Top 10 Apps Designed to Keep You Safe

The unexpected can happen at any time, which is why taking proactive measures to protect yourself is so important. Personal safety apps have become essential tools for many, offering features that can alert authorities, contact loved ones, and track your location in real time. Whether you’re a student, a parent, or simply want to feel safer, here are 10 personal safety apps to help keep you secure and connected wherever you are.

1. Noonlight^™

Noonlight is designed for simplicity in panicked situations. By pressing and holding a button on the screen, you can alert authorities if you feel unsafe. Releasing the button and entering your PIN within 10 seconds confirms your safety. If the PIN isn’t entered, Noonlight contacts you and, if necessary, dispatches local authorities to your location. This app is ideal for walking home alone or answering the door for strangers. It’s free, with additional features available for $5 to $10 per month.

2. Arlo^® Safe

Arlo Safe offers personal and family protection with a team of medically trained experts available 24/7 and features like Guardian Mode, where holding down a button ensures help is on the way. Family members can receive arrival and departure alerts and check in with each other. It also includes crash response notifications that contact emergency services if an accident is detected.

3. Strava^®

A fitness-based social network used mostly for logging bike rides and runs, Strava’s Beacon feature shares your real-time location with selected contacts. This is particularly useful during outdoor activities. Beacon also shows your activity start time, duration, and phone battery percentage, helping loved ones know when to worry and allowing them to share your GPS location with police if necessary.

4. bSafe^™

Traveling alone can be intimidating, especially at night. bSafe offers continuous monitoring for solo travelers, from sending audio recordings and GPS locations to friends and family, to creating check-in times. Its “walk with you” feature allows loved ones to track your route and ensure you get home safely. Additional features include a siren, flashlight, fake calls, and voice activation for hands-free use in emergencies.

5. Rescu^™

Rescu contacts police, fire departments, or ambulances quickly, without needing to explain the situation to an operator. While there is no free tier, for $8.25 per month, you can send help to up to four saved addresses or your current location using GPS. The app also supports calling, texting, or in-app chatting with unlimited emergency contacts.

6. Red Panic Button^™

With Red Panic Button, pressing the on-screen button sends an SMS and email with your GPS coordinates to your emergency contacts. It includes smartwatch integration and allows remote access to your phone’s location. The app also features an overall Emergency Dial to call a pre-set number in distress.

7. SABRE^®

Best known for its pepper spray, Sabre also offers a safety app. The app is free for alerting trusted contacts or for $5 per month, you can include alerts to local authorities. When you press the panic button, your contacts receive a link to your location. Paired with Sabre’s smart pepper spray, the app alerts contacts or authorities when deployed, providing an extra layer of security if you need to use your spray.

8. Mobile Justice^™

Interacting with law enforcement can be intimidating. Mobile Justice records interactions with police, streaming videos to your contacts and your local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). It also allows you to fill out an incident report if your rights are violated, ensuring everyone is protected in their encounters with local authorities.

9. Watch Over Me^™

Watch Over Me tracks your location for a set duration and alerts your emergency contact if you don’t press the “I’m Safe” button. The app can activate an alarm, video camera, and send a distress call by shaking your phone. It also provides convenient safety ratings of local streets using crime data and social media, so you can plan your routes carefully.

10. SoSecure^™

Developed by ADT^®, SoSecure offers an SOS button that alerts help and contacts without drawing attention. The free tier includes location tracking with trusted contacts, while the Plus plan ($4.17/month) adds SOS video, timed tracking, and a silent alarm triggered by a code phrase. The premium plan ($8.33/month) includes roadside assistance and crash detection.

Having a reliable personal safety app on your phone can provide an added layer of security and peace of mind. These 10 apps are designed to help you feel safer and more confident, whether you’re walking home at night, traveling to a new place, or simply going about your daily life. Stay safe, stay connected, and make the most of the technology at your fingertips to protect yourself.

References: The Best Personal Safety Devices, Apps, and Wearables | 7 Excellent Apps for Personal Safety | What Is The Best Personal Safety App? Try These Top 8.