Life360 vs Google Find Hub

Side by side

As of 7 November 2026, per each vendor's own Google Play listing, App Store listing and help pages (linked):

"Not stated" means the vendor page we checked doesn't say; it doesn't mean the feature is missing.

How we checked

On 7 November 2026 we read Google's Find Hub and Google Maps help pages, the Find Hub Google Play listing, Life360's US App Store listing and Life360's help center (through its public help-center API). We didn't run hidden tests and didn't rank by ratings.

What Find Hub is

Find Hub is Google's app for finding your devices and items on a map and for sharing your live location with friends and family. Its Google Play listing describes both: devices "even if they're offline", and "share your live location to coordinate a meetup with a friend or check on family to make sure they got home safe" (Google Play). Google notes that if you already share in Maps, Family Link or Personal Safety, those shares show up in Find Hub automatically, because shares belong to your Google Account (Google). Full guide: Google Find Hub.

How to share your location with Find Hub (Android 14, 15, 16)

Google's steps, which apply to Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones alike once Find Hub is installed and you're signed in:

1. Open Find Hub and sign in.
2. Allow location permission if you want to see yourself on the map.
3. Tap Start share (or the + button if you already share with someone).
4. Choose One hour, Until the end of the day, Until you stop the share or a custom duration.
5. Pick one or more people and tap Create share. People with Find Hub or Google Maps get a notification; others get an email.

To send a link instead, tap Get link to share; Google warns that anyone with the link can see your location, and "Until you stop" shares can't be links.

Set up arrive and leave alerts in Find Hub

1. Open Find Hub and go to the People tab.
2. Tap someone who shares their location with you.
3. Tap Get location notifications > Add a location notification.
4. Under When, choose Arrives, Leaves or both; under Where, pick an address and adjust the radius.
5. Tap Save.

The person you set it for gets an email (and a push notification if they have notifications on), and can turn off Allow Location Sharing notifications at any time, which stops your alerts without telling you (Google).

Stop or hide your location

• Stop one share: tap the person, then Stop sharing, and confirm.
• Stop all sharing from the device: on Android, open Settings > Location > Location Services > Google Location Sharing (Google).

How Life360 compares, step by step

1. Install Life360 on iPhone or Android and create a Circle.
2. Tap Add a person > Send Code; invite codes expire after 72 hours, and each person creates their own Life360 account (Life360).
3. To stop sharing in one Circle: Settings > Location Sharing, toggle off. The Circle sees "Location Sharing Paused". Life360 notes that SOS and crash detection can still share your location while it's off, and that turning it off doesn't delete history (Life360).

What the tiers cost: Life360's US App Store listing shows Silver Membership $9.99, Gold Membership $16.99 and Platinum Membership $24.99 among its in-app purchases, without naming the billing period. See Life360 cost.

Life360 vs Google Maps

Google Maps location sharing uses the same Google Account shares as Find Hub, and it also runs on iPhone. Google says the person you share with needs a Gmail account; you can share for a set time or "until you turn this off", and a link for someone without a Google Account lasts up to 24 hours (Google). That makes Maps the free option when one person has an iPhone, while Life360 adds history, place alerts on its own map and paid safety services. Steps: share location on Google Maps.

Troubleshooting

Find Hub shows an old location

Tap the person, then More > Refresh. If the time doesn't change to "now", Google says their phone may be offline or off, or they turned off location services or location sharing (Google).

Find Hub arrival alerts don't arrive

Google lists these causes: the person is offline or has location off, your Find Hub app is out of date, the person is under 13, or you're viewing a link share without signing in (Google).

Life360 location not updating

Life360 asks for location Always with Precise Location on iPhone; on a Pixel, Settings > Location > Life360 > Allow all the time; on a Samsung Galaxy, Settings > Location > App permissions > Life360 > Allow all the time, plus Use precise location (Life360). More: location not updating.

Warden — best overall for mixed iPhone and Android circles (top pick)

Find Hub is a strong free choice when everyone has Android. The trouble starts when your partner, a parent or a roommate has an iPhone: Google's people-sharing page doesn't mention iPhone, and Google Maps needs a Gmail account on the other end. Warden is a location-sharing app with native apps on both, where both people choose to share.

• iPhone and Android in one circle, same features on both.
• Both of you choose. Sharing starts off; only the person sharing can switch it on, on their own phone. Nobody can switch it on for someone else, and everyone sees who joins and leaves.
• Honest pause. The circle sees "Paused", with no location and no battery; SOS and messages keep working.
• Arrive and leave alerts for unlimited places, battery level, locate now, and an alert if someone hasn't moved for a long time away from your places.
• 30 days of history that deletes itself; delete your account and data in the app anytime.
• Private. Data stored in the EU, no ads, no data selling, no listening feature.
• One plan for the circle of up to 10; people you invite join free, and the yearly plan starts with a 7-day free trial.

Start a mixed iPhone and Android circle

1. Install Warden on your phone (iPhone with iOS 17 or later, or Android 8.0 or later) and create a circle.
2. Send the invite code; it's valid for 7 days and renews automatically.
3. The other person installs Warden on their phone, enters the code, and you approve the join request.
4. Each person reads the consent screen and switches sharing on for themselves.
5. Add places like home and work for arrive and leave alerts.

Which one should you choose?

Where Warden doesn't fit

If everyone you share with has Android, Find Hub is already there and may be all you need. Warden doesn't find lost devices or trackers, has no crash detection or roadside services, and its SOS reaches your circle only, never emergency services. Warden has no free version, and it can't show anyone who hasn't joined and switched sharing on.

FAQ

Is Google Find Hub better than Life360?

For all-Android circles that want basic sharing with arrive and leave alerts, Find Hub is Google's own app with no in-app purchases listed. Life360 adds location history, iPhone support and paid safety services. For mixed iPhone and Android circles who both choose to share, Warden (top pick) fits better than both.

Is Find Hub free?

Find Hub is Google's own app, and its Google Play listing shows no in-app purchases. Google's help pages don't mention any cost for location sharing.

Can Find Hub share location with an iPhone?

Google's Find Hub people-sharing page doesn't mention iPhone. For an iPhone user, Google Maps location sharing works if they have a Gmail account, or use an app with native iPhone and Android apps like Warden.

Does Find Hub tell someone when you set an arrival alert for them?

Yes. Google says the person sharing gets an email about the notification, plus a push notification if they have notifications on, and can turn off Location Sharing notifications at any time.

Does Find Hub keep location history?

Google's Find Hub pages don't state a location history for people sharing. Life360 lists 2 to 30 days depending on the plan, and Warden keeps 30 days.

Is Life360 better than Google Maps?

For a quick share, Google Maps is enough and runs on both iPhone and Android. Life360 adds a family map with history, place alerts and paid crash and roadside services. Warden (top pick) is the better fit for adults who share every day across both phones.

Can anyone with a Find Hub link see my location?

Yes. Google says anyone with the link can see your location and other personal information you share. Shares set to "Until you stop" can't be sent as a link.