Your prayers are sacred. Your privacy should be too. If you’ve ever worried about whether your favorite Adhan app is tracking your location or selling your data to the highest bidder, you’re not alone. I’ve helped hundreds of Muslims find apps that actually respect their faith and their personal information.
Here’s the truth: many popular prayer apps collect location data, device IDs, and usage patterns—then share them with advertisers or worse. Some have even been caught selling location information to government agencies. But there’s good news: some truly private Adhan apps actually exist, and they work beautifully.
In this guide, I’ll show you the 5 best Adhan apps that prioritize your privacy, give you accurate prayer times, and never sell your personal information.
Key Takeaways
✅ Pray Watch – Zero data collection, no ads, completely private
✅ Pillars – Ad-free, privacy-first, built by Muslims
✅ 1Muslim – Minimal permissions, no tracking, simple & clean
✅ iPray – Offline functionality, no ads, completely free
✅ Al-Azan – Open-source, privacy-focused, no trackers
Why Your Prayer App Privacy Matters More Than You Think
You probably check your Adhan app 5-10 times per day. That’s a lot of location data, a lot of device fingerprints, and a lot of personal patterns about your life.
Back in 2020, investigative journalists revealed that the U.S. military was buying location data from Muslim prayer apps. One app was literally selling users’ coordinates, timestamps, phone models, and operating systems to data brokers. This wasn’t conspiracy—it was documented fact. And the worst part? Most users had no idea it was happening.
When you use a prayer app, you’re sharing sensitive information:
- Your exact location (where you live, work, and pray)
- Your device ID (which tracks you across apps)
- Your prayer patterns (when you pray, how consistent you are)
- Your device details (phone model, OS, browser info)
This data is valuable. It tells advertisers about your lifestyle, your beliefs, and your daily routines. And that’s exactly why some apps collect it—even if they don’t explicitly tell you.
But here’s what I’ve learned: you don’t have to choose between accurate prayer times and privacy. You can have both.
What Makes an Adhan App Truly Private?
Before I break down the best apps, let me explain what “privacy-first” actually means. Not all apps that claim to be private are created equal.
A truly private Adhan app should:
- Collect zero personal data (or very minimal, optional data only)
- Never use third-party trackers (no Google Analytics, Facebook SDK, etc.)
- Keep location data on your device only (not sent to servers)
- Have a clear, transparent privacy policy (written in plain English)
- Work offline (or at least gracefully when you’re offline)
- Have no ads (ads require tracking to work)
The apps I’m recommending meet these standards. Some go even further.
5 Best Adhan Apps That Actually Respect Your Privacy
1. Pray Watch – The Absolute Privacy Champion
Rating: 4.8/5 | iOS & Android | Free
If privacy is your #1 concern, Pray Watch is your answer. This is the gold standard.
What makes Pray Watch special:
Pray Watch literally collects zero data. Not even anonymized data. Not even crash reports. Nothing leaves your device. Ever. The app’s privacy policy explicitly states: “Your coordinates never leave the device in any circumstances.”
How do they calculate prayer times without collecting data? They use a small mathematical library that runs entirely on your phone. No servers. No cloud. No tracking.
The app has a beautiful, minimalist interface. It shows a unique “prayer ring” that visually counts down to your next prayer. No clutter. No distractions. Just clean, elegant design focused on helping you pray.
Features you get:
- Accurate prayer times based on your location (calculated locally)
- Beautiful countdown ring for next prayer
- Customizable notifications
- Works offline completely
- No ads, no tracking, no SDK code
- Simple, clean interface
The honest truth:
Pray Watch is developed and maintained by IslamiCity, a trusted nonprofit organization in California. They’re so serious about privacy that their app contains zero third-party code. The only optional data sharing you can do is if you choose to email them for support—and you control what information you include.
Who should use this?
If you value privacy above all else and want a simple, focused app—this is it. You’re not paying for premium features or seeing ads because you’re not the product.
