HeyPolo Review: A Privacy-First Family Locator from the Surfshark Team

Family location sharing apps have become common tools for keeping tabs on kids, coordinating pickups, or checking in on older relatives. But many of these apps collect a surprising amount of data about where you go and when. That tension—between convenience and privacy—is what the team behind Surfshark VPN aims to address with their new app, HeyPolo.

I’ve spent a few days testing the app to see how it works in practice and whether it’s a realistic alternative to older players like Life360.

What Happened: HeyPolo Launches with Privacy as a Selling Point

HeyPolo was released in early June 2026 by Surfshark’s parent company (the same team behind the well‑known VPN service). The app is available on both iOS and Android and focuses on three core functions: real‑time location sharing, check‑ins, and emergency alerts.

The key difference from many competitors is how location data is handled. HeyPolo uses end‑to‑end encryption for location information, meaning the company itself cannot see where you are. Only the family members you invite can view your location. The app also limits the data it collects to what’s strictly necessary—a stark contrast to apps like Life360, which have faced criticism for sharing location data with third parties and using it for advertising.

Setup was straightforward. After downloading, you create a “circle” and invite family members by text message or QR code. Each person can choose how precisely they share their location (exact address, general area, or simply whether they’re safe). There’s also a panic button that sends an alert with your location to all circle members.

During testing, location updates were quick and reliable on both Wi‑Fi and cellular networks. Battery drain seemed comparable to other location‑sharing apps—noticeable but not excessive.

For families who have been uneasy about using Life360 or Google’s Family Link for location tracking, HeyPolo offers a genuine alternative. The end‑to‑end encryption isn’t just a marketing claim; it’s a meaningful difference in how your privacy is protected.

That said, there are some trade‑offs. HeyPolo doesn’t have the driving behavior monitoring or crash detection that Life360 offers. It’s a simpler tool, focused on location and safety. Also, the app is subscription‑based after a free trial. The exact pricing hasn’t been widely published yet, but early reports suggest it costs around $5–6 per month for a family circle—comparable to Life360’s paid tiers.

Another consideration: HeyPolo is new. The app’s reliability and long‑term support are unproven. There have been no independent security audits made public, so we have to take Surfshark’s privacy claims on trust for now. The company has a generally good reputation from its VPN product, but that’s not a guarantee.

What Readers Can Do

If you’re considering switching to a privacy‑focused location sharing app, here are some practical steps:

Evaluate your current app’s data practices. Check the privacy policy of whatever you’re using now. If it mentions data sharing with advertisers or location history retention beyond the immediate need, HeyPolo may be worth a trial.
Try the free trial first. HeyPolo offers a limited free period—use it to see if the core features cover your needs before committing to a subscription.
Involve the family. The app’s privacy controls let each member choose their sharing level. That can help younger kids understand that location sharing is a choice, not a surveillance tool.
Keep an eye on updates. New apps often add features over time. If they introduce driving reports or geofencing, it might become a fuller alternative to Life360.

Sources

9to5Google, “‘HeyPolo’ is a privacy‑first family safety & location sharing app from the team behind Surfshark,” June 10, 2026.
Surfshark / HeyPolo official website and app store listings (as of June 2026).