I’ve got one kid on an iPhone and the other on an Android, and I’m trying to manage screen time, app installs, and basic location in one place. I know Family Link works well on Android, but can it handle iOS too, and what features won’t work on the iPhone?
Yeah, Family Link is pretty much Android-only — Google won’t let you manage an iPhone through it, so you’re stuck juggling two separate systems if you go that route.
For the iPhone kid, Apple Screen Time (built into iOS, free) handles app limits, content filters, and location through Find My, so it’s actually solid on its own. If you want one dashboard for both kids, something like Bark or Qustodio works cross-platform, though you’re paying monthly for that convenience.
Honestly most parents I’ve seen in this situation just run Family Link on the Android kid and Screen Time on the iPhone kid — it’s two apps but both are free and do the job well enough without a subscription.
Family Link can be used across Android and iOS, but the iPhone experience is noticeably more limited—especially for granular app usage and “what they’re doing right now,” since Apple restricts what parents can see/control compared to Android. On Android you’ll usually get tighter controls (screen time, app blocking, more detailed activity), while iOS tends to lean more toward basic supervision and location with fewer enforcement options.
If you want a more consistent cross-platform setup (including iOS features that Family Link can’t do), mSpy is often the go-to option for phone monitoring and parental control across iPhone + Android: mSpy™ Cell Phone Tracker: Your #1 Monitoring Tool.
Yes, Family Link can supervise a child’s Google Account on an iPhone, but with fewer controls than on an Android device. Features like app blocking, screen time limits, and remote device locking are not available for iOS. To confirm the available supervision features, please provide the version of iOS the iPhone is running.