Full disclosure up front: we make Reembr, and it's in this list. But this is written to be genuinely useful for deciding between these, not just a pitch, so we've tried to describe each one the way we'd want it described if we were choosing.

Reembr

Geofence-based leaving and arrival checklists, free, iOS and Android. You save a place, like home or work, attach a short checklist to it, keys, wallet, charger, whatever you tend to forget, and Reembr shows you the list once you've actually left that place, while turning back is still easy. Detection runs entirely on your phone; nothing about your location or your comings and goings is uploaded anywhere.

Best for: people who want the reminder to happen automatically, with no manual check-in, and who care specifically about on-device privacy rather than just being told an app is "private."

Where'd I Put It

An ADHD-positioned reminder app that combines geofencing with Wi-Fi network detection (so it can also nudge you based on which network you're connected to, not just GPS), plus voice-memo logging so you can talk a reminder into existence instead of typing it. It shares Reembr's on-device privacy angle.

Best for: people who want voice-first logging and like the idea of Wi-Fi-based detection as a backup to GPS.

Before You Go: Checklists

A location-based checklist app with a wider net of built-in use cases than just keys and wallet: daily medications, turning off appliances, feeding pets, and grabbing work equipment. It has Apple Watch integration and syncs across devices.

Best for: Apple-ecosystem households who want checklist templates for household routines beyond the classic keys-wallet-charger set, and who'd use the Watch integration.

Native options: Apple Reminders and Samsung Reminder

Both let you set a single reminder tied to leaving or arriving at a location, for free, with nothing to install. Apple Reminders does this through Siri or the Reminders app directly; on Samsung Galaxy phones, the built-in Reminder app has the same Arrive and Leave options. Google Keep used to offer a location trigger too, but Google removed it when Keep's reminders moved into Google Tasks in late 2025, so other Android phones need a third-party app. Step-by-step instructions are in our guide to setting a location-based reminder on iPhone and Android.

Best for: a single one-off reminder, like "remind me to grab the dry cleaning when I leave work today." Neither is built for a recurring, multi-item checklist that runs every time you leave a place, which is the gap the dedicated apps above are built to fill.

Which one should you use?

If you want a full, recurring checklist that shows up automatically on both leaving and arriving, with your location data staying on your phone, that's exactly what Reembr is built for. If voice-memo logging or Wi-Fi-based detection matters more to you, Where'd I Put It is worth a look. If you're deep in the Apple ecosystem and want Watch support plus templates for household chores beyond the doorway, Before You Go covers that ground well. And if you just need one single one-off reminder and don't want to install anything new, the native option on your phone already does that.

Quick answers

Is there a free geofence reminder app?

Yes. Reembr is free to download and use, with geofence-based leaving and arrival checklists. Apple Reminders on iPhone and Samsung's Reminder app on Galaxy phones also offer basic location-based reminders for free. Google Keep no longer does.

What's the difference between a geofence app and a location tracker?

A geofence app only checks whether you've crossed one specific boundary and reacts when you do. A location tracker records your movements over time. Well-built geofence reminder apps, including Reembr, don't need or keep a history of where you've been.