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The original was posted on /r/opensource by /u/Rezivure on 2025-09-25 17:49:53+00:00.

Hey folks!

Our names are Chandler & Fatima and we’ve been working on an app called Grid (mygrid.app). We built it because we got tired of location sharing apps brazenly exploiting user location data (think Life360 and location sharing services selling user location data to data brokers, federal/gov agencies, etc.). We wanted a way to share location without having to compromise on our data privacy.

It’s an open-source project that’s fully self funded. Because it’s meant to be a tool that helps the overall cause, we want to make sure it’s the absolute best version it can be: the most useful, valuable and private version for users.

Here’s what Grid is:

  • Location sharing with end‑to‑end encryption (profile photos are also E2EE), using Matrix Synapse for the backend. Only people you choose to share with can see your location.
  • Self‑hosting options: you can run your own backend server and host your own map tiles. If you do this, you take on risk and maintenance.
  • Minimal data collected: phone number (for verification - we’re working on alternatives/foregoing phone numbers altogether), username. No tracking, no location data stored in decrypted form by us.
  • Sharing features: 1:1 or with groups, shared durations/expiration, you control when to stop sharing.
  • Map tiles are by default Protomaps via Cloudflare; unless you self‑host, map tile fetching involves some metadata/logs by the map tile host (i.e. they can see what tiles were requested)
  • All core features will remain free. Cosmetic/nice to haves options will be paid (currently we have satellite maps) in order to continue to fund development and work on the project!
  • Points of Interest: Drop points on the map of locations that are of interest to your group (meet up points, restaurants, etc.)

Where Grid still has work to be done:

  • If you self‑host but mix with other Matrix use, there are warnings: Grid isn’t fully tested in federated settings. Could be bugs.
  • The phone number for verification: We’re working to move away from this.
  • The map tiles’ privacy: Protomaps routed through cloudflare, some metadata/requests may leak. Looking into alternatives and offline maps.
  • UI, and edge case bugs need polish. It’s relatively smooth in performance, but not “mission‑critical proven” in every context. We’re only a two-person team so our workload capacity is limited.

Here’s how people in the community are value added to the project:

  • Test it in real conditions and tell us where it fails.
  • Audit us. Grid isn’t built for the lowest common denominator but for security and privacy. Check our github out, help us identify where the gaps are so we can close them.
  • Ideas for improving self‑hosting security, map privacy, or making it usable on phones without Google services. We SO welcome contributions!

Let us know what you all think!!