Do you really know what your kids are up to online? The social media landscape seems to change every day with new apps, security risks, and privacy concerns-- and it can be tough for parents to keep up. Thankfully there are many great educational tools and tracking control software that can help give parents peace of mind. The Smart Social team has done the research for you. Here are some pros and cons to dozens of the top parental control and cell phone monitoring apps on the market.
- 258shares
- Facebook155
- Twitter35
- Email29
- Print26
- Gmail13
Digital Driver's Ed by Smart Social
3-10 minute digital safety videos parents can watch alongside their kids (from an engaging outsider)
Pros: Learn how to use popular teen apps (like Snapchat), even if you aren’t tech savvy. Learn about threats and digital safety issues before your students hear about them (so you can protect them). Student videos help encourage a dialog about digital safety with your kids.
Compatible devices: iPhone, iPad, PC, Mac
Price: $97/year or $9.99 per month
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. At no cost to our readers, Smartsocial.com may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. This helps us create more blog posts that keep kids safe. Thank you for supporting us!
Gabb Wireless (our favorite phone for kids)
A device that looks like a smartphone that is specifically designed for tweens and teens
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: Has all of the features your child needs from a phone including calling, texting, calendar, alarm, calculator, and camera without the internet, games, social media, or the app store. Plans are month-to-month, so parents don’t need to sign up for a long term contract.
Cons: Gabb wireless cannot be added to your current cell phone plan, it is designed to operate separately.
Compatible devices: Gabb Wireless only works on their own devices.
Price: Buy the device today for $99 and plans start at $19.99 per month*
Village Social App
A private messaging and social app with built-in parental controls and designed to be safe for kids
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: A private social network for keeping in touch with people you know without the exposure of public content. Village Social is the only app with built-in monitoring and one of a few options for families on iOS devices. Monitoring features include alerts for inappropriate language and images, and automatic blocking of nude and explicit images. Parents can see real-time graphs of who their kids message and how often. Finally, Village offers fairly comprehensive parental controls for daily message limits, rating levels on gifs, and the ability to block sending/receiving pictures or following hyperlinks to content on the internet. All these features are free to parents and customizable for each child.
Cons: Only provides monitoring for messages and pictures sent on Village Social. Since Village Social is a new and private network, you and your kid will likely have to invite other families to join with you to take advantage of their features. The games and photo filters that many kids expect on social apps are not available on Village Social.
Compatible devices: iPhone, Android, Web
Price: Download Village App Here For Free*
Bark App
A mobile app that allows parents to monitor their child's device and social media activity
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: Almost every social media app is able to be monitored with Bark. Parents can even receive alerts for when new apps are downloaded on their child's device. Bark also has the ability to monitor a student's second Instagram (Finstagram) account.
Cons: Bark can interfere with other parental control softwares and doesn't allow parents to set screen time limits. Some parents have reported that they received alerts when they weren't necessary.
Compatible devices: PC, Mac, iOS, Android, and Amazon mobile devices
Price: Register here for $99 per year*
Circle with Disney
A wifi device and an app/software that helps you restrict and monitor internet activity for families
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: There is no limit to how many children or devices parents can monitor with Circle. Parents can filter content and apply time limits.
Cons: Circle does not offer remote management or include social media monitoring. Also, Circle doesn’t provide real time notifications for parents, if there is any abuse.
Compatible devices: Any device that is connected to the internet, including smartphones, tablets, computers, gaming consoles, laptops, and Smart TVs
Price: Buy it here for $129 plus $9.95 per month*
unGlue App
A solution that helps kids manage their own screen time within their parents’ time limits
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: Unglue groups together social media networks, games, gaming consoles, and other entertaining content into a simple setting that allows parents to set limitations. The app encourages kids to get moving by allowing them to trade daily steps for more screen time. Kids can also rollover unused screen time to the next day.
Compatible devices: Any device that is connected to the internet, including smartphones, tablets, computers, gaming consoles, laptops, and Smart TVs
Price: $9.99 per month or $83.99 per year*
Clean Router
A filter that helps parents manage everything connected to their home WiFi
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: There is no limit to how many children or devices parents can monitor with Clean Router. Parents can filter and manage all of the devices in the house as well as set time limitations for their children.
Cons: Clean Router does not offer unique user-settings if parents have children with different monitoring needs and restrictions.
Compatible devices: PC, Mac, tablets (iPad, Android), smart phones (iPhone, Android, Windows), Smart TVs, iPods and gaming systems such as Xbox and PlayStation
Price: $12.99 per month for desktop or $19.99 per month for desktop and mobile*
Fingbox
A network security system with parental controls, internet security checks, remote home monitoring, digital fence, and more
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: Parents can block devices from accessing their network or pause the internet connection on specific devices. Fingbox offers digital presence which allows parents to see who is at home and what devices are being used. The digital fence can track anyone near your home, even if they aren’t connected to your wifi.
