The 5 best parental control apps for Android and iOS
In today’s world, children get their first mobile devices at primary school age or even earlier. It is therefore no wonder that software that allows parents to monitor their child’s use of a smartphone is so popular.
Here are some small reviews of a few of these applications.
Google Family Link
Compatible: Android 7.0 or later for child and Android 5.0 or later or iOS 12 or later for parent.
The application requires a Google Chrome browser. The software allows you to track how much time your child uses the smartphone, what apps they use and what they download from Google Play.
The application allows parents to monitor their child’s Internet time, prohibit the downloading of unwanted content and also track whether their child is skipping school. A special feature of the app: unconditional blocking of YouTube for children under the age of 13.
The app is free, but the flip side of that is that a more or less tech-savvy child can easily bypass the controls in place.
Kaspersky Safe Kids
Compatibility: Android 4.4 and higher, iOS 12 and higher. Versions for Windows 7 and higher and MacOS 10.13 and higher are available on the Kaspersky website.
The developer offers a free version of the app, designed for one parent and one child, and a paid version, with the ability to connect multiple children’s devices.
The app features a solid collection of parenting tips from leading psychologists.
The app allows you to track your child’s activity on the Internet, as well as monitor the battery level of your child’s device, and, in the paid version, track its geolocation. However, parents should note that the option to remotely lock a child’s device does not work on iOS smartphones due to the peculiarities of that platform.
Where are my kids
Compatibility: Android 5.0 and above, iOS 11 and above, WatchOS 3.0 and above. The app is available as a free version and as a paid subscription, the cost of which depends on the number of devices to be engaged.
The functionality of the app: standard parental control options plus live listening. But this option is available with a separate subscription for an additional fee and it does not work on the iPhone. The app is compatible with smartphones and GPS watches.
Parental Control Kroha
Compatibility: Android 5.0 and above for child and parent, iOS 9 and above for parent only. The app allows you to track your child’s movements, monitor their smartphone activity and block access to games, websites, social networks and video hosting if necessary.
The app also allows you to view WhatsApp and Viber conversations on your child’s device and monitor what photos your son or daughter is taking or receiving.
Kidslox
Compatibility: Android 7.0 and above, iOS 12 and above. The app is available in a free version with a minimal set of options, as well as a paid version with full functionality, the ability to connect up to ten devices and a subscription ranging from one month to perpetual.
The main difference between this service and all others is the ability to work in cross-platform mode. That is, all functionality is fully operational both on iPhone and Android. The application allows you to fully control your child’s use of a mobile device: Internet activity, games, social networks, video sharing. The application automatically monitors and blocks access to adult content on children’s devices.