Price: Free (completely, forever)
2. Pillars – Privacy Built Into Every Feature
Rating: 4.8/5 | iOS & Android | Free with Optional Upgrade
Pillars is built by Muslim university students with a clear philosophy: “Muslims are entitled to their privacy.”
What makes Pillars special:
The team at Pillars actively avoids collecting data instead of just promising not to abuse it. Their privacy approach is intentional. They ask themselves: “Do we really need this data?” If the answer is no, they don’t collect it.
Their privacy statement on the Apple App Store explicitly says: “No Data Collected”. Not “minimal data.” Not “encrypted data.” Zero data.
They refuse donations to stay independent (they don’t want donors controlling their decisions). They refuse ads entirely (ads require tracking). Instead, they offer an optional premium subscription that includes extra features like Apple Watch support and additional themes—but even the free version is fully functional.
Features you get:
- Accurate prayer times with multiple calculation methods
- Prayer tracker (log which prayers you completed)
- Smart Qibla finder with calibration
- Beautiful widgets for your home screen
- Choose between early and late Asr time (follow your Madhab/school of thought)
- Fasting tracker for Ramadan
- Menstrual pause feature for women
- Lock screen widgets (new)
- Apple Watch support (with premium)
The honest truth:
Pillars’ interface is genuinely beautiful. The developers are Muslim and understand the spiritual importance of Salah. They’re not just building a “prayer timer”—they’re building a tool to help you deepen your relationship with Allah.
The app does ask for location permission (to calculate prayer times), but all calculations happen locally on your device. Your location never leaves your phone.
Who should use this?
If you want a full-featured prayer app with privacy, prayer tracking, and beautiful design—Pillars is perfect. The free version covers all the essentials.
Price: Free (or $5.99/month for premium features like Apple Watch)
3. 1Muslim – Minimal Permissions, Maximum Privacy
Rating: 4.6/5 | iOS & Android | Free
1Muslim is trusted by over 10 million Muslims, yet it remains one of the most privacy-conscious apps in the market.
What makes 1Muslim special:
Independent privacy researchers tested 1Muslim specifically for data collection. They found it requests minimal permissions and has no major security vulnerabilities compared to competitors.
The app’s privacy policy is short and clear: “We don’t track you. Ever.” It doesn’t mention sharing data with third parties, and testing confirms minimal leaks.
1Muslim focuses on doing one thing well: accurate prayer times and Qibla finding. No unnecessary features that require more data collection. No bloat.
Features you get:
- Highly accurate prayer times
- Qibla finder and compass
- Prayer notifications
- Beautiful, simple interface
- Minimal ads (compared to other free apps)
- Ad-free toggle available
- Works on both iPhone and Android
The honest truth:
1Muslim’s strength is its simplicity. It does what you need without asking for unnecessary permissions. It’s not as feature-rich as Pillars, but that’s intentional—fewer features mean fewer reasons to collect data.
The app does have some ads in the free version (which is how they keep it sustainable), but they’re not excessive and don’t require heavy tracking like other apps.
Who should use this?
If you want a lightweight, privacy-conscious app that focuses on prayer times and Qibla—1Muslim is solid. It’s especially good if you have an older phone or want minimal data drain.
Price: Free (with light ads)
4. iPray – Offline Privacy & No Ads
Rating: 4.6/5 | iOS & Android | Free
iPray has over 500,000 downloads and works entirely offline—which is the ultimate privacy protection.
What makes iPray special:
iPray doesn’t need internet to calculate prayer times. This means two things:
- Your location data never travels to any server (it can’t—there’s no internet call)
- No company can track your movement patterns
- No ads require tracking because the app has no ads at all
Privacy researchers specifically praised iPray for being ad-free and offline. The trade-off? You have to manually update it to get the latest prayer calculations, but once downloaded, it works perfectly offline.
The app’s privacy policy clearly states: “The app doesn’t collect or share any personal information.”
