SayNearNo one should be alone in danger.
Press the panic button or say your personal safety phrase. Adult volunteers nearby, the bears, get an alarm and can come to help.
112SayNear does not replace 112. In an emergency, always call 112.
Communities that look out for each other
Our mission is to prevent crime and keep Europe safe, with people who look out for each other.
The police often arrive too late, because they cannot be everywhere. Communities have always protected each other. SayNear exists so that if something still happens, people nearby can come and help.
SayNear is not about violence or taking the law into your own hands. It is about being there, so that no one has to be alone in danger.
How it works
Raise the alarm
Press the panic button, or say your safety phrase while listening is turned on.
Bears and your emergency contacts are alerted
Adult volunteers (bears) near you get a push alarm, and your emergency contacts get the alarm too, wherever they are, with your live position on a map.
Help is on the way
Bears answer “I'm coming”, see your live location during the alarm and come to you. There is also a button to call 112.
The panic button
A big button on the home screen. Press it and the alarm goes out. It always works, even when listening is turned off.
A short countdown lets you cancel if you pressed by mistake.
Your safety phrase
Choose a word or phrase that only you know. Turn on alarm mode (listening for your phrase) when you need it, for example when you walk home alone. If something happens, say your phrase and the alarm goes out hands-free, without you touching the phone.
- Your speech is processed only on your phone. No audio is recorded, stored or sent anywhere.
- A notification always shows when SayNear is listening, and you can turn it off at any time.
Your emergency contacts get the alarm
Add up to five people you trust as emergency contacts. When you raise an alarm, they get it too, wherever they are, with your live position on a map.
Practice alarms never go to your emergency contacts.
The bears
Bears are adult volunteers, 18 or older, who have turned on bear mode. When someone nearby raises an alarm, they get a push notification and decide for themselves if they can help.
- Answer “I'm coming” so the person knows that help is on the way.
- See the person's live location, only while the alarm is active.
- Go there, be seen and heard, and call 112.
Your own safety comes first. A bear is not a guard and never uses violence. Being there, making noise and calling 112 is often enough.
Become a bear
Install SayNear, confirm that you are 18 or older and turn on bear mode. You can turn it off whenever you want.
You must be at least 16 to use SayNear, and at least 18 to be a bear. SayNear Family, coming soon, has no age limit: a parent invites and approves children under 16.
Practise with friends
Run a practice alarm with friends who have accepted your invitation. Only they are alerted, never strangers and never 112, and it never counts as a false alarm.
False alarms lead to bans
Bears take every alarm seriously, so false alarms are not tolerated. A false alarm leads to a 30-day suspension, and repeated false alarms lead to a permanent ban.
112
No, SayNear never replaces 112. In an emergency, always call 112. It is free and works in every EU country. SayNear is an extra layer: people nearby who can be there while help is on the way.
Built for privacy
- Alarm data is deleted automatically after 24 hours.
- Your safety phrase is recognised on your phone. No audio leaves the device.
- Your live location is shared only during your own alarm, with your emergency contacts and with bears who answered “I'm coming”.
- Other users never see who you are, only an approximate distance.
Coming soon
We are working on these features. They are not in the app yet.
Bear groups for your area
Groups for a town or an area, for example parents who walk around town during a festival like Rocko in Mariehamn. A group can be alerted manually from the group page.
Patrol mode
Group members who turn on patrol mode see each other on a live map until they turn it off.
Ratings and titles
Ratings, titles and leaderboards for bears, from Bear cub to Legendary bear.
Report abuse
A button to report false alarms and abuse. Users who misuse the alarm can be suspended or banned.
Safety blog
Practical and responsible advice on staying safe and helping others.
What to do if you are attacked or threatened
Get away, run toward people and light, shout and call 112. Then use your SayNear safety phrase.
If you see someone else in danger
You do not have to be a hero. Call 112, get others involved and be there for the person, without putting yourself at risk.
Walking home safely at night
Plan your route, tell someone where you are going and trust your instincts. Simple habits that make the walk home safer.
Questions and answers
Does SayNear replace 112?
No, SayNear never replaces 112. In an emergency, always call 112. It is free and works in every EU country. SayNear is an extra layer: people nearby who can be there while help is on the way.
Who can use SayNear?
Anyone who is 16 or older can use SayNear. To be a bear and respond to alarms, you must be 18 or older. SayNear Family, coming soon, has no age limit: a parent invites and approves children under 16.
Is the app listening all the time?
Only when you turn listening on. Your speech is processed on your phone, and no audio is recorded or sent anywhere. A notification shows when listening is on.
What if I raise an alarm by mistake?
You can cancel during the short countdown. False alarms lead to a suspension, and repeated false alarms lead to a permanent ban.
Is it safe to be a bear?
You always decide for yourself whether to respond. Never put yourself at risk: be there, make noise and call 112. SayNear does not encourage violence.
What happens to my data?
Alarm data is deleted automatically after 24 hours. Other users never see who you are. Read more in the privacy policy.
Where does SayNear work?
SayNear is built for Europe. Alarms go to bears within a few kilometres, so it works best where many people use the app.
Download
SayNear is coming soon to Google Play.
Questions? Write to us: info@saynear.com