# PlaceTrack — Family Tracking GPS history

> Cross-platform location journaling and family tracking with history and sharing. (iPhone/iPad app by Nico Tranquilli.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/placetrack/id371178753 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Nico Tranquilli](https://appshunter.io/developer/341326067)
- Category: Navigation, Utilities
- Price: $5.99
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 2 App Store ratings · 116 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 14.1 · 37 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2010-09-11
- Data updated: 2026-08-30
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/placetrack/id371178753/reviews.md

## What is PlaceTrack?

PlaceTrack is a modern, cross-platform, full-featured location journaling and sharing app, available for iPhone, Apple Watch, and other platforms, and also offering compatibility with Car Play. It keeps a history of your locations 24/7 with almost no impact on battery life, capturing data on speed, course, altitude, and user activity. Additionally, its optional sharing features allow you to track your loved ones, monitor their travelling speed, get directions to their current location, and view street-level images of any place they are or they have been. You can also overlay and compare your location or your contacts' locations against a GPX track. This can be imported from files, Strava, or Apple Watch workout routes, as the app integrates seamlessly with HealthKit.

In short:
- personal location journaling h24
- Apple Watch and CarPlay compatibility
- context data: location data can include location history, speed and course, altitude, whether you’re walking, running, moving in a vehicle or resting
- Healthkit/Apple Watch and Strava integration for GPX import
- optional safe location sharing with the people you trust, in real time
- GPX merge, map overlay and export
- POIs (Point of Interest) support and sharing
- live data: force a contact’s device to immediately send a fresh location
- passive and battery friendly: run in the background with no noticeable impact on battery life, location is periodically updated as the device moves
- you are in control: set who sees your current location or who has access to your location history with fine-grained access controls

Other features: 
- excellent battery usage: PlaceTrack uses SLC mode (Significant Location Change) and region monitoring, NOT continuous background. PlaceTrack is suspended in the background most of the time and is woken up only when you move significantly (detected using cell towers signal); most of the time it just sleeps and the GPS hardware is powered off to preserve battery. Install the app and forget about it
- save your location history for later viewing
- optionally share your recent location or location history with authorized PlaceTrack contacts
- forced contact location updates: you can ask for a live location update from a contact and the backend platform will silently ask your contact device for a new location update 
- delayed sync: stores your locations when network is unreachable and pushes them to the PlaceTrack servers when you're back online 
- in-app streetview images
- track overlays: import route data from Apple Watch, Strava and GPX files
- location sharing works using address book phone numbers: your phone number is authenticated through an sms code on your first activation 
- your data, including your phone number and location, is always sent on a secure connection (ssl) and is never shared with any third party

## Key features

- 24/7 location journaling
- Real-time family tracking
- Speed, altitude, and activity data
- GPX track import and overlay
- Street-level image viewing
- Optional safe location sharing

## What do users think of PlaceTrack?

Overall sentiment: negative

**Pros**

- 🔋 Battery life saver
- 🚀 Works in background
- 👍 Easy to use
- 📍 Accurate location tracking
- 🔄 Reliable updates
- 💡 Useful for emergencies
- 🌐 Offline support
- ✅ Works well

**Cons**

- 🐛 Crashing issues
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🐛 Network errors
- 🐛 Freezing app
- 🐛 GPS always active
- 🐛 Login problems
- 🐛 Auto check-in failed
- 🐛 UI has only 1 language
- 🐛 Not working anymore
- 🐛 SMS code not received
- 🐛 Account locked
- 🐛 Useless application
- 🐛 Not secure
- 🐛 No refund
- 🐛 Background updates unreliable
- 🐛 Buttons too small
- 🐛 Map not showing
- 🐛 Background mode not working

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Network status error
- Crashing issues
- App closes when accessing contacts
- AutoCheck-In Setup Failed error
- GPS always active
- Background checkins not functional
- App crashes
- Background updates not working
- Cannot log in to Google with 2-step auth
- Application specific passwords do not work
- Known bug for weeks, no response to support emails
- App updated, but not fixed
- Updates only every 3-6 hours
- Background updates not working on 3G
- Background updates don't work
- App freezes and stops updating
- Location updates only when far away
- App self restarts a lot
- Map not showing
- Does not detect cell tower switching properly
- Location delayed
- Buttons are a tad small
- Crashes constantly
- Does not update location in background
- Updates location only when about 6 blocks away
- App updates location only when opening app
- Stops updating in iOS 4.1
- Map not showing
- Does not detect cell tower switching properly
- Location delayed
- Buttons are a tad small
- Crashes constantly
- Does not update location in background
- Updates location only when about 6 blocks away
- App updates location only when opening app
- Stops updating in iOS 4.1
- Background updates don't work
- App freezes and stops updating
- Location updates only when far away
- App self restarts a lot
- Map not showing
- Does not detect cell tower switching properly
- Location delayed
- Buttons are a tad small
- Crashes constantly
- Does not update location in background
- Updates location only when about 6 blocks away
- App updates location only when opening app
- Stops updating in iOS 4.1
- SMS code not received
- Account locked
- Network status error
- Crashing issues
- App closes when accessing contacts
- AutoCheck-In Setup Failed error
- GPS always active
- Background checkins not functional
- App crashes
- Background updates unreliable
- Login problems
- No refund
- UI has only 1 language
- Not working anymore
- Useless application
- Not secure
- Account locked
- SMS code not received

