Compare software

OwnTracks Recorder vs Colota: catalog facts
OwnTracks Recorder	Colota
Best for: People who want to keep their phone location history on their own server	Best for: Self-hosters who want location history without Google Timeline
Free Free and open source under GPL-2.0.	Free Free and open source under the AGPL-3.0.
Linux, Self-hosted, Command line	Android
No external database needed Runs on low-end hardware All 4 strengths for OwnTracks Recorder No external database needed Runs on low-end hardware REST API, live map and command-line access to data Lua hooks for custom processing	Works with many self-hosted backends or any HTTPS endpoint Offline queueing and downloadable map areas All 4 strengths for Colota Works with many self-hosted backends or any HTTPS endpoint Offline queueing and downloadable map areas Imports Google Maps Timeline history Automatic profiles based on charging, speed or Android Auto
Only useful together with the OwnTracks apps or compatible publishers Setup involves MQTT or HTTP configuration and a reverse proxy	Android only Sending data to a server requires running your own backend
Downloadable app, Self-hosted	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-2.0	License: AGPL-3.0
Not stated if an account is needed	No account needed
Not stated if it works offline	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for OwnTracks Recorder github.com/owntracks/recorder Catalog checked October 2, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Colota colota.app github.com/dietrichmax/colota f-droid.org/packages/com.Colota Catalog checked October 2, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.