Tracking the phone usage of children will help parents know what their children are doing on phone. And also, the ability to monitor a child’s online activity will help his or her parent keep abreast of that child’s activities and ensure their safety. Using parental control apps, you can track your child’s phone usage, monitor his or her online activity, and also limit access to certain apps or websites. And by this, parents can prevent their children from spending too much time on the phone and the internet and also from engaging in other frivolous activities.
It has been proven that the rapid advancement of technology poses a risk to children, especially the younger ones, as negative side-effects to the use of smartphones at such ages have been discovered to affect both the physical and mental aspects of children.
Experts opine that parents should only allow their children to begin using smartphones at age 13 and with supervision, hence the need for parental control apps. And they also say that there is a high risk of overuse of technology among younger kids, leading to physical and mental health disadvantages.
In this article on Naijaknowhow, I’ll cover a list of the best parental control and monitoring apps for both Android and iOS devices.
List of the Best Parental Control and Monitoring Apps to Track Your Child’s Activities Online
1. Google Family Link
This right here is one of my favourite parent-monitoring apps for children. It doesn’t matter how old your children are, Google Family Link lets you monitor and control your children’s activities online. Being able to locate your child when they are out is valuable. If they are carrying their mobile devices, you can utilise Family Link to locate them.
Besides tracking your child’s location, this app is packed with a host of other interesting, some of which are you can view their app activity, manage their apps, keep an eye on screen time — set limits or even lock their device and a lot more.
Although Google Family Link gives you tools to control your child’s online activities, it does not make the internet a secure environment. Instead, it aims to open up discussion about internet use and provide parents options over how their children use the internet. The Family Link app is available to not just Android users, but iOS enthusiasts can also download it through the Apple Store. This Google parental control app is 100% free and is available for all types of devices.
Pros:
- Location tracking for child safety
- App activity monitoring
- Screen time management
- Available to all smartphone devices
Cons:
- Limited control over third-party apps
- Relies on open communication for internet safety
2. Net Nanny
Net Nanny, I think, is the best parental control app as it delivers the best mix of web filtering, location tracking, and app management on both Android and iOS. The app has excellent web-filtering technology that analyses pages rather than just blocking them and it lets you create filters of your own.
The goodness of Net Nanny is that it can track your child’s location, display their location history, and set time allowances equally well on both Android and iOS. Net Nanny also includes content screening that works within social media apps and services, including YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, instead of blocking or allowing them completely.
Net Nanny comes closest, among other parental control apps, to having feature equality between its Android and iOS versions. The iOS version lets you block more than a hundred apps on your child’s phone, while the Android lets you block them all. But one thing about the app is that it cannot monitor calls or texts on a smartphone. The app is quite expensive to use.
Pros:
- Advanced web filtering technology
- Location tracking and history
- Content screening within popular social media apps
- Feature equality between Android and iOS versions
Cons:
- High cost for usage
- No call/text monitoring functionality
- Stability issues reported by users
- Limited app blocking on iOS
[appbox googleplay com.contentwatch.ghoti.cp2.parent]
[appbox appstore id1211763414]
3. Qustodio
Qustodio lets you set time limits for individual apps and individual devices. Its service location tracking works on both Android and iOS, as also its geofencing and a Family Locator Feature that shows you where all your kids are at once.
On Qustodio, you can run about 6000 apps on its iOS version and every app on its Android version. But the web filtering doesn’t work that well on both versions.
One good thing about Qustodio is that it is one of the parental control apps that can still log a child’s texts and calls, view the content of text messages, or block phone numbers, at least on the Android version (and you have to sideload a special version of the app from Qustodio’s website for all its features to work). Qustodio is quite expensive to use.
Pros:
- App-specific time limits
- Cross-platform location tracking
- Text and call monitoring
- Extensive app compatibility
Cons:
- Weak web filtering
- High cost
- Special download for full features
- Limited iOS text/call monitoring
[appbox googleplay com.qustodio.family.parental.control.app.screentime]
[appbox appstore id1501720596]
4. Screen Time
Screen Time is the best parental control app for managing and scheduling kids’ device access. Its iOS version doesn’t have many features, while the Android contains app management and web-filtering features. Screen Time lets you give out additional time to kids who perform chores or good deeds. But you can’t block apps on the iOS version, and there’s no call or text monitoring, although geofencing and location history have been recently added.
Location tracking and web filters, both of which are essentials, come with unbelievable upcharges, but you can get both features in the 14-day screen time premium trial.
Pros:
- Device access management
- Reward system for additional screen time
- App management and web filtering (Android)
- Geofencing and location history
Cons:
- Limited features on iOS version
- No app blocking on iOS
- Lack of call and text monitoring
- Added charges for location tracking and web filters
[appbox googleplay com.screentime.rc]
5. Kaspersky Safe Kids
Kaspersky Safe Kids is the best you could ever ask for in terms of free usage and paid plan price. Its paid plan is much cheaper than other parental control apps.
This app lets you monitor and control your child’s activities on both Android and iOS versions. Its free plan lets you set screen-time limits, filter websites, and manage other apps, while its paid plan monitors social networks and offers location tracking and geofencing that work in both Android and iOS. But app management on iOS is limited to blocking apps that have age limits. Kaspersky also contains a feature that lets you block certain kinds of YouTube searches and review YouTube search history if you are a paid user.