Features you get:
- Completely offline prayer times
- No ads whatsoever
- Qibla compass
- Multiple Adhan sounds
- Monthly prayer timetable
- Simple, clean interface
- Works on Android and iOS
- Supports offline usage
The honest truth:
iPray is the most “basic” app on this list—it doesn’t have fancy trackers, prayer logging, or beautiful animations. But that’s exactly why it’s so private. There’s no backend infrastructure, no cloud syncing, no fancy analytics.
If you want an old-school, rock-solid prayer app that just works offline, iPray is your best bet.
Who should use this?
If you’re traveling, have poor internet, or simply never want your phone to connect to a prayer app’s servers—iPray is the answer. Also great for people who like minimal apps.
Price: Free forever
5. Al-Azan – Open-Source Privacy (Android Preferred)
Rating: 4.5/5 | Android (iOS version exists) | Free
Al-Azan is unique because it’s completely open-source. That means the code is publicly available for anyone—including privacy experts—to audit.
What makes Al-Azan special:
Because the code is open-source, there’s zero hidden tracking. You can literally read the code yourself to verify it’s not collecting data. This is the maximum level of transparency possible.
The app clearly states: “Ad-Free, Doesn’t use any kind of trackers, Open-source”
You can download your location offline or use GPS. The app supports custom Adhan audio and different sounds for different prayers. No tracking. No analytics. No surprise data collection.
Features you get:
- Ad-free completely
- No trackers at all
- Open-source (code publicly available)
- Offline location search option
- Custom Adhan audio
- Qibla finder
- Sunrise, sunset, midnight time alerts
- Tahajjud (night prayer) reminders
The honest truth:
Al-Azan is primarily optimized for Android. The iOS version exists but isn’t as polished. If you’re on Android and want maximum transparency, Al-Azan is unbeatable.
The interface isn’t as beautiful as Pillars or Pray Watch, but it’s functional and completely trustworthy.
Who should use this?
Android users who want to know exactly what code runs on their phone. If you’re tech-savvy and want the ability to audit the app’s privacy yourself, Al-Azan is perfect.
Price: Free forever
Privacy Comparison Table: Which App is Right for You?
| Feature | Pray Watch | Pillars | 1Muslim | iPray | Al-Azan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data Collection | Zero | Zero | Minimal | Zero | Zero |
| Ads | None | None | Light | None | None |
| Works Offline | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Prayer Tracking | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Beautiful Design | Yes | Excellent | Good | Basic | Basic |
| Open Source | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Apple Watch | No | Yes (Premium) | No | No | No |
| iOS & Android | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Mostly Android |
| Price | Free | Free (Premium: $5.99/month) | Free | Free | Free |
Step-by-Step: How to Switch to a Private Adhan App
Step 1: Choose Your App
Look at the comparison table above. Ask yourself:
- Do I want maximum simplicity? → Pray Watch
- Do I want features? → Pillars
- Do I want minimal but trusted? → 1Muslim
- Do I want offline? → iPray
- Am I on Android and tech-savvy? → Al-Azan
Step 2: Download from Official Store
Only download from:
- Apple App Store (for iPhone)
- Google Play Store (for Android)
Never sideload apps from other sources—that’s a security risk.
Step 3: Set Your Location
When you open the app, it will ask for location permission. Grant it. This is necessary to calculate accurate prayer times. The app calculates everything locally on your device—your location never leaves your phone.
Step 4: Customize Your Notifications
- Choose which prayers you want notifications for
- Set notification sounds (most apps include beautiful Adhan sounds)
- Choose notification timing (at prayer time, or 5-15 minutes before)
Step 5: Remove Old Apps
If you were using Muslim Pro, Athan (free version), or other privacy-concerning apps, uninstall them from your phone.
Step 6: Tell Your Friends
The best privacy protection is a network of people using ethical apps. Share what you learned with your community.
Read more: 7 Key Differences Between Husband’s Duty vs Wife’s Duty: Who Should Cook and Clean?
Pro Tip: Multi-App Strategy for Maximum Trust
Here’s what I do personally, and many privacy-conscious Muslims I know do too:
Use Pray Watch or Pillars as your main app → Get notifications, track prayers, use beautiful design.
Keep iPray as a backup → If internet fails, you still have offline prayer times.
