By using a parental control app, moms and dads will be able to prevent kids from seeing and engaging with dangerous social media posts. These apps also let parents block certain websites, protect kids’ devices from viruses, and track the child’s location. In this article, we looked at the top parental control apps on the market and narrowed our list to the seven best-performing apps.
Top 7 Best Parental Control Apps for 2023
When it comes to finding parental control apps that will work for your family, there’s a lot to choose from. We ranked apps based on what they’re best at, so you can quickly scan to see what fits your family’s lifestyle best. Below is a summary of our top 7 best parental control apps in 2023.
1. Qustodio: Best Parental Control App Overall
Supported devices: Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Android, iPhone and iPad, and Kindle Pricing: Starts at $54.95/year
We chose Qustodio as the best overall app for a few reasons. First, it offers a free version. It doesn’t include the advanced features other apps have, but it does have a free version. (Most parental control companies don’t offer free versions, only shorter-term free trials.) Additionally, Qustodio is available in eight languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, Chinese, and Japanese. Qustodio is a good option for an Android parental control app because all of its features are compatible with Android devices. Since it doesn’t offer the same features for iOS devices, we suggest families with a lot of iOS devices use Bark, especially if you want text message monitoring.
Qustodio pros and cons
Qustodio features
Web content and app filtering Online activity monitoring Screen time controls Phone call and text message tracking SOS feature for Android devices Location tracking and geo-fencing Real-time alerts
Advanced monitoring, location services, and fast alerts
Using one of Qustodio’s paid packages, you have a lot of options for site blocking, app blocking, and activity monitoring. If your kids try to access a blocked website, you’ll know about it via a real-time alert. Using a feature called Safe Search, web results on Google, Bing, and YouTube will be blocked from displaying any harmful content. We also like Qustodio’s location tracking feature. While it’s not as advanced as Life360 when it comes to tracking your child’s location, it offers more tracking features than Bark because it offers geo-fencing. Geo-fencing lets you know where your kids are and if they leave preset zones or saved locations that you’ve created.
How much does Qustodio cost?
The other reason we ranked Qustodio as the best overall parental control software is that for the features you get, it doesn’t come at a steep price for its reliable all-around protection. It’s certainly not the cheapest parental control software on the market, but between their small, medium, and large packages, you can make sure you only pay for the number of devices you need. Qustodio offers users a free version of their app with basic features. Try it today and see if it’s the right choice for your family! You can upgrade or cancel anytime.
2. Bark: Best Parental Control App for iOS Devices
Pricing: Starts at $49/year
Bark is one of the best parental control apps available today. However, because it doesn’t offer a free version, it’s only available in three languages, and its location services aren’t as advanced as Qustodio or Life360, it didn’t make our top spot. However, in all other areas like web filtering, email and text monitoring, and social media monitoring, Bark excels.
Bark pros and cons
Bark features
Social media monitoring Manage screen time Web filtering Text and email monitoring Location check-ins
Comprehensive monitoring for iOS devices
Our favorite feature with Bark is its compatibility with iOS devices. For the 30+ apps it can monitor, Bark has very sensitive content monitoring features that give parents reliable insight into their kid’s social media activity. Bark can monitor texts, voice memos, photos, videos, Chrome browsing, and notes directly from your child’s iOS device. It can also monitor seven different email platforms on iOs including AOL, Comcast, Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and iCloud. Bark has comprehensive monitoring for iOS devices, leagues ahead of competitors like Qustodio, which can only do call and text monitoring on Android devices.
How much does Bark cost?
Bark is right in the middle of pricing for parental control apps. It’s not the cheapest or the most expensive, but it does offer unlimited devices on both of its packages which is a huge plus. Other parental control software like Net Nanny and Qustodio limit the number of devices for families. Users can try the full suite of Bark’s features in a 7-day free trial. You can upgrade or cancel at any time. Alternatively, read our full review of Bark to see how it fared under our testing.
3. Kaspersky Safe Kids: Best Parental Control App for YouTube Streaming
Supported devices: Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices Pricing: Starts at $14.99/year
Kaspersky Safe Kids is a parental control software created by Kaspersky Cybersecurity Solutions. We like Kaspersky because it works well with the antivirus protection packages offered by Kaspersky. You can log into the same account and manage your parent portal, as well as keep your cyber security up to date with Kaspersky’s security software. Our favorite feature, however, is Kaspersky’s YouTube Safe Search for avid YouTube users.
