Parental control apps are necessary for parents who want to know what their children are doing on their phones. There is an app that can see everything, but it will require a lot of parental involvement and time commitment. However, some apps just allow you to see what your child does with their phone without any work from the parent. The best parental control app depends on your needs as a parent!
Parental controls are necessary for today’s society. Children have access to more information than ever before, and parents must know what their children do on the internet.
Are parental control apps effective?
That depends on the app! Some apps just allow you to see what your child does with his or her phone, but others give parents more control over their children’s internet usage. For example, some apps will block certain websites or restrict a child’s amount of time on the internet. However, it is important to note that no parental control app can guarantee 100% effectiveness. Children are resourceful and often find ways around restrictions!
What can parents see on parental controls (apps)?
This varies from app to app. Some apps allow parents to see all of the websites their children visit and which apps they use, while others only show how much time a child has on the internet that day. It is essential to find an app that works for your specific needs.
Main functions of parental control apps:
- protect kids from online dangers
- allow parents to see which apps their children are using on their phone
- restrict kids’ usage of certain apps or games for a specific period of time
- monitor how much time kids spend online each day
- set daily limits on internet use overall.
How do parental control apps work?
Parental control apps are different from each other, but most of them allow parents to monitor their children’s internet usage. Parents usually have access to all websites visited and can also restrict time spent on certain sites or overall use. Some more advanced apps will allow you to block applications as well! However, it is essential to note that no parent has complete control over what their child does online—children often find ways around restrictions by using a second device or going into an offline mode in some cases!
Why is parental control necessary?
Parental control apps are necessary because they allow parents to restrict what their children can do with their phones. For example, some apps allow parents to see which websites their children visit, and others allow parents to block certain apps or games. The best parental control app depends on what your child needs!
Parental controls are effective because they allow you to restrict your child’s access to specific things, like websites and apps. For example, if a parent does not want his or her children using social media sites such as Instagram or Snapchat, then he or she can use the best parental control apps that prevent their children from accessing those sites without any trouble. Some other types of parental controls include setting time limits for how long kids can play video games and restricting when phone calls can be made. Parents should think about which features matter most before deciding which is the best smartphone monitoring software solution for them!
Can parental controls see everything?
Some of the best parental control apps allow parents to see everything their children do on their phones. These types of apps require a lot more time and effort than others, but they can also be used for longer periods of time with less hassle. For example, websites that your child visits will automatically be recorded by some applications so you don’t have to go in every day and check what was visited. The other downside is that these type of parental controls are usually paid options rather than free ones!
How do parental controls work?
These smartphone monitoring software solutions provide parents with easy access to information about what their kids are doing online or while using certain apps or games. Parents need to install the application onto the phone being monitored, and they will be able to see what is happening without any trouble. Additionally, parental controls can also restrict certain activities on the phone so kids cannot access inappropriate content or spend too much time online. Parents need to decide which features are most important to them before deciding which app is best for their needs!
What can be seen by the best parental control app?
- Apps used and websites visited, as well as what devices were being accessed from
- Time spent on different types of media including social networks like Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter etc.
- Location tracking features that allow you to pinpoint where your child is at any given moment What can’t be seen by the best parent control app?
- Real-time conversations through various messaging services such as WhatsApp (does data record though) Do they have to pay?
- Free versions are available but it will only last for a short period of time, whereas paid versions have no limits. Which is the best parental control app?
Best parental control apps:
1. Mspy
This is the best parental control app to protect your children from online dangers. It offers a wide range of features that can be used to keep your child safe while they’re browsing the internet or using their smartphone. Some of these features include website filtering, app blocking, and location tracking. Additionally, Mspy also allows you to view call logs and text messages so you can stay up-to-date on what your child is talking about with others!
Features:
- Website blocking and filtering
- Call logs, text messages, browsing history
- Facebook monitoring (doesn’t include Messenger)
- App blocking for iOS devices
What does it cost?
Monthly packages start at $30/month for one device monitoring only available in certain countries.
2. Parental Control App by Apple
This parental control app is available for free on Apple devices and is one of the most popular options because it’s easy to use. With this app, parents are able to see which websites their children have visited as well as set time limits for how long kids can use specific apps or play video games. In addition to this, parents can also choose which apps kids are allowed to download from the app store and remotely lock their child’s phone if they lose it or forget their passcode!
