Best 5 Parental Control Apps For Your Child’s Phone

Smartphones have become the most important part of our existence. We can't live without them and we are addicted to them. Social media and smartphone addiction are also one of the leading causes of teenage depression worldwide.

As a parent, you need to set some boundaries so that your child can live a healthy and happy life. One way to set those boundaries is to have parental control apps on your child’s phone. This will help you to monitor and track their activity so you can be informed about what is going on in your child’s life. 

Cyberbullying is getting common day by day and no one is safe. So let’s explore the different parental control apps that you can install on your child’s smartphone. 

#1. Qustudio

Website: https://www.qustodio.com/

This app is available on Android, Windows, iOS, and Kindle. The download is free however if you want to use the parental control features then you will have to opt for a yearly subscription that amounts to $55 for 5 devices. 

This is a small price to pay for the safety of your child in the digital landscape. If you want to track the activity of your child from anywhere and everywhere then this should be your go-to app.

You can easily block any websites that you don’t want your child to have access to. This will restrict their usage and protect them from harmful content. Apart from that, you can also limit the time that they spend on their smartphone.

To do this, you can just set a schedule that will automatically limit their usage. After the time limit, you have set, your child will not be able to use their phone.

However, the best part of this app is that you get a daily report on your child’s activity via email. These reports set out the apps your child uses, the people they are in most contact with, and their messages. You can also simply list down contacts that you don’t want your child to interact with. 

With such amazing features, you will always know what your child is doing and you can protect them from cyberbullies. So, if you want an app with great features and detailed reports then this should be your top choice.

#2. Family Time

Website: https://familytime.io/

This app is available on both Android and iOS. The download is free however you have to get a yearly subscription of $69 that can be used on 5 devices. 

If you want your child to stop using the screen all the time and also want to know where they go then this is the perfect app to do that. You can even filter what your child browses on the internet. You can do this by indicating the categories you want to prohibit so they don’t show up in the search results. 

Apart from this, Family Time also has an app blocker function. You can use this to block apps that you don’t want your child to be using. You can also keep a track of everything your child is doing on their smartphone.

This means that you can find out what apps they use, who they call, and everything else they do on their smartphone.  However, the best feature of this app is that you can track your child’s location. This will help you keep your child safe no matter where they are. 

Every time your child leaves or enters an area you will be notified in real-time so you can always be updated on where they are. There is also an SOS function that can be used in emergencies.

#3. Norton Family

Website: https://sg.norton.com/norton-family-premier

This app is available on Windows, Android, and iOS. The download is free however you will have to pay for a yearly subscription that is priced at $49.99.

You may already be familiar with Norton as it is an amazing company that is always coming up with new cybersecurity features and innovation. Norton Family is one such app that allows a parent to keep a check on their children’s smartphone activity. 

You can block apps, websites, and a variety of other content that you don’t want your child to be looking at. This way you can protect your kids from browsing unwanted material on the internet. 

Of course, you will also be able to view what your child is doing when they are online. You can track what they are doing and watching so that you can take steps to protect them further if need be. 

Their best feature is also their tracking system that lets you know where your child is. This way you can always be aware of where they are so you are not worried all the time. 

There are also restriction features that allow you to set time limits for the usage of the phone. This way whenever your child has an important exam coming up you can always set screen time limits so that they don’t spend all their time on their smartphone. 

#4. Screenlimit

Website: https://www.techadvisor.co.uk/review/screenlimit-review-3657274/

This app is available on Android and iOS. The download is free. However, it has two subscription options. You can either pay for a yearly subscription of £29.99 or you can pay £75 one time and get the full app for an unlimited time.

This is the perfect app to utilize positive reinforcement to get your child to study or focus on academics.  You can set a bonus screen time if they study, get good grades, or complete a task. This is because this app will help you determine how much screen time you should be giving your child. 

The child will also know how much time they have left on the screen as it will show a countdown timer when the time of keeping the phone away comes near. This feature will teach them how to use their screen time appropriately and productively as they know they will have to give it back soon.

Apart from that, you can also block the apps that you don’t want your child to be using. This will limit their screen usage even further as they will not be able to access the sites you don’t want them to. 

If you want to get in touch with your child then you can also message them through this app and it will appear on their smartphone screen. So, this is the perfect app if you want to limit screen time and help your child to use their screen time productively. 

#5. OurPact

Website: https://ourpact.com/

This app is available on Android and iOS. It is free to download. However, you will have to pay a monthly subscription of either $1.99 or $6.99.

It is the perfect solution if you want to manage the apps of your child all in one place. You can schedule their screen time every day so that they don’t use their screen beyond what you have allowed them to. 

This way if they haven’t behaved well all day then you can set a lower screen time. All you have to do is grant or deny their access through the app that you have installed. This makes it extremely easy to set boundaries with your kid.

Another great feature of this app is that it comes with a tracking service. This tells you the location of your kid whenever they leave a certain area. You will be notified instantly so you don’t have to worry about where they are.

OurPact also provides a web filter in the app. This means that you can filter the content your child browses on the internet. You can block websites and other content that you don’t want your child to have access to. This makes it easier to keep them safe from harmful websites.

It provides another filter that is known as a texting filter. If you don’t want your child interacting with a certain person through text messaging or iMessage then you can set limits on that too.

You can simply set limits on the number of messages they send. This way their interaction will be limited with that person. It is a great addition that you will not find in other parental control apps.

So, if you want an affordable and quick solution to track your child’s life on their smartphone and social media then this is the ideal choice for that. You will not be spending too much money and you will get great features that will make tracking and monitoring your child easier.

Final Words

These are just measures you need to take to protect your child from the dangers of technology and social media. There are many good apps too but the only problem that children have is becoming addicted to smartphones.

Also read a useful article if you are pondering how much time to allocate to your child: Children and Screen Time: How much is too much?

So, you need to make sure that doesn’t happen and the use of their smartphone is productive. These are the five best apps you will find when it comes to parental control. Another good resource is this guide on free parental control features for your child.

All of these have amazing features and will make your life easier. However, the app you choose depends on your budget and what you want. So weigh all these options and then make an informed decision to protect your child.

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