Kaspersky Safe Kids pros and cons
Kaspersky Safe Kids features
Block access to inappropriate content on websites and apps Create screen time limits for all of your kids and devices Location-tracking and geo-fencing YouTube Safe Search
Advanced YouTube monitoring
Kaspersky Safe Kids offers many of the same features as Qustodio and Bark, but it excels in its ability to keep your child safe while using YouTube with a feature called YouTube Safe Search. It blocks harmful searches and prevents kids from viewing inappropriate content based on preset filters that parents can determine (like alcohol or drugs). Parents are also notified with an alert if their child searches for something that might be harmful, so parents can respond quickly if needed. Kasperky’s YouTube Safe Search also keeps a log of your child’s YouTube search activity, so you can see what topics they are interested in looking up. Kaspersky Safe Kids is a great choice for families with kids who often browse YouTube for school or fun. It has some of the most advanced YouTube filters available for parental control software. To learn more, you can read about how to keep kids safe on YouTube.
Limited social media and web filtering
The biggest downside to Safe Kids is that the only social media platforms it monitors are Facebook and VK. For Facebook, you have to install an app on their profile, which your child has to accept and can also delete at any time. Not the most effective social media coverage compared to Bark or Qustodio. It can, however, block apps automatically that are age-inappropriate for your child. Web browser filtering is limited on their mobile devices for both Android (Chrome and Kaspersky’s Safe Browser) and iOS (only Kaspersky Safe Browser). On the desktop version, Kaspersky monitors several other browser options including Chrome, Edge, Safari, Yandex, or Internet Explorer.
How much does Kaspersky Safe Kids cost?
Like Qustodio, Kaspersky offers a free version of their parental control app with limited functions. On Safe Kids Free, parents can have some web monitoring (full functions only available in paid version), YouTube Safe Search, app usage control, and screen time management. Kasperksy has a free version available for parents to try on unlimited devices, but it only has basic features. You can upgrade or cancel your account anytime.
4. Net Nanny: Best Parental Control App for Social Media
Pricing: Starts at $39.99/year
Net Nanny has one of the most advanced web filtering systems of the parental control apps on the market. Net Nanny uses artificial intelligence technology to analyze online searches and websites and sends you real-time alerts when your child accesses content related to categories of porn, suicide, weapons, or drug-related content. In total, there are 14 categories you can allow, alert, or block in Net Nanny’s Content Filtering settings. The best part is that you can even create your own categories, too.
Net Nanny pros and cons
Net Nanny features
Monitor online activity Limit screen time Online content filtering with AI App and website blocking Real-time alerts Location services including tracking, history, and geofencing YouTube monitoring
Social media protection
What we love most about Net Nanny is its social media protection that allows parents to protect, allow, or block certain social media apps including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. Parents can also see every app their child has downloaded. While Net Nanny’s AI software does a great job on the web, it can’t monitor your child’s smartphone text messages as Bark does. If you’re concerned about self-harm or depression, this is a big gap in protection since most young kids would talk to their friends about these kinds of things.
How much does Net Nanny cost?
Net Nanny’s best value package is cheaper than Bark and Qustodio, but it limits the number of devices with each plan. You can choose which package is best for your family based on how many and what type of devices need protection. There’s no free trial or free version of Net Nanny, but you can buy their basic package for only $39.99/year (less than $4/month) and see if it’s a good fit for your family.
5. Norton Family: Best Parental Control App with Antivirus Protection
Supported devices: Windows PC, iOS, and Android Pricing: Starts at $49.99/year
While Qustodio is good for Android users too, we like that Norton also offers antivirus packages and can give devices users better cybersecurity coverage in addition to parental control software features. Norton has been around for more than 30 years and is one of the best and more trusted antivirus software companies out there.
Pros and cons of Norton Family
Norton Family features
Location tracking, geofencing, and check-in features Screen time schedules Website filtering App blocking View search terms and web use Device locking Mobile App Supervision
No social media monitoring
If your child often uses the web for research or you worry may click on a harmful link, using parental control software that’s highly compatible with antivirus software is a great idea. Better yet, you can manage it all from your Norton.com account. If you don’t have a protection plan for your devices, read our Norton 360 review. However, the biggest downside with Norton is that it doesn’t monitor social media apps. On Android devices, you can block or allow certain apps, but this isn’t available on Windows or iOS and doesn’t monitor content on the apps they are allowed to use. Furthermore, Norton Family is not supported on Mac computers, so it’s not ideal for Apple users.
How much does Norton Family cost?
Norton Family is affordable for all the services offered by the company. If you buy a security package, Norton Family is included! We’ve included the price of Norton Family and the security packages. Norton doesn’t have a free trial, but you can buy Norton family for only $49.99 for your first year. Read our full review of Norton Family for a more comprehensive walkthrough of the app.
6. Life360: Best Parental Control App for Location Tracking
Supported devices: iOS and Android Pricing: Starts at $4.99/month
If your child is always out of the house for sports practice, drama rehearsals, coffee shop study groups, or visiting friends, you need a parental control app with strong location services and remote support like Life360. Parents add family members to their “Circle” and can track their child’s location, get alerts about driving and digital safety, and have peace of mind their child can get emergency assistance when they need it.