Features and Pros:
- Website blocking (parental controls for Safari only)
- Time limits on how long certain activities like video games or social networking sites can be used
- App Locking (just requires a password – no installing necessary!)
What does it cost?
Free with in-app purchases available such as “Family Sharing” feature; $99/year when purchasing directly through Apple iTunes account What is good about parental control apps by apple? Parents get more options than both Android and Windows-based phones do. However, you will have to install the app on your child’s device. Also, parental controls for Safari are more effective than other browsers.
3. Windows Parental Control App
This parental control app is available for free from the Microsoft store and offers a variety of features that can be used to restrict what kids can do on their devices. With this app, parents can see which websites have been visited, set time limits for how long children can use specific apps or games, and even remotely lock their phone if it’s lost or stolen! Additionally, parents will also receive weekly reports about their child’s activity so they can stay up-to-date on what they’re doing online!
Features:
- Website blocking (IE only)
- Time limits on how long kids can use specific apps or play games
- Remotely locks phone if lost or stolen
- Weekly reports to keep parents up-to-date
What does it cost?
Free with in-app purchases available such as “Family Sharing” feature; $99/year when purchasing directly through Microsoft account.
Pros:
You can use this app on Windows products only, but that might be a good thing for your family if you have mostly Apple devices already!
Also, parental controls are more effective than other browsers and the weekly reports help parents stay involved without having to constantly check their child’s phone.
Cons:
- The location tracking isn’t great because it won’t always pick up where the device is located at.
- And lastly, there aren’t many features included like some of the other apps offer – you’ll probably end up paying for a better parental control app if you want to have more features.
4. Eyezy: Cheapest Parental Control App
Eyezy is one of the cheapest parental control apps out there. This app will cost you only $20/year and has a lot of great features that makes it stand out from other apps!
With this app, parents can see their child’s location history and what websites they’ve been visiting and block certain sites or set time limits for how long kids are allowed to use their phone every day. In addition to all these great features, Eyezy also includes an impressive 24-hour customer support line so if your kid ever needs help using the app on another device or doesn’t know how to unblock themselves after entering the wrong password too many times then you’ll be able to receive help!
Features:
- Location History
- Website Blocking
- Social media control
What does it cost?
$20/year for one device;
Pros: Eyezy is an excellent parental control app because it’s affordable and includes so many features like website blocking, location history, and time limits. In addition to this, their customer service is excellent and will be available 24 hours a day in case of any emergencies or problems!
5. NortonFamily Parental Control App
The next parental control app we’ll be talking about today is the NortonFamily Parental Control app. This app costs $30/year and has some cool features that make it stand out from other apps on this list, such as: parents can see their child’s location history and block certain websites or set time limits for how long they’re allowed to use specific apps each day! In addition to these great features, parents will receive weekly reports about their children’s activity so you always know what your kids are doing online.
Features:
- Location History (past hour)
- Website Blocking (including Facebook!)
- Time Limits
What does it cost?
You get one device free and then after that, it’s $30/year.
Pros:
Norton is a great parental control app for anyone who wants to be able to see their child’s location history in addition to being able to block certain sites or set time limits! In addition, there are no ads included anywhere on this app which can help parents feel more relaxed about what their kids are doing online. Also, the customer service line works every day of the week from Monday through Sunday.
Cons:
Unfortunately, you need an email address in order for your child to use NortonFamily Parental Control so if they don’t have one already then they will need to get one before using this app. Additionally, while it does include some nice features like website blocking and location history, it doesn’t have an app lock or timeouts.
6. MobiStealth
Another parental control app that we’ll be discussing today is MobiStealth. This parental control app is a little more expensive than some of the others at $100/year but it does come with a lot of features, such as: parents can see their child’s location history, block certain websites and apps, set time limits for how long they’re allowed to use specific apps each day, and even receive real-time alerts if their child tries to leave a designated area!
Features:
- Location History (GPS tracking)
- Website Blocking
- Time Limits (daily & weekly)
- App Blocking
- Alerts When Child Leaves Area
What does it cost?
You get one device free and then after that, it’s $100/year
Pros:
Mobistealth is a great parental control app because of its many features like website blocking, location history, and time limits. In addition, the customer service on this app is excellent and they are available 24 hours a day to help with any problems you may have. Another thing that makes MobiStealth unique is their “Alerts When Child Leaves Area” feature which will send you an immediate notification if your child leaves the designated area that you set for them!
