How to Develop an App Like Life360? Live Location Sharing App

In a world, where the connections span borders and distances, well developing an app like Life360 can be one of the significant parameters.

Location-sharing apps have discovered a new way of traveling and connecting people across this global world. It helps in keeping the family members close to the target users.

As an entrepreneur, you can explore a diversified network and engage a larger user base through developing an app like Life360. Here you should add diversified features and much more. Where you can learn it all?

Relax, we have done all the important research for building your dream app like Life360.

Let’s proceed with the same, in this blog.

What is Life 360?

If you are unaware of the app’s details, here’s what you need to do. We have discussed a brief here.

Life360 is a family social networking app which is released in the year 2008. It is an amazing location-based service that assists friends and family members in sharing their location with each other without interruption from any third party.

This app is effectively designed to help families as well as friends to stay connected and coordinated. With this platform, the users can see the locations of their loved ones and might receive notifications too.

Additionally, the app simplifies family safety so that the users can live life more fully. There are more than 100 million downloads by users who trust the app to protect as well as connect them through their family and friends for tracking their significant belongings at home, road, or on the go.

Now, let’s examine some of the relevant market stats related to the app.

Market Overview of Location-Sharing Apps

When you enter an industry of location-sharing apps, it’s essential to evaluate the current market share.

• Almost 80% of the adults in the USA have location sharing activated over their phones some of the time. However, 16% have activated the platform all the time.
• The global navigation app sector had a revenue of $16.2 billion in the year 2022. Additionally, this revenue is forecast to generate $36.6 billion in the year 2028, which is growing at a rate of 14.8%.

• In the year 2022, Life360 has called upon emergency dispatchers, over 34,000 times and received across 2.2 million in-app SOS alerts from the members.
• Life360 had over 60 million monthly active users worldwide in 2023 increasing 26% as compared to the previous year.

These are all the significant market stats to note before you proceed to create an app like Life360.

Well, if you are still confused about why build an app like Life360, the next section might be helpful.

Why Build a Live Location Sharing App Like Life360?

It’s essential to know the reasons to continue building an app like Life360 before you actually proceed with its development structure.

Hence, let’s evaluate the following points for more information.

♦ Helps to Find Precise Location

When people want to reach a specific destination and remain unaware of any direction, then location-sharing apps come with a boon.

It assists the people to engage the users through various features along with finding locations such as stating complete directions, stating the conditions of traffic, and providing the shortest way according to their vehicle.

♦ Assist to Travel

Creating an app like Life360 can aid users in traveling to new destinations or exploring new places without bothering with directions or getting lost.

With an app like Life360, you can continue to help the users find places where they want to visit even without going for a physical map.

♦ Digital Way to Address Direction Barriers

You might have noticed that via a physical map, the users can find hassle in finding the right directions to reach the destination, hence digital maps are helpful here.

Along with this, digital maps do not even need an extra light to view directions, users can view them over the phone successfully.

♦ Helps in Revenue Generation

An app like Life360 is useful in generating revenue as there are multiple methods that you can use.

Here, you can proceed with diversified revenue-making models such as in-app purchasing, in-app advertising, data monetization, and many others.

♦ Security and Safety

Why do not you include a feature of security and safety in your location-sharing app like Life360, well, it will improve the target user’s trust over the app.

Along with this, this will be effective for the users to use it even when they are traveling alone on unnamed roads.

These were all the reasons to consider for creating an app like Life360. Now, let’s evaluate the procedure of how it works in the following section.

How Does the Life360 App Work?

There are several parameters to consider when you build an app like Life360, and one of them is its working procedure.

Here are certain steps to proceed with.

Step 1: Profile Creation

After downloading, users can create a profile over an app like Life360. It often takes 5 to 10 minutes to build a profile among the users.

Here they need to add all the important details related to their location and may conduct a two-way authentication process for the same.

Step 2: Create a Circle of Family

Now the users can create a family circle over the app. This can include anyone within the user’s life that they might want to stay connected to, they can be the user’s spouse, kids, parents, friends, or anyone, with whom they prefer to share location.

It is a step ahead feature of other best location-sharing apps.

Step 3: Permission over Certain Elements

Well, after building a circle of family, the users can proceed with permissions or settings where they might allow or dismiss the permissions related to notifications updates or even limit the circle of family to certain members, etc.

