Whether for communication, entertainment, games, study, or online classes, most kids nowadays own mobile phones or tablets. This easy access and increased screen time put the guardians under more pressure. Now, they need to ensure that the young ones are protected from the ill-effects of technology. And while Apple has some built-in parental monitoring features, these best parental control apps for iPhone and iPad give you many more tools to monitor and safeguard your children. Let’s check it out.
- Google Family Link for Parents
- OurPact – Parental Control App
- Norton Family for Parents
- Kidslox
- Kaspersky Safe Kids
- Spyic
- Verizon Smart Family
- FamiSafe
- mSpy Tracker Find Family Phone
- Mobicip
- Qustodio Parental Control App
- Bark – Parental Controls
1. Google Family Link for Parents
Google’s solution to the parental control tool is quite similar to Apple’s Screen Time. You can ensure that your child only accesses appropriate content. And monitor their screen time in depth.
See which apps are being used and for how long. While it doesn’t pose any high-end features, it makes for a great free option if the parents are using an Android device.
Price: Free Download
2. OurPact – Parental Control App
OurPact has a host of parental monitoring features, from kid tracker, GPS locator to text, app, and website blocker. And while a bit complex to start with, it lets you seamlessly manage your family’s screen time and location once you get the hang.
Other vital features are geofencing, new app alerts, x-rating content blocker, Find My Family, and scheduling screen time.
Price: Free (OurPact Plus – $1.99 and Premium – $6.99) Download
3. Norton Family for Parents
You might be familiar with this brand for producing amazing antivirus software. The Norton Family Premier program is equally great for restricting and monitoring a child’s online behavior.
It boasts extensive and strict web supervision. What’s neat, if you don’t want to block a website completely, Norton will issue warnings, so the child knows that they have to be careful.
Price: Free (Yearly Plan – $49.99) Download
4. Kidslox
Recommended by multiple parenting experts, Kidslox offers cross-platform coverage. You can remotely monitor the child across iPhone, iPad, or Android mobiles, up to 10 devices at once.
The best part is that you can switch between an unrestricted ‘Parent mode,’ a custom ‘Child mode,’ and an entirely restricted ‘Lockdown mode’ with a touch of a button.
Price: Free (Premium Starts at $1.99) Download
5. Kaspersky Safe Kids
Kaspersky’s child app incorporates a variety of monitoring features, designed especially for a parent’s aid. It has got tools to manage and monitor screen time, geofencing, and block inappropriate content.
In addition, you get real-time alerts and detailed reports of your chid’s activities. So you can keep them from any harm, every time.
Price: Free (Yearly subscription starts at $10.99) Download
6. Spyic
It might be a little more sneaky than others on our list because it can monitor and track the child without their notice. That’s right, Spyic can hide in a device and pass the guardian the information they need to know.
Spyic boasts quite an extensive feature list; it can help you monitor calls, iMessage, social media activity, apps, browser history, Location & Geo-Fencing, and contacts on the device.
Price: Free (subscription starts at $49.99/month) Download
7. Verizon Smart Family
The Smart Family app lends you full control over your child’s mobile, from tracking their location, blocking apps & websites, monitoring texts & call history, to temporarily pausing the Internet.
You can also schedule alerts for their device location, i.e., get alerts when they reach or leave a particular location such as home, school, or practice.
Price: Free (Subscription – $4.99/month) Download
8. FamiSafe
Loaded with features such as location tracking, geofencing, app monitoring, web content filtering, and remote screen time control, FamiSafe enables parents to keep a close eye on their kids.
One interesting feature of the app is that you can use screen time and app control combined with geofencing. So, your child’s device or certain apps can be blocked according to zones, such as school, playground, or practice.
Price: Free (Membership Starts – $9.99 to $59.99) Download
9. mSpy Tracker Find Family Phone
If you don’t prefer helicopter-style parenting and just need to ensure your child’s safety, mSpy might be the app for you. It can track up to 10 devices at a time, so not just your kids; this app can keep track of your full family.
The app features a real-time cell phone GPS tracker, a location history of up to 3 months, unlimited geofencing alerts, and even a panic button for emergencies. Check out our in-depth review of the mSpy iOS app for further details.
Price: Free (Membership Starts from $9.99) Download
10. Mobicip
What makes Mobicip special is its award-winning internet filter. The app employs an Age-based filter that can be set at Strict, Moderate, or Mature level.
And not just individual sites or apps; it allows you to block content according to categories. If your kid tries to access any restricted content, an alert will instantly be sent to your device.
Price: Free (Membership Starts at $4.99) Download
11. Qustodio Parental Control App
From its layout to its feature, Qustodio is a simple yet effective parental control app. It employs a secure VPN technology to monitor websites and blocks inappropriate websites.
Further, it sends daily web browsing data from your child’s iOS device to your inbox. You can also control screen time and set a schedule or a quota on your child’s devices.
Price: Free (Cost $54.99/year for up to 5 devices) Download
12. Bark – Parental Controls
Bark offers a comprehensive approach to parental control. It enables you to monitor & manage content, screen time, and filter websites.
The app monitors the child’s texts, email, YouTube, social media platforms, and 30+ apps for cyberbullying & adult content issues. Parents will receive alerts only when there is an issue spotted.
So, the guardians don’t have full access to everything, just potent things they might need to know about.
Price: Free (subscription starts from $5.99) Download
Parental Control Apps that Help you Keep your Kids Safe Online!
Parental control apps are a great way to monitor your child’s device usage and to set some digital ground rules in place. But along with such apps, we also advise that you talk to your kids, especially teens, and make them understand the negative effects of the Internet.