Top 5 Apps to Track Someone by Cell Phone Number Without Them Knowing for Free

Cell phone tracking apps seem to be the only logical answer to questions like ‘How to locate someone by tracing a cell phone number?

These apps allow snooping into someone’s phone, but their legality is often debated. Illegally using them can lead to severe penalties in today’s society. But let us tell you that there are an equal number of legitimate reasons to use these apps.

For instance, according to Statista, in 2025, the global mobile user count is expected to reach 7.49 billion, which equally increases the chances of phones being lost or stolen. Secondly, concerned parents can also use them to monitor their child’s phone activity.

That being said, this article will introduce you to such apps that would allow you to track location with phone number discreetly.

How to Track a Cell Phone by Number?

Now, there are several ways in which you can track phone number locations for free. Methods like tracker websites, tracking apps, cell phone carrier services, and social apps with location-sharing features like Google Maps and IMEI trackers all help in doing the deed. Each way has its features and advantages for tracking a phone by its number.

However, tracking apps are considered the most viable and recommended solution.

Best 5 Apps to Find Someone’s Location by Phone Number

Free spy apps are useful for remotely tracking devices, and keeping an eye on location data, messages, calls, and even social media activities. They are handy for monitoring teenagers and even keeping tabs on employees during work.

However, choosing a safe spy app can be challenging due to the many options available. Nonetheless, we’ve simplified it for you by identifying the 5 best free spy apps based on our tested criteria.

1. Detectico

When it comes to phone number tracking, Detectico is the top choice, hands-down. It is basically a tool that utilizes network data, or mobile numbers, to find a phone’s location. Just enter a phone number and a brief text message into the search field. Detectico embeds a hidden tracking link into the text and sends it to the target device. When they open it, you can view the device’s precise location on a map.

Features

While a lot of Detectico customer reviews talk about its location-tracking feature, we will highlight the technical ones.

• Global Outreach – You can track phone numbers from anywhere in the world.
• 100% Accurate – It has advanced GPS technology, providing you with the exact address linked to any phone number.
• Safety – Concerns about Detectico’s safety have circulated online, but our testing revealed only location-tracking tools—no ads or malicious software. It’s completely secure.
• Confidentiality – If you are seeking an anonymous solution, then Detectico is the best choice, as the location tracking request that you send contains no personal data.
• No Need for Downloading – Even with a trial subscription, you can locate every number in your contact list. No limits!
• Supported Devices – Detectico works with all kinds of phones, be it Android, Windows, or iOS smartphones. It doesn’t matter what type of phone you have; the app is even compatible with old push-button phones, as long as they’re connected to a network.

Pricing

You can test Detectico with a trial subscription for just $0.89. This minimal fee provides complete access to all features for 24 hours. Even during the trial, you can perform multiple target phone searches, and each time, it will deliver accurate results. This option is perfect if you need to find family members or want to do a quick, one-time search.

For those curious about the monthly cost of Detectico, it’s $49.80, breaking down to just $1.5 per day.

Similar to the trial plan, the monthly subscription allows unlimited searches.

2. Scannero.io

Number 2 on our list is Scannero.io. Similar to Detectico, this is an innovative service that makes tracking a cell phone by its number easy. Using cutting-edge GPS technology, it accurately finds the phone’s location and shows it on a user-friendly map.

The tool is highly versatile, catering to both personal and professional needs. Parents can use it to monitor their kids’ locations, ensuring their safety and providing a sense of comfort. Employers can efficiently track employee locations to enforce designated work areas and enhance productivity.

Features

The tool is highly functional and offers several features. Once you subscribe, the following are some of the features that you can enjoy through this tool.

• Accessing Location via Link – You can generate and share location links through Messenger, text, or email. When the targeted device opens the link, you instantly gain access to its location data.
• Reverse Phone Lookup – With Scannero, you get caller ID functionality, helping you identify spam calls and unwanted contacts before answering.
• Reverse Username Lookup – The app also offers a reverse username lookup, allowing you to run background checks on people you meet online by entering their usernames and revealing linked accounts on social media.
• Text Message to Lost Phone – In case you lose your phone, the app lets you send a text message to the device, informing the finder on how to return it.
• Scannero AI Voice Technology – You can send an anonymous voice message using Scannero’s AI voice technology. The procedure for it, though, is that you have to type the message, and the AI technology of the app will change it to a voice message.
• Sensitive Information Secured – Scannero checks for phone and email leaks by scanning databases for your personal information. If any of your data is found online, the system will notify you to help secure your sensitive information.

Pricing

Scannero operates on a subscription model without a free option. To start using it, create an account on the website by entering your email and credit card details. Take advantage of a limited-time offer with a 1-day trial for only $0.89, giving you access to all Scannero services. After the trial, a monthly subscription fee of $49.80 will be charged.

You can cancel your subscription at any time if you find that Scannero is no longer necessary.

3. Spokeo

Next up is Spokeo. It is yet another well-known tool for finding people. It’s designed to help you reconnect with old friends or learn more about those in your circle. By filtering through billions of records, the platform compiles information to give you a clearer picture of the people in your life.

The pricing is fair for the value you receive, and you can even gather some basic information about your subject for free.

Features

Let’s talk features now.

