Are you worried about your child's online privacy? Want to protect your child and keep them away from inappropriate content online? Do you want to know if your kid is concealing something from you? If the answers to these questions are yes, then these 6 best parental control apps are something you should know about.
At a time when technology is evolving at a rapid pace, it is difficult for parents to see what their younger ones are doing online. Today, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, children are always on their phones. While the internet is packed with great information and can be used to learn online, it exposes children to inappropriate content. Also, excess use of the internet distracts kids from their future goals. This is why parental control apps are considered so crucial. They are the apps that give parents a better grip on their child’s online activities and help them guide their kids on their journey. However, choosing the right software to accomplish the task isn't always as simple as it appears. This is why Home Of Expertise has done the legwork for you. Our experts have done thorough research and tested different applications in the market and eventually come up with a list of the 6 best parental control apps.
Our Top 6 Best Parental Control Apps
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Pricing
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iOS/Android
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No. Of Devices
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Free Version/ Trial Period
|
|
Kaspersky Safe Kids
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$14.99/year
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Both
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500 (maximum)
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Free Version Available/7-Days Free Trial
|
|
Bark
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$ 14 /month
or
$ 99 /year
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Both
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Unlimited
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7-Days Free Trial
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|
Qustodio
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$54.95/year
to
$137.95/year
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Both
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Up to 15
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3-Days Free Trial
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|
Norton Family Premier
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$49.99/year
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Both
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Unlimited
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Not Available
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|
OurPact
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$6.99/month
to
$9.99/month
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Both
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Up to 20
|
Free Version
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|
FamilyTime
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$27/year
to
$69/year
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Both
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Unlimited
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3-Days Free Trial
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1. Kaspersky Safe Kids
Pros:
- Affordable
- Monitors Windows and Mac devices
- Offers screen-time management
- Feature-packed on both free and paid version
- No limit on protection devices or profiles
Cons:
- Feature limitations for iOS devices
- Sluggish interface
- Does not offer social media monitoring
- Slows down the system
Verdict: Kaspersky Safe Kids is one of the best parental control apps that offer a lot at a low price. This system is fully packed with incredible features to help parents watch over their kids, even when they are not around. Along with letting parents keep an eye, Kaspersky also offers a safe online and offline world to the kids. It is a flexible tool that blocks inappropriate and harmful content, tracks the kid's locations, filters the search results, and delivers a positive online experience. Even though there are some drawbacks, it is the ideal parental control app if you want to safeguard your kids without breaking the bank.
2. Bark
Pros:
- Monitors email, social media, texts, etc.
- Helps in managing screen time
- Provides world-class support service
- Compatible with Amazon Fire
- No added fees
Cons:
- Shorter trial period
- Expensive choice
- No GPS function
- Text monitoring only on premium plans
Verdict: Bark is one of the few parental control apps that go above and beyond to offer kids a safer world online. It is a comprehensive control tool that offers the maximum coverage with monitoring over 30+ apps and social media platforms. Other than that, it keeps a tab on emails and PC-based online activities. It also includes the location-sharing feature, web filtering, alert notifications, and 24/7 self-harm situation detection. While this system is expensive, it is unique and packed with features that go a long way to protect your child.
3. Qustodio
Pros:
- Wide feature set
- Well-designed interface
- Cross-platform support
- Available for multiple platforms
- Excellent content filtering
Cons:
- Only 3-days trial period
- Unreliable web filtering
- Expensive plans
Verdict: Qustodio is a parental control app that is an easy-to-manage tool even for non-tech savvy parents. It is an all-in-one solution that ensures a risk-free digital world for children by filtering the websites, blocking unwanted apps, setting time limits, etc. This app is perfect for building positive digital habits in kids. The biggest drawback is its hefty price tag. For enjoying all the benefits and ultimate security, parents have to pay $137 for a year which is quite a lot. However, if money is not an issue for you, this is one of the best parental control apps that you can opt for.
4. Norton Family
Pros:
- Budget-friendly system
- Outstanding web dashboard
- Excellent geofencing tools
- Sends detailed monthly or weekly reports
- Works on Windows
Cons:
- Can’t block apps on PCs
- Not supported by Mac devices
- No monthly subscription available
- No social media tracking
Verdict: Norton Family is among the best parental control apps that provides all-round protection to your child while using the internet. This app provides the right balance for children to become smart, tech-safe, and develop healthy online activities. This system comes with an easy-to-use portal with incredible features like Web Supervision, Video Supervision, Email Alerts, Instant Lock, Location Supervision, and more. With so much to offer, it is a perfect full-service option at a low cost. Like every other parental control app, it lacks some aspects; however, the price makes it a worthy investment.
5. OurPact
Pros:
- Offers a free version
- Has powerful feature set for iOS
- Can monitor up to 20 devices
- Outstanding design and navigation
- Has two time management features
Cons:
- Limited features for the free version
- Doesn’t monitor calls or texts
- Takes time to set up
- Glitches on the app
Verdict: OurPat is one of the most potent and best parental control apps that is packed with great features. It is a great tool that sets healthy boundaries with online activities and safeguards children from getting trapped online. It can do anything that parents want the app to do. It allows to schedule screen time, manually block the online content from being accessed, locate family members, web filtering, block texting, live viewing of child’s activities, and more. Along with unmatched features, the fact that it comes with a free version makes it a clear winner among the other 6 best parental control apps. It also has some drawbacks, but that doesn’t overpower its offerings.
6. FamilyTime
Pros:
- Detailed report of child’s online activities
- No limit on protecting devices or profiles
- Easy to install and setup
- More features for iOS than others
- Compatible with Amazon devices
Cons:
- Not available for window devices
- Only 3-days free trial
- Limited features for the free version
- No social media monitoring
Verdict: The last parental control app on our list is FamilyTime. It is an affordable option for monitoring a child's online activities. Even at a low cost, it offers a slew of features that makes safety more fun and interesting. For effective and effortless digital parenting, it offers features like speed limit alerts, contact watchlist alerts, family pause, gamified screen-time management, SOS/panic button, safe teen drive, monitor text messages, and much more. Getting this app is a competent and instant way for parents to keep their kids safe. While it has some cons, they become negligible in front of its offerings.
Some More Suggestions
The above-mentioned are our 6 best parental control apps that we highly recommend to all our readers. However, several other apps are worth looking out for. Check these out and pick the one that goes with your needs the best.
1. Google Family Link
2. Safe Lagoon
3. Moment
4. ScreenTime
5. Net Nanny
6. KidLogger
7. MMGuardian
8. Mobicip
9. Circle Home Plus
10. Canopy
How Did We Review These Parental Control Apps?
Before we end this discussion, it is crucial to discuss how we reviewed the parental control apps. Knowing so will help you better trust our choices and use our recommendations. So, here are some of the criteria that we took into account.
Price: The cost of the service and how many devices it can monitor.
Ease Of Installation: How you need to install the app, the time it takes to set up, and the devices it can work on. Then we checked if there was an issue that came up.
Unique Features: The unique capabilities of the app. We compared the features across the control apps and checked if they delivered what they promised or not.
Performance: How does the app work? Is it easy-to-use or requires a person to be tech-savvy? Can kids use it and make the most of the system? We found the answers to these questions to understand its performance.
Final Verdict:
These are the best parental control apps that we have for you. These apps will give you an idea about what your children are doing online and let you monitor, restrict, and manage their activities. So, check out these applications and get your hands on one that suits you the best.
