Best Lone Worker Apps (2026): 9 Safety Tools Compared

Lone workers are everywhere once you start counting. Care workers on home visits, engineers in plant rooms, estate agents at viewings, delivery drivers and the person locking up the shop at night all work without anyone close by if something goes wrong.

The nine options below include smartphone apps, wearable alarms and fully managed monitoring services. They're listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the vendor's own website, read this week. My guide to workplace health and safety covers the wider duties.

Lone worker apps at a glance

I checked the free plan column on each vendor's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the page I read names a free plan, version or account. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the page I read named neither, even where there's a button to try it, so check with the vendor before you sign up.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
Blackline Safety	Connected gas detection and lone worker devices	Hazardous sites and gas risks	Not stated
Lone Worker Solutions	Managed lone worker service	A fully managed BS 8484 service	Not stated
OK Alone	Lone worker app and monitoring	Smartphone check-ins for small teams	Not stated
Peoplesafe	Workforce safety technology	Discreet alarms and ID badges	Not stated
SafetyLine	Lone worker monitoring software	Automated check-ins and fall detection	Not stated
SHEQSY	Lone worker app, part of SafetyCulture	Mobile workforces already on SafetyCulture	Yes
SoloProtect	Lone worker safety solutions	Man down alarms and monitoring	Not stated
StaySafe	Lone worker app from EcoOnline	Lone working inside wider EHS software	Not stated
Vismo	Risk management and lone worker devices	Travel security and satellite devices	Not stated

Nine lone worker apps and services

Blackline Safety

Best for: Oil, gas, utilities and industrial teams that need lone worker monitors combined with gas detection on the same device.

Lone Worker Solutions

Best for: Employers who want device alerts answered by a 24/7 alarm receiving centre as a fully managed BS 8484 service.

OK Alone

Best for: Small businesses that want staff to check in from their own smartphones, with alerts when someone misses a check-in.

Peoplesafe

Best for: Organisations whose staff need a discreet personal safety alarm, an ID badge alarm or a satellite SOS device.

SafetyLine

Best for: Teams wanting a smartphone app on Android, iOS or Windows with fall detection and automated check-ins.

SHEQSY

Best for: Companies with mobile workforces who want a lone worker app and platform that sits inside SafetyCulture.

SoloProtect

Best for: Retail, utilities, education and real estate employers that want panic buttons, man down alarms and a monitoring centre.

StaySafe

Best for: Employers using EcoOnline's health and safety software who want 24/7 lone worker protection in the same system.

Vismo

Best for: Organisations with travelling or remote staff who need lone worker devices, satellite airtime and critical event management.

Which option fits your lone workers

• Gas risks and hazardous sites: Blackline Safety.
• A fully managed BS 8484 service: Lone Worker Solutions.
• Smartphone check-ins for small teams: OK Alone.
• Discreet alarms and ID badges: Peoplesafe.
• Fall detection on any phone: SafetyLine.
• Teams already on SafetyCulture: SHEQSY.
• Man down alarms: SoloProtect.
• Lone working inside EHS software: StaySafe.
• Travelling and remote staff: Vismo.

The duty covers self-employed contractors too

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says that as an employer you must manage any health and safety risks before people can work alone, and that this applies to anyone contracted to work for you, including self-employed people.

That's the gap many lone worker setups leave open. The app gets rolled out to employees, and the self-employed engineers, cleaners or care staff working the same jobs are left off because they aren't on payroll. If they work alone on your behalf, they're in scope. Count them when you work out how many licences or devices you need, and include them in the risk assessment. My guide on keeping employees safe when they travel covers staff on the move.

App, wearable device or managed service?

A smartphone app is the quickest to roll out. Staff check in, start a timer before a visit and press an alarm if they need help. It suits teams who always carry a phone.

A wearable device, such as an ID badge alarm or a satellite SOS unit, works where a phone isn't practical or has no signal. It suits care, security and remote sites.

A managed service connects alarms to a 24/7 alarm receiving centre that can call the emergency services. Ask whether it meets BS 8484, the British Standard for lone worker services.

Seven questions before you choose

1. Who answers an alarm at 3am?
2. Does it work with no mobile signal?
3. Can staff raise an alarm discreetly?
4. Is there automatic fall or man down detection?
5. Does the service meet BS 8484?
6. Can contractors and self-employed staff use it?
7. How will you check that people are using it?

Signs your lone working setup has gaps

• Nobody knows where staff are. There's no check-in.
• Alarms go to a voicemail. Nobody answers out of hours.
• Contractors aren't included. They're outside the system.
• The app is installed but unused. Nobody checks.

Do you offer lone worker safety apps or devices? Providers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

My plain advice on protecting lone workers

Start with your risk assessment, then choose the tool. The right option for an estate agent showing a flat isn't the right one for an engineer in a basement with no signal. List each type of lone working you have, what could go wrong and who'd respond, and only then compare apps and devices against that list.

Frequently asked questions

What is a lone worker app?

It's a smartphone app that lets staff who work alone check in, start safety timers and raise an alarm with their location.

Do employers have to protect lone workers?

Yes. HSE says employers must manage health and safety risks before people work alone, including self-employed contractors.

What is BS 8484?

It's the British Standard for lone worker services, covering devices, apps and the alarm receiving centres that respond.

Do lone worker apps work without signal?

Not always. Some devices use satellite connections for remote areas. Check coverage for the places your staff go.

Is a phone app enough for lone workers?

For low-risk work it can be. Higher-risk roles may need a wearable alarm or a monitored service.

Who responds when a lone worker raises an alarm?

It depends on the service. Some alert your own managers, and others use a 24/7 monitoring centre.