Step 4: Provide the Exact Location

An app like Life360 possesses the feature of providing the exact location of where the user currently is. With this phenomenon, the other members of the family can track the user’s location accordingly.

This will be valuable to the users to know about their loved ones and ensure their safety.

Step 5: Updates on Arrivals

When the user leaves a certain destination or place, the app gives updates to the other member of the family who is included in the family circle. This helps to build a network connection with members and even ensure their safety when they step out of their places.

These were some of the significant working procedures to consider which will be useful for you to state the steps to build an app and further for the stages through which users will pass.

Now, as we discussed the working procedure of an app, let’s focus on determining the crucial features to include in an app like Life360 with the following section.

Key Features of a Life360-Like App (User Panel & Admin Panel)

Features are the lifeblood of an app, thus, you should evaluate them before directing to creating an app like Life360.

The list of significant location-sharing app features are listed below.

User Panel Features:

1. Profile Creation

Users can create profiles over the app and may state all the essential details for proceeding with using it, effectively.

2. Location History

It’s essential to include the location history feature for users so that they can check where they have traveled last and can even examine how they have proceeded with the same.

3. Permissions

You need to add a feature of settings in the app, where users can update app permission access as per their preferences.

4. Search Location

The users can search for a location and may find the destination where they want to head. This feature is effective in dealing with the fuss of finding destinations on digital maps.

5. Identity Theft Protection

The users need to protect their identity from third-party apps and other people in the world. Thus, this is a relevant and effective feature within an app.

6. Anytime, Anywhere Help

It is essential to implement an anytime and anywhere help feature, through the feature the users can have location access to any destination, without considering the time restrictions.

Admin Panel Features:

7. Manage Configurations

Here you can manage the configurations and can have the controls over directing the users to head-on with the right path.

8. Real-Time Data Monitoring

You can proceed with the feature of Real-time data monitoring, which is significant for updating and exploring mediums to make user experience effective.

9. Custom Workflows

Additionally, the admin has a feature to manage the workflows within an app and to improve overall operations of the same.

10. Audit Logs

Admins are allowed to access the audit logs so that they can filter out any suspicious activity that might harm the target users or impact their sensitive data information.

11. Multi-Environment Support

Admins can also evaluate multi-environment support from their side. Such as they can assist the users to get all the types of functionality required to proceed with the app.

These were some of the relevant features to include in creating an app like Life360.

Now, as we move further, let’s address the question “How to create an app like Life360?” in the following section.

Steps to Develop a Location-Sharing App Like Life360

To develop an app like Life360, you should proceed with different stages.

Here is the detail of the steps.

Step 1: Value Proposition and Market Analysis

Identifying the value of your mobile app idea will assist in elaborating what’s the importance of launching your location-sharing app in the current era.

Here, you can proceed with the market research that might comprise surveys, interviews, and more depending on the type of audience you wish to entertain.

Through examining the market, you can identify the core audience who will be interested in using your app successfully. This will be one of the essential steps, where you can identify the gap that exists in the competitive market for your business and how you can cover that gap.

Step 2: Identifying Features

You should include diversified features within the app like Life360. If you want to describe a feature, adopting clarity is crucial in this competitive landscape.

Thus, it’s vital to include all the important features within the app that will address the project’s aim. Here all you need is to evaluate the basic and advanced features.

A well-defined feature outlines well the purpose of using the app, how users interact with it, along the type of benefits it provides. Specifying the type of features is crucial for addressing the user’s issues.

Step 3: Creating MVP

Now, as you are clear with the features, it’s time to launch an MVP into the market. Here you should include all the significant features that will attract the target audience successfully.

MVP offers a direct medium for testing hypotheses. By focusing on building the core features, an MVP may be useful for validating the market’s responses to a product.

It encourages the learning and building of apps with scalability in mind. This will be a fruitful saving the complete cost to create an app like Life360.

Step 4: Design the App

In this step, you can design the app accordingly. UI/UX app design is all about focusing on the visual appeal of the app, whereas UX designers are focused on the usability as well as the accessibility of the design elements.

Here, all you need is to build the wireframe and prototype of an app. Within the wireframe, it involves creating the low-fidelity visual presentation of the app.

It further comprises drawing the app layout under which you will define the user’s persona along with their journey map. You can design the location-tracking app by including all the valuable features within the same.

Step 5: Tech Stack Development

You need to select the technology stack based on the app’s requirements. Thus, you need to build a technology stack that will be effective in supporting the selected app’s features.

