your watch face, and your watch taps you when a check-in or your return time is close, even with no signal.

A Cleaner Look
- Starting a trip, planning one, your active trip card, and the Friends tab have all been redesigned to be quicker to use and easier to read. Your first few minutes in Homebound are simpler too.

Smarter Quick Trip Times
- A Quick Trip can now set its own return time from a live travel estimate, worked out from wherever you are when you start. You'll see the time before you go, and you can turn it on for any Quick Trip.

Start a Quick Trip with Siri or a Shortcut
- Say “Start my walk home in Homebound” and Siri starts the trip for you. Your Quick Trips also show up in the Shortcuts app, ready for a Home Screen button or an automation.

Add a Profile Photo
- Bring your own personal flair to your profile. Add a profile picture from your camera or your photo library, and your friends will see it across the app.

Share Your Location with Circles
- Create a circle to share your live location with exactly the friends you choose, for a day, 3 days, or a week. Find it on the Map tab, using the people icon in the top right.

Favorites in Your Order
- Drag your favorite activities into the order you want, and they show up that way every time you create a trip. Find them in Settings > Customization.

More on Nearby Concerts
- Concerts in Discover now show the date, start time, price, and venue on the card. Tapping one takes you to the event page for tickets instead of directions.

Give 7, Get 7
- Invite a friend to Homebound and you both get 7 days of Homebound+ when they finish their first trip. Terms apply. Find your referral dashboard in Settings.

Report and Block
- You can now report a post, a comment, or a person, and block anyone you'd rather not see. Blocked people are managed in Settings > Privacy.

Bug And Performance Fixes
- Fixes for push notifications, reconnecting after you lose signal, saving your favorites, and background location use, plus a range of smaller ones. Please report any bugs you find so they can be fixed quickly. Use Settings > Help Make Homebound Better > Report a Bug.


Follow our socials:
- Instagram: @homebound.app
- Threads: @homebound.app
- TikTok: @homeboundapp

Share feedback requests here: https://homebound.canny.io/feature-requests
Report bugs here: https://homebound.canny.io/bugs

### 1.3.3 — 2026-07-10

Share Your Location with Circles
- Create a circle to share your live location with exactly the friends you choose. Share for a day, 3 days, or a week.

Live Trips on the Map
- People you're watching on an active trip now appear live on your map, so you can see where everyone is at a glance.

Finish Group Trips on Your Own
- Group trips no longer have to end all at once. Each person can check in and finish individually, and everyone in the group is notified as each member makes it home.

Refreshed Widgets and Live Activities
- Your widgets and lock screen Live Activity have a cleaner look, with countdowns that tick in real time. You can now check in or check out straight from a widget or your lock screen.

An Easier Start
- After the demo trip, Homebound now walks you through adding your safety contacts and getting ready for your first real adventure. A simple checklist keeps track of what's left.

Updates That Find You
- Homebound now checks for a new version when you open the app and lets you know as soon as one is ready, so you always have the latest improvements.

Follow Along
- Homebound is now on Instagram and Threads. You'll find links to both in the new Follow section in Settings.

Bug And Performance Fixes
- A range of fixes for a smoother experience. Please report any bugs you find so they can be fixed quickly. Use Settings > Help Make Homebound Better > Report a Bug.


Follow our socials:
- Instagram: @homebound.app
- Threads: @homebound.app
- TikTok: @homeboundapp

Share feedback requests here: https://homebound.canny.io/feature-requests
Report bugs here: https://homebound.canny.io/bugs

### 1.3.2 — 2026-07-06

Smarter Quick Trips
Quick Trips now fill in the estimated travel time to your destination automatically. Perfect for walking back to your dorm or heading home from downtown.

A Clearer Demo Trip
The demo trip now makes it obvious it's just for practice, so you can explore how Homebound works before your first real adventure.

More Reliable Contacts
Adding your first emergency contact and editing the ones you already have now works smoothly every time.

Clearer Saved Locations
If you forget to name a new saved location, Homebound now lets you know right away instead of leaving you guessing.

Steadier Offline Syncing
The offline banner now appears only when you're truly offline, and anything you do without a signal syncs dependably the moment you reconnect.