Reference your local mosque’s prayer times → Before traveling or moving to a new city, check if your local mosque publishes prayer times. This is always the most authoritative source for your specific location.
Why this strategy? You’re not fully dependent on any single app. You have redundancy. And you’re still getting accurate, private prayer times.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake #1: Believing “Free” Means Private
“If you’re not paying for the product, you are the product.” This is true for most apps. But not the ones I recommended. These apps are actually free because they’re backed by nonprofits, built by volunteers, or funded by ethical means—not because they’re selling your data.
Mistake #2: Using Popular Apps Just Because Everyone Else Does
Muslim Pro has 170+ million downloads. But it has a documented history of sharing location data with brokers who sold it to government agencies. Popularity ≠ Privacy. Trust the data, not the download count.
Mistake #3: Not Reading Permission Requests
When you install a prayer app, pay attention to what it asks permission for. If it asks for camera access, phone contacts, or media access—that’s suspicious. A prayer app only needs location permission.
Mistake #4: Assuming Your Location Data is Harmless
Your prayer location data reveals:
- Where you live
- Where you work
- Which mosque you attend
- Your family’s religious practices
- Your daily routines
- Your travel patterns
This information is worth money to advertisers, data brokers, and yes—government agencies. Protect it.
Mistake #5: Ignoring Privacy Policy Red Flags
If a privacy policy says things like:
- “We may share data with third parties”
- “We use analytics to improve service”
- “We may sell data if required by law”
- “Privacy policy last updated 3 years ago”
→ That’s a red flag. Use a different app.
Real Example: How Muslim Pro Got Caught Selling Data
Let me give you a concrete example of why this matters.
In November 2020, Vice Motherboard published an investigation proving that Muslim Pro was selling location data to X-Mode, a data broker that worked with the U.S. military.
How it worked:
- You download Muslim Pro
- The app asks permission for location data
- You grant it (fair enough, it needs location for prayer times)
- Unknown to you, the app sends your coordinates to X-Mode
- X-Mode sells this data to government agencies
- Your location becomes part of a surveillance database
Muslim Pro defended itself, saying they stopped this practice after backlash. But the damage was done. And frankly, if they did it once, why trust they won’t do it again?
This is exactly why I’m recommending apps with zero third-party SDK code. If an app doesn’t have Google Analytics, Facebook SDK, or custom tracking code, it literally cannot sell your data. It has nowhere to send it.
Expert Tips & Best Practices
Tip #1: Check Calculation Methods
Different regions use different prayer calculation methods (Hanafi, Shafi, etc.).
Pillars and 1Muslim let you choose. Make sure your app matches your local mosque’s calculation method. If it doesn’t match after you’ve selected the correct method, ask your local imam which method they use, then select that in the app.
Tip #2: Use Widgets
Both Pray Watch and Pillars have home screen widgets. Put them on your main screen. You’ll see prayer times at a glance without opening the app. Fewer app opens = fewer tracking opportunities (even for honest apps).
Tip #3: Disable Location When You Don’t Need It
After you’ve set up your prayer times, you can disable location permission in your phone’s settings if you’re not traveling. This is extra privacy protection.
(The app will still work offline and show cached prayer times.)
Tip #4: Turn Off Analytics and Diagnostics
On both iPhone and Android, go to Settings → [App Name] → Disable “Share Analytics” or “Diagnostics.” This prevents even honest apps from collecting usage data.
Tip #5: Use a VPN for Extra Protection
If you’re extra cautious, run your phone through a VPN (like ProtonVPN). This masks your actual IP address, so even if a buggy app somehow sends data, it’s harder to trace it to you.
FAQ: Your Privacy Questions Answered
Q1: Do prayer apps need location data?
A: Yes, but they don’t need to send it to a server. The best apps calculate prayer times locally on your device using mathematical algorithms. Your phone knows your location, and that’s all it needs. The location never travels to the app company’s servers.
Q2: What’s the difference between “minimal data” and “no data”?
