Respond Quickly
When something's wrong, the right people hear about it.
I'm Alive is the personal safety app for people who live independently. This page explains exactly how it responds in an emergency — what's live today, what's rolling out in July 2026, and what's coming next. No fine print, no overclaiming.
What happens when you miss a check-in
The core of I'm Alive is a simple promise: if you go quiet, someone you trust is told. You check in once a day with one tap. If you miss it, the app doesn't panic — it works through a calm, graded response that's live in the app right now:
- 1
Reminders reach you first — gentle nudges on your own phone, because most missed check-ins are just a busy morning.
- 2
A grace period you chose runs down, and passive signals (phone unlocks, charging, movement) can quietly confirm you're fine.
- 3
Your emergency contact is alerted by push notification and email if you stay silent — once a month on the free plan, every time on Protect Me.
- 4
On Protect Me, graded escalation keeps going — repeated alerts, email, and SMS to up to 10 contacts until someone responds.
That's the whole model: alert-only. No continuous tracking, no daily “all good” noise unless you opt in. See how the escalation works step by step, or try the 30-second demo.
The SOS button
Missed check-ins cover the emergencies you can't signal. The SOS button — arriving in the July 2026 app update — covers the ones you can. When you know something is wrong and need help now, one press puts the alarm out:
On paid plans
One tap alerts your emergency contacts by push notification and email, with your last-known location — captured at the moment you trigger the SOS, so the people coming to help know where to start. It's a single decisive alert, not continuous tracking.
On the free plan
SOS still puts real tools in your hand: a loud siren to draw attention, a one-tap 911 dial so emergency services are one press away, and a location link you can share yourself with anyone you choose.
What we don't do — said plainly
I'm Alive does not provide 24/7 professional dispatch. Your alerts go to the people you chose, not to a staffed call centre. Services that employ human dispatchers — Snug, for example, at $19.99/month (their published monthly price as of June 2026) — cost more because that headcount is what you're paying for. Our push and email alerts work anywhere in the world, which a US-only dispatch desk can't.
And if you're heading genuinely off-grid — no signal, no data — a satellite communicator like Garmin inReach is the right tool. I'm Alive is the everyday safety layer for life with a phone in your pocket.
What's next on the roadmap
- →
AI voice safety check — before your contacts are woken up, an AI voice agent calls you first. If you answer and you're fine, the false alarm dies right there. No other app in this price range does this; it's how we keep alerts trustworthy without a $19.99/month dispatch desk.
- →
Live location during SOS — an active SOS will stream your position to your contacts until you stand down, alongside Follow Me for journeys and automatic arrival detection.
- →
Fall detection — your phone's sensors trigger the same response when you can't.
Which plan responds how
Try It
$0 forever
Unlimited daily check-ins, 1 emergency contact, 1 miss-alert per month. Free SOS tools (siren, one-tap 911, self-share link) when SOS rolls out. No signup.
Stay Connected & Travel Safely
$4.99 one-time
Lifetime upgrade: custom check-in times, notes, up to 5 miss-alerts/month — still 1 contact. Includes a solo-travel taster (2 trips/month, up to 24h each).
Protect Me
$29.99/yr
Up to 10 contacts, graded escalation with SMS on missed daily check-ins, guardian dashboard, weekly reports, unlimited miss-alerts. Also $3.99/mo monthly.
Protect Me On The Move
$39.99/yr · 7-day free trial
Everything in Protect Me, plus the on-the-move extras as they roll out: voice alerts, live location + Follow Me, arrival detection, and the AI voice safety check. Also $5.99/mo monthly (no trial on monthly).
SOS & escalation FAQ
What happens right now if I miss my daily check-in?
First you get reminders on your own phone. Then, after the grace period you chose, your emergency contact is alerted by push notification and email. On the free Try It plan that contact alert fires once a month; on Protect Me every miss triggers full graded escalation — repeated notifications, email, and SMS — to up to 10 contacts until someone responds. This is live in the app today, not a roadmap item.
Will I'm Alive call 911 or emergency services for me?
No. I'm Alive alerts the people you choose — family, friends, neighbours — rather than a call centre, and we don't offer 24/7 professional dispatch. The free SOS experience, rolling out July 2026, includes a one-tap 911 dial so you can reach emergency services yourself in a single press. Services that staff human dispatchers, like Snug at $19.99/month (their published monthly price as of June 2026), charge more precisely because of that headcount.
When does the SOS button arrive, and what will it do?
The SOS button ships with the July 2026 app update, rolling out now. On paid plans, one tap sends a push and email alert to your emergency contacts with your last-known location — captured at the moment you trigger it. On the free plan, SOS gives you a loud siren, a one-tap 911 dial, and a location link you can share yourself. SMS delivery for SOS alerts is on the roadmap.
Do SOS alerts include my live location?
Not live location — not yet. An SOS alert carries the last-known location your phone recorded when you pressed the button, which is what your contacts need to act. Continuous live location during an SOS, along with Follow Me for journeys, is coming soon on Protect Me On The Move. Day to day, I'm Alive never tracks you — location is only captured around an alert, never in the background.
Responding quickly is one of three jobs
I'm Alive keeps you safe at home, in an emergency, and on the move — one app for everyone who lives independently.