Achievements Stay Yours
If you share a device, achievements now stay with the right account instead of mixing between users.

Bug And Performance Fixes
A range of fixes under the hood for a smoother experience. Please report any bugs you find so they can be fixed quickly. Use Settings > Help Make Homebound Better > Report a Bug.

Follow our socials:
- Instagram: @homebound.app
- TikTok: @homeboundapp

Share feedback requests here: https://homebound.canny.io/feature-requests
Report bugs here: https://homebound.canny.io/bugs

### 1.3.1 — 2026-07-02

Arrival Reminders
When you reach your destination, Homebound reminds you to check out — so your contacts know you made it safely and you never forget to end a trip.

Travel Time Estimates
When you're planning a trip, Homebound now estimates how long it'll take to walk, bike, or drive to your destination — making your ETA easier to set.

Undo a Deleted Trip
Removed a trip by mistake? You can now undo it right away and pick up where you left off.

Group Trips Work Offline
Join, leave, and manage group trips even without a signal. Your changes sync automatically the moment you reconnect.

Smoother Apple Sign In
Signing in with Apple is more reliable whether you share or hide your email. And if you've signed in more than one way, your accounts now merge into one.

See Who Liked Your Posts
Tap the like count on any post or comment to see exactly who gave it a heart.

Never Miss a Mention
When a friend @mentions you in a comment, it now collects in one place so you can jump straight to the conversation.

Notifications on Your Terms
Choose how often Homebound checks in with notifications, and decide whether you'd like the occasional update about new features — all from Settings.

Bug And Performance Fixes
Smoother check-ins and check-outs, plus a range of fixes under the hood. Please report any bugs you find so they can be fixed quickly. Use Settings > Help Make Homebound Better > Report a Bug.

Follow our socials:
- Instagram: @homebound.app
- TikTok: @homeboundapp

Share feedback requests here: https://homebound.canny.io/feature-requests
Report bugs here: https://homebound.canny.io/bugs

### 1.3.0 — 2026-06-27

Live Trips on the Map
- People you're watching on an active trip now appear live on your map, so you can see where everyone is at a glance.

Share Your Location with Circles
- Create a circle to share your live location with exactly the friends you choose. Share for a day, 3 days, or a week.

Finish Group Trips on Your Own
- Group trips no longer have to end all at once. Each person can check in and finish individually, and everyone in the group is notified as each member makes it home.

Easier Group Trips
- You can now add people to a group trip that's already underway. And if you're watching two or more people on the same trip, they're combined into one simpler view.

Three New Activities
- New ways to get out and explore! Look for boating, scooters, and concerts.

A Sharper Discover Tab
- Discover now focuses on the activities you actually use and only shows what's genuinely nearby.

Alerts That Reach You
- Safety notifications now appear on CarPlay and break through Focus and Do Not Disturb, so you never miss an important check-in or alert.

Plan From Anywhere
- Create trips even without a signal. They activate automatically as soon as you reconnect. Trips also detect your time zone automatically, so your ETA is always right wherever you are.

Always Up to Date
- Settings now shows when a new version is available so you can update with a tap. And when our Privacy Policy or Terms change, you can review and accept them right in the app.

Bug And Performance Fixes
- Please report any bugs you find so they can be fixed quickly. Use Settings > Help Make Homebound Better > Report a Bug.

Bugs:
- Offline queued actions no longer get dropped or double‑applied; conflicts (409s) are resolved cleanly instead of retried forever
- History not loading bug fixed
- Contacts not loading bug fixed, including duplicate‑contact errors on sync
- Active trip not found bug fixed
- Group‑trip notifications such as invites, check‑ins, and finish/checkout now notify the right people more reliably
- Crash when deleting a trip bug fixed
- Friend invite links made more reliable, including on a cold launch from the link
- Sign‑out now fully clears session data, so a second account can't see stale data

Performance:
- Faster image loading by caching images for smoother scrolling
- More durable and faster alerts 
- Backend latency improvements

Follow our socials:
- Instagram: @homebound.app
- TikTok: @homeboundapp

Share feedback requests here: https://homebound.canny.io/feature-requests
Report bugs here: https://homebound.canny.io/bugs

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-03.*