The tech stack is all about the collection of software services as well as programming languages that make up a web or even a mobile application.

It is the set of technologies that will assist you in indulging potential audiences by presenting the backend systems and front-end languages. A location-tracking app tech stack is essential for drawing user’s attention to the app.

Step 6: Building the Complete app and Selecting the Platform

You must select the specific platform for launching the app. Here all you need is identifying the type of platform on which the app can be launched such as Android, iOS, and hybrid.

Along with selecting the target platform to build an app, you should build the complete app after combining all the potential steps.

This feature is significant for successfully mentioning all the criteria useful for building an app like Life360. In such a manner, you can proceed with the app development part effectively.

Step 7: Testing

Now, that you have accomplished the development process, let’s head on to how you test the complete app. Mobile app testing is all about identifying and reducing bugs and errors.

It is vital to include all the essential tools for testing the app. Along with this, here you can test the app by adopting different testing protocols such as usability testing, functional testing, compatibility testing, performance testing, security testing, and much more.

You can make use of automated testing procedures for successfully testing the app. Here all you need to do is plan the testing.

Step 8: Deployment, Launch and Maintenance

Well, now you can deploy the app over platforms. Additionally, you can launch it over the defined date. For app launch, you can perform mobile app marketing to let the users know about your app even prior to its launch.

Your task hasn’t ended here. Now it’s time to connect with mobile app maintenance services. This will enhance the existing features and services and will improve the overall functioning of your app.

Identifying bugs and errors, adding new features, updating them, and implementing user feedback are among the app maintenance importance that should be taken into account.

These are all the important steps to make an app like Life360. Now as we consider all the significant parameters, let’s evaluate the resources required to build it in the following section.

Cost to Build an App Like Life360

So, What’s the cost to create an app like Life360?

The average cost to develop an app like Life360 typically ranges from $15,000 to $150,000+ depending on different factors including the complexity of the app, design, technology stack, and various others.

Let’s discuss the factors impacting the cost to create a location-building app in the next section.

Factors that Determine the Cost to Build an App Like Life360

What are the factors to examine that can impact the complete cost to create an app like Life360?

Let’s evaluate the factors below.

• Complexity and Size of App

A complex app will require high cost and vice versa. You should determine the size of the app by evaluating its features. You should learn that complex apps can be up to 5 times more expensive than simple apps.

It should be noted that the more intricate apps will demand adding coding, testing, and even optimization efforts that will result in increasing the overall cost to develop an app like Life360. Here the cost can vary from $5,000 to $20,000.

• App Design

The type of design you include within the app can play a major role in enhancing the cost to develop an app like Life360.

Here the UI/UX app design cost can vary from $5,000 to $20,000 depending on different parameters such as typography, color, and many others. You should note that a complex design will result in high cost.

• Tech Stack Cost

It’s essential to determine the cost to include a tech stack in the app. Here the tech stack will impact the type of technologies you want to put in an app.

The cost can vary from $5,000 to $30,000 depending on the variety of technologies and how they are influencing the overall development of an app like Life360.

• Team of Developers

Hire mobile app developers after evaluating two significant factors such as location and expertise. If you prefer to hire a team from the United States that too of high professional experts then it can cost you from $30,000 to $300,000.

On the other hand, hiring experts from Asia can range from $15,000 to $80,000. You should note that the smaller teams might lead to lower communication and coordination costs, but may further lead to programming biases that can further make software maintenance even more costlier. Thus, it’s important to select the team wisely.

• Maintenance and Security Cost

Now, you should determine how much it will take to develop an app like Life360. It might take 15% to 20% of the overall cost required to build an app like Life360.

Here the cost might vary from $4,000 to $20,000. Well, you should evaluate the cost to maintain an app, when it comes to location-sharing apps. Additionally, mobile app security is a crucial determinant that will be helpful in protecting the user’s data.

• Choice of Platforms

The selection of platforms to launch your app will have a large impact on the overall cost to make an app like Life360. It will have a large impact on your business and even on the type of target audience, you want to reach.

The cost can depend on the type of platform license. Here the cost can vary from $5,000 to $30,000. You need to evaluate the cost to develop a mobile app.

These were all the factors that should be noted which can further impact the overall cost to build an app like Life360.

After evaluating the cost as a resource, let’s identify the time needed to develop an app like Life360 in the following section.

