Best panic button apps in South Africa
South Africans concerned about their personal security have several smartphone apps they can install to get help from emergency services at the tap of a button.
A physical panic button can be a valuable, potentially life-saving accessory, particularly when your phone is damaged in an accident or stolen.
However, these devices can be expensive and power-hungry if they use built-in GPS capabilities.
For example, the Automobile Association of South Africa (AA) offers its Remi Amica physical button, which carries a price tag of R1,999, without the monthly service fee.
In addition, many people might consider it a fuss to carry a separate panic button, or forget to take it along.
Many South Africans won’t dare to leave their smartphone at home, though.
According to Icasa’s latest State of ICT Sector report, South Africa had roughly 73.9 million smartphone “subscriptions” in 2022.
Even when accounting for businesses or personal users with more than one smartphone, these figures suggest a big chunk — if not the majority — of South Africans own a smartphone.
Smartphones come with built-in GPS connectivity that can relay your location to family, friends, or emergency responders with moderate accuracy, as long as you have signal.
Several companies have leveraged this capability to offer apps with digital panic buttons that can transmit alerts quickly and get assistance to your location as quickly as possible.
Below are six personal security apps for mobile devices that offer instant panic buttons.
Casi
- Price: R35 per month
- Apple App Store and Google Play Store downloads: 236 | 120
- Apple App Store and Google Play Store ratings: 4.7 | 4.4
Calling All Stations Immediately (Casi) started in Cape Town but has since expanded its service nationwide.
Its impressive growth was enough to convince the AA to take a 30% stake in the app in 2022.
The Casi service costs R35 per month and gives you access to over 150 armed response companies.
The app claims it can get a responder to a user’s location within three to five minutes.
Casi also offers an extension app which lets you call for assistance via a smartwatch.
It is important to note that this will only work if you have a cellular-enabled smartwatch or the connected smartphone is still within Bluetooth range when you press the button.
GuardMe 2.0 | Tracker CareGuard
- Price: R19.90 to R79 (depending on platform and plan type)
- Apple App Store and Google Play Store ratings: 5 | 38
- Apple App Store and Google Play Store scores: 4.2 | 3.5
The GuardMe 2.0 and Tracker CareGuard both run on Aura’s platform, which offers a network of 250 armed response service companies with 2,500 armed-response vehicles and over 5,000 armed-response personnel.
GuardMe 2.0 might be most familiar to FNB customers, who are also able to access the service via the bank’s mobile app,
For FNB customers, the first three months of GuardMe is free, after which they can get discounts or the full price off a R19.90 monthly subscription, depending on their eBucks Reward Level.
Tracker offers its CareGuard service starting at R49 per month for individuals or R79 for families.
Life360
- Price: Free or $4.99 (R89) per month for Premium
- Apple App Store and Google Play Store ratings: 1.1 million | 1 million
- Apple App Store and Google Play Store scores: 4.7 | 4.6
Life360 is the only foreign app on our list, originating in San Francisco, US.
The app works with family and friend “circles” who can keep tabs on each others’ location and receive alerts on the movements and situations other members might find themselves in.
Unfortunately, it cannot help get emergency responders to your location in South Africa.
Therefore, this option should only be considered as a supplementary location-sharing service or if you have a group of hyper-aware family or friends who can get help to your location fast.
This feature is exclusively available on the Gold and Platinum subscriptions sold in the US.
The free tier includes location sharing, location ETAs, two place alerts per month, and battery level monitoring.
The Premium plan adds unlimited place alerts, individual driver reports, longer location history, and priority customer support for $4.99 (R89) per month.
Namola
- Price: Free for public services | Starting from R59 for private responders (50% discount for DStv customers)
- Apple App Store and Google Play Store ratings: 199 | 2,000
- Apple App Store and Google Play Store scores: 4.3 | 3.8
One of the most well-known personal safety apps is MultiChoice-owned Namola.
Although the number of downloads on the Apple App Store is unknown, Namola has been installed on more than half a million Android devices through the Google Play Store.
On its free plan, the mobile panic button can send alerts to police, ambulance, and the fire department, while the paid-for option adds private security and emergency responders.
Following MultiChoice’s acquisition of the company, DStv has offered its customers a 50% discount on the Namola subscription.
Netstar Companion
- Price: R69 per month for single member or R198 per month for Family
- Apple App Store and Google Play Store ratings: 8 | 16
- Apple App Store and Google Play Store scores: 3.8 | 3.4
Altron’s vehicle and asset tracking and recovery service Netstar offers a standalone personal security app that puts users in touch with more than 1,500 armed responders across the country.
“The alert is autonomously distributed to the five closest response vehicles to your location, and the control room attempts to contact you to gather information,” Netstar explained.
“If the control room is unable to make contact with you, the responder will still arrive at your location.”
The control room can also dispense additional resources if needed — including Saps and emergency medical services.
The app features a shake-to-activate mechanism that enables the panic button if you shake your phone.
Rescue Me
- Price: R35 for non-AA members | R25 for AA members
- Apple App Store and Google Play Store ratings: 1.8 | 3.8
- Apple App Store and Google Play Store scores: 94 | 279
Despite its sizeable stake in Casi, the AA also offers its own mobile panic button app called AA Rescue Me, linked to over 200 of the AA’s partners.
The Rescue Me service offers roadside and emergency medical assistance, and armed response can be added when subscribing to the Armed Response feature.
The AA Rescue Me app also doubles as a digital AA membership card for accessing exclusive member benefits.
Now read: Apps to avoid endless password resets
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