However, the problems with Kaspersky Safe Kids are that its mobile apps are poorly designed, the web portal can be slow at times, and the web filters may not work with unpopular browsers. But if there is no need for you to check your child’s text messages, then Kaspersky Safe Kids is worth considering.
Pros:
- Cost-effective paid plan
- Cross-platform support
- Broad features, including social network monitoring
- YouTube search history review for paid users
Cons:
- Poorly designed mobile apps
- Occasionally slow web portal
- Web filters may not work with unpopular browsers
- Limited iOS app management capabilities
[appbox googleplay com.kaspersky.safekids]
[appbox appstore id967986300]
6. FamilyTime
FamilyTime as one of the best parental control apps has an easy-to-understand user interface that is used to manage multiple devices from a mobile app or web portal. The app supports web filtering and monitoring of phone contacts, call logs, text messages, and app usage.
The app runs on both Android and iOS platforms. Its other features include geofencing, location history, and limiting screen time. Family time is affordable and has a 3-day free trial plan.
Pros:
- User-friendly interface
- Comprehensive features
- Affordable with a 3-day free trial
Cons:
- Limited free trial
- Additional payment for advanced features
- Varied user experience
[appbox googleplay io.familytime.dashboard]
7. OurPact
OurPact, useful for controlling a child’s phone activities on both Android and iOS phones is yet another great parental control app that contains a lot of useful features. There is a block texting feature, web filter, and screen time-out feature. It also has a Family Locator feature that allows you to monitor your child’s location from your phone.
The free version contains limited features that may not be fully adequate for managing and monitoring your child’s phone activities, and the premium plan is pricey.
Pros:
- Effective text and web filtering
- Convenient screen time-out feature
- Family Locator for location monitoring
Cons:
- Limited features in the free version
- Premium plan is expensive
- Some users report occasional glitches
[appbox googleplay com.ourpact.androidparent]
[appbox appstore id954029412]
8. Wondershare FamiSafe
Wondershare FamiSafe is a parent monitoring app on which you can rely. It gives the live location of your kids at any time, and you can also view their location history. The Geofence feature notifies you when your children leave or enter an area you have set up on the tool, such as home or school.
The driving report feature allows you to monitor your child’s driving style so you can stop them from dangerous practices like exceeding speed limits. Wondershare FamiSafe is not restricted to location tracking; it also allows you to check your child’s web activity.
You can manage screen time, monitor the pages they visit, and allows you to view history on applications like TikTok and YouTube. With FamiSafe, you can shield your child from inappropriate internet use and keep track of their location.
Pros:
- Real-time location tracking
- Geofence alerts for specified areas
- Driving report for monitoring driving habits
- Comprehensive web activity monitoring
Cons:
- Requires subscription
- Varied user experience
- Occasional glitches
[appbox googleplay com.wondershare.famisafe&hl=en&gl=US]
[appbox appstore id1385417904]
9. Norton Family Parental Control
Norton Family parental control app helps you take care of your kids, even from a distance. You can stop them from installing or removing apps and prevent in-app purchases. Set age limits to filter out inappropriate movies and songs. The coolest part is controlling websites – either allow only certain ones or open everything with a part on the blacklist.
In the “Privacy” section, adjust access rights, like to the microphone or photo album. Once on your child’s phone, Norton Family lets you locate them, make the internet safe, limit access to risky sites, check app usage, and manage sound and internet remotely. Plus, keep an eye on the battery level.
The app’s interface is easy to use and customizable to fit your needs. Norton Family uses special device features in children’s mode, making it a handy tool for keeping your kids safe online and managing their device usage.
Pros:
- Manage apps, websites, and appropriate content
- Track location and manage device settings from afar
- Adjust access to microphone and photo album
- Easy interface customization
Cons:
- Constant monitoring may affect device performance
- Internet dependency
[appbox googleplay com.symantec.familysafety]
[appbox appstore id1447157106]
10. MMGuardian
MMGuardian Parental Control app is a tool for parents to guide their kids rather than outright blocking actions. A key feature is filtering websites based on diverse content categories like adult, violence, and weapons. The app adjusts settings based on the child’s age and displays warnings for potentially unwanted sites.
Parents receive alerts if their child ignores warnings or tries to access restricted content. Additionally, the app can monitor social network accounts if the child agrees, notifying parents of any attempts to disable the app.
To activate social network monitoring, a message is sent to the child’s email with a link to install the app on their profile. However, the child can choose not to install it. The app notifies parents if the child attempts to disable it, giving parents insights into their child’s online activities.
Pros:
- Warns instead of outright blocking
- Filters websites with diverse content categories
- Adjustable settings based on the child’s age
- Monitors social networks with parent alerts
Cons:
- Child may refuse social network monitoring
- Notifications may not stop all unwanted actions
- Requires participation from both parent and child
[appbox googleplay com.mmguardian.parentapp]
[appbox appstore id951476346]
Conclusion
These are just some of the best parental control and monitoring apps. They’re all available for Android and iOS devices. You’ll find it easy knowing what your children are up to with their phones. Hope you have a great time checking them out. Cheers!
