Best Parental Control Apps for Android and iPhone in 2024

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Choosing the best parental control app is crucial for peace of mind, ensuring your child navigates the internet safely. With countless risks online—from inappropriate content to unwanted contact from strangers—finding a reliable app can help protect your child from cyberbullying and harmful interactions.

In this guide, I’ve reviewed the top parental control apps for both Android and iPhone. These tools can monitor online activity, track location, and promote healthy digital habits. I’ve evaluated each option based on safety, ease of use, device compatibility, and overall value to help you find the best fit for your family.

Techopedia’s Top 3 Parental Control Apps Tested By Our Experts

mSpy — Best Parental Control App for Monitoring Any Device

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EyeZy — Best iPhone Parental Control App with Jailbreak and iCloud Data Sync

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uMobix — Best Android Parental Control App With Remote Capabilities

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The 9 Best Parental Control Apps Ranked

Below is a quick look at the best parental control apps and their key features.

  1. mSpy — Powerful tools for cell phone monitoring
  2. Eyezy — Best iPhone spy app for parents
  3. uMobix — Best parental control app for Android with great remote control capabilities
  4. Cocospy — Best for social media tracking
  5. Qustodio — Best for multi-device monitoring
  6. PhonseeBest for GPS location tracking and geofencing
  7. ClevGuard — Excellent for screen and call recording
  8. Norton Family — Complete online protection with bundled anti-virus tools
  9. FamiSafe — Best for blocking inappropriate content and sites

The Best Parental Control Apps for Android and iPhone Reviewed

Here are my quick reviews of the best parental control apps based on their key features, pricing, and pros and cons.

1. mSpy — Powerful Tool for Cell Phone Monitoring

mSpy logo

Starting Price $11.67/month
No. of Devices 1
Free Trial/Demo Demo
Compatibility iOS, Android
Money-back Guarantee 14-day refund window
Why We Picked It

mSpy is a feature-packed parental control app for iPhone and Android devices. It can tell you which apps your children install, who they call, what they chat about on social media, and so much more.

Features

Although it doesn’t monitor as many social media and instant messaging apps as some others, mSpy is one of the best Tinder spy apps for iPhones. Additionally, it can track your child’s activities on WhatsApp, Snapchat, TikTok, and other apps, including their messages and the media they send or receive, such as images and videos.

While its social media monitoring tools can help you safeguard your kids from the consequences of sexting and cyberbullying, mSpy’s keyword alerts will reveal if your child looks up potentially dangerous or inappropriate information. You can flag words with keyword alerts, and mSpy will alert you if it detects them on the target device.

Additionally, mSpy is undetectable, thanks to its stealth mode, and its GPS location tracking is pinpoint accurate. That means your kids won’t even know you’re tracking them (although informed consent is definitely better), and you’ll always know where they are.

It’s worth noting that you will need to root an Android device or jailbreak an iPhone to use all of mSpy’s features. Some features, like a keylogger and screen recorder, are also exclusively available on Android.

Pricing Plans

mSpy doesn’t offer a free trial to test its features, but you can scroll through its demo to get a feel for its dashboard.

mSpy Plans Premium Plan
1 Month $48.99/month
3 Months $28/month
12 Months $11.67/month

Like most providers, mSpy offers significant discounts if you subscribe annually. I also found that reaching out to customer service before subscribing will get you an additional discount.

Who It's Best for

mSpy excels at tracking iPhone activities, and all you need to install it on an iPhone are your child’s iCloud credentials. However, you get access to a lot more features if you can root or jailbreak the device.

Pros

  • The easy-access dashboard keeps you informed
  • Plenty of web and social media monitoring tools
  • Tracks Tinder activities on iPhones
  • Accurate GPS location tracking

Cons

  • Requires physical access to target device on Android

2. Eyezy — The Best iPhone Spyware For Parents

Eyezy logo

Starting Price $7.99/month
No. of Devices Up to 3
Free Trial/Demo Demo
Compatibility iOS, Android
Money-back Guarantee 14-day refund window
Why We Picked It

I picked Eyezy as one of the most affordable parental control apps for iPhone, featuring stealth mode, location tracking, and limited remote controls. With its multiple installation options for iOS, it’s one of the best iPhone parental control apps you can get.

Features

During my testing, I found that Eyezy really makes it easy to stay on top of your child’s iPhone activities with its Plans Breaker feature. This lets you monitor your child’s social calendar to find out which events they plan to attend, including their location and time.

