Smart, discreet, and powerful — these tools are designed to help women stay safe and confident on the go.
Personal Safety Awards 2025
We’re proud to launch our first-ever Personal Safety Awards! After years of testing and reviewing personal safety devices, we’ve chosen the best of the best to help keep you and the ones you love safer every day. Whether it's self defense devices, personal safety apps, or gadgets to keep everyone safe (from the cradle to retirement), these are the solutions you need to create a safer life at home and in your community.
The Winners: Women's safety
Best pepper spray device
Safely Sidekick
Compact, UV-marking pepper spray designed by women, for women — Safely’s Sidekick packs five self-defense tools into one stylish, easy-to-carry safety device.
Best defense multi-tool
Stunner Safety
The Stunner is a smart, forward-facing multi-tool with a stun gun, pepper spray, and flashlight — designed to stay in your hand and in control when it matters most.
Best personal alarm
She's Birdie
This compact alarm packs a 125 dB punch, drawing attention quickly. She’s Birdie is a stylish, easy-to-carry safety tool with a mission to support women’s causes.
Best keychain defense tool
StatGear Samurai
The Samurai Micro is sleek, sturdy, and easy to open with one hand in a pinch. This mini samurai sword packs style and strength into a keychain-sized blade, making it easy to conceal.
The Winners: College students' safety
These tools help students protect their space, stay connected, and keep tabs on their stuff — whether they’re on campus or off.
Best dorm/apartment security system: Abode Iota
The Abode Iota is a no-commitment, all-in-one security system with a built-in camera, motion sensor, and Apple HomeKit support—perfect for dorms and apartments.
- No contracts
- On-demand professional monitoring
- Integration with Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and more
- College budget-friendly
Best personal safety app
Noonlight
Born on a college campus, Noonlight lets you silently call for help with a tap — sending your exact location to dispatchers, even if you can’t say a word. Best of all, you can use it for free or pay for extra features.
Best security camera
Wyze Cam v3
Affordable, weatherproof, and packed with features, the Wyze Cam v3 delivers smooth video, two-way talk, night vision, and real-time alerts — perfect for dorm rooms, apartments, or back doors.
Best tracker for your stuff
Tile
Keep tabs on keys, wallets, or backpacks — even in shared spaces. Tile’s loud alerts, long range, and smart tracking make it a must-have for campus life. At around $25 each, you can protect all the stuff that matters.
Best personal alarm
Sabre
This budget-friendly keychain alarm blasts up to 120 dB to scare off threats and call for help — perfect for late walks, night classes, or dorm-to-parking-lot sprints. Prices range from $10 to $25.
The Winners: Safety tools for parents
From toddlers to teens, these tools help parents stay connected, set boundaries, and keep an eye on what matters most — online, on the road, and at home.
Best GPS tracker for kids
Gabb Watch 3e
The Gabb Watch 3e helps kids stay in touch with parent-approved contacts and GPS tracking — no internet, no strangers, just on-the-go reassurance in a kid-tough smartwatch.
Best smart baby monitor
Nanit Pro
With sleep tracking, temp sensors, and crystal-clear video, the Nanit Pro Smart Baby Monitor is a smart, all-in-one baby monitor that keeps parents connected day and night.
Best to track teen drivers
Vyncs
Vyncs is a plugin that tracks driving habits, location, and car health in real time — helping parents worry less and giving teens a smart way to build safer habits behind the wheel.
Best for kids online safety
Bark
Bark monitors texts, social media, and more — alerting parents to online risks without invading kids’ privacy. It’s our top pick for keeping families safer online.
Best smart nanny cam
Reolink E1 Zoom
With pan-and-tilt controls, crisp video, and free cloud storage, the Reolink E1 Zoom is a budget-friendly nanny cam that keeps eyes on every corner of the room.
Best family safety app
Life360
Life360 is a phone app that brings your family together with real-time location sharing, crash detection, and ID protection—all in one powerful app built for modern family life.
The Winners: Safety tools for older adults
From medical alerts to memory support, these devices help older adults stay independent, connected, and safe — at home and on the go.
Best medical alert system
Bay Alarm Medical
Bay Alarm Medical offers affordable, reliable protection with fall detection, long battery life, and simple setup — our top pick for keeping older adults safe.
Best fitness tracker
Apple Watch
The Apple Watch SE is a powerful fitness and safety tool for active older adults. It packs automatic fall detection, heart health tracking, and a large, easy-to-read screen.
Best for staying in touch
GrandPad
GrandPad makes it easy for older adults to stay connected without the hassle of a typical tablet with a large screen, video calls, closed network, and built-in scam protection,
Best for dementia care
Tranquil
With a discreet design, locking strap, Bluetooth exit alerts, and auto-answer calling, the Tranquil Watch is the smartest GPS tracker for dementia care today. It's also super attractive.
The Winners: Tools for neurodivergent individuals
These thoughtful tools support greater independence and security for neurodivergent individuals — helping caregivers prevent wandering, improve communication, and create safer spaces at home and on the go.
Best wearable tracker
AngelSense
AngelSense was designed for kids with autism, offering accurate tracking, sensory-friendly wearables, and voice features to help prevent wandering and ease anxiety.
Best car safety device
BuckleRoo
BuckleRoo wins for car safety. It blocks access to the seatbelt release button — helping neurodivergent kids stay safely buckled by easing sensory issues and preventing mid-ride escapes.
Best for non-verbal safety
Alert Me Bands
Alert Me Bands share emergency contacts and medical info at a glance — ideal for non-verbal kids, seniors, and anyone who may need help but can’t speak up. Adjustable for different ages and needs.
Best bedroom guard
Toddler Monitor
The Toddler Monitor hangs on a door to alert parents when little ones stray — giving parents room to relax and rest during the crib-to-bed transition and beyond, especially for those who tend to wander.
