The short answer: Google Maps location sharing is the easy choice if your family uses a mix of Android phones and iPhones. It's in an app many people already have, and you can even share by link with someone who has no Google account. Orma is for iPhone families who want what they share to be end-to-end encrypted, plus history, check-ins and an SOS for their circle. Orma isn't on the App Store yet (coming soon). Facts about Google are as of October 2026.
Orma vs Google Maps location sharing at a glance
| Orma | Google Maps location sharing | |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | iPhone only. Not yet on the App Store (coming soon). | Android, and iPhone and iPad (Google Maps Help). |
| Price | Not announced yet. | Google's help pages describe no fee (Google Maps Help). |
| Who you can share with | People you invite to a circle. | People in your Google Contacts with a Gmail address, or anyone with a link for up to 24 hours (Google Maps Help). |
| Encryption | Locations, places, alerts, photos and names are end-to-end encrypted. | Google's Location Sharing page doesn't mention encryption (Google Maps Help). |
| Ads and data sales | No ads. No data selling. No analytics SDKs in the app. | Covered by Google's Privacy Policy, which the Location Sharing page links to (Google Maps Help). |
| Sharing length | Until you turn it off, or for a set time. | You choose how long. The iPhone page describes 1 hour by default (extendable up to 3 days) and "Until you turn this off" (Google Maps Help). |
| Location history | 30 days of paths, arrivals and departures. | Shared info may include where you've recently been (Google Maps Help). Maps Timeline is a separate feature (Google Maps Help). |
| Place alerts | Arrival and departure alerts for saved places, with a radius you set. | The person who receives your location can add arrival and departure notifications, up to 5 per person. They aren't available for link shares (Google Maps Help). |
| SOS | Alerts your circle with your location. Does not call emergency services. | Not part of Maps. Android has a separate Emergency SOS that can call emergency services (Android Help). |
Where Google Maps is better
It works across platforms. Google's help pages cover Android and iPhone (Google Maps Help). Orma is iPhone only.
You can share with anyone. If someone doesn't have a Google account, you can send a link in iMessage or another messaging app. Anyone with the link can see your real-time location for up to 24 hours (Google Maps Help). Orma needs everyone to install the app and join by invitation.
It's in an app you may already use. Many people already have Google Maps, so there is little to set up. You can also share your destination and estimated arrival time during navigation (Google Maps Help).
Android has emergency features. Android's Emergency SOS can call emergency services and share your location with emergency contacts. It needs Android 12 or later, and it's set up in your phone's Settings, not in Maps. Orma's SOS alerts your circle only.
Where Orma is different
End-to-end encryption. In Orma, locations, saved places, alerts, photos and names are encrypted on your iPhone before they leave it. Only the phones in your circle hold the key, so our servers hold ciphertext. Google's Location Sharing help page doesn't say whether shared locations are end-to-end encrypted, so we make no claim about it either way. You can check Google's own page.
We should be fair about Google's other products. Google says Maps Timeline is saved on your device, with an optional backup that is encrypted (Google Maps Help). That is Timeline, which is separate from sharing your location with someone.
What Orma's server can see. Orma isn't invisible to its server. We see your account email, which circles you're in, device IDs and push tokens, timestamps, and IP addresses in short-lived logs. Our privacy policy lists it all.
Tools built for looking after each other. Orma keeps 30 days of history, asks for daily check-ins by a set time, and tells your circle when a battery drops below 15% or a sharing phone goes quiet for 2 hours. Google's Location Sharing help page doesn't describe these.
A circle, not a contact list. Everyone in an Orma circle joined by invitation and can see who they're sharing with. A new phone only gets in after you approve it on a phone you already use, by comparing codes.
Ties to your Google account. Google's sharing needs a Google Account (Google Maps Help). Orma uses Sign in with Apple.
Which should you choose?
Choose Google Maps location sharing if:
- Some people in your family use Android.
- You want to share with someone for a short time, even without an app or account (by link).
- You want something you may already have on your phone.
Choose Orma if:
- Everyone in your circle has an iPhone.
- You want your family's locations encrypted end to end.
- You want history, daily check-ins and battery alerts with arrival alerts.
- You're happy to wait for the App Store release.
Both can sit side by side. Using Google Maps for a quick one-off share and Orma for your regular circle is a perfectly sensible setup.
FAQ
Is Google Maps location sharing end-to-end encrypted?
Google's Location Sharing help page doesn't mention encryption (Google Maps Help), so we can't say it is. Orma encrypts locations end to end on your phone.
Can I share my location from Google Maps with someone who has no Google account?
Yes. You can send a link, and anyone with it can see your real-time location for up to 24 hours (Google Maps Help).
Does Google Maps send me an alert when my child arrives at school?
It can. If someone shares their location with you, you can add a notification for when they arrive at or leave a place, up to 5 per person. It isn't available for location shared through a link (Google Maps Help). Orma also has arrival and departure alerts, once it's released.
Does Orma work on Android?
No. Orma is iPhone only.
Is Orma available now?
No. It is coming soon to the App Store, and its price hasn't been decided.
Google, Google Maps and other names are trademarks of their owners. Orma isn't affiliated with them. Details checked October 2026; tell us at support@ormacircle.com if something has changed.