Hauk

Overview

Hauk is a free, open-source service for sharing a live location through a link, using a server you operate. It suits technically confident Android users who want control over where location data goes and are comfortable running that server. Its privacy-minded design comes with a real trade-off: setup and secure deployment are your responsibility.

Key features

Sharing starts in the Android companion app: choose a duration, then send a link so someone can follow your position on a map. A share ends when its time expires or you stop it. This is a focused way to coordinate a meeting with friends or family, not a location-history service; Hauk has no location history.

Hauk sends location data only to the backend server specified in the app. The default share link contains eight randomly generated letters and numbers, but anyone who has the link can see the live location while sharing remains active. Treat the link like access credentials and share it selectively.

Location data is kept in Memcached in memory rather than written to disk, and restarting Memcached removes it. The project supports end-to-end encryption and recommends exposing Hauk only over HTTPS through a reverse proxy: unencrypted traffic can reveal location data in transit. LDAP authentication is available as a backend option, and the Android app supports HTTP and SOCKS proxies. Tasker support lets users start shares through an automation.

The public demo server is limited to two-minute shares and is intended for demonstration, not as a substitute for deploying your own backend.

Pricing

Hauk costs nothing. Its free, open-source offering is self-hosted rather than a hosted service: the plan requires a PHP web server and Memcached or Redis, along with the corresponding PHP extensions. There is no free trial; the project is free under the Apache-2.0 license.

There are no paid tiers or seat and quota terms to weigh. The cost instead is operational: you provide and maintain the server. Donations are accepted, but the maintainer describes the project as ad-free and made without financial gain.

Platforms

The companion app is for Android, and the service runs on a self-hosted Linux or other PHP-compatible web server, with a web map for people opening a share link. The README says Android 6 or later; the listed F-Droid version 1.6.2 requires Android 7.0 or newer, so check the version you intend to install against your device.

Deployment choices include documented manual or scripted installation, an Arch Linux AUR package, and an official Docker image. Each route still leaves server configuration to you.

Who it's for

Hauk is a good fit for Android users who want to share a temporary live location without routing it through a service provider's server, and who can set up a PHP backend with Memcached or Redis. It is less suitable for anyone who wants a ready-to-use family locator, iOS support, location history, or a service that handles hosting and secure configuration for them.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Self-hosting lets you choose the server that receives location data.
• Pros: In-memory storage avoids retaining location data on disk; restarting Memcached clears it.
• Pros: Free, open-source software with documented deployment options, LDAP support, proxies, and Tasker integration.
• Cons: The backend and its PHP and cache requirements make setup more involved than using a hosted location-sharing app.
• Cons: Anyone with an active share link can view the location, so link handling matters.
• Cons: Secure use calls for HTTPS and a reverse proxy; an incorrectly exposed server can put location data at risk in transit.
• Cons: Android-only companion app and no location history limit its appeal for households using mixed platforms or wanting past routes.

Alternatives

For more family-locator choices, browse Family Locator Apps.

• Family Locator is the better fit if you want Android, iOS, or macOS support and a free version with complete functionality; its one-time Lifetime plan is 14.99 USD for premium features.
• Findmykids suits readers who want Android, iOS, or web access and a freemium service, with a free Básico plan and a Cuidar plan at €3.58 a month, billed 42,99 €.
• iSharing is worth considering for Android, iOS, or web users who want place alerts, a seven-day history and driving report after watching an ad, and standard SOS in its free tier.
• Glympse is an alternative for Android, iOS, API, or web users; its mobile app is free, while Glympse PRO starts at $15 a month.
• OpenFamily is another free, self-hosted option for Android, iOS, API, and web, distributed under AGPL-3.0.
• OtoZen offers Android and iOS access with a free plan that includes two days of drive history and two places.
• Be Closer offers free real-time location on Android and iOS, with a $3.99 a month Premium plan that includes unlimited location history.
• BuddySOS is a free Android and iOS option for one group and one safe zone, with a $1.99 a month Pro plan for more groups and zones and no ads.

Verdict

Choose Hauk if you use Android, want to decide which server receives location data, and can run and secure a backend yourself. Its strongest reason to choose it is that control; its clearest reason to look elsewhere is the work and care required to host it safely, especially if you need a polished, multi-platform family locator or location history.