Google Maps location sharing review

Google Location Sharing lets you share your real-time location from Google Maps and other Google apps with people you choose, and it costs nothing. According to Google's help page, people you share with can see your name, profile picture, real-time location and battery status, and the shared view may include where you have recently been and whether you are walking or driving. For each person, you decide whether they are allowed to create notifications about you. The setting is device and account-specific, so a family member signed in on two phones needs to set it up on each one. You need a Google Account, a mobile device, an internet connection and location turned on. Because Google Maps runs on iPhone and Android, this is a practical free option for mixed-phone households. It does not offer crash detection, driver reports or a parent dashboard, so families with new drivers will want a dedicated app.

Who it is for

Mixed iPhone and Android families who already use Google Maps and want free, simple live location sharing.

Price

Free in the Google Maps app.

Google Maps Places, navigation & traffic Free
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 9, 2026.

Key features

• Share real-time location with people you choose
• Shows name, profile picture, real-time location and battery status
• May show whether you are walking or driving
• Per-person control over whether they can create notifications about you
• Works with a Google Account on a mobile device with location turned on

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Free and already on most phones
• Strength: Works for family members on both iPhone and Android
• Strength: Battery status helps you see why someone has gone quiet
• Weakness: No crash detection, driving reports or speed alerts
• Weakness: Sharing is set per device, so each phone needs its own setup
• Weakness: Not designed as a family dashboard with saved places for kids

Key facts

• Price: Free
• Platforms: iPhone and Android
• Shared info: Name, profile picture, real-time location, battery status
• Driving alerts: Not offered
• Requirement: A Google Account and an internet connection

Where it ranks

Google Maps location sharing is No. 3 in our Best Family Locator Apps verdict.