For more options, there's also a premium service available. Nothing gets past KidLogger. This free parental control software not only tracks what your children type and which websites they visit — it also keeps a record of which programs they use and any screengrabs they take.
If you're concerned about who your kids might be talking to online, there's even a voice-activated sound recorder.
If your children are a little older and more responsible, you can pick and choose which options to monitor and give them a little privacy. The free software only covers one device and lacks some of the sneakier features of the premium editions including silent monitoring of WhatsApp conversations and the ability to listen to Skype calls , but it's still a well-rounded tool if you're concerned about your kids' safety.
Keyloggers have something of a bad reputation online, as they're often used by crooks hoping to capture passwords and bank details, but they can be a force for good too, and Spyrix Free Keylogger enables you to see what your children have been up to. Although it's dubbed parental control software, the free version of Spyrix really a monitoring program; it doesn't stop the kids getting up to no good, but it does let you see exactly what they've done.
If you want content blocking too, premium subscriptions aren't expensive. The absence of filtering means Spyrix might not be the best choice for younger kids' computers, but it may be useful for older children if you suspect online bullying or other unpleasantness. The free edition includes a blacklist that prevents your kids seeing inappropriate content online, plus app controls that let you manage app use by time used, age restrictions, and category if you don't want your kids playing games on a school night, for example.
There's also a screen time management tool to help you control overall device use,. The paid version adds more mobile-specific features, including a battery tracker so you can see if your kid's phone is about to go flat, leaving them without a way to contact you. You can also keep an eye on their location with GPS tracking, manage their social media use, and receive real-time alerts if they visit websites they shouldn't or leave a pre-defined 'safe' area.
We found that it took longer than usual to log into a Windows account when Kaspersky Safe Kids was running on a Windows 10 PC, so this is worth bearing in mind if your kids' PC is a little on the slow side already. Wondershare Famisafe. A premium parental control app for mobile devices, Famisafe can be installed on up to 30 devices per account.
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It features all the usual tools for keeping kids safe, including setting time limits and blocking inappropriate content, but can also detect potentially inappropriate photos and text messages, block games, and monitor your kids' whereabouts with GPS and geofencing. It could let the parent decide when the child has demonstrated safe, responsible smartphone use and graduate from all restrictions. That might happen when the child turns 13, 15 or even But the children should not be allowed to strip away settings just because they turn Our approach is to give parents and kids transparency, and encourage a family conversation around this moment.
Those emails inform both the parent and child of some of the changes that will take effect if the child decides to graduate. This is something we continue to get feedback on and will continue to consider the best approach. If your child is 13 or older and uses an Android phone, the paid version of Qustodio is your best bet. Discounts are frequently offered on its website. Unlike with Google Family Link, you use the same email account to set up the app on both devices. Qustodio offers the most features and flexibility among the third-party parental-control apps we tested.
The paid version allows you to set multiple schedules, limit overall phone use and specific app use, and block phone and app use. Keep in mind, though, that many experts warn that this level of monitoring is not actually good for kids. Qustodio also offers a free version, which can be used on one device.
Screen Time Family Locator GPS
With it, parents can set a schedule and determine how much time—by minute increments, and up to 24 hours—their child spends on the phone daily. The free version also includes reports for parents, as well as the Web filter, but little else. The paid version offers more insight and management tools. Qustodio is one of the few apps we tested that allow parents to set more than one schedule, an advantage over Google Family Link. On a grid, parents can block out the hours they want to shut off access to the phone, such as bedtime, during dinner or while the child is at school.
In addition, the paid version of Qustodio allows parents to cap how much time their child spends on individual apps in minute increments—going a step further than simply blocking individual apps, like Google Family Link.
Best free parental control software and apps in 2021: protect your kids online
As with Google Family Link, parents can also turn off access to the phone with a single tap. Like other parental controls, Qustodio aims to filter adult content, including by categories such as weapons, drugs, and alcohol. We did not test the filters extensively; in a quick search, we did find that we were blocked from purchasing whiskey, getting information on gummy edibles, and logging into dating sites such as Tinder and Scruff.
