Both apps alert your contacts when you don't check in on time. The difference is how: Beacon Safe automatically escalates across email, SMS, and voice calls to your own emergency contacts, while Snug Safety routes missed check-ins through a human dispatcher. Beacon Safe Plus and Snug's Dispatch plan both cost $19.99/mo — but Beacon's escalation is fully automated to your own contacts, and it never tracks your location.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Beacon Safe | Snug Safety |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes — 3 contacts, email | Yes — SMS only |
| Emergency contacts | 3 (Free) / 10 (Plus) | Unlimited |
| Email alerts | Yes — Free + Plus | No |
| SMS text alerts | Yes — Plus | Yes |
| Voice call alerts | Yes — automated, Plus | Yes — human dispatcher, $19.99/mo |
| Push notifications | Yes — Free + Plus | Yes |
| Escalation phases | 4 automated phases | 1 phase (Free) / 3 with Dispatch |
| Contact response tracking | Yes — digital action tokens | No — verbal only (Dispatch) |
| Custom check-in intervals | 12 – 72 hours | Fixed daily (up to 3x/day) |
| Vacation / pause mode | Yes | Yes |
| Safety Check (calls you first) | Yes (Plus) | Yes (Dispatch) |
| Paid plan price | $19.99/mo | $19.99/mo (Dispatch) |
| Annual pricing | $199.99/yr | $149.99/yr |
| 911 escalation | No | Yes (Dispatch) |
| Server-side triggering | Yes | Unknown |
| 24-hour re-notification | Yes | No |
Beacon Safe Plus is $19.99/mo for automated SMS + voice calls straight to your contacts. Snug's Dispatch plan is the same $19.99/mo but routes through a human dispatcher — and Beacon has a genuinely usable free tier.
Beacon Safe escalates automatically through 4 phases. Snug's free plan sends a single SMS. Voice calls require paying for a human dispatcher.
Set your check-in interval anywhere from 12 to 72 hours. Snug uses fixed daily check-ins (up to 3×/day) rather than multi-day intervals — handy when a single multi-day window fits a trip or backcountry route.
Beacon Safe reaches contacts across all four channels until someone confirms you're safe. Snug's free plan is SMS-only with no email at any tier.
At the same $19.99/month, choose Beacon Safe for the most complete, fully automated safety net: four alert channels (email, SMS, automated voice, push), four-phase escalation that keeps reaching people until someone responds, server-side triggering that fires even if your phone is dead or off, and no location tracking — plus a genuinely usable free tier. Choose Snug if you specifically want a human dispatcher who can escalate to 911 on your behalf, or its lower annual price. For hands-off, automated escalation to your own contacts, Beacon Safe does more.
Snug Safety supports unlimited contacts on all plans and offers 911 wellness check escalation through their Dispatch plan ($19.99/mo). If you need a human dispatcher who can call 911 on your behalf, Snug's Dispatch plan provides that capability. Beacon Safe focuses on automated multi-channel alerts and is designed for people who want reliable check-in protection without a human-dispatcher model — and it keeps a genuinely usable free tier.
Beacon Safe is live on iOS and Android.