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In my thorough SpyX review, I focus on whether the app truly addresses the concerns of parents who worry about their children’s safety in today’s digital landscape. With features like live screen recording, GPS tracking, and social media monitoring, SpyX aims to give you the peace of mind you need as you navigate the challenges of raising kids in a tech-driven world.
While it offers valuable tools to help you protect your child from potential online dangers, it also has a few common limitations found in many parental control apps. Read on to see if SpyX can be the solution you’ve been looking for to safeguard your child’s online experience.
What Is the SpyX App?
SpyX.com is a powerful monitoring tool developed with parents in mind. While not one of the best-known parental control apps, it’s renowned for its discreet operation, SpyX lets you secretly monitor your child’s Android and iOS devices by installing the app or accessing their iPhone using their iCloud credentials.
It captures a wide range of data, including text messages, call logs, GPS locations, social media usage, and web history, sending this information to a secure online dashboard that you can access from anywhere.
SpyX is designed to provide comprehensive monitoring for parents who want to discreetly track their child’s mobile device activity. SpyX claims that you can install the app and have it up and running in two minutes, and my experience was not far off. I didn’t have any trouble installing the app or navigating and using the SpyX dashboard, but it can take some getting used to because there’s a lot of information there.
The good news is that you don’t need to jailbreak or root your child’s phone to install the app. While SpyX.com can monitor an Android phone with its Google account, the data sync takes a long time, and it takes even longer for it to show anything more than a few photos and text messages.
Of course, you will also need to know their Google account information and password, so your monitoring may not be as discreet as you’d like if you have to ask for this. Similarly, the only way to use the Spy X app to monitor an iPhone is with the other person’s iCloud credentials.
Still, with an open and honest discussion with your child, you can make it clear to them why using a parental monitoring app like SpyX can be crucial for their safety and isn’t intended to be intrusive.
The better installation process is via the app, but you will need physical access to your child’s phone, just temporarily, while you install the app. After that, it runs without you needing to touch it at all. This is what you have to do with most other spy apps anyway, so that isn’t a negative for SpyX. However, if you were hoping for an easy path to monitoring, SpyX’s “hands-free” solution isn’t as quick.
How Much Does SpyX Cost? – Plans and Pricing
The Spy X app offers a single service plan with pricing based only on duration. As expected, long-term subscriptions come with larger discounts.
| Spy X Plans | Starting Price | Number of Devices |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | $49.98/month | 1 |
| 3 months | $28.32/month | 1 |
| 12 months | $11.66/month | 1 |
Unfortunately, SpyX doesn’t offer a free trial or a money-back guarantee. It’s not the cheapest app on the market, but it’s certainly not the priciest either. Its pricing tiers are more in line with apps like mSpy, but if you are looking for cheaper alternatives, I would recommend checking out Eyezy or Phonsee.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the above prices are discounted for first-time subscribers. After your plan renews, the prices will go up slightly. This means that if you like what you see, you’re probably better off going with the one-year subscription right off the bat, so you can take advantage of the cheaper rate.
That said, you get all SpyX features no matter which subscription you choose, including GPS tracking, call logs, text messages, social media monitoring, live screen recording, and more. The app also has a free demo on its official website that you can play around with. The demo is as good as a free trial since you get to see exactly how the app works in real life.
SpyX Key Features
SpyX is a monitoring app with features designed to provide comprehensive tracking of your child’s phone. Whether you need to track calls or social media apps, SpyX offers tools to help you gather insights. Here’s a closer look at the key features that make SpyX a powerful surveillance tool.
As one of the most reliable spouse tracker apps, SpyX allows you to monitor call logs and text messages on the other phone. While there’s no call recording, you’ll be able to see who called and the time and duration of the call.
You can also read all text messages, and they’re laid out in the same format as a messaging app, so you don’t have to sift through hundreds of screenshots as with some other apps. You can also set up keywords to flag messages that might have inappropriate content. In my testing, keyword recognition worked really well.
SpyX offers accurate GPS location tracking, allowing you to monitor your child’s real-time whereabouts. Location history logs are also available, providing a detailed account of where they have been and which route they took.
This tool also has quite powerful social media monitoring capabilities, letting you track your child’s activity on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. This feature captures deleted messages, posts, and interactions, offering a comprehensive view of their social media behavior.
It’s particularly useful for parents who want to protect their children from online dangers and monitor their social interactions discreetly.
However, SpyX’s social media monitoring can be buggy. Information takes a while to load, and you might need to refresh it a couple of times. While it works well enough with popular apps like Facebook and Instagram, I had trouble getting any data from others like Discord.
With SpyX, you can monitor emails they send or receive. It captures email content, including timestamps and contact details, ensuring a clear view of all email communications.
It helps identify potential threats or inappropriate exchanges, making it a crucial tool for parental control and relationship transparency.
The SpyX app allows you to access and view media files stored on your child or teen’s device, including their photos, videos, and audio files. You can even play videos and audio files right on the dashboard, so you don’t have to worry about downloading media to your own device.
This feature ensures you can monitor the shared and received content, giving you insight into your child’s media consumption and sharing habits. This feature is especially useful for parents who want to ensure their kids are not exposed to harmful content.
The keylogger feature in SpyX records all keystrokes made on the on Android phone, showing you everything the other person types, including passwords, messages, and search queries. This powerful feature provides a detailed view of all activities conducted on the device, offering an extra layer of monitoring.
SpyX lets you view documents stored on the device, including PDFs, Word files, and other document types. This feature allows you to monitor any sensitive or important information being stored or shared on the device.
It’s useful for parents to ensure their kids are avoiding inappropriate content, and it also makes a lot of sense for employers to ensure their employees are avoiding mishandling important company documents.
SpyX Alternatives & Comparison
Let’s compare SpyX software to the other apps in the spy app category. This comparison provides valuable insights into key features, the cheapest prices, and suitability for different monitoring needs, helping you make an informed decision.
| Spy Apps | Best For | Free Demo/Trial | Cheapest Plan/Month | Number of Devices Tracked | Money-Back Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SpyX | Location Tracking and History | Demo | $11.66/month | 1 | ❌ |
| mSpy | Powerful Remote Controls | Demo | $11.67/month | Up to 3 | 14 Days |
| uMobix | Precise GPS and Live Alerts | Demo | $12.49/month | 1 | 14 Days |
| Spynger | Keylogging | Refund policy | $9.28/month | 1 | 14 Days |
| Phonsee | Geofencing and Dating App Logging | Demo | $8.85/month | Multiple | 14 Days |
| Eyezy | Custom Word Flagging | Demo + 3-Day Free Trial | $7.99/month | Up to 3 | 14 Days |
| Scannero | Anonymity | 1-Day Trial $0.89 | $49.80/month | Up to 10 | 14 Days |
Does SpyX Really Work?
Yes, SpyX does work and provides a range of monitoring features such as live screen recording, GPS tracking, and social media monitoring. It is generally effective in tracking various activities on a device.
However, its performance can vary depending on the device and operating system, and some users have reported limitations or issues with certain features. While it offers valuable monitoring tools, it’s essential to review user feedback, as well as all info in my review, and compare it with other options to make sure it meets your specific needs and expectations. I’ll go into more details about SpyX’s installation and compatibility below so you can learn more before you buy.
Is SpyX Legal?
Yes, SpyX is legal to use for monitoring your minor child, provided you adhere to the laws regarding monitoring in your jurisdiction. Generally, parental control apps like SpyX are designed for parents to use to monitor their minor children’s devices, which is typically allowed.
However, it’s important to ensure that you have the consent of the device owner if they are over a certain age, as laws can vary by location. Always check local regulations to ensure compliance and maintain open communication with your child about the use of monitoring tools for their safety and protection.
SpyX Installation Methods and Compatibility
SpyX works on both Android and iOS, but not every feature is available on the latter. Depending on which installation method you use, you’ll get a different feature set on Android as well. Here’s a look at what you get across platforms and installation methods.
The Google Cloud sync method gives you a “hands-free” monitoring option for Android. However, you will need quick access to the Android phone if they have two-factor authentication set up.
Since the information you’ll see is everything the person has set up to back up to the cloud, it can be a bit limited. You will get access to contacts, browser history, photos and videos, text messages, and emails—basically everything that has backups on Android. Location tracking also works well.
However, social media monitoring is limited to WhatsApp, which is the only app that has Google Cloud backups. Another issue with this method is that you’ll get updates on the cloud backup schedule. Say they have their WhatsApp backups scheduled for every 24 hours, or worse, once a week; that’s how often your dashboard will update as well.
You can circumvent this limitation by getting access to their phone and changing the backup schedule. Luckily, Google apps tend to back up far more frequently, but it still won’t be as real-time as you might like.
This method requires prolonged access to the Android phone but allows for far more comprehensive monitoring if that’s what you are looking for.
Apart from everything you get with the Cloud method, the app installation method adds detailed information about installed apps, the ability to record audio and video from the phone’s mic and camera, and the option to take screenshots. Social media monitoring gets a boost as well, with access to Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, TikTok, and more.
Using the other person’s iCloud credentials is the only way to monitor iPhones. With this, you’ll get information about calls, text messages, videos, locations, browser usage, installed apps, Notes, Files, and Reminders.
On the social media side of things, you can access popular apps like WhatsApp, Snapchat, Instagram, Telegram, and Skype. The only glaring omission here is Facebook and Facebook Messenger.
SpyX Customer Reviews
For my SpyX app review, I also examined the tool’s customer support. The tool provides multiple support channels to assist users, including 24/7 customer service via email and a live chat option on its website.
However, I didn’t have a great experience trying to contact SpyX customer support. The live chat wasn’t responsive, and they took a long time to reply to an email and only did so after a follow-up. Many user reviews on Trustpilot also mention facing similar issues.
SpyX has 279 reviews on Trustpilot, but its score is currently unavailable due to what Trustpilot says is a breach of their guidelines. This may mean they were posting fake reviews, but at this time, user opinion about SpyX.com seems somewhat mixed.
One reviewer gave it 3 out of 5 stars, noting disappointment that the product required physical access to the target device for setup, which was not communicated before purchase:
“As someone whose major intent was viewing the targeted device in completely stealth mode, this product didn’t seem suitable as before purchasing I was never told about the procedure needing any physical registration on the other device. It wasn’t what I wanted.
After that, I decided I’d go on Instagram and see what everyone had been talking about angle solvers on getting there they explained the whole process and it was easy and safe. It showed everything discreetly, I was really pleased I went with them.”
On the other hand, a satisfied user rated it 5 out of 5 stars, praising the app’s comprehensive monitoring functions:
“SpyX’s monitoring functions are very comprehensive. Not only can I track my daughter’s phone location, but I can also view browsing history and social application usage.”
Overall, while SpyX reviews are mixed, users like its monitoring features. Some users have expressed concerns about the clarity of setup requirements and the absence of phone support.
Read all customer reviews on Trustpilot
How To Use SpyX – A Step-by-Step Guide
Installing SpyX is a straightforward process that varies slightly between Android and iOS devices. Follow this step-by-step guide showcased on the web on how to set up the app and start monitoring:
Step 1 - Visit the SpyX Site and Choose Which Device You Want To Monitor
Visit the SpyX website, where you will be prompted to select the device you want to track and monitor.
Step 2 - Purchase and Set Up
Then, choose a subscription plan and complete the purchase. After purchase, you will receive a download link and activation code via email.
Step 3 - Submit the iCloud Credentials of Your Target Device
On your SpyX dashboard, enter the iCloud credentials of your child’s iOS device. Ensure iCloud backup is enabled on their device for continuous data synchronization.
Step 4 - Verify and Monitor Your Target Device
If prompted, complete the two-factor authentication. Once verified, monitoring data will start appearing on your SpyX dashboard.
Step 5 - Manage the Dashboard
Now, you can monitor and record your child’s call logs, texts, social media activity, GPS locations, web browsing history, and more from your SpyX dashboard.
SpyX will give you real-time insights and help you stay discreetly informed about your child’s activities.
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:How We Review And Test Spyware Apps
How To Choose the Best Spy Software
Selecting the best spy app is a crucial decision, whether you’re a parent safeguarding your child’s online activities or an individual monitoring a partner’s behavior. This guide outlines key factors to help you make an informed choice:
Ensure the spy app supports the operating system and version of your child’s phone to guarantee smooth functionality and accurate monitoring results.
Compatibility issues can hinder the app’s effectiveness, so verifying this aspect before purchasing is essential.
Look for a spy app with an intuitive interface and easy installation process to minimize complications and ensure seamless monitoring.
A user-friendly design makes your overall experience better and simplifies the navigation.
Compare the pricing plans and the features offered to determine the best balance between affordability and functionality.
While opting for the cheapest option is tempting, investing in a comprehensive spy app with essential features can provide better long-term value.
Take advantage of any free trial or demo version of spy app providers to test the software’s capabilities and suitability for your needs.
This allows you to evaluate its performance firsthand before committing to a purchase.
Choose a spy app with stealth or hidden mode capabilities to operate discreetly on the target phone without alerting the user.
Stealth mode is essential for covert monitoring and maintaining confidentiality in sensitive situations.
Evaluate the spy app’s range of monitoring features, including call logs, texts, social media activity, parental control features, and location tracking, to ensure it meets your specific surveillance requirements.
Each feature is crucial in providing comprehensive insights into the target’s behavior and activities.
If tracking social media activity is important, consider spy apps with robust social media monitoring capabilities.
These features allow you to monitor conversations, posts, and interactions on popular platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat, providing valuable insights into someone’s online behavior.
Look for spy apps with accurate GPS tracking features that can monitor your child’s whereabouts in real-time.
Location tracking can be essential for ensuring the safety of loved ones or verifying someone’s claims and movements.
Prioritize spy apps that prioritize data security measures such as encryption and secure servers to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access.
Ensuring data security is crucial for maintaining confidentiality and preventing potential breaches or leaks of monitored data.
Choose a spy app provider that offers reliable customer support channels, such as live chat, email, or phone support, to promptly address any issues or concerns.
SpyX FAQs
Can I trust SpyX?
How much does SpyX cost?
mSpy vs SpyX: Is SpyX better than mSpy?
How do I deactivate or cancel SpyX?
How does SpyX work?
References
- Social Conversation Listening and Monitoring – Arizona State University
- Keyloggers: Silent Cyber Security Weapons – Network Security
- The Impact of Email Monitoring on Email Systems Management – International Management and Technology Conference (IMT)
