
How to Use Parental Controls Apps
There are many parental controls apps on the market, and parental controls space is changing all the time.
Parental controls is a game of Whack-a-Mole:
- New devices (like Internet of Things) invade our homes and present new threats to our kids
- New services (any new gaming, video, and social media apps) are developed and parental controls need to catch up
- New features are introduced by the existing platforms that are not covered by previous parental controls
- Big tech companies are modifying their platforms, causing software bugs and problems with third-party parental control settings
- Kids keep discovering new loopholes!
That’s why it is so hard – if not impossible – to claim which parental control app is “the best”. They might be doing great today, but broken by the changes in the tech landscape tomorrow. Or the other way around – they might be performing poorly, but get fixed, upgraded, and become stellar. The best strategy when making a choice is probably to read MOST RECENT reviews from the actual customers – they will reflect the current situation.
TIP: If you see hundreds of 1-star reviews from teenagers starting with words “I hate my parents”, the app definitely works!
We have studied the reviews from actual users: parents who downloaded and used these apps, and confirmed that they do what parents expect them to do: limit screen time, filter content, and develop good digital habits.
Since Apple, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft all have their own integrated parental controls systems, they can – and often do – limit the functionality of third-party parental controls apps. Which means that the developers of these apps have to work extra hard to stay in business – which for customers usually means great product quality and customer service.
OurPact
- Platforms: iOS, Android
- Does not cover: Gaming Consoles, Laptops or PCs, Windows or Kindle Fire devices, Smart home devices (Google Home, Amazon Echo)
- Cost:
- Free basic version (1 device, limited blocks and schedules)
- Plus $1.99/month (10 devices, unlimited blocks and schedules)
- Premium $6.99/month (20 devices, unlimited blocks and schedules)
- Individual App Control
- Screen Time Allowance
- iMessage/SMS Blocking
- Web Browser Blocking
- New App Install Alerts
- Content Filtering
- Website Whitelisting and Blacklisting
- Device Location Monitoring
Bark
- Cost:
- Bark Jr (younger kids) $5 per month or $49 annually
- Bark (comprehensive) $14 per month or $99 annually
- Platforms: iOS, Android
- Does not monitor: computers and other Internet-enabled devices
- This app has a combination of 1-star reviews from outraged teens and 5-star reviews from triumphant parents, a great testimony to its effectiveness!
- Monitor your child’s texts, email, YouTube, and 30+ apps and social media platforms
- Get alerts for issues like cyberbullying, online predators, suicidal ideation
- Set screen time limits and create schedules
- Filter content
- Track location
Kidslox
- Cost:
- Basic $39.99 annual, $3.99 monthly, $79.99 lifetime
- Premium $59.99 annual, $5.99 monthly, $99.99 lifetime
- Platforms: iOS, Android, Windows (does not block content).
- Control iOS devices from Android devices, and vice-versa. Can be managed from a PC as well.
- Disable apps individually
- Set daily screen time limits and schedules
- Track location
- Differentiate between parent and child modes
- Filter inappropriate content
- Block internet access
ScreenTime Labs
- Cost:
- Free version for basic monitoring
- $6.99 per month to use all features
- Platforms: Apple, Android and Amazon, some features are Android only
- Set time limits and schedules
- Reward kids with screen time for completed tasks
- Instantly pause kids’ devices
- Block or restrict specific apps and websites
- Filter inappropriate content
- Track location
- View activity reports
Mobiclip
- Cost:
- $49.99 per year (5 devices)
- $89.99 per year (10 devices)
- $124.99 per year (15 devices)
- Platforms: iOS, Android, Windows, macOS
- Set daily screen time limits and schedules
- Instantly lock all family devices
- Filter content by age and by category
- Enforce safe internet search
- Allow or block websites, restrict keywords
- Block individual apps
- Filter YouTube
- Activity reports and alerts
- Track location
unGlue
- Cost:
- Free basic version (usage monitoring only)
- Premium $5/month (annual subscription)
- $6.99/month (monthly subscription)
- Platforms: iOS, Android, tablets, laptops, Smart TVs
- Set daily screen time limits and schedules
- Block individual apps
- Remotely pause the internet
- Reward your kids with more screen time for doing chores
- Reward your kids with more screen time for being physically active
- Filter inappropriate content
- Assign multiple devices per kid & designate shared family devices
- Activity reports
- Control devices anywhere with VPN technology, regardless of WiFi or data they use
NetSanity
- Cost:
- Free version (content filter only)
- $6.95 per month subscription for full features
- Platforms: iOS, Android (features vary between platforms)
- Does not monitor laptops and other Internet-enabled devices
- Block individual apps
- Set time limits and schedules
- Customized content filtering by category using VPN technology
- Block individual websites
- Filter YouTube
- Pause Internet or turn devices off with a timeout feature
- Disable app installation
- Block contacts
- Disable camera and screenshots
Kaspersky Safe Kids
- Cost: affordable $14.99 per year
- Platforms: iOS, Android, PC, Mac. Some features are limited in iOS due to Apple’s restrictions.
- Set screen time limits and schedules by device
- Filter inappropriate content
- Manage access to apps
- Enforce safe search, including YouTube
- Manage apps by time, age restrictions or category
- Track location
- Track Facebook activity and YouTube search history
Moment
- This app was developed for adults and is about building digital habits for the entire family
- Cost: Subscription $7.99 per month or $59.99 per year
- Platforms: iOS, Android
- Does not monitor other devices
- Device Addiction Coaching
- Establish phone-free times
- Track usage
- Track location
Whichever software you end up choosing, we recommend to supplement it by layering several parental controls solutions to achieve optimal results and prevent things slipping through the cracks:
