HeyPolo: A Privacy-First Family Location Sharing App From the Surfshark Team

What happened

Surfshark, the company known for its VPN and digital security tools, has released a new app called HeyPolo. It’s a family safety and location sharing app designed to help parents keep track of their children’s whereabouts without the usual privacy trade-offs. According to coverage from 9to5Google, HeyPolo puts end-to-end encryption at the center of its model and collects far less data than many competing services. The app launched in mid-2026 and is available on both iOS and Android.

Why it matters

Family location trackers like Life360 and Google Family Link have been around for years, but they often raise questions about how user data is stored and who can access it. Life360, for example, has faced criticism for sharing location data with third parties in the past. In a climate where many families are more aware of digital privacy—partly due to high-profile leaks and tighter regulations—a service that promises to minimize data collection from the start is a notable alternative.

HeyPolo’s connection to Surfshark matters because the company has built a reputation on privacy-focused products. Surfshark already offers a VPN, an antivirus, and a data breach alert tool. That background gives the new app some credibility, though it’s still very early. The app uses end-to-end encryption for location sharing, meaning only the people in a family circle can see each other’s positions. Surfshark also says they don’t store location history on their servers. The app allows geofencing alerts (when someone arrives or leaves a designated area), check-ins, and emergency notifications.

That said, the app just launched. There are no long-term independent security audits or large-scale user reviews yet. The privacy promises are on paper, and the implementation may need time to prove itself. Anyone considering HeyPolo should treat the encryption claims as a strong baseline but remain cautious until independent testing is published.

What readers can do

If you’re a parent looking for a family location app and privacy is a high priority, here are a few concrete steps to evaluate HeyPolo:

  • Check your needs. Do you need continuous location tracking, or are occasional check-ins and geofence alerts enough? HeyPolo supports both, but the focus is on minimal data retention. If your family requires detailed location history that is stored long-term, HeyPolo may not be the right fit.

  • Compare privacy policies. Read HeyPolo’s privacy policy (available on their website) side by side with Life360’s or Google Family Link’s. Look for specific language about data sharing with third parties, retention periods, and whether location is encrypted in transit and at rest. HeyPolo claims end-to-end encryption, but verify that it covers all communication.

  • Test with a small group. Before rolling it out to the whole family, try HeyPolo with one or two members. Test geofences, battery drain, and notification reliability. Early user reports (though limited) may mention bugs or missing features.

  • Consider alternatives. If HeyPolo doesn’t meet your needs, look into apps like Owlet, Life360’s privacy-focused tier, or even built-in options like Apple’s Find My (which uses end-to-end encryption by default).

  • Stay updated. Because the app is new, follow Surfshark’s blog or independent tech news for any security audits or updates. If a vulnerability is found later, being aware quickly matters.

Sources

  • 9to5Google article: ‘HeyPolo’ is a privacy-first family safety & location sharing app from the team behind Surfshark (June 10, 2026)
  • Surfshark official website for HeyPolo (product pages and privacy policy)