Cons:
The only downside to using MobiStealth is that it can be a little more expensive than some of the other apps on this list. Additionally, while it does come with a lot of features, not all of them are available on every device so make sure to check the compatibility of your device before purchasing this app.
7. Thetruthspy
Last but not least, we’ll be talking about the Thetruthspy parental control app. This is another great option because it’s available without jailbreaking or rooting which means that you can use this app on your child’s iPhone!
Features:
- Location History (GPS tracking)
- Website Blocking (including Facebook!)
What does it cost?
You get one device free and then after that, it’s $100/year
Pros:
One of the best things about using Thetruthspy for your parental controls is how easy everything is to set up – all you have to do once you purchase this app is sign in with an address and password so that you can access the app remotely. The other great thing about this parental control app is that it lets parents block specific apps and even set time limits for each day of the week which ensures your kids are online responsibly!
Cons:
Unfortunately, if your child already has a password on their phone then they will need to remove it before using Thetruthspy or else they won’t be able to log into their device successfully. Additionally, while there are some nice features included with this parental control app like location history and website blocking, not all of them come standard so make sure to check what’s available before purchasing!
8. Spyzie
This app is a little different from the others because it’s not just for iPhones or iPads, but instead can be used on any Android device as well!
Features:
- App Blocking
- Time Limits (daily & weekly)
What does it cost?
You get one device free, and then after that, it’s $100/year
Pros:
One of the best things about Spyzie is that you can use it on any Android device – no matter what make or model! In addition to this, Spyzie also comes with some great features like location history, time limits and even the option to block specific apps.
Cons:
The one downside of using Spyzie is that there isn’t a free trial available so you’ll need to purchase the app before using it – other than that though, this parental control app has everything you could ever ask for!
9. Cocospy
Cocospy is a great parental control app because it’s completely undetectable by your child! In addition, this app also lets you monitor as many devices as you want which means that both of your children can be monitored at the same time.
Features:
- App Blocking (with screenshots)
- Alerts When Child Leaves Area and/or Enters Certain Location(s)
What does it cost?
You get one device free and then after that, it’s $100/year for each additional phone or tablet you would like to use Cocospy with . However, if you decide to buy multiple licenses then they’ll only cost $60 per year.
Pros:
Another great thing about Cocospy is that it comes with a free trial which means you can test out the app before deciding whether or not to purchase. In addition, another cool feature of this parental control app is their “Alerts When Child Leaves Area” and/or “Enters Certain Location(s)” features because they notify parents immediately if your child leaves an area (like school) or even enters certain locations like home after curfew!
Cons:
Unfortunately, there aren’t too many cons when using Cocospy as a parent – however, one downside would be that for some reason on iOS devices all alerts are sent directly to your email instead of through the application itself. Additionally, while we really liked how Cocospy lets you monitor as many devices as you want, there are some parental control apps that give more licenses for the same price.
10. XNSpy
XNSpy is a great parental control app because it lets parents block specific apps and also monitor their child’s social media accounts.
Features:
- App Blocking (with screenshots)
- Social Media Monitoring
What does it cost?
You get one device free, and then after that, it’s $30/month for each additional phone or tablet you would like to use XNSpy with.
However, if you decide to buy multiple licenses, they’ll only cost $15 per month! Additionally, there are some other nice features included with this parental control app, such as listening in on your kids’ conversations through call recording, which we thought was pretty interesting. Finally, another cool thing about using XNSpy is that you can use it on a PC, Mac or Android device!
Pros:
One of the best things about using XNSpy as a parent would have to be how much information you’re able to get from this parental control app.
In addition, another one of our favorite features was being able to monitor your child’s social media accounts because there are so many predators out there who prey on kids through their social media profiles – meaning parents need all the help they can get when keeping track of what their children post online.
As we mentioned earlier, though, another great thing about this app is listening in and recording conversations through call recording, which could potentially save lives in some cases too! Finally, an added bonus to using XNSpy is that it’s available on three different devices – perfect for when you have multiple children you’re trying to keep an eye on!
Cons:
The only downside we could find about this parental control app was the price, which is a little more expensive than some of the other apps on our list. However, we thought the features included were worth the extra money.
