I’m choosing between Life360 and Google Maps for tracking my family. Life360 claims to have faster refresh rates, but Google Maps is integrated into Android. Which one provides better real-time accuracy and fewer "jumps" on the map during commutes?

In 2026, the choice between Life360 and Google Maps depends on your need for frequency versus integration. Life360 generally offers faster refresh rates and more consistent "Live" updates, which minimizes map "jumps" during fast commutes. It uses proprietary algorithms to keep the GPS active in the background more aggressively. Google Maps is highly accurate but often throttles updates to save battery, leading to occasional lag. For a deep dive into the pros and cons of each, you can check the comparison here. While Google Maps is free and perfectly integrated into Android, Life360’s dedicated focus on family safety provides superior real-time precision for active tracking. To minimize jumps on either app, ensure that "High Accuracy" mode is enabled and battery optimization is turned off for the specific application.