• Search by Phone Number – Discover the identity behind any phone number by simply entering it into Spokeo’s search box. The platform provides you with essential information about the caller, i.e., location tracking.
• Search by Address – Retrieve both past and present address information for an individual. Just type in the address to initiate.
• Search by Email – Uncover the identity of an email sender through Spokeo’s email search feature. A quick search provides details like the sender’s name, social media accounts, and other available contact information.
• People Search – With Spokeo’s people search feature, you can find anyone in any location using just their name. This is particularly useful for those looking to reconnect with long-lost friends, family, or lovers.
• Check out Criminal History – Spokeo taps into government records and legal archives to disclose criminal history. It includes details such as the crime location, type of offense, and the date it occurred. However, this feature comes with an additional fee and is not accessible with the free plan.
• Smooth Interface – Spokeo is designed with a user-friendly interface, making it accessible to everyone. Just find a search bar while you visit the site, input the necessary information, and begin your search.

Pricing

Spokeo offers two membership plans and a trial subscription to suit your needs.

Let’s talk about all the plans it is currently offering as of January 2024.

1. Free Plan: Provides basic information such as city, state, age, and contact details.
2. 7-Day Trial ($0.95): Grants full access to Spokeo’s tools, allowing you to test if the service meets your requirements.
3. Monthly Membership ($19.95): Offers complete access to all Spokeo features, providing comprehensive reports for any search query. This includes information like criminal records, credit history, and more.
4. 3-Month Membership ($14.95): Includes the same benefits as the monthly membership but at a reduced price.

Unfortunately, there’s no information available on the monthly search and report limits or the cost to upgrade beyond these limits.

4. Hoverwatch

At 4, there is Hoverwatch. It is a pretty straightforward phone tracking app that operates discreetly on the target phone, sending reports and information to your main phone. It works invisibly, ensuring that the person being monitored is unaware.

Features

Despite its unsophistication, the spy app provides a wide collection of useful features.

• You can monitor Camera – One standout feature of Hoverwatch is its ability to discreetly capture photos using the front camera of the target phone. These photos are then sent to you without the person being monitored knowing.
• You can track Internet History – It provides a complete Internet history report of the target phone, helping you understand their online behavior.
• You can keep track of Calls and Messages – Whether you’re a concerned parent or partner, keeping track of phone conversations can be crucial. Hoverwatch records both incoming and outgoing calls, granting you full access to them.

Pricing

Hoverwatch offers three subscription plans with varying features and capabilities.

1. First is the Personal plan, which contains all monitoring features and is capable of tracking one device. It’s priced at $29.95 for 1 month, $59.95 for 3 months, and $99.95 for 12 months.
2. Next is the Professional plan, which includes all monitoring functions and can track up to five devices. This plan starts at $49.95 for 1 month, $99.95 for 3 months, and $199.95 for 12 months.
3. Thirdly, the Business plan, equipped with all monitoring features, allows tracking of up to 25 devices (the maximum). It kicks off at $149.95 for 1 month, $299.95 for 3 months, and $499.95 for 12 months.

5. Phonsee

Coming in at number 5 is Phonsee, a relatively new but potent monitoring app that offers in-depth insights into phone activities. With its real-time and accurate tracking features, Phonsee allows you to monitor the location and receive up-to-date information about the device at any given time.

Features

There are lots of features the app provides. Let’s discuss a few.

• GPS and GeoFencing – Phonsee’s GPS tracking has received positive reviews for its impressive accuracy, allowing you to pinpoint your child’s device within a 10-meter radius.
• Screen Recorder – Phonsee offers a Screen Recorder feature. It takes background snapshots while your kid uses their device, storing them in your control panel.
• Social Media Spy Tools – It offers spy tools for every social media app, be it WhatsApp, Facebook, Snapchat, or Instagram. You can analyze any suspicious episode happening on your kid’s phone.

Pricing

Phonsee provides three individual plans to suit your needs. The first plan costs $42.52 per month, followed by $24.79 for 3 months and $8.85 for 12 months.

Choose the plan that best fits your requirements.

3 Bonus Methods to Find Location by Phone Number

Hang on a bit more because we are not done yet. Apps aren’t the only way one can find someone’s location via phone number tracking. There are other methods as well.

We’ll present three bonus methods in front of you that we found totally worth it.

iCloud

If you are an iPhone user, you can share your location with friends, family, and contacts from your iPhone or iPad using Find My. This option is also available in the Find People app on watchOS 6 or later for Apple Watch models with GPS and cellular connectivity paired with your iPhone.

Google Timeline

Another method to track phone number location free is via Google Maps. It lets users see their own location history, showing the places they’ve been over time. It’s essential to understand that this feature allows individuals to review their own travel history.

To track someone’s location using Google Maps Timeline, you would need access to the person’s Google account, which should be given willingly and ethically. Without their knowledge or consent, it would be a violation of privacy and is strongly discouraged.

Free Carrier Lookup

There is another free tool on the market by the name of FreeCarrierLookup. You just have to type in phone number and find a free location online. The results that this tool provides are quite up-to-date and accurate for most countries.

Our Top Pick for Phone Number Tracking

In our view, Detectico stands out as the top pick among phone tracking apps based on several reasons that we’ve tested ourselves.

Firstly, it operates discreetly, allowing you to monitor without the target’s knowledge. The app provides comprehensive monitoring capabilities that are specifically designed for your needs, ensuring you get the information you require.

The app is also intuitive, making it user-friendly for a seamless experience. The app also ensures timely updates, keeping you in the loop with the latest features and improvements.

Conclusion

All the phone tracker apps mentioned above are quite handy and would help you according to your preferences. They’ll help you keep tabs on your loved ones and ensure your children are safe from cyberbullying.However, we have considered Detectico to be the best choice after analyzing all the location-tracking apps and methods. So we would suggest that you also give this remarkable app a try and enjoy the comprehensive phone tracking features that it provides