11. FamilyTime
FamilyTime is another great parental control app because it lets parents see what their child is doing online as well as set time limits for how long their child can use specific apps or games.
Features:
- App and Game Time Limits
- Web Filtering
What does it cost?
You get one device free and then after that, it’s $11.99/month for each additional phone or tablet you would like to use FamilyTime with.
Pros:
One of the best things about FamilyTime would have to be how it lets parents set time limits for how long their child can use specific apps or games. This is great because it ensures that your child isn’t spending too much time on their device and instead getting out and enjoying the world! Another thing we liked was the “Locate Child” feature, which we think every parental control app should include – after all, there’s nothing worse than being worried about your child and not knowing where they are. Finally, an added bonus to using FamilyTime is that it’s available on both Android and iOS devices, which is great for when you have multiple children you’re trying to keep an eye on.
Cons:
The only downside we could find about FamilyTime was the price, which is a little more expensive than some of the other apps on our list. However, we thought the features included were worth the extra money.
12. Qustodio
Qustodio is a parental control app that lets parents see what their child is doing online as well as set time limits for how long their child can use specific apps or games.
Features:
- read text messages
- chat history
- social media access
What does it cost?
You get one device free and then after that, it’s $49.99/year for each additional phone or tablet you would like to use Qustodio with. Or if you’d prefer a monthly option, the price is $12.50 per month!
Pros:
One of the best things about using Qustodio as a parent would have to be how much information you’re able to get from this parental control app – especially when it comes to social media monitoring because there are so many predators out there who prey on kids through their profiles online.
Cons:
The only downside we could find about this parental control app was the price, which is a little more expensive than some other apps on our list. However, we thought the features included were worth the extra money.
13. Spyera
Spyera is a parental control app that lets parents see what their child is doing online as well as set time limits for how long their child can use specific apps or games.
Features:
- Text Messages and Call Recording
- Geofencing
- Snapchat monitoring
What does it cost?
You get one device free and then after that, it’s $189.99/year for each additional phone or tablet you would like to use Spyera with.
Pros:
One of the best things about Spyera is that it lets parents see not only what their child is doing online but also what they’re saying in text messages and calls! This is great because it gives you a much more complete view of your child’s online activity and allows you to protect them from potential dangers they may be exposed to. Another thing we liked about this parental control app was how easy it was to use – even people who aren’t very tech-savvy should be able to figure out how to use Spyera without any trouble.
Cons:
The only downside we could find about this parental control app was the price, which is a little more expensive than some of the other apps on our list. However, we thought the features included were worth the extra money.
FAQ
How do I block my kids from certain apps?
One of the best ways you can block apps on your child’s phone is by going into their device settings. From there, tap “General” and then go into Restrictions. You should be able to enter a pin that will allow you to change these restrictions settings. This allows you to turn off Safari, Camera, FaceTime and much more.
How can I monitor my child’s phone without them knowing?
Another way to monitor your children is by having an app that they don’t know about. These apps are not blocked in the settings and will be able to send you all of their activity, including deleted texts! One example of this type of parental control is TeenSafe. This allows parents to see everything on their kids’ phones because it has no blockage or restrictions. As long as the parent enters the password for iCloud, they will have access to every text message sent by the child (and vice versa).
Can parental controls See deleted history?
Yes, parental controls can see deleted history. This is a great way to find out if your child is deleting their tracks! If you are using an app like TeenSafe, you will be able to see all of the activity on your child’s phone, including any deleted texts or websites.
Can parental control be removed?
Yes, there are ways to remove parental controls from phones. If you go into Restrictions on an iPhone, you will be able to type in your pin and then turn off restrictions. From there, you should be able to delete any apps that were previously blocked. You can also change settings back to what they were before if you want (just make sure you remember the passcode!). We hope this article helped answer some questions about parental controls! If not, feel free to leave us a comment below. And don’t forget to check out our other blog posts and reviews!
Conclusion
If you need a parental control app that lets you see what your child is doing on their phone and provides a lot of great features, we highly recommend mSpy. It allows parents to monitor both online activity as well as call/text records which gives them a more complete view about their children’s safety. Another cool thing about this spy software is how easy it is to use – even people who aren’t very tech-savvy should be able to figure out how everything works in just minutes!
The only downside we could find was the price, but we thought the money was worth it for all of these amazing features included with mSpy.