Best Parental Control Apps

Bark is one of the more well-known parental control apps, and for good reason. It’s packed with features caregivers want to help them keep their kids safe. This includes content monitoring (emails, texts, social media, and more), screen time control, content blocking, and location sharing and tracking. The app also shares real-time alerts for when your child may be in danger—whether that danger is from someone online or activity that suggests signs of depression or suicidal thoughts. 

There are two plan options: Bark Junior, which is less expensive and made for younger kids (but lacks many important features), and Bark Premium, which includes all of the bells and whistles. Admittedly, it is one of the more expensive parental control apps, but it also offers some of the best features. Plus, there is no limit to the number of kid profiles you can create or how many devices you can link to. You can even try it out for free for seven days before officially signing up.

While there are a lot of great parental control apps on the market, Qustodio stands out because it allows parents to keep tabs on all of their kids’ devices no matter where they are. Parents can limit their child’s screen time with this app and monitor how they spend time on their devices—including everything from browsing history to time spent on individual apps to YouTube views and more. 

And that’s just scratching the surface of what this app can do. Qustodio can block inappropriate and potentially dangerous content and apps, send parents alerts when their child tries to access a blocked website, track device location, and monitor calls and SMS texts. Parents also get daily, weekly, and monthly activity reports as well as real-time alerts when their child may be in a dangerous situation. 

Qustodio works on phones and tablets with Android or iOS operating systems, Windows computers, Mac computers, Chromebooks, and Kindles. The app is free for one device, but you’ll need to purchase a plan if your child has multiple devices. There are three options, ranging from five to 15 devices, starting at under $60 for a year's coverage. 

If you’re looking for a parental control app to help you manage your child’s screen time, you can’t go wrong with FamilyTime. Parents can use the app to do everything from setting screen time limits to creating internet time blocks to freezing their child’s phone remotely.

We particularly love how the app encourages kids to sign off early to save up and bank some of their minutes to use later as “fun time” (which parents also have full control over). The app works with Android or iOS operating systems, and you can link up to five devices to an account. 

As great as all of the time management features are on their own, the app does offer additional features. You can block apps, create website and internet filters, and set up alerts for when certain people contact your child. There’s also an SOS/Panic button that kids can push when they think they’re in danger, and parents will know where to find them, thanks to location tracking. Finally, if you have a teen who drives, this app also lets you monitor their speed and will alert you whenever they drive faster than the speed limit you set. 

Google Family Link is an excellent option for families looking for an cost-effective and simple app. You’ll need to set your child up with a Google account, and from there, this app offers the basics, like activity monitoring, app management, screen time limits (including the option to lock the device remotely), and location tracking.

However, it doesn’t have some of the bells and whistles many other parental control apps do, like in-depth reporting, website blocking, and real-time monitoring. Also, it’s best for younger kids since control options become much more limited once a child reaches 13 years old, Google’s “age of consent” for individual accounts. 

It’s not a perfect app, but that might be a good thing. Parents shouldn’t rely on these apps to do all the work anyway, according to internet safety expert Katie L. Greer. “I really do recommend [parental control apps] as a good base, but always caution parents who install them not to walk away thinking their jobs are done,” she explains. “I think we have to acknowledge that there is no replacement for us being involved in our kids’ online activities.”

Greer also notes that most devices come with great built-in controls that parents can benefit from, so Google Family Link may be a perfect, free addition to those controls you already have. 

Unlike many other apps, Canopy does not have call and text monitoring options, but that’s not typically what little kids do with their devices anyway. Instead, this app focuses on blocking potentially explicit or dangerous content, whether it’s through a website or an app. 

For example, if a child downloads or takes a photo that the app recognizes could be inappropriate, it blocks them from accessing it until you review it (you’ll get an alert). Parents can also control what apps their child can and cannot access, block certain websites, and track their child’s location. Plus, it’s made so your child cannot disable or remove the app without you knowing. 

Canopy is a subscription service that is billed monthly. There are three tiers: Basic ($7.99 per month), Family ($9.99 per month or $99.99 per year), and Full House ($15.99 per month). Each tier offers the same features but limits the number of devices: three for Basic, Five for family, and 10 for Full House.

While summary reports about your child’s internet browsing are helpful, Net Nanny gives parents a bit more insight with several real-time options. As with most parental control apps, Net Nanny allows parents to track their child’s location in real time, but it doesn’t stop there. Caregivers can set their parental control settings to alert them every time their child tries to access a blocked or restricted website, and they can customize what content falls into the “blocked” or “restricted” categories. Additionally, Net Nanny comes with an in-app family feed that parents can look at in real time to get updates on what their kids are doing online. 

There are plenty of other useful controls, including internet filters, screen time management, app blocking, and digital well-being reports. While you can’t use the app to monitor your child’s calls or texts, Net Nanny’s filter does work well with social media sites (including TikTok) and YouTube.

This app pairs with devices with Android or iOS operating systems, Mac computers, Windows-based computers, and Kindle Fire devices. Net Nanny’s pricing structure is based on the number of devices: The first tier is $39.99 annually and covers one desktop; the second covers five devices for $54.99 annually; and the top tier covers 20 devices for $89.99 a year.

Life360 is by far the best app for parents most concerned with tracking their child’s whereabouts. While it doesn’t offer any internet, call, text, or app monitoring, it keeps track of your child’s location, gives you alerts when they reach a specific location, and keeps an eye on your teen’s driving (and helps keep them safe in the event of a crash by alerting emergency services if a crash is detected and the driver does not respond to calls). 

There are three membership options: Free, Gold for $14.99 per month, and Platinum for $24.99 per month. Each membership tier has special features, and you get more with each tier. Features include up to 30 days of location history, location/place alerts, SOS alerts, family and individual driver reports, roadside assistance, emergency dispatch, towing, crime reports, digital safety protection (such as identity theft), travel support, stolen phone protection, and more.

Regardless of the plan, you can add an unlimited number of family members to your circle. Simply download the app to your kid’s device, and you can start tracking them.