A:
No data: The app never collects anything (Pray Watch, Pillars, Al-Azan)
Minimal data: The app might collect your location or device ID but only for core functionality, and it’s kept private (1Muslim)
Some apps claim “minimal” but actually collect tons of hidden data. I only recommend apps that have been independently audited.
Q3: Why do some apps have ads and some don’t?
A: Ads require tracking to target you effectively. Most free apps with ads are tracking your behavior to sell better-targeted ads to advertisers.
The apps I recommended that have ads (like 1Muslim) use non-tracking ads. They show generic ads, not personalized ones based on your behavior.
Q4: Can I trust apps that are open-source like Al-Azan?
A: Yes, absolutely. Open-source is the most trustworthy because the code is publicly available. Anyone—including security researchers—can audit it. You can’t hide tracking in open-source code.
The downside? Open-source apps are often less polished because they’re volunteer-built.
Q5: What if my mosque uses a specific calculation method that my app doesn’t support?
A: Ask your local imam which calculation method they use, then select that in the app settings. If the option doesn’t exist, contact the app developer and request it. Both Pillars and 1Muslim are responsive to community requests.
As a temporary solution, you can manually note your mosque’s prayer times and use the app as a backup reference.
Q6: Do I need to worry about data even if I turn off notifications?
A: Yes. Turning off notifications helps, but some apps still collect data in the background. The best protection is choosing an app that doesn’t collect data at all.
Q7: Is it okay to use Muslim Pro if I’ve turned off location permission?
A: It’s safer, but not ideal. If you’ve already disabled location permission, Muslim Pro can’t track your location. However, the app still requests permission aggressively, and the app itself still contains tracking code.
Better to just use a truly private app from the start.
Q8: Can I use two apps at the same time for extra accuracy?
A: Yes, and it’s actually a smart strategy. Use Pray Watch or Pillars as your main app, and cross-check prayer times with your mosque’s official schedule. This gives you maximum accuracy and redundancy.
Q9: What about apps from specific Islamic organizations?
A: Some Islamic organizations make apps (like Athan from Islamic Finder). These are usually trustworthy because they have a reputation to protect. However, still check their privacy policy. Some older apps from Islamic organizations unfortunately use third-party trackers.
Q10: Should I share my Adhan app choice with my family?
A: Yes. Help your family members, especially children and elderly relatives, switch to private apps. The cumulative location data from an entire family reveals even more personal information.
How to Verify an App is Actually Private
Don’t just take my word for it. Here’s how to verify yourself:
Method 1: Check the Privacy Policy
Open the app store page and read the “Privacy Policy” link. Look for:
- Does it say “no data collection”?
- Does it mention selling or sharing data?
- Is it recent (updated within the last year)?
Method 2: Use Exodus Privacy (Android Only)
Visit reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org and search for the app by name. Exodus scans Android apps for trackers. A score of 0 trackers = very private.
Method 3: Read Independent Reviews
Search for “[App Name] privacy analysis” and see what security researchers have said. For example, you’ll find academic papers about Pray Watch confirming zero trackers.
Method 4: Check Developer Background
- Who made the app? (Individual developer, nonprofit, company)
- Do they have financial incentives to sell data? (If it’s a nonprofit, probably not)
- How long have they been around? (Longer = more stable)
Conclusion: Reclaim Your Prayer App Privacy
Your prayers are personal. Sacred, even. They deserve to be protected by technology that respects that sanctity.
You don’t have to choose between convenience and privacy. The apps I’ve recommended prove that. Pray Watch, Pillars, 1Muslim, iPray, and Al-Azan all deliver beautiful, accurate prayer times without compromising your data.
Here’s what I recommend:
- Download Pillars or Pray Watch today (both are free and take 2 minutes to set up)
- Uninstall any app that you’re unsure about
- Tell your family, friends, and mosque community about these options
- Regularly audit your app permissions in your phone’s settings
Remember: A company that respects your privacy respects your faith. Use an app that gets that.
Your prayer times shouldn’t cost you your personal information. And with these five apps, they don’t have to.