Cons: Some users have reported that devices will randomly go offline, the device offers very little control for the user, and there aren’t many options for configuring it for your home. Also, Fingbox stores your data in their cloud as opposed to locally which is a concern for some users.
Compatible devices: Any device that is connected to the internet, including smartphones, tablets, computers, gaming consoles, laptops, and Smart TVs. Requires users to have an iOS or Android mobile device.
Price: $129*
HomeGuard Activity Monitor
Monitoring software for parents to help protect their family online
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: A screenshot capture feature offers parents the ability to monitor their child by seeing screenshots of their activity, as opposed to textual data.
Cons: The software delivers a lot of monitoring data in text form and sometimes that data can be confusing. Also, this software can be incredibly difficult to remove from your computer once you’re ready to stop using it.
Compatible devices: PC
Price: $49*
HomeHalo
Parental control tool that helps parents set screen time guidelines and monitor content
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: Parents can choose to filter out specific content that is inappropriate and schedule access times for each child. Instant block makes it easy for parents to “pause” internet access whenever they want. HomeHalo sends alerts to parents if their children try to tamper with any parental controls.
Cons: Some users have reported that HomeHalo slows down web page loading and a lot of the times will end with the page timing out. There is no customer support offered on the weekends, so if parents experience an issue they have to wait until the work week to resolve the issue with the support team.
Compatible devices: Any device that is connected to the internet, including smartphones, tablets, computers, gaming consoles, laptops, and Smart TVs
Price: $99*
Kaspersky Safe Kids
Software to help parents protect their family’s money, privacy, identity, and data online
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: There is no limit to how many children or devices parents can monitor with Kaspersky Safe Kids. Also, parents can set up content filters that block or warn their children, as well as set time limitations for certain apps.
Cons: Kaspersky Safe Kids really lacks coverage for iOS users since it only offers call and text monitoring on Android and doesn’t offer app control on iOS devices. The US Government has banned this software from government agencies.
Compatible devices: iPhone, iPad, Android, PC, and Mac
Price: $49.99 per year*
Kidslox
A parental control app that helps parents block and filter content on mobile devices
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: Parents can easily set screen time limits based on the app being used or the day of the week. There is no limit to how many children or mobile devices parents can monitor with Kidslox. The app also emails parents a weekly update of any new apps that have been downloaded onto the device they’re monitoring.
Cons: Kidslox only works on mobile devices, so if you want to protect your family when they use a desktop, smart TV, or gaming console then this app doesn’t offer enough protection. Some users have reported that the app scrambles the apps and folders on their phone, causing them to have to reorganize their device.
Compatible devices: iPhone and Android
Price: $3.99 - $19.99 per month*
Life360
A real-time location sharing and messaging app that uses GPS to help families locate one another
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: Families can see the location of family members on a private map. Life360 offers a premium feature with car crash detection and emergency response, so if someone gets in an accident the app alerts everyone in their “circle” and dispatches emergency services if needed.
Cons: Some users have reported that the app sometimes has trouble accurately updating locations in real-time and that customer support is difficult to get in contact with. Also, students with multiple devices will sometimes keep one device in the “safe zone” to hide their real location from their parents.
Compatible devices: iPhone and Android
Price: Free or $69.99 per year for Life360 Driver Protect*
View our review of the Life360 Family Locator App
Download the app here
Mac OS Parental Controls (Owned by Apple)
Built in parental controls for families with Apple devices
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: Easily accessible for Mac users through the parental control options in system preferences. Offers time limits, as well as the option to block certain apps, sites and messaging with specific people. A fairly robust option for Mac users.
Cons: The Mac OS X parental controls are only available on Apple devices which leaves all other devices vulnerable including phones, tablets, gaming devices, e-readers, and more.
Compatible devices: Mac desktop, notebook, iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad
Price: Free on any Mac desktop, notebook, iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad*
Yosemite, iPhone & iPad, Sierra
Register here for Josh's iPhone parental control setup course
MMGaurdian
Parental control software that helps parents monitor their child’s activities on their smartphone or tablet
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: MMGaurdian provides parents with a lot of features like setting screen time limits, web filtering, device location, and text/photo monitoring. Parents can even establish keywords that will trigger an alert if detected on their child’s text messages.
Cons: Some parents have reported that the user interface can be difficult to learn and their children were able to bypass the app’s parental controls without alerting or notifying them.
Compatible devices: iPhone, iPad, Android, and Android Tablet
Price: Monthly plans start at $1.99*
Mobicip
Parental control software that allows parents to filter content, monitor apps, and set time limits on devices
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: Mobicip works across platforms, offers a strong content filter, and doesn’t limit the number of devices parents can monitor.
