Cycling App of the Week: NeverAlone

What is it?

NeverAlone is a safety app that pinpoints your location and tells others where you are. You just press start on the app, and then if it detects no movement for longer than your chosen amount of time (between 5 and 60mins) it sends a text message to your nominated contact to warn them that you might be in trouble. If you're just on a coffee break, just remember to press 'stop' and the app will disable until you press start again. 

A premium subscription, priced at €3.49, allows your SMS warning notification to be sent out to more than one recipient, and also lets you track yourself live on the go. 

What makes it unique?

The mapping is very accurate and it's very simple to use. A nice clean interface and extremely simple stop and start function to operate makes this a good choice if you feel you need a safety app for when you're venturing into the unknown on your rides. 

Another service promoted on NeverAlone’s website is the free event tracking – with the potential to bring live tracking only usually found in big city sportives or running events to smaller races. Event organisers can hire NeverAlone to  create an event profile on the app, which allows competitors to be tracked on it for free. Prices start at €150 for events with a max of 100 participants rising to €350 for events with 250 entrants, and NeverAlone can also send staff out to help on site for €100 per day plus travel expenses.  This could allow event organisers a more time-efficient way to provide live tracking, without the hassle associated with making a specific app themselves. 

How can it help me?

It isn't going to help your performance, but it might help you in the literal sense! As shown on the promo video on NeverAlone's website, if you have a nasty fall in the woods your significant other/whoever you've nominated to receive your SMS warning message can call you to see what's up... if there's still no answer (and assuming they're a reliable nominee) they can come and find you for real or, in the worst case scenario, call for medical help and let them know exactly where you are thanks to the app. On the other side of things it can also give you some peace of mind if your child, family member or friend is out on a ride and you want to know their whereabouts.  

Where can I get it?
NeverAlone is available in both the Play and iOS app stores - head to neveralone.site for more info.