I also liked its very accurate keylogger, which can record every keystroke on your child’s device, giving you insight into what they’re typing, even if they delete it before sending it. For a better view of their social media activity, Eyezy offers Social Spotlight, a feature that lets you see who they’re chatting with and what texts or media they exchange.

Additionally, Eyezy lets you remotely block your child’s access to inappropriate websites and apps. Although it doesn’t offer insights into your child’s screen time like FamiSafe, you can access their browsing history and installed apps list and block the ones you don’t want them to visit or use.

As I mentioned, Eyezy offers multiple installation options for iPhones, depending on the level of monitoring you need. For on-device information, like incoming and outgoing calls, text messages, iMessage, location tracking, and gallery access, you only need your kid’s iCloud credentials. For more detailed social media monitoring and web history tracking, you will need to jailbreak the iPhone.

Pricing Plans

Eyezy offers a demo version of its dashboard to let you look at its features, but there’s no free trial available. It has a single plan that’s more affordable than most if you subscribe for one year.

Duration Eyezy Pricing Eyezy Family Kit Pricing
1 Month $38.39/month
3 Months $22.39/month
6 Months $48.56/month
12 Months $7.99/month $29.99/month

Eyezy isn’t the cheapest parental control app on this list, but it offers excellent value for money, as you get social media, browsing, and location tracking at a very affordable rate. It also has a Family Kit plan that lets you monitor up to three devices and starts at $29.99/month with an annual subscription.

Who It's Best for

Eyezy is ideal for parents looking for a feature-rich yet affordable service for iPhone that lets you monitor your children’s activities and restrict their access to inappropriate websites and apps when needed. You won’t find a cheaper solution if you’re after a parental control app with stealth mode.

Pros

  • Logs every keystroke
  • Lets you view deleted messages
  • Useful insights into their social activity
  • Lets you remotely block apps and websites
  • Undetectable

Cons

  • Some of its features require jailbreaking and rooting

3. uMobix — Best Parental Control App for Android With Superb Remote Control Capabilities

uMobix logo

Starting Price $12.49/month
No. of Devices 1
Free Trial/Demo Demo
Compatibility iOS, Android
Money-back Guarantee 14-day refund window
Why We Picked It

uMobix monitors all versions of Android devices and offers a dedicated app you can use on your Android phone to monitor your child’s activities on the internet and remotely control their device from the palm of your hand.

Features

uMobix delivers unmatched Android monitoring capabilities, as it gives you nearly complete remote control and lets you monitor all the popular social media and messaging apps your children may be using. It’s also one of the only parental control apps to give you an overview of what your child does on Reddit, a platform that hides inappropriate content behind an age check which kids easily bypass.

Its remote controls can help you hide such content from your children by blocking their access to websites and apps they shouldn’t be opening. Additionally, you can lock their phone remotely, and they won’t be able to use it until you unlock it. That can help you set screen time limits when it’s past their bedtime or when they’re studying.

One of my favorite uMobix features is its ability to display deleted messages. If your child has something to hide, they may try to do so by deleting incriminating messages, and uMobix will display them all in a dedicated tab on its dashboard.

However, while uMobix offers basic parental control monitoring for iPhones, it lacks features like the keylogger and location tracking and can’t monitor as many social media apps on iOS as it does on Android. Parents also get a mobile app to monitor their children’s phones on the go, which I found works really well in my testing. It’s also quite rare and something you won’t get with competitors like mSpy and Eyeyzy.

Pricing Plans

Like Eyezy, uMobix has a single pricing plan and a demo version of its dashboard that lets you explore its interface.

Duration uMobix Subscription plan
1 Month $49.99/month
3 Months $29.99/month
12 Months $12.49/month

uMobix may not be as cheap as Eyezy, but its additional remote control features justify the price. Like my previous picks, it has a 14-day refund window you can use to get your money back if there’s a technical issue its customer support can’t resolve.

Who It's Best for

uMobix is the best parental control app for Android devices, offering unmatched remote control capabilities. Additionally, its dedicated Android app that replaces the web-based control panel makes it an excellent choice if Androids are popular in your household.

Pros

  • Feature-rich Android monitoring app
  • A dedicated app that replaces the online dashboard
  • Top-tier social media coverage
  • Remote device locking

Cons

4. Cocospy — Best for Social Media Tracking

Starting Price $12.49/month
No. of Devices 1
Free Trial/Demo Demo
Compatibility iOS, Android
Money-back Guarantee 14-day refund policy
Why We Picked It

Cocospy makes tracking your child’s activities on social media apps a breeze. Whether you’re interested in what they’re posting on their profiles or talking about with their friends, Cocospy makes all the information easily accessible from its dashboard.

Features

Cocospy includes all the traditional parental control features, such as call, SMS, and location monitoring. However, it goes further by giving you an insight into what your kids do on more than 16 social media and messaging apps. These include WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and other popular apps, but also heavily encrypted apps such as Telegram and Signal.

For each social media app, Cocospy provides a dedicated tab on its dashboard. Here, you can access the messages your child sends and receives, complete with timestamps, contact details, and even deleted messages. Additionally, Cocospy will tell you if your child is online, allowing you to tap into their conversations in real-time.

Like the other parental control apps on this list, Cocospy offers Android and iPhone monitoring, meaning you’ll have to turn to FamiSafe or Qustodio to monitor macOS and Windows devices. Additionally, most of its features work only on jailbroken iPhones, making mSpy a better choice for non-jailbroken devices. Conversely, all its features work on Androids, even without rooting them.

Pricing Plans

Cocospy has a single pricing plan that gets a significant discount if you subscribe for one year. It also has a demo version of its dashboard to help you familiarize yourself with its layout before subscribing.

Duration Cocospy Subscription plan
1 Month $49.99/month
3 Months $29.99/month
12 Months $12.49/month

Cocospy provides all its child monitoring features with each subscription tier, meaning you won’t miss anything even if you subscribe for a month. Although it has no free trial, you can refund its product within the first two weeks if there are technical issues its customer support can’t resolve.

Who It's Best for

Cocospy is ideal for parents concerned about their child’s exposure to inappropriate content on social media, dating, and messaging apps, including encrypted ones. With its dedicated tabs for 16 apps and the ability to track messages your children delete, Cocospy ensures you won’t miss any details.

Pros

  • Monitors 15+ social media, messaging, and dating apps
  • Shows deleted messages
  • Accurate GPS and SIM location tracking
  • Logs outgoing and incoming calls

Cons

  • Fewer features for non-jailbroken iPhones
  • Inconsistent impact on the target device’s battery

5. Qustodio — Best for Multi-device Monitoring

Starting Price Free plan

Paid plans from $4.58/month

No. of Devices Unlimited
Free Trial/Demo Demo
Compatibility iOS, Android, Windows, macOS
Money-back Guarantee 14-day refund policy
Why We Picked It

Qustodio works across all PC and mobile devices, making it an excellent all-in-one solution for families, especially if you opt for its top-tier Complete plan to monitor unlimited devices. Additionally, it’s one of the only parental control apps with a free plan and a priority customer support system.

Features

Qustodio’s parental control features for Android and iPhone devices can help you manage your children’s screen time and monitor their calls, SMS, and location. It lets you prevent technology addiction by setting time limits on apps, including games, to help your kids focus on studying or improving their sleep patterns.

Additionally, you can set daily time limits and restrict certain apps at specific times if your children have a strict study schedule or simply remotely pause and unpause their internet with a single click. Although Qustodio offers the same features on Windows and macOS devices, it can’t track the location of your children’s laptops.

However, while apps like uMobix, Cocospy, and mSpy offer a detailed overview of your child’s social media activities, Qustodio doesn’t. The only app it can monitor is YouTube, but you’ll have access to their calls and SMS history on Android and iOS.

That said, its parental control features for YouTube are quite robust. Qustodio can monitor and block inappropriate YouTube content in real time, set screen time limits, and give you detailed activity reports.

Qustodio offers unmatched customer support quality, especially if you opt for its Care Plus add-on, which comes free with its Complete plan and grants you access to phone support.

With Qustodio, you don’t have to worry about complicated installation processes, jailbreaking, or rooting iPhones and Android devices. Parents can download the monitoring app on their phones from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, where you’ll also find the complementary app for your children’s phones. Qustodio also has apps for Windows computers, Macs, Chromebooks, and Amazon Fire tablets.

Pricing Plans

Qustodio has two premium plans you can subscribe to annually and one free plan that lets you explore some of its features before subscribing.

Plan Price
Qustodio Free Free
Qustodio Basic $4.58/month
Qustodio Complete $8.33/month
  • Qustodio Free: Qustodio’s free plan lets you set time limits, pause the internet, and monitor your child’s web activities on a single device.
  • Qustodio Basic: This plan adds location tracking, app blocking, device blocking, and premium email support to the features of Qustodio’s free plan and monitors up to five devices.
  • Qustodio Complete: Qustodio’s top-tier plan unlocks all its features, including app download alerts, YouTube monitoring, calls and messages monitoring, web activity alerts, and more. It also monitors unlimited devices.

Although Qustodio’s free plan doesn’t offer many features, its Basic plan is one of the most affordable solutions on the market. Adding Care Plus to your Basic plan raises its price to $5.66/month and grants you access to phone support. Care Plus is included with the Complete plan.

Who It's Best for

Qustodio is ideal for first-time parental control app users, especially if you aren’t tech-savvy, as its customer support can resolve any issue you encounter in minutes. Additionally, it excels at helping you manage your children’s screen time limits and lets you monitor unlimited devices with its top-tier plan.

Pros

  • Best-in-class customer support
  • Works across PC and mobile
  • Lets you pause and unpause the internet
  • Affordable

Cons

  • The free version has minimal features
  • No social media monitoring
Qustodio
7.0
Review

6. Phonsee — Best for GPS Location Tracking and Geofencing

Phonsee logo

Starting Price $8.85/month
No. of Devices 1
Free Trial/Demo Demo
Compatibility iOS, Android
Money-back Guarantee 14-day refund window
Why We Picked It

Phonsee is an exceptional phone tracker for iPhone and Android devices that runs undetected and lets you track your children’s location with pinpoint accuracy. Additionally, you’ll have access to logs of their messages, calls, emails, social media activities, and other information.

Features

Tracking your child’s GPS location with Phonsee lets you know their exact location and history of movement with timestamps. The app also displays additional information, such as their favorite locations, frequently visited places and route history. Paired with its web history and calendar viewer features, Phonsee ensures you always know what your kids are up to and why they are visiting new locations.

Besides real-time tracking, Phonsee offers geofencing, a feature that lets you set up borders on your map. When your child crosses one of these borders, Phonsee will immediately notify you via notification. For example, if you label their school a “Safe Zone,” Phonsee will notify you when they enter and leave it, giving you peace of mind.

Although it has some remote controls, such as app and website blocking, Phonsee does not offer remote camera and microphone activation, while providers like uMobix do. You can also track 10 social media and messaging apps, which isn’t as many as what’s available with some competitors like Cocospy.

Pricing Plans

Phonsee doesn’t offer an interactive demo like mSpy and Eyezy, but you can scroll through images of its dashboard to get an idea of how it works before subscribing.

Duration Phonsee Subscription Plan
1 Month $42.51/month
3 Months $24.79/month
12 Months $8.85/month

Phonsee is slightly cheaper than mSpy, but it’s more difficult to install and doesn’t offer a dashboard that’s as intuitive as mSpy’s. However, finding a more affordable solution with accurate GPS location tracking and geofencing is nearly impossible.

Who It's Best for

Phonsee is best for parents seeking a parental control app with precise GPS location tracking on Android and iPhone devices. Although it lacks features like call recording, Phonsee can track your child’s activities in 10+ social media and messaging apps and log their calls and SMS.

Pros

  • You can block apps and websites
  • Precise location tracking and geofencing capabilities
  • Email tracking
  • Monitors 10 social media and messaging apps

Cons

  • Some advanced features require root access on Android
  • No interactive demo or free trial

7. ClevGuard — Excellent for Screen and Call Recording

Clevguard logo

Starting Price Starting from $4.99/month
No. of Devices ● Up to 3 devices on the individual plan
● Up to 20 devices on the family plan
Free Trial/Demo Demo
Compatibility iOS, Android, Windows
Money-back Guarantee 30-day money-back guarantee
Why We Picked It

ClevGuard is a versatile parental control tool that offers packages suitable for monitoring the phones and computers of younger children and teens. It has a stealth mode for discreet monitoring and even lets you record calls.

Features

As one of the only parental control apps for Android and iPhone devices that lets you record calls, ClevGuard can be invaluable if your children spend hours talking on the phone. ClevGuard can record up to 20 minutes per call, and it lists all the calls your kids make with timestamps and contact information.

Besides smartphones, you can see what your kids do on their Windows computers with its screen recording feature. You can set this feature up to take periodic or on-demand screenshots to have it capture everything on their screen.

Although it can’t monitor as many social media apps as Cocospy, ClevGuard’s KidsGuard Pro lets you read through their messages on TikTok, WhatsApp, Snapchat, and other popular applications. Unlike most competitors, ClevGuard also monitors Discord, an app that’s popular among kids but, unfortunately, also used by online predators.

Pricing Plans

ClevGuard has three plans tailored to different needs. There’s also a demo version that lets you explore its dashboard and features.

Duration KidsGuard KidsGuard Pro MoniVisor
1 Month $9.99/month $49.99/month $49.99/month
3 Months $25.33/month $26.66/month
12 Months $4.17/month $11.67/month $10.83/month
  • KidsGuard Plan — ClevGuard’s cheapest plan lets you monitor your children’s location, prevent them from visiting inappropriate websites, track their app usage, and even block apps. It works on one device only.
  • KidsGuard Pro — You can monitor up to three devices with this plan, and it lets you listen to your child’s phone environment, record their phone screen, set up keyword alerts, record phone calls, and more.
  • MoniVisor — This plan works on Windows computers only and lets you monitor your child’s screen in real-time, track file changes on their computer, and see every word they type with its keylogger.

While providers like Eyezy and uMobix let you monitor just one device, ClevGuard also includes a family plan that lets you monitor up to 20 devices. Its cheapest solution is a plan for three to five devices that costs $189/year.

Who It's Best for

ClevGuard lets you listen to your kid’s calls and gives you frequent updates on their smartphone and PC activities via screenshots. That makes it ideal for parents looking to constantly keep up with their child’s activities, especially if they often make late-night calls or spend too much time on their devices.

Pros

  • Call recording
  • Long-term plans have a great price point
  • Monitors Discord chats
  • Stealth mode

Cons

  • Location tracking could be more accurate
  • Limited features with KidsGuard

8. Norton Family — Complete Online Protection with Bundled Anti-Virus Tools

Starting Price $4.17/month
No. of Devices Unlimited
Free Trial/Demo 30-day Free Trial
Compatibility iOS, Android, Windows
Money-back Guarantee 60-day Refund Policy
Why We Picked It

Norton Family lets you monitor unlimited devices for just $4.17/month, making it the best parental control app for larger families, especially if your children own different devices. It monitors Androids, iPhones, and Windows computers, giving it the versatility many competitors lack.

Features

Norton Family doesn’t offer as many social media-tracking features as mSpy or uMobix, but it can help parents check their child’s location, set screen time limits, and supervise their web use.

Tracking your child’s location works in several ways with Norton Family. You can open its dashboard to check their location in real-time or set a specific time of the day and have the app send you their location automatically. Additionally, your children can use their Norton Family app to send you their location with a single click.

It also offers School Time, a unique feature that lets you compile a list of websites related to your child’s education and restrict access to all other websites. That means your child can study distraction-free, as Norton Family will even block ads leading to other websites as they browse the sites you allow.

Pricing Plans

Norton Family offers a single pricing plan that can be subscribed to annually, priced at $4.17/month. It also has a lengthy 60-day money-back guarantee, which allows you to try its features risk-free.

Unlike Phonsee, Cocospy, and most parental control apps, Norton Family offers a 30-day free trial period to monitor your children. The trial period includes all the features you get as a subscriber and automatically renews at $49.99/year after it expires.

Who It's Best for

Norton Family is an exceptional choice for parents on a budget, especially if you want to monitor multiple devices, as its affordable plan lets you track activities across unlimited devices. While it doesn’t let you remotely activate the target device’s camera and microphone like uMobix, you get all the traditional parental controls.

Pros

  • Budget-friendly parental control app
  • Many features for managing attention and content
  • Built by one of the best antivirus software providers
  • Monitors unlimited devices with a single subscription

Cons

  • Fewer social media and messaging app features
  • Lacks app supervision on Windows devices
Norton Family

9. FamiSafe — Best for Blocking Inappropriate Content and Sites

Starting Price $4.99/month
No. of Devices Unlimited
Free Trial/Demo 3-day Free Trial
Compatibility iOS, Android, Windows, macOS
Money-back Guarantee 7-day refund window
Why We Picked It

FamiSafe lets you view your children’s daily phone activities via its reports, giving you an insight into what websites they visit, which apps they use the most, and whether they need screen time limits. More importantly, you can then easily block these sites and apps to avoid exposure to inappropriate content.

Features

FamiSafe is an excellent app for passive parental monitoring. You can set it up to send periodic screenshots of your child’s device, block certain apps during specific times of the day, and even alert you if it detects inappropriate photos on your child’s device.

It also has a unique parental controls feature called Driving Report, which is invaluable if you have a teenager with a driving license. This feature automatically alerts you if your child is speeding, shows you their driving routine, and delivers a report after each trip they take. These reports will show you their average driving speed, history of hard braking, and similar data.

Although it doesn’t let you monitor as many apps as Cocospy, FamiSafe is great for monitoring YouTube and TikTok, two of the most addictive apps among youth. From setting a daily screen time limit to blocking them entirely, FamiSafe gives you control over the content your kids consume on these apps and for how long.

Like Qustodio, there are no complicated installations to worry about here. Parents will find the app they need on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store to monitor everything from their own phones. You can then download the apps for your kid’s devices from these app stores, while the Famisafe website has download links for Windows, macOS, ChromeOS, and Amazon Kindle tablets.

Pricing Plans

FamiSafe offers a 3-day free trial period during which you can test its features and use its monitoring services on a single device.

Duration FamiSafe Subscription Plan
1 Month $9.99/month
3 Months $6.66/month
12 Months $4.99/month

Subscribing to FamiSafe for any duration unlocks all its features, but there’s a difference in how many devices you can monitor. With the one-month subscription, you can monitor up to five devices, while the quarterly subscription lets you monitor ten. Subscribing for a year lets you monitor unlimited devices, just like with Norton Family, giving it the best value for money.

Who It's Best for

FamiSafe is the best option for busy parents, as most of its features come with automatic reports. That means you won’t have to constantly check up on your child’s activities by accessing its dashboard, as it will notify you if they are speeding, accessing inappropriate websites, or sending suspicious messages.

Pros

  • Works on Android, iPhone, Windows, Mac, and Kindle devices
  • Reports on your child’s driving habits
  • Numerous activity reports for passive monitoring
  • Remote app and web filtering and blocking

Cons

  • Fewer features for iOS
  • Inconsistent GPS location tracking accuracy

Top Parental Control Apps Compared

The table below lists the key features of the top parental control tools I selected for my shortlist. You can compare them across details such as price, compatibility, free trials, and refund windows.

Provider Name Annual Price Devices Tracked Compatibility Free Version Guarantee
mSpy $11.67/month 1 Android, iOS Demo 14-day refund policy
Eyezy $7.99/month Up to 3 Android, iOS Demo 14-day refund policy
uMobix $12.49/month 1 Android, iOS Demo 14-day refund policy
Cocospy $12.49/month 1 Android, iOS Demo 14-day refund policy
Qustodio $4.58/month 5-15 Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, ChromeOS, Kindle Fire Limited free version 30-day money-back guarantee
Phonsee $8.85/month 1 Android, iOS Demo 14-day refund policy
ClevGuard $4.99/month 1 Android, iOS Demo 30-day money-back guarantee
Norton Family $4.17/month Unlimited Android, iOS, Windows 30-day free trial 60-day money-back guarantee
Famisafe $5/month Unlimited Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, ChromeOS, Kindle Fire Demo 7-day money-back guarantee
Methodology

How We Review And Test Spyware Apps

Important Note: Spy software is not legal to use without the device owner’s permission in many countries and states. When we test spy software, we do so only with the explicit consent of the device owner and in compliance with local laws and regulations.

To provide our readers with accurate and well-informed recommendations, we test the most popular spy applications on the market to find the best options for you. Our methodology consists of the following criteria:

  • General Features: We evaluate the comprehensive feature set of each spy app, including but not limited to features such as App Management, Time Management, Call Monitoring, Device Control and GPS Tracking.
  • Ease of Use: We gauge the user-friendliness of each app, considering factors such as installation process complexity, the necessity of jailbreaking (for iOS) or rooting (for Android) the target device, and more.
  • Device Support and Compatibility: We thoroughly examine the compatibility of each spyware app with different devices and operating systems, including iOS and Android. We also assess whether the app offers a unified dashboard accessible from both desktop and mobile devices.
  • Customer Support: We test the responsiveness and effectiveness of customer support provided by each app developer. We evaluate the availability of support channels, such as live chat, email, or phone support, as well as the satisfaction ratings of customer assistance.
  • Price and Value for Money: We assess each spyware app’s pricing structure in relation to its features and functionalities, aiming to determine its overall value proposition. We analyze whether the app offers different subscription tiers, flexible payment options, and discounts for long-term commitments. Additionally, we check whether the app provides free trials or demos for users to test its capabilities before making a purchase.
  • Privacy and Security: We prioritize the privacy and security of user data in our evaluation. We scrutinize the app’s data encryption measures, adherence to privacy regulations, and commitment to regular security updates to safeguard user information from unauthorized access or breaches.

What is the Best Parental Control App for iPhone?

When it comes to the best parental control app for iPhone, Eyezy stands out as a top choice. Its standout feature is the ability to monitor an iPhone without needing physical access to the device, thanks to its integration with iCloud. This means you can track calls, text messages, social media activity, and app usage directly through iCloud credentials, making it incredibly convenient for parents.

Eyezy also provides detailed insights into web browsing history and offers real-time location tracking, which is crucial for monitoring your child’s online and offline activities.

Another solid option is mSpy, one of the most popular apps known for its comprehensive monitoring features, including call tracking, message monitoring, and app usage insights. However, mSpy does have some limitations. mSpy does offer some monitoring features for iPhones through iCloud credentials, but its full range of capabilities often requires jailbreaking the device, which can be a technical hurdle and potentially compromise the device’s security. Eyezy operates without such requirements, and it’s also a bit more affordable than mSpy when paying for the annual plan, offering excellent value for parents.

What Will a Parental Control App Show Me?

There are several key benefits to using a parental control app to protect your child’s device.

Time ManagementTheft and Loss PreventionOnline SafetyOffline Monitoring

Parental control solutions offer many different technologies to manage your child’s time on their phone, such as time-of-day locks, screen timers, remote app management, website blocking, and device use notifications. These all allow you to tailor your child’s use of their phone.

Many solutions also come with the ability to locate and manage the phone remotely. If you’re really worried about your contacts list falling into the wrong hands, some even come with the ability to delete your phone’s contents remotely.

One of the biggest problems with letting your child have unfiltered and unsupervised access to the Internet is the sheer amount of unpleasant content available. In fact, 56% of children under 16 have seen inappropriate content online.

With real-time updates on their physical movements, you’ll always know where your child is, which will give you complete peace of mind.

Parental control suites allow you to adjust what your child sees, who they talk to, and where they go, alerting you to potential problems long before they become serious.

Which Devices Can I Track With Parental Control Apps?

Depending on your needs, you can find parental control apps for iPhones, Android devices, and Windows and Mac computers. However, not every service offers the same features.

AndroidiPhoneDesktops

Most of these apps will work on Android devices. However, the best parental control app for Android should offer most, if not all, of its features without requiring root access on the target device. Rooting an Android phone can be a complicated process that may not be ideal for non-tech-savvy parents. Apps like uMobix are excellent Android parental control apps because you can use most of their features without root. However, you will miss out on some, like a keylogger and microphone and camera access.

Finding the best parental control app for an iPhone is a touch more complicated since it’s not easy to bypass Apple’s built-in restrictions. While you often don’t need physical access to the target device to install an iPhone tracking app for parents, you will have to know your child’s iCloud credentials. Even then, an iPhone parental control app won’t be as feature-packed as one for Android. Look at the iPhone-specific features a parental control app offers to ensure it covers your needs.

Most parental control apps are built for iPhones and Android devices, but a few options, like Qustodio and Famisafe, offer desktop tracking as well. Kids spend a lot of time on their computers, so it’s important to find the right parental control app to monitor these devices.

Will Parental Control Apps Block All Inappropriate Content?

While some apps and services have built-in parental controls, it may not be too difficult for your kids to bypass these restrictions. With the best parental control apps for iPhones, Android devices, and desktops, you should be able to block access to all inappropriate content on your children’s phones and computers. Here’s what some parental control apps can do:

  • Restrict access to inappropriate websites
  • Remote block access to sites and apps
  • Monitor browser history to see the sites your children are visiting
  • Comprehensive social media monitoring to ensure they aren’t receiving inappropriate content from friends or strangers
  • Keyloggers let you see everything your children type on their iPhone or Android

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Parental Control App

There’s a lot to consider when choosing the best parental control app. Here are a few factors to keep in mind:

FeaturesDevice CompatibilityResource UsageSafetyPriceUser Reviews

Not all parental control apps are built equally, nor are they all intended for the same situation. Some providers on my list, such as FamiSafe, offer features more closely focused on content protection and online filtering to block inappropriate web content.

Others, like mSpy, are built to be a complete mobile monitoring platform. Consider your needs and then pick the solution that’s closest to them.

While most apps work across platforms, finding a parental control app for Android is much easier than for iOS. Parental control on an iPhone is a lot more complicated, but there are apps, like mSpy and Phonsee, that are better suited for iOS devices. You’ll have to look to apps like Norton Family, Famisafe, and Qustodio to monitor activity on Windows and Mac computers.

Most mobile phone monitoring solutions I’ve reviewed here don’t significantly impact the device’s battery life or processing power, but be warned. Turning on location features for long periods or with short update rates is likely to drain battery life and make the app’s use more noticeable.

When using a parental control Android or iOS app, you’re entrusting sensitive data about your family to a third party. You want to be assured that whichever provider you use is taking appropriate security measures to protect your data.

Some tools are more expensive than others, with discounts for longer-term subscriptions. That said, take advantage of any demos, free trials, or money-back guarantees before making any long-term commitments.

Seeing what others say about an app can help you choose the one you prefer. To help with this, when looking at the feedback on the best apps for parental control, I only look at real user reviews.

    Some parental control apps out there claim to be free, but more often than not, they’re harvesting your data to fund hackers, thieves, and scam artists. When you monitor your child’s phone, you’re handling highly sensitive data, so you need to be confident it’s in good hands. With one of the paid apps on my list, you’ll be assured your data is safe.

    Of course, Google and Apple have built-in parental controls on their smartphones, and some apps, like YouTube, allow content filtering. These aren’t particularly robust, though, and a tech-savvy child can bypass them easily. The Google Family Link service provides more granular control but still doesn’t match what the providers on this list can do.

    Some paid providers offer a free trial version of the app, allowing you to try it before you subscribe. However, these free trials are often reduced to basic monitoring features like call logging and address book monitoring.

    Overall, I recommend testing paid products with demos, trials, and guarantees and avoiding free parental control apps that advertise as completely free.

    How to Use a Parental Control App – A Guide

    Parental control apps can be overwhelming to use at first. I’ve chosen the top provider on my list, mSpy, for a step-by-step guide that’ll walk you through all you need to do to get set up and started with one of the best parental apps for Android on the market:

    1. Step 1Go to the mSpy website and purchase your desired plan.
    2. Step 2 — Get physical access to the target device to install mSpy.
    3. Step 3 — Head to the Play Store, click ‘Settings’ and choose ‘Play Protect’ to disable it.
    4. Step 4 — Next, go to the main screen to settings > apps > Google Play Store> notifications > show notifications. Turn this setting off.
    5. Step 5 — Open Google Chrome and enter the link from the mSpy email to download the app.
    6. Step 6 — Click open when the download is complete, allow all permissions, and click ‘Install.’
    7. Step 7 — Launch mSpy and enter the registration code you got via email from mSpy. Click ‘Complete installation.’

    Now, mSpy will monitor the target device. Simply access the mSpy dashboard from your own device to see the data it syncs. Note that all parental control apps on my list follow a similar installation process, and you’ll receive in-depth assistance on how to do it when you sign up.

    Limitations of Parent Control Software

    Naturally, parental control software has some limitations. To really benefit from monitoring, you need to be engaged with the process and able to review what is being accessed.

    Communicating with your child about the appropriate use of devices and permitted content should help foster positive family relationships and the healthy use of technology.

    If you choose to use a monitoring app without the child’s knowledge, though, there is a small chance that they will discover it—which, depending on their age and sense of personal independence, may result in feelings of distrust.

    Trying to limit your child’s autonomy may also backfire as they pursue forbidden activities in response to restrictions. Of course, if they move their activities to another device, with or without your knowledge, then they’ll likely become impossible to track.

    Given all this, it’s best to use a parental control app within a context of trust – otherwise, you’ll inevitably be working against each other.

    FAQs

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    Sam Dawson
    Technology Expert
    Sam Dawson
    Technology Expert

    Sam is a cybersecurity researcher working in the field of hardware security and AI-driven penetration testing. He has spent the last few years contemplating some of the ways in which computers have been built wrong, and how we can possibly detect those flaws. When not stressing out over arcane details of computer hardware, Sam can be found advocating for data privacy in his spare time.