How Long Does It Take to Create a Location-Sharing App

How long does it take to build a mobile app?

Let’s determine the time required to develop an app like Life360 in the given table.

This time will be impacted by different parameters such as the skills of the developers, the complexity of features, and the location of the developers as well.

Now, after evaluating the resources required to make an app like Life360, it’s time to identify the important monetization framework for earning money.

Let’s discover them all in the given section.

Monetization Strategies for Location-Sharing Apps

What are the location-sharing app monetization strategies?

Here are some of the top monetization strategies to include within the app like Life360.

➤ In-App Advertising

One of the important sources of earning money among apps like Life360 is in-app advertising. This is a strategy that allows app owners to leverage their real estate by selling a space to advertisers. It can become your long-term revenue-making strategy.

➤ Custom Maps Using APIs

Apart from the advertising, maps earn money by creating custom maps through creating APIs. This is used by businesses for a variety of reasons that these apps charge a price for. You can implement the custom maps via APIs to earn money.

➤ Data Monetization

You can use the data of the users to earn money only after obtaining consent from them. It’s a plan that aims to generate revenue via the platform, content, audience as well as other sources.

It presents an opportunity for building new revenue streams to support the continued growth of your organization.

➤ Subscription Plans

You can include a subscription plan within your location-based app like Life360. It is an essential phenomenon where you can earn a regular income by providing an opportunity for users to have a subscription plan for getting location-based advice.

➤ In-App Purchases

The users can continue with certain important features by buying them within the app. Through the model of in-app purchases, you can continue to offer premium services of the location-tracking app in exchange for an amount.

These are all certain crucial strategies that should be taken care of while creating an app like Life360.

Now, as we proceed further, let’s evaluate some of the important challenges faced while building an app like Life360 because issues are what can affect the complete performance of creating it.

Development Challenges of Location Tracking Apps Like Life360

When you enter an industry of location-sharing apps, there can be a certain list of challenges that need to be evaluated before you proceed with the app development process.

These are significant to identify for successfully

♦ Inaccurate and Imprecise Data

Does your app display accurate data to the users, if not, then it can be an important and biggest challenge here. This can misguide the users and you can even lose their trust in your business. An inaccurate location data can severely compromise campaigns.

♦ High Battery Consumption

Usually, an app like Life360 consumes a lot of battery. This is one of the crucial challenges which might impact the complete performance of an app. If your app consumes a high battery, it will be a negative point for your application.

♦ Compatibility Issues

Your app might face an issue related to compatibility over diversified devices. This can impact the overall performance of your app which might impact the different devices, operating systems, or even the hardware components that can raise issues, glitches, or even crashes.

♦ Avoiding Troubleshooting Common Problems

The compatibility issues can arise persistently, and even unexpectedly which you might follow within the previous steps. If you don’t pursue the testing issues, it can impact the complete performance of your app.

♦ Ignoring Device Updates

If you avoid the continuous updates within the app, it can further impact overall app performance. Thus, ignoring the updates will lead to security breaches, as well as malware attacks.

These are some of the important challenges that will further have a large impact on creating an app like Life360.

How Nimble AppGenie Can Help in Building an App Like Life360?

Searching for a company to develop your app like Life360?

Nimble AppGenie can be your partner in this journey. We are the leading Mobile App Development Company to consider for building your dream app.

Our team is ready to discuss your opinions and provide effective advice for your dream app. Along with creating an app, we deliver integrity, and honesty for helping you to lead the industry.

Conclusion

You can develop an app like Life360 by implementing crucial steps here that can begin with market research and can end over the launch of an app. It’s significant for your business to adopt successful features to build an app like Life360.

Here you can include the features for the user panel such as profile creation, location history, permissions, and search location, as well as for the admin panel, you can include the features such as managing configurations, real-time data, custom workflows, and multi-environment support.

Additionally, you can include the challenges that your business might face such as high battery consumption, compatibility issues, ignoring device updates, and avoiding troubleshooting the common problems.

Apart from this, you should build the cost to develop an app like Life360, by evaluating diversified factors such as the complexity and size of an app, design, technology stack, and other elements.

FAQs

Niketan Sharma

Niketan Sharma is the CTO of Nimble AppGenie, a prominent website and mobile app development company in the USA that is delivering excellence with a commitment to boosting business growth & maximizing customer satisfaction. He is a highly motivated individual who helps SMEs and startups grow in this dynamic market with the latest technology and innovation.