Frequently asked questions

Yes. After installing, tap Use the map on the first screen to start using offline maps, movement history and personal waypoints right away, with no radio or account. Messaging, teams, trackers and Need Help requests need a compatible MeshCore LoRa radio; you can connect one anytime in the Device tab.

No. Messaging and location sharing always travel over your own devices' network - never over the internet. Internet is only used for a few optional things: offline map downloads, app updates, and buying or restoring Nelos Pro.

Yes. Nelos offers downloadable offline maps for destinations worldwide, so you can view maps and your group's shared locations even where internet or cell service isn't available. Download the maps you need before you go.

No. Nelos is built for places where cell signal is weak, overloaded, or gone entirely.

Nelos works with MeshCore-compatible devices. See Devices for details.

Range depends entirely on your devices and environment - antennas, elevation, obstructions, repeater nodes, and radio settings. In dense terrain that may be under a kilometer per hop; with clear line of sight, elevation, or repeaters, coverage can span much farther.

In favorable conditions - long line-of-sight paths, elevated antennas, or a chain of repeater nodes - links spanning hundreds of kilometers are possible and have been demonstrated. It is not typical for everyday terrain and is never guaranteed.

No. There's no sign-up, no phone number, and no profile. Install it and use the map right away; connect a device when you want to start a group.

No. Nelos does not run a chat or location server. Your group's messages and locations travel only over your own devices' network.

Nelos Pro is an optional, one-time purchase. Once purchased, your Pro access does not expire. It adds: keeping several teams active at once on one map, viewing up to 90 days of location history instead of 24 hours, unlimited trackers in each team, and unlimited offline map downloads. Buy and restore it through the App Store or Google Play. Nelos's core features stay free. Pro access remains available for the supported lifetime of the app. Dedicated support, service-level commitments (SLAs), custom development, or other commercial arrangements require a separate agreement.

Open the Nelos Pro screen in the app and tap Restore Purchases, using the same App Store or Google Play account you bought it with. If it still doesn't activate after a few minutes, email support@nelos.app with the store you bought from and the support code shown on the Nelos Pro screen.

Yes. You can join several teams. Free keeps one team active at a time - to join another, leave your current one first. With Nelos Pro, several teams stay active at once and everyone shows up on one shared map. You can hide or show each team on the map at any time.

Nelos records your own route with your phone's GPS, even without a radio (turn on Keep GPS on in the background to record with the screen locked). Once a radio is connected, Nelos also records the locations of team members and trackers received over LoRa. All of it is drawn as a trail on the offline map. Free shows the last 24 hours; Nelos Pro shows up to 90 days. History is stored only on your device (never backed up to the cloud), is kept for up to 90 days for everyone, and is built from the locations actually received - so it may not be complete when the signal drops. Uninstalling the app or clearing its data deletes it.

Not much. In our real-world tests, Nelos used about 1.2% battery per hour on a Galaxy S25 Ultra and about 1.5% per hour on an iPhone 13 Pro in the background. Each phone was measured for about 18 hours, mostly on the move with some time stationary: background GPS on both phones and Background connection on the S25 Ultra, the radio always connected, all features in use, and 5G and Bluetooth on as usual. Actual battery use varies by phone, signal and settings.

Nelos runs on iPhone, iPad, and Android phones and tablets, and it's free on the App Store and Google Play. To message and create teams, it connects over Bluetooth to a compatible MeshCore LoRa radio.

Yes. Families use Nelos to keep an eye on each other at theme parks, campsites, ski trips, and anywhere phones lose signal.

Yes. Attach a compatible device to a pet, bag, or vehicle and add it as a tracker - it shows up on your group's offline map without needing a phone of its own.

Yes - these are core use cases. Nelos is built for families and small groups that need to communicate and see each other's positions without relying on mobile networks. See Use Cases for real-world examples.

A group member is a person running the Nelos app on their phone. A tracker is a device attached to a person, pet, or object you want to locate - it does not run Nelos and cannot send messages.

To use offline maps, movement history and waypoints, you only need your phone. To message, share locations with your team and track, you need one MeshCore-compatible device per person or tracker, connected to Nelos over Bluetooth. See Getting Started for supported devices.

No. Range depends on terrain, antennas, repeater coverage, device configuration, weather, and local regulations. We describe realistic ranges, not guarantees.

Need Help requests go to your teams - not to emergency services. If you're in more than one team, Nelos shows a list so you can choose which teams receive the request (all are selected by default). Members from different teams can respond to the same request. Nelos can't guarantee a message arrives or that a location is exact, and it isn't a substitute for professional rescue.

No. Nelos is a communication tool for your own family or group, not a substitute for emergency services, satellite messengers, or professional rescue systems. Always carry appropriate safety equipment and a way to reach professional help.