**Most requested features**

- Introduce metric system option
- More website tracking options
- Update to work with Google+ location
- iPad version
- Send location when power status changes
- Enable different set of options when plugged in
- Email locations in Google Earth format
- More settings parameters
- Add avatar functionality
- Larger map view
- Force manual sync intervals
- Scheduled updates (20-30 min)
- More battery life settings (customizable)
- Push notifications for nearby friends
- Manual check-in option
- Open in maps button
- Visualisation of the entire route

## Recent user reviews (10 of 116)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/placetrack/id371178753/reviews.md

### 2/5 — Robin

*2025-03-09, version 4.8.5*

Signup problem 
Sms code not yet received

### 1/5 — Useless!

*2024-07-06, version 4.8.5*

The application is not secure. It collects your contacts because it has a server-side component, and it is unknown to whom it later transmits this data and how it uses it. Moreover, it is a useless application, as the built-in locator app consumes significantly less battery than this application. I believe it is not worth the money and is unsafe to use, even if the developers claim otherwise.
UI has only 1 language. Bad

### 2/5 — Never sends code to verify phone number and locks account if you request

*2019-08-23, version 3.8*

I’ve been using this to track family on Android and IOS for several years with no problem. 

When I got a new phone I needed to verify the phone number again. But the code never comes through. Requested it again 30 minutes later and nothing. Deleted app and reinstalled and requested and it locked my account. 

Very frustrating. Can’t see a way to get service.

### 1/5 — Was good but

*2018-11-29, version 3.8*

It doesnt work anymore gives me a network status error

### 1/5 — Very bad service

*2017-10-14, version 3.8*

I paid for the service and I didn’t receive the code for the location. I want my money back.

### 1/5 — Cto

*2017-09-27, version 3.8*

No funciona, requiero regresen mi dinero. Gracias

### 1/5 — Crashing Issues

*2017-09-23, version 3.8*

Have not been able to use. Keeps crashing both on iOS 10 and iOS 11.

### 5/5 — Mi è stato bloccato perché sono stati fatti troppi tentativi vi

*2017-09-10, version 3.8*

Mi è stato bloccato perché sono stati fatti troppi tentativi

### 1/5 — Ni funciona

*2017-09-08, version 3.8*

Quiero mi devolución

### 1/5 — 地࿆震࿆报࿆警࿆软࿆件࿆

*2017-07-23*

这࿆东࿆西࿆谁࿆他࿆妈࿆开࿆发࿆的࿆，不࿆尼࿆玛࿆写࿆中࿆国࿆字࿆

## Frequently asked questions about PlaceTrack

### What does PlaceTrack do?

PlaceTrack is a location journaling and sharing application that records your movements 24/7, capturing data like speed, course, and altitude. It also offers optional features to share your location in real-time with trusted contacts, monitor their travel, and get directions to their current location.

### What are the key features of PlaceTrack?

Key features include continuous location journaling with minimal battery impact, Apple Watch and CarPlay compatibility, integration with HealthKit and Strava for GPX import, optional real-time safe location sharing with contacts, and the ability to overlay and compare GPX tracks.

### Is PlaceTrack free to use?

Based on the provided information, the application is available for free. There are no mentions of subscription fees or in-app purchases for core functionality.

### What devices is PlaceTrack compatible with?

PlaceTrack is a modern, cross-platform application available for iPhone and Apple Watch. It also offers compatibility with CarPlay and can sync with HealthKit data.

### How does PlaceTrack help with family safety?

The app allows for optional, secure location sharing with trusted family members. You can monitor their travelling speed, get directions to their current location, and view street-level images of places they have been, providing peace of mind and coordination.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 4.8.5 — 2023-07-16

- app settings now include new options for data removal and account termination
- minor UI enhancements

### 4.8.3 — 2023-07-02

- fixed a minor bug that could cause the app to crash under certain circumstances
- fixed a bug in the watchOS version that prevented the timestamp from refreshing when the app was brought back to the foreground
- new phone verification service: we now use a commercial, best-in-class service for phone number authentication, ensuring better reliability, global reach, and compliance

### 4.8.1 — 2023-06-25

- Apple Watch support

### 4.7.2 — 2023-05-31

- CarPlay support
- minor bug fixes for the Strava integration
- fixes a bug introduced in v4.7.1 that prevented some phone numbers to validate correctly

### 4.7.1 — 2023-05-29

- CarPlay support
- minor bug fixes for the Strava integration

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## More apps by Nico Tranquilli

- [Terremoto](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/terremoto/id534494328)
- [Earthquake - alerts and map](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/earthquake-alerts-and-map/id632040358)

All apps by Nico Tranquilli: https://appshunter.io/developer/341326067

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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 2026-08-30.*