Frequently asked questions

Do I need a server?

No. You can use text messages alone, with a message carrying an OpenStreetMap link: whoever gets it opens the link and sees where you are. Or you can send the data to something you already run, such as Traccar or Home Assistant.

Why does Android say the developer is unknown?

Because the app does not come from the Play Store, so Google has not scanned it. This is true of any app installed from a file. Tap More details, then Install anyway.

The SMS permission will not turn on.

It is an Android protection for apps installed from a file. Unblock it under Settings, Apps, I am here, then the top-right menu and the entry about restricted settings.

Does it drain the battery?

It depends how often it takes a fix. The cadence is hybrid, an interval plus a minimum distance, so a parked phone barely tracks at all and it widens by itself when precision is not needed.

Does my data pass through a server of yours?

Only if you choose so. The app only sends to the address you configure: a server of your own, a service you already run or text messages alone, with no account at all. If you have no server you can use ours, with a Fribbynetwork account: routes leave the phone encrypted and we cannot read them.

Can I move my setup to another phone?

Yes. The app saves settings and destinations into a file encrypted with a password you choose and reads it back on the other phone.

Can someone with one link see my other journeys?

No, as long as per-journey codes are on: each link opens that journey and no other. It is worth remembering all the same that sharing a link means sharing where you have been.

Will it ever be on the Play Store?

Not for now. The goal is F-Droid, which builds from source and asks for neither an account nor tracking. We are considering the Play Store as well for the future, though.