Hauk

Hauk is a free, open-source service for sharing live phone locations through a server you operate. A user sets a sharing period in the Android app and sends a link so friends or family can follow the location on a map. The share ends when its time runs out or the user stops it. Anyone with the link can view the location while the share is active; the default link uses eight randomly generated letters and numbers. The app sends location data only to the Hauk backend selected by the user, so using it requires a PHP web server, Memcached or Redis, and the corresponding PHP extensions. Location data is held in Memcached memory rather than written to disk, and restarting Memcached removes it. Installation options include manual or scripted setup, an Arch Linux AUR package, and an official Docker image. Hauk supports end-to-end encryption, LDAP authentication, HTTP and SOCKS proxies, and starting shares through Tasker. The project recommends HTTPS through a reverse proxy because unencrypted traffic can expose location data in transit. Its public demo limits shares to two minutes.

Hauk provides time-limited live location sharing with data routed to a backend you choose. It requires server setup, and anyone holding a share link can see the location while sharing remains active.

Hauk suits people who want to share a live location with friends or family and can install and maintain its server backend. It is available for Android, with the listed F-Droid version 1.6.2 requiring Android 7.0 or newer.

Overview

Hauk is an open-source location-sharing service for Android users who want to run the server that receives their location. It works best for short, purposeful shares—such as letting someone find you at a meeting—when you can manage a web server. The cost is zero, but getting the service running securely takes more work than installing a typical location app.

Key features

Choose a sharing period in the Android app and send a link; recipients can follow your position on a map until the share expires or you stop it. That makes Hauk a practical fit for temporary coordination, rather than a family-monitoring tool: it keeps no location history.

Location data goes to the Hauk backend configured in the app. Hauk holds it in Memcached in memory instead of saving it to disk, and restarting Memcached clears the data. Anyone with the share link can see the live location while sharing remains active. The default link uses eight randomly generated letters and numbers, so access still depends on keeping that link private.

Hauk supports end-to-end encryption, and its project recommends putting the service behind a reverse proxy and exposing it only over HTTPS; unencrypted traffic can reveal location data in transit. The backend can use LDAP authentication, the Android app supports HTTP and SOCKS proxies, and Tasker can start shares. These options help users fit Hauk into an existing setup, though they do not eliminate the need to install and maintain one.

Running the backend requires a PHP web server, Memcached or Redis, and the matching PHP extensions. Installation is documented manually and through scripts; an Arch Linux AUR package and an official Docker image provide other deployment routes. The public demo server limits shares to two minutes and is intended only to demonstrate the service, so it is not a substitute for running a backend for regular use.

Pricing

Hauk costs nothing. The free plan is the product: a self-hosted service with no paid tier or free trial. It suits people prepared to supply and operate the server; the price does not include a hosted backend, and the PHP and cache requirements remain part of the setup.

Hauk is released under the Apache-2.0 license. Its maintainer describes it as an ad-free project made without financial gain and accepts donations. That model avoids a subscription, but users take responsibility for keeping their own deployment available and securely configured.

Platforms

The companion app is for Android, and the backend runs on a PHP-compatible server; location sharing is viewed through a web link. The F-Droid version 1.6.2 requires Android 7.0 or newer, while the project README gives Android 6 or later as the app requirement. Hauk is not a ready-made iOS option.

Who it's for

Hauk makes sense for Android users who want to share a live position for a limited time and prefer location data to go to a server they specify. It is also a fit for people comfortable with PHP hosting and cache services, especially when proxy support, LDAP, or Tasker support matters.

Skip it if you need a service that works without server administration, want location history, or need a shared location app for iPhone users. Its privacy design gives control over the destination and storage, while link access and secure transport still need careful handling.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Free and open source, with location sent only to the backend you configure; useful for users who want control over the data destination.
• Pros: Shares expire or can be stopped, and Memcached stores location data in memory rather than on disk.
• Pros: Docker, scripts, and an AUR package offer several documented deployment paths; HTTP and SOCKS proxies, LDAP, and Tasker support add flexibility.
• Cons: You need to install and maintain a PHP backend with Memcached or Redis, which makes Hauk a poor fit for anyone seeking a plug-and-play app.
• Cons: Anyone holding the share link can see the active location, and secure HTTPS deployment is your responsibility.
• Cons: There is no location history or iOS companion app, limiting its usefulness for ongoing family location sharing across platforms.

Alternatives

For a family location app with broader platform coverage, Be Closer offers Android and iOS apps and real-time location on its free plan; its Premium plan is $3.99 a month and includes unlimited location history. Family Beacon is another free Android and web option, with live location sharing and SOS while it is in development.

If a small group and safe-zone limits are acceptable in exchange for an app-based service, BuddySOS has a free plan for one group and one safe zone, with ads; its $1.99 a month Pro plan removes ads and adds groups and zones. For family use, compare more options in Family Locator Apps.

Verdict

Choose Hauk if you use Android, need temporary live location sharing, and want the location sent to a backend you control. Its strongest reason to choose is that combination of free, open-source software and control over data storage and destination. Look elsewhere if you need iOS support, location history, or sharing without running a server.