OwnTracks is the mobile app that sends location reports from your device to your chosen backend. Drup Trails uses it as a tracker client so you can keep location sharing under your control.
Mobile-first
Privacy aware
Works online/offline
What OwnTracks does well
Publishes precise location updates from iOS and Android with controls for movement, intervals, and battery use.
Supports private backends over HTTP/MQTT, so your location history does not need to live in a consumer ad ecosystem.
Keeps reporting resilient: the app can queue data while offline and deliver when connectivity is available again.
General privacy and security considerations
Location trails are sensitive personal data. Share only with people and teams you trust.
Use strong tracker access tokens and rotate them if you suspect exposure.
Use secure transport (HTTPS) and keep your account credentials protected with a strong password and 2FA where available.
Tune reporting frequency to your real use-case. More frequent updates increase precision but also increase data volume and privacy impact.
If a device is lost or reassigned, remove its tracker from teams and regenerate credentials immediately.
OwnTracks and Drup Trails
Drup Trails focuses on team-friendly location history and sharing. OwnTracks stays the data producer on your phone; Drup Trails is where your selected people and teams can view and manage that trail.