Cons: While parents can monitor an unlimited amount of devices, they are limited to only monitoring 10 children or less and Mobicip does not include social media monitoring or real time notifications for parents, if there is any abuse.
Compatible devices: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android, PC, Chromebook, Mac, Galaxy, Kindle, and Nook
Price: Free or Premium $39.99*
MOTOsafety
Teen GPS tracking device which helps parents increase the safety of their teen driver
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: The software sends parents alerts for unsafe driving behaviors. Parents can monitor their teen's driving in real time and set a curfew so that if their teen uses the car after curfew they receive an alert. MOTOsafety also allows parents to see where their teen has stopped and for how long.
Cons: Some users report that it can be hard to reach customer service and that the data provided isn't always accurate.
Compatible devices: iPhone, iPad, and Android
Price: $99 for the devices and $19.99 per month*
MSpy
A monitoring software that helps parents remotely track their child’s activity on their desktop or mobile device
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: Unlike many digital safety apps, MSpy monitors content on Whatsapp, Snapchat, Viber, Skype, Tinder, Google Hangouts, and Facebook Messenger.
Cons: MSpy only works if you jailbreak your iPhone (they recently launched a non-jailbreak solution for iOS7+). If parents want to monitor more than one device they will have to pay for additional accounts. Customer support is offered by email or instant messaging but MSpy charges users if they want to speak to support by phone.
Compatible devices: Android, PC, and Mac
Price: $74.99 - 149.99 per year*
Net Nanny
Software and apps that help parents monitor and protect their kids
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: There is no limit to how many devices parents can monitor with Net Nanny Social. Offers parents the ability to set an Internet time allowance across multiple devices.
Cons: Net Nanny Social limits parents to only monitoring 10 children or less and does not work on iOS or Windows XP.
Compatible devices: iPhone, iPad, Android, PC, and Mac
Price: $39.99 per year*
Norton Core (Owned by Symantec)
A wireless router with parental control features that protects all internet connected devices connected to the router
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: Parents can protect an unlimited amount of devices on their network and can even “pause” the internet on one device or all devices. Bedtime can be set so that devices can’t access the internet after a certain time each night.
Cons: Some of the best features available on the Norton Core router require a yearly subscription to access. It can be easy for tech savvy teens to bypass the restrictions set up by Norton Core.
Compatible devices: Any device that is connected to the internet, including smartphones, tablets, computers, gaming consoles, laptops, and Smart TVs
Price: $229.99 for the router and $9.99 per year for the subscription service*
Norton Family (Owned by Symantec)
Software and an app that helps parents monitor their kids online
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: There is no limit to how many children or devices parents can monitor with Norton Family. The software encourages parents to engage with their kids and let them know what the digital house rules are.
Cons: Norton Family does not offer social network monitoring and offers limited iOS support.
Compatible devices: iPhone, iPad, Android, PC and Mac
Price: $49.99 per year*
OpenDNS (Owned by Cisco)
Software to route your internet traffic in a way that speeds up your connection and makes your browsing safer
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: There is no limit to how many children or devices parents can monitor with OpenDNS. Also, all of the essential functions of the software can be found in the free version.
Cons: OpenDNS does not offer unique user-settings if parents have children with different monitoring needs and restrictions. Also, there are no real time notifications for parents, if there is any abuse or remote management.
Compatible devices: Any device that is connected to the internet, including smartphones, tablets, computers, gaming consoles, laptops, and Smart TVs
Price: Free or VIP $19.95 per year*
OurPact
An app that combines family locator and screen time management features
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: Parents can use OurPact to create device usage schedules, block apps, limit screen time, block devices at any time (even while they're in use), locate their family, and block inappropriate content.
Cons: Some parents have reported that it can be difficult to get OurPact set up on iOS devices and without wifi it can be tricky for kids to pause and start their screen time.
Compatible devices: iOS and Android devices
Price: Free for 1 device or $6.99 per month for premium*
QTIME
A parental control device that works with an app to set screen time limits on gaming consoles
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: The device alerts children when their screen time limit is approaching and automatically turns off the gaming console and TV when the limit has been reached. Parents are notified immediately if their child is trying to circumvent the parental control device. Children can earn extra screen time by completing chores or other positive activities.
Cons: The device and app only work to limit screen time on gaming consoles, families who use other devices (like smartphones or tablets) will not be protected with QTIME.
Compatible devices: iPhone, Android, PlayStation, and Xbox
Price: $59.99 for the device*
Qustodio
Parental control app that helps families supervise, manage and protect their child's device use
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: Offers parents comprehensive monitoring abilities for online or social activities on PC, Mac, iOS, Android, Nook, or Kindle devices.
Cons: Qustodio limits monitoring and safety features on iOS devices which will make this software difficult to use for families with iPhones. Also, parents are limited to monitoring up to 10 children across 10 devices with Qustodio.
Compatible devices: iPhone, Android, PC, Mac, Kindle and Nook
Price: starting at $54.95 per year*
SafeDNS
Online security software that helps parents monitor, block, and filter content
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: There is no limit to how many children or devices you can monitor with SafeDNS. This software allows parents to filter dangerous websites for all of the devices on their network.
Cons: SafeDNS lacks several standard parental control options that other softwares typically offer and provides little protection from websites with malicious intent.
Compatible devices: iPhone, iPad, Mac, Android, PC, and Linux
Price: $19.95 per year*
Sentry Parental Control
A mobile monitoring service that helps parents track multiple devices and sends alerts when suspicious behavior is detected
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: Sentry Parental Control offers parents the ability to continuously track their child's location, review app usage reports, and be alerted when suspicious content or activity is detected. Parents can monitor content on apps like Snapchat, Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp, Kik, and Viber.
Cons: As of this review, Sentry Parental Control is only available on Android devices. Parents can't review every message on their child's device, they can only see messages containing flagged keywords.
Compatible devices: Android
Price: Free or up to $64.99*
SoaringSafe
A parental control app that features an app blocker, porn blocker, bed time schedules, one click installation, and more
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: SoaringSafe is a completely free solution for blocking porn and violence across browsers and on all networks for unlimited devices. One click installation makes it easy to set up SoaringSafe on any device.
Cons: Parents who want to block specific apps or malware will need to sign up for a premium account.
Compatible devices: iPhone, iPad, Android, and all other cellular or wifi enabled devices
Price: Free or up to $4.99 per month*
Surfie App (Owned by Pure Sight)
Software that detects cyberbullying, filters out inappropriate content, and notifies parents of any negative online activity
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: With geofencing capabilities, parents can see where their children are at all times and even get alerts if their children leave or enter a certain area. Surfie works on mobile devices and desktops.
Cons: The Surfie app only offers customer support via email which can be problematic for some parents. Parents can’t monitor emails through Surfie or filter out profanity.
Compatible devices: iPhone, iPad, Android, PC, and Mac
Price: $49.99 per year*
Teen Safe
A subscription based smartphone tracking software built by parents for parents
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: Parents can use one Teen Safe account to monitor multiple children and access all sent, received, and deleted texts or iMessages. With the accompanying app, parents can easily create a schedule that automatically turns phones off and on at certain times every day. Teen Safe also monitors Kik Messenger and WhatsApp.
Cons: Setting up Teen Safe can be confusing and time consuming. 24/7 customer service is not available and some parents report that customer support is slow to respond.
Compatible devices: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and Android
Price: $14.95 per month plus $9.99 per month for the mobile app*
WebProtectMe
A filtering tool that helps parents restrict what content their children can access when browsing the internet
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: Parents can customize internet browsing for each of their children. WebProtectMe is intuitive and easy to use. Many parents report that the app has frequent updates that offer new features for no additional cost.
Cons: Some users report that the app crashes from time to time, sometimes inappropriate content can make it pass the filter, and that the restrictions can be easy for tech-savvy teens to bypass.
Compatible devices: iPhone and iPad
Price: Free or $9.99 per month for premium*
WebWatcher
An app designed for parents to easily monitor their child’s digital activities
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: Parents set configurations via an online portal and they can also set words that trigger WebWatcher to immediately email them once one of those triggers words is used.
Cons: WebWatcher doesn’t encourage having an open digital dialog as a family since it offers the option for parents to stealthily spy on their children’s online activities.
Compatible devices: iPhone, Android, PC, and Mac
Price: $99.95 per year*
Windows Family Safety (Owned by Microsoft)
Built in parental controls that helps families stay connected, and keep kids safer on Windows 10 and Xbox One devices
SmartSocial.com Review:
Pros: Parents can block inappropriate web content, set limits on sites, games, or apps, and control screen time for kids with Windows Family Safety.
Cons: Windows Family Safety content filtering only works on Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge which leaves children susceptible to danger if they browse the internet from any other browser. Also, Windows Family Safety is only available on Windows desktops, notebooks, and phones which leaves all other devices vulnerable including phones, tablets, gaming devices, e-readers, and more.
Compatible devices: PC, Windows notebook, Xbox One, or Windows phone
Price: Free on any Windows desktop, notebook, Xbox One, or phone*
* The pricing on each of these apps/software packages may change without notice.
This page does not endorse any of these companies or software. Please carefully research each piece of software before you register and sign up.