We were, however, able to find gun stores online and nearby. Qustodio has a lengthy privacy policy on how it collects, uses, and stores your data, acknowledging that it may anonymize personal data for research or statistical purposes. Qustodio does alert parents about new apps that their child downloads which they can then block access to.
The most current location is displayed in a line on the app, above the parent news feed. However instead of showing the location on a map, as Google Family Link does, it merely lists the address. The trouble is, Qustodio seems to have a hard time identifying the actual address. Finally, Qustodio is a good choice only for kids with Android phones. On the iPhone, the paid version of Qustodio is more limited: Although it can block a particular set of popular kids apps, such as Fortnite and YouTube, it cannot identify all apps on the iPhone.
When our kids were playing Hatch , a digital pet game on the iPhone, for example, it could not stop them from playing it when time was up.
Parenting Apps
The only way to stop our child from playing by using parental controls was to block access to the entire phone manually. Qustodio has a list of all of the apps it can monitor on the iPhone: as of this review, there are only about On the iPhone, Qustodio also repeatedly and inaccurately claimed that our child was visiting Amazon; Qustodio notes that its feed reports some third-party advertisements or content. It kept reporting that my kid was using Facebook when the app is not even installed on his device.
Deleting this one for good. If your child uses an iPhone, and you use an Android phone, our picks may not work well for you. One popular option among parents we surveyed is OurPact , which used to run on both Android and iOS phones. As of April it runs only on Android phones, due to a move by Apple to purge screen-time tracker competitors from its App Store or restrict their capabilities. OurPact offers three tiers: The basic tier is free, but limited in scope. The Premium tier offers the most flexibility and control for parents.
With the Plus and Premium tiers, parents can create more than one schedule. They can limit access to the smartphone at night, as well as during dinnertime or other times. Parents cannot see how their child uses their smartphone, such as if their child is spending an inordinate amount of time on gaming. Similar to OurPact, unGlue is a subscription-based parental control app that operates on both the iOS and Android platforms. We dismissed both Norton Family and Net Nanny because they were cumbersome to set up, with limited results.
Norton does not offer an iOS app for parents, only a mobile-friendly website. Therefore, you would expect the browser to offer superior content filtering. On the plus side, both Norton Family and Net Nanny blocked access to adult content, as well as potentially dangerous topics for kids such as suicide, something the filters for Apple and Google did not do. On Net Nanny, however, we were able to stumble into a 4chan board with inappropriate content for kids within minutes; and though Net Nanny claims to be able to mask explicit language, none of it was blocked out. Child is txting away at school as I write this; while her phone is supposedly locked.
Can not change any settings thru the parent side of things using parent phone- must be done from a computer. You will always try to be there when help is needed; provide support and assistance whatever it will take. To be at hand each and every moment, you give your kid a cell phone. From now on, this small device will define your communication and interaction.
However, the real world hides no fewer dangers than the online one does. All you need is to keep your eyes open, sort out the content your kid sees, and take action when the situation requires. Thus, if you have decided to present your child an iPhone, learn more about iOS monitoring for kids. I know that wherever my kids go, they take their cells with them. So, I can track them, find out who calls them, how much time they spend online and for which purposes.
Also, Pumpic lets me monitor texts on iPhone. Frankly, it is amazing! I can see how good my daughter is. Now I know that she never visits bad websites, never answers strange people who contact her on Facebook. I can trust her more than ever.
Other apps to consider
I am a single mom, and thus work days and nights to keep my son and little daughter. With Pumpic iPhone parental monitoring, text messages my son sends and receives are no longer a secret for me. I can read his SMS, his social media communication, know who calls him and why. Visit our Store , check out available subscription plans and choose the one that meets your expectations and monitoring preferences.
Parental control app for Android and iOS - Screen Time
After you submit a payment, you will receive an email with setup instructions. Pumpic app setup process will take you no longer than 5 minutes. Follow the guidelines in the email to complete the setup. Note that physical access to the Android target device is required before installation. To see the data from the target device, access your Control Panel via cp.
In the Control Panel, you can view logs, media files, location history, set restrictions, manage your devices and subscriptions.
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Pumpic is a unique parental control tracking application for iOS and Android mobile phones and tablets.