Pros and cons of Life360
Life360 features
Location services Driving safety Digital protection Emergency Assistance including stolen phone protection Group and track family in Life360’s Circle Real-time alerts to know where your family is going
Full range of location features
We like Life360 because it includes several unique features that go beyond simple digital safety for iOS and Android devices. Life360 features include assistance for your child when they are on the go like roadside assistance, crash detection, stolen phone protection, SOS alerts, crime reports, credit monitoring, and emergency dispatch services. Life360 gives kids the option to create a “Bubble” where parents can’t see their precise location, rather a general circle around their location, which gives them a sense of privacy, too. Life360 is not your traditional parental control app because it doesn’t offer web filtering, content monitoring, or social media app blocking, for example. However, it’s a great option to pair with another parental control app, like Bark.
How much does Life360 cost?
Getting the full range of Life360 features isn’t cheap at $239.88/year, but it offers driving and remote safety services unlike any other on the market. Every package covers all of your family members and there are three packages to choose from so you don’t have to pay for all of the features if you don’t need them. You can try Life360 for 7 days, free! Click below to get started.
7. OurPact: Best Parental Control App for Screen Time Management
Supported devices: iOS and Android Pricing: Starts at $6.99/month
The OurPact parental control app specializes in customizable screen time control features for your whole family on iOS and Android devices. Parents can block certain apps while allowing their children easy access to approved apps for educational purposes. We also like it because it has a good swath of other parental control settings, too.
OurPact pros and cons
OurPact features
Screen limits and schedule controls Web filtering (on iOS devices only) Web browser blocking Text blocking Geo-fencing
Limited content filtering
OurPact is really good at what it does: creating custom screen time and app schedules unique to each of your kids. It also has some other basic parental control features which can tip you off to harmful sites, or just make sure your kids are only getting on safe, approved apps. Not only can you create a custom screen schedule for each family member, but you can also block certain apps or sites, use location tracking features, and get alerts if your child reaches a site with sexually explicit content. However, it doesn’t monitor much content outside of sexually explicit content, so there are limitations. Said monitoring is also only available on iOS and doesn’t cover calls or texts.
How much does OurPact cost?
OurPact is one of the most affordable parental control software on the market that monitors both iOS and Android devices. While it doesn’t have advanced content monitoring, you can easily block or allow a wide range of apps on both iOS and Android devices. You can try OurPact’s free version with basic features. Cancel or upgrade anytime!
How We Decided on the Best Parental Control Apps
We looked at the most popular parental control software on the market today and evaluated the most common features of parental controls. The features most parents look for in parental control apps are:
Web filtering Screen time management Location tracking services Device compatibility Social media and app monitoring User experience Number of devices the app protects Cost for value
Because not every family has the same needs, devices, or budget, we picked the best parental control apps which excel in different features and then ranked them the best in that category. That way, you can pick which parental control software will work best for your family. Keeping kids safe online may seem like a daunting task, but investing in parental control apps and staying informed about what your kids enjoy can help make things run smoother. Our resources on child online safety discuss your kids’ social media privacy and their safety while playing their favorite games (like Minecraft or Roblox).
Picking the Best Parental Control App for Your Family
The best way to decide if a parental control app is right for you is to start with a free trial or use a free version of the app, if available. You can explore web filtering features, screen time customizations, location tracking, or call and text monitoring on your children’s devices. The only app listed above that doesn’t offer a free version or free trial is Net Nanny. We did notice that sometimes they offer a code for a free trial, or you can request a refund after 14 days, but it’s not a money-back guarantee. All of the apps we discussed in this article offer protection for your family. Some are better for creating good screen time habits like OurPact. Others keep your child safely away from harmful content using advanced AI technology content like Net Nanny. When it comes down to email and text monitoring, Bark is your best option. But all-in-all, Qustodio is an easy-to-use and affordable parental control app that is available in eight languages. It has a full scope of parental control features, and that’s why we ranked in the best parental control app. For more resources on kids safety online, check out the articles below:
How to Keep Social Media for Kids Fun and Safe Experts Give Parents Tips on Internet Safety for Kids and Teens A Parent’s Guide to Stop and Prevent Cyberbullying Profanity Filters: Everything You Need to Know
Parents can also expect real-time alerts and web filtering in more than 14 categories, which means your child is safer online. It’s affordable at $54.95 per year, covering up to five devices, but you can purchase larger packages that cover more devices. Now, your child can’t see any of Qustodio’s alerts. If they try and Google a blocked site, they will be redirected instead back to Google’s homepage.
Qustodio OurPact Kaspersky Safe Kids
Free versions of parental control apps are always more limited when it comes to the features they offer. To get the full scope of features, you’ll need to purchase a paid version of the app.
