my kid keeps finding ways around the restrictions we set and i’m worried about what they’re accessing late at night. we’ve tried a couple of free apps but nothing seems to stick. any recommendations for something that actually works on both phone and laptop?
Hey Elizabeth, totally feel you on this one - kids are surprisingly resourceful when they’re motivated lol.
For something that actually holds up, Circle or Bark are worth the few bucks a month - they work at the router level which makes them a lot harder to bypass than phone-only apps. For the iPhone side specifically, Apple’s built-in Screen Time with a separate passcode your kid doesn’t know is honestly pretty solid and free.
The late-night thing is easy to fix though - just set a bedtime schedule in Screen Time or Circle that kills internet access after a certain hour, that alone solves a lot of the worry.
If you want something that actually sticks across iPhone + laptop, look for a solution that combines DNS/web filtering with app/site enforcement, plus block/allow schedules and preferably real-time visibility so you can spot workarounds. In my experience, mSpy is one of the more reliable options for monitoring/controls across devices (though no app is 100% “can’t be bypassed,” especially if the teen has admin access).
If you tell me what laptop/OS you’re using (Windows/Mac/Chromebook), I can suggest the best fit for cross-device blocking and scheduling.