The short version
- NextLocator collects your location so the people in your family circle can see where you are. Only members of your circle can see it.
- We use your data to run the app: the live map, place alerts, SOS alerts, location history and your account.
- We do not sell your location data.
- Location history is deleted automatically after the history period of your plan.
- You can ask us to delete your account and its data at any time from the Delete account page.
Who we are
NextLocator provides the NextLocator mobile app for Android and iPhone and the website at nextlocator.app. In this policy, “we” and “us” mean NextLocator. You can reach us at support@nextlocator.app or through the contact form.
What we collect
Account information
Your name, phone number, email address and, if you add one, a profile photo. If you sign in with Google or Apple, we receive your name and email address from that service.
Location and movement
Your device's precise location, including while the app runs in the background, so your circle's live map, place alerts and SOS alerts work. With your location we also record whether you are still, walking or in a vehicle, based on your phone's motion sensors, and your phone's battery level.
Circles, places and alerts
The circles you create or join, their members, the places you save such as Home or School, the arrival and leave alerts those places produce, and SOS alerts you send.
Device information
Your device model, operating system, app version, IP address and the token we use to send you push notifications.
Purchases
If you subscribe, your plan and purchase records from Google Play or the App Store. We never receive your card or payment details.
Messages you send us
Your name, email address and message when you contact us.
Diagnostics and advertising
Crash reports that help us fix problems. The app may show ads from Google AdMob, which can collect your device's advertising identifier and information about how ads are used.
How we use your information
- To show your location to the members of your circle, and theirs to you.
- To send arrival, leave, SOS and fresh-location notifications.
- To keep location history for the period your plan includes.
- To sign you in, including sending sign-in codes by SMS.
- To provide paid plans and check your subscription.
- To answer your messages.
- To fix bugs, keep the service secure, and prevent abuse and spam.
- To show ads in the app.
Who can see your information
Your circle. Members of a circle you belong to can see your location, movement status, battery level, place alerts and SOS alerts. People outside your circle, including other NextLocator users, cannot.
Service providers. We use these companies to run NextLocator. They process data for us and only for these purposes.
| Provider | What it does for NextLocator |
|---|---|
| Google Firebase | Push notifications and crash reports |
| Google Maps Platform | Maps and addresses in the app |
| Google AdMob | Ads in the app |
| Google Sign-In and Sign in with Apple | Signing in with those accounts |
| Twilio | Sending sign-in codes by SMS |
| Cloudinary | Storing profile photos |
| Google Play and Apple App Store | Processing subscriptions |
| Cloudflare | Protecting this website and our servers, including the contact form's spam check |
| Our hosting provider | Running the servers that store NextLocator data |
When the law requires it. We may share information if we must by law, or to protect someone's safety.
How long we keep it
| Data | How long |
|---|---|
| Location history | The history period of your plan, then deleted automatically |
| Place alert and notification records | 90 days |
| Account, circles and places | Until you delete your account |
| Messages you send us | As long as we need to answer them |
| Purchase records | As long as tax and accounting law requires |
Your choices
- Location permission. You can turn off location access in your phone's settings. NextLocator can't share your location without it.
- Notifications. You can turn notifications off in your phone's settings.
- Access and correction. You can edit your profile in the app, or ask us for a copy of your data.
- Deletion. You can ask us to delete your account and its data. See how account deletion works.
Children
NextLocator is made for families, and children often join a parent's circle. A child should use NextLocator only with the permission of a parent or guardian, who is responsible for how the child uses it. If you think a child is using NextLocator without permission, contact us.
Security
Data travels between the app and our servers over encrypted HTTPS connections, and access to our systems is restricted. No online service can be perfectly secure, so we can't guarantee that information will never be accessed without permission.
Where your data is processed
Our servers and service providers may be in countries other than yours, so your information may be processed outside the country where you live.
Changes to this policy
If we change this policy, we'll update the date at the top of this page. If a change is significant, we'll also tell you in the app.
Contact
Questions about your privacy? Email support@nextlocator.app or use the contact form.