While there are numerous parental control apps that offer various tools and settings to keep your family safe online, the best ones will assist you in blocking harmful and inappropriate content, setting screen time limits, monitoring the apps your kids use, and providing location and unobtrusive SMS.
As a concerned parent, I’ve spent hours testing the top parental control applications, taking into account all of the previously mentioned crucial factors as well as price, usability, customer service, and a host of other factors.
After careful consideration, I bring the vetted list of the top 6 family safety apps that every parent needs.
How to Pick The Top Apps for Family Safety
There are key factors to consider for keeping your kids safe online. You should select parental control software that offers some or all of these features so that you may make the best decision possible. When searching for a parental control program, consider asking yourself these questions.
- Is it easy to set up and install? Installing certain apps is simpler than others.
- How many devices can it cover at once? While some control apps may be limited, others may handle an infinite number of devices.
- Is there a way to customize it? Website ad/block lists are available in certain apps.
- