Comparison · verified on October 14, 2026
Mi Estela vs Glympse
Glympse invented the “I'll send you a link and you can see me for a while” idea. Mi Estela does that too (live sharing), and it's also a circle with presence, alerts, SOS and video calls.
In two lines
The pioneer (2008) of temporary location sharing through a link that expires on its own. Free, and the recipient doesn't need an account. Today the company mostly serves businesses.
What is Glympse
Glympse was founded in 2008 in Seattle and popularized temporary location sharing: you send a link that opens in any browser, with no app or account, and it expires on its own (from 5 minutes to 12 hours). You can also request someone's location. Today Glympse Inc. focuses mainly on business solutions (delivery and field-technician tracking), but the consumer app is still free, with Premium purchases (tags and events) aimed at businesses.
Face to face
| Criteria | Mi Estela | Glympse |
|---|---|---|
| Real-time map See where your people are right now | ✓ | ~ only while the Glympse lasts (up to 12 h) |
| iPhone and Android together One family, mixing both | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arrival alerts When someone gets home, to school... | ✓ 3 free spots; more with Premium | ✕ |
| SOS Alert your people with your location | ✓ free forever; 112 one tap away | ✕ |
| Chat and calls Inside the app | ✓ free | ✕ |
| Video calls Inside the app | ✓ free | ✕ |
| Route history Days we keep | ✓ 3 days free, 30 with Premium; each person turns it on | ✕ |
| Invisible mode or zone only Hide for a while or share only your area | ✓ Ghost (adults) or zone only | ✓ not shared |
| Symmetrical Everyone sees the same about everyone; there's no "supervisor" | ✓ | ✓ |
| No ads On the free plan | ✓ never | ~ data used for third-party advertising |
| Never sells or licenses your location According to its privacy policy | ✓ no sale or licensing, ever | ~ per its App Store listing |
| Free plan What's included | ✓ map, alerts, SOS, chat, calls, video calls | ✓ |
| Paid price In Spain, as of Oct 14, 2026 | ✓ €9.99/month or €99.99/year for the whole circle; 14-day free trial | ✓ Premium €9.99/month (business) |
| Driving reports Speed, hard braking, phone use while driving | ✕ on purpose: no notes | ✕ |
| Parental controls Block apps, screen time, read messages | ✕ presence, not control | ✕ |
| Minimum age To have your own account | ✓ 14 years old in Spain (digital consent) | ~ unconfirmed |
| Company and data Where it is and where it stores data | ✓ Madrid, Spain; data in the EU | ~ USA |
✓ yes · ✕ no · ~ partly. Mi Estela info comes from the app's code; Glympse info comes from the sources at the bottom, as of October 14, 2026.
What Glympse does better
- No account needed to send or view a Glympse.
- Years of experience and an API used by delivery companies.
What Mi Estela does better
- A permanent circle with presence, not just one-off links (though we have those too: live sharing for 30 min, 1 h...).
- Arrival alerts, shared battery, SOS, chat, calls and video calls.
- No ads and no data used for advertising: Glympse's App Store listing declares data (precise location, contacts, identifiers) used for third-party advertising.
- Worlds, the Pact, and Senior Mode.
Pricing
Glympse: free; in-app purchases on the App Store in Spain (October 14, 2026): Premium Share €9.99/month or €99.99/year, multi-user €22.99/month, aimed at businesses. Mi Estela: essentials free; Premium €9.99/month or €99.99/year per circle.
Privacy and data
Glympse's App Store listing in Spain declares data used to track you and data linked to you (precise location, address, email, phone, contacts, photos, identifiers) for third-party advertising and analytics. Mi Estela: no ads, no selling or licensing of data.
Minimum age
Glympse: not confirmed (4+ rating on the App Store). Mi Estela: 14 in Spain.
How to sign up for Glympse
- Install, tap Send Glympse, choose the recipient (SMS, email or link) and the duration.
- They open it in the browser, no account needed.
And in Mi Estela: how to get started, step by step.
We answer your questions
Frequently asked questions
Does Mi Estela have anything like Glympse?
Yes: live sharing. You generate a link, anyone can open it in the browser and see you for a while (30 min, 1 h...). When it expires, they automatically stop seeing you. And it doesn't store anything about whoever opens the link.
Sources
- Glympse: what the app is (FAQ)
- App Store Spain: Glympse listing (privacy and purchases)
- Glympse corporate
Brands and names mentioned belong to their respective owners. This comparison is written by the Mi Estela team; if you spot anything outdated or incorrect, write to us at hola@miestela.app and we'll fix it.
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