Free daily check-in apps for people who live alone: what to compare
A guide by Joey Tan, FiveClose · 8 November 2026
There are several ways to make sure someone who lives alone isn't left unnoticed. They differ in what's free, who gets told and how much the person has to do. Prices and features change, so check each app's own site before you choose; this page explains what to compare.
The main kinds
- Daily check-in apps such as Snug: the person checks in each day, and chosen contacts are told if they don't. Some offer a paid plan where a real person phones them.
- Built-in phone features such as Apple's Check In or Google's Personal Safety: free and good for a one-off ("tell Sam if I'm not home by 11"), but not an ongoing daily check, and they work best when everyone uses the same kind of phone.
- Circle apps such as FiveClose: a small group who look out for each other, where each person's timer restarts when they open the app, and the circle is asked to check if someone goes quiet.
Questions to ask of any app
- What does a check-in take? A tap, opening the app, or something they must remember each day?
- Does the person need an account or password? For an older parent, this decides whether it gets used.
- How long before anyone is told, and can you change it?
- Who is told, in what order, and do they need the app?
- What's free and what costs money, monthly or yearly?
- What happens to location and other data, and is it ever sold?
Where FiveClose fits
- Free, with no limit on people. An optional Plus plan adds AI import and circle metrics; the safety parts stay free.
- Opening the app counts as "I'm OK". A parent's phone can be set up with no account or password.
- Timers from a day to a week. You're told first, then the circle, with one shared "Who's checking?" task.
- Works on iPhone, Android and in any browser. Location is off unless the person turns it on, and data is never sold.
- Not an emergency service, and it doesn't detect falls.