The Winners: Travel safety
Whether you're flying with kids, road-tripping with pets, or exploring new cities solo, these travel tools help you stay secure, connected, and aware. . . wherever the journey takes you.
Best car seat for planes
Doona
The Doona is a car seat and stroller in one — perfect for air travel with infants. It’s FAA-approved, easy to use, and eliminates the need to juggle bulky gear.
Best for Black travelers
Green Book Global
Green Book Global is the first Black travel review site — offering tips, ratings, and insights from Black travelers to help others explore the world safely and confidently.
Best travel safety app
Ozzi
Ozzi turns your phone into a global safety guide with real-time alerts, risk heatmaps, and safety scores — a great pick for exploring unfamiliar places.
Best satellite SOS device
Garmin inReach Mini
This powerful device lets you send SOS alerts and two-way messages from anywhere on Earth — making it a must-have safety tool for remote travel and adventure.
Best tracker for pets
Tractive
Don't leave Fido behind! Track your pet’s every move with live GPS, custom geofencing, and activity monitoring. A must-have for travel, outdoor adventures, or curious escape artists.
Best for LGBTQ+ travelers
Everywhere is Queer
This app maps 17,000+ queer-owned businesses worldwide, helping LGBTQIA+ travelers find welcoming places to shop, eat, connect, and feel at home.
Best hotel/Airbnb security
Doorjammer
This compact device adds extra security to your hotel, motel, and Airbnb stays — blocking inward-opening doors to help you sleep easier when you're far from home.
Best body cam app
Anjel Tech
Created by and for communities of color, Anjel Tech turns your phone into a body cam, streaming incidents in real-time for added security wherever you are.
The Winners: LGBTQIA+ safety
These tools support safer communication, travel, and online protection for LGBTQIA+ individuals — offering resources built to respect privacy, identity, and community needs.
Best LGBTQIA+ organization for youth: The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project offers 24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention services for LGBTQIA+ youth — connecting them with trained counselors, resources, and hope.
- 24/7 crisis support: Free, confidential support for LGBTQIA+ youth via phone, text, or chat—available anytime, all year.
- Resources & education: Offers tools for youth, parents, educators, and allies on mental health, coming out, and supporting queer youth.
Best personal safety app
UrSafe
UrSafe combines hands-free SOS alerts with a vetted LGBTQ+ Safe Spaces map — offering powerful, discreet protection for queer users at home, on dates, or abroad.
Best for online privacy
1Password
1Password protects your digital life with encrypted vaults, phishing protection, and a deep commitment to LGBTQIA+ inclusion, privacy, and year-round advocacy.
Best travel insurance
Travel Guard
Travel Guard offers inclusive travel insurance with 24/7 support — plus safety tips and resources to help LGBTQIA+ travelers explore the world with confidence.
Best for safe messaging
Signal
Signal offers encrypted chats, calls, and disappearing messages, making it the go-to for private communication in the LGBTQIA+ community.
How we picked the personal safety award winners for 2025
Image: SafeWise. Testing out Medical Guardian fall detection pendant.
At SafeWise, we’ve spent over a decade reviewing home security systems, medical alerts, and personal safety gear — and now, we’re celebrating the best of the best with our first-ever Personal Safety Awards.
From wearable tech to self-defense tools, we're highlighting products that empower people to live safer lives — at home and in their community — no matter their age, identity, or lifestyle. These awards recognize the standout safety devices, apps, and services that make a real difference, whether you're walking alone at night, keeping track of your kids, or navigating the world with added vulnerabilities.
How we built the categories
We organized products into real-life use cases, not just tech specs. That means each winner represents a solution to a specific safety concern — from solo travel to campus safety to staying in touch with a loved one living with dementia.
We leaned into feedback from real users, expert insights from personal safety advisor Pete Canavan, and in-house research from our editorial and testing teams to finalize each category and identify standouts.
Our award process
We reviewed hundreds of devices, apps, and services across seven core safety categories:
- Best for Women
- Best for College Students
- Best for Parents
- Best for Older Adults
- Best for Neurodivergent Individuals
- Best for Travel
- Best for LGBTQIA+ Individuals
For each nominee, we considered:
- Purpose-built safety features: Does the product protect, alert, or track in a meaningful way? Can it help create space, signal for help, or prevent a dangerous situation altogether?
- Ease of use: Can someone activate it in a moment of panic? Are the controls intuitive and accessible to all abilities?
- Reliability: Does it work without relying on apps, batteries, or internet in critical moments? Is it durable enough to withstand daily use?
- Expert recommendations: We drew on guidance from safety professionals, mental health advocates, caregivers, and educators to assess what features matter most for each demographic.
- Hands-on and real-world testing: We’ve tested most of these products ourselves — checking for performance, quality, and usability. When we haven’t, we conduct in-depth research through verified customer feedback, specifications, video demonstrations, and industry evaluations.
What we prioritized
We favored safety tech that:
- Puts distance between you and danger (like pepper sprays and alarms)
- Helps you get help fast (via GPS, emergency contacts, or SOS buttons)
- Offers discreet and stigma-free designs
- Respects user privacy and security (especially for LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent individuals)
- Adapts to the needs of different ages, abilities, and risk levels
We also avoided tools that may give a false sense of security, be difficult to use in a crisis, or require complex maintenance
Why this matters
Not all safety gear is created equal, and not everyone faces the same threats. The Personal Safety Awards go beyond gadgets — they recognize practical tools that help people feel safer, stronger, and more in control in a world that doesn’t always meet everyone’s needs.
This is only the start. As threats change and technology evolves, so will our awards. We’ll continue to test, listen, and update our approach to reflect what real people need to stay safe every day.
