Familonet
Familonet develops FamiloApp, a freemium iOS and Android smartphone application that enables real-time GPS location sharing, geofenced arrival/departure alerts, group chat, and an emergency panic button for families, friends, and roommates across 14+ language markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersHamburg, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Familonet does
Familonet is a Hamburg-headquartered, consumer-facing mobile software company that develops and operates FamiloApp, a freemium smartphone application for iOS and Android that enables real-time location sharing, geofenced 'intelligent places' notifications, in-app chat, and an emergency panic button for groups of family members, friends, roommates, and couples. The company's technical differentiator is a battery-efficient, proprietary location-detection algorithm that supports automatic arrival and departure alerts at predefined places (e.g., schools, homes, cafeterias) without continuous heavy GPS polling, paired with a privacy-by-design architecture offering user-controlled location-sharing modes and a two-week retention cap.
The business model is product-led: users download the app via the Apple App Store or Google Play, register via SMS verification, and create groups they invite others to join. Free-tier features cover core location and chat functionality; a premium subscription unlocks advanced features, with billing handled inside the app and on the web through Stripe and Braintree. The company is incorporated under Cyprus law as Applyft Ltd. (operator) alongside a related entity SAFETIX LTD, with GSMT CORP (Delaware) acting as an authorized distribution and support partner. Distribution and onboarding are self-serve, with support via Zendesk, and the product is localized into more than 14 languages spanning Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Revenue disclosure is absent, and the company has raised seed-stage capital in 2013 and 2015 from investors including HR Ventures, WestTech Ventures, Cutback Ventures, Venista Ventures, IFB Innovationsstarter, and VentureOut. Institutional backers and ongoing funding rounds since 2015 are not visible in the source data. Brand visibility comes from earned media placements in Bild, RTL, TechCrunch, WIRED, DIE WELT, and Spiegel Online, as well as ecosystem support from Hamburg University and the City of Hamburg's innovation starter program. AI/ML capability is limited to classical geospatial heuristics rather than learning-based systems.
Familonet firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Familonet
- Legal name
- Applyft Ltd.
- Website
- https://familo.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Familonet develops FamiloApp, a freemium iOS and Android smartphone application that enables real-time GPS location sharing, geofenced arrival/departure alerts, group chat, and an emergency panic button for families, friends, and roommates across 14+ language markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Familonet industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Family Safety & Location Sharing App
- akta.pro primary industry
- Remote Adherence Monitoring & Smart Dispenser Services (HSABALAI)
Keywords
Where Familonet is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hamburg
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Familonet business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- Premium Subscription: The app offers basic free features with premium subscription options for advanced functionality. Subscriptions renew automatically at the end of each billing period unless canceled.
- Freemium Model: Downloading and using FamiloApp's basic features is free of charge. Additional premium features are accessible through paid subscription plans.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free basic tier with core location and chat features |
| Subscription | Monthly | Premium subscription for advanced features |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Familonet product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Familonet operates FAMILO, a consumer smartphone application (iOS and Android) that enables real-time GPS-based location sharing, automatic arrival/departure notifications for predefined places, in-app chat, and an emergency panic button for groups of family members, friends, and roommates. The product is offered as a freemium app with paid premium subscriptions unlocking additional features.
Product overview
FamiloApp is a single, unified family locator smartphone application available on iOS and Android platforms. The product centers on real-time location sharing between family members and friends, with core features including continuous location sharing, intelligent geofenced place detection with automatic arrival/departure notifications, in-app chat messaging (functional even when location services are disabled), and an emergency panic button that sends alerts with the user's current location. The app is complemented by a premium subscription tier offering additional features beyond the free basic functionality.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- FamiloApp
Quantifiable outcome
- App is recognized by major international press including Bild, RTL, TechCrunch, and WIRED
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Familonet
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Familonet technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
AI capability1 record
Feature5 records
Familonet partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Hamburg UniversityminorHamburg University (Universität Hamburg) supports Familonet. The university is referenced as providing support and endorsement for the app.
- City of HamburgminorThe City of Hamburg supports Familonet through its innovation starter program. The app is developed with support from Hamburg's innovation ecosystem.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Familonet competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Prey Inc. Cross-platform device/family tracking and anti-theft SaaS serving both consumer and SMB customers. Comparable mobile location-tracking product with overlapping safety/security positioning and similar freemium pricing structure.
Direct peers
- Life360: Public US-listed family location and safety app offering real-time location sharing, crash detection and driving reports. Closest direct competitor to FAMILOApp on core use case (family member tracking) and freemium-to-premium subscription model.
- iSharing: Consumer mobile app for real-time GPS location sharing among friends and family. Closely comparable consumer positioning to FAMILOApp's group-location-sharing value proposition.
- GeoZilla: Family/friend location-sharing app with geofencing-based arrival alerts and a panic-button-like emergency feature. Direct competitor serving the same parental monitoring and group coordination use cases as Familonet.
- Sygic Family Locator: Family tracking app built on Sygic's navigation stack offering real-time location and place alerts to private circles. Direct comparable in features (places, group notifications) and freemium monetization.
- Trusted Contacts (Google): Google's consumer safety app that lets users share live location with designated contacts in emergencies. Closest analog to Familonet's Panic Button feature, although Google has since retired/scaled this product.
- Glympse: Real-time location-sharing app for people, packages and fleets with timed, consent-based sharing. Comparable mobile-first location-sharing product and freemium business model targeting consumer and prosumer use cases.
- FamiSafe (Wondershare): Cross-platform parental control app with real-time location, geofencing, and screen-time management. Competes with Familonet specifically in the family-safety / child-monitoring category on iOS and Android.
Broad incumbents
- Google Family Link: Android-native parental controls and child-location management tool offered for free as part of Google's family ecosystem. Direct substitute for FAMILOApp's primary 'parents tracking children' segment.
- Apple Find My: OS-integrated location and device/person sharing service pre-installed on hundreds of millions of iOS devices. Largest embedded substitute for FAMILOApp's core location-sharing functionality.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Familonet social profiles
Digital presenceFamilonet compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Familonet financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Familonet leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Familonet funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Familonet M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Familonet
What does Familonet do?
Familonet operates FAMILO, a consumer smartphone application (iOS and Android) that enables real-time GPS-based location sharing, automatic arrival/departure notifications for predefined places, in-app chat, and an emergency panic button for groups of family members, friends, and roommates. The product is offered as a freemium app with paid premium subscriptions unlocking additional features.
Is Familonet a public or private company?
Familonet is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Familonet founded?
Familonet was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Familonet based?
Familonet is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Familonet make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Premium Subscription is the primary driver. The others are freemium Model.
Who are Familonet's main competitors?
Prey Inc. is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Life360, iSharing, GeoZilla, Sygic Family Locator, Trusted Contacts (Google), Glympse and FamiSafe (Wondershare). Broad incumbents are Google Family Link and Apple Find My.
Does Familonet have an API?
No public API is recorded for Familonet.
What industry is Familonet in?
Familonet's product category is Family Safety & Location Sharing App. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSABALAI, Remote Adherence Monitoring & Smart Dispenser Services.