Online contact can escalate to a child being harmed or taken. Open communication and agreed rules are the first step; these apps help you track and manage internet use and protect children from harmful content. V4CR is not affiliated with any of these companies. Do your own research on compatibility, pricing, reviews and coverage for your family's needs.
Monitoring apps
- FamiSafe
- Screen-time control, real-time location and location history, app blocking, and alerts for inappropriate content, with a geo-fence that tells you when a child crosses a boundary you set. Simple to operate.
- mSpy
- Tracks calls and internet activity, reads texts and social-media chats, and monitors pictures sent and received. Blocks unknown numbers and runs invisibly. Does not record live calls or lock the phone remotely.
- ESET Parental Control
- Time limits for apps, filtering of apps and websites, an SOS button, geo-fencing and GPS location. Android only; social-media messages cannot be read.
- FlexiSpy
- Sees everything that happens on a computer or smartphone from anywhere, including instant messaging, with remote screenshots of calls and messages. No free tier.
- Qustodio
- An all-in-one parental control and digital-wellbeing tool that monitors multiple devices with detailed call and text information from a simple dashboard. No geo-fencing.
- Net Nanny
- Web filtering, screen-time management and alerts across the family's devices.
- Bark
- Monitors texts, email, YouTube and more than thirty apps and social networks for signs of trouble, and sends alerts rather than everything.
- Norton Family
- Web supervision, time limits, location and search monitoring across Windows, Android and iOS.
- Google Family Link and Apple Screen Time
- Free, built-in controls for app approval, screen time, content restrictions and location, and the right place to start on any device.
Choosing one
- Decide what matters most: location, message monitoring, web filtering, time limits, or all of them.
- Check that it covers every device your child uses, including game consoles and tablets.
- Tell your child it is there and why. Monitoring works best as a safety rule everyone understands, not a secret.
- Pair it with the red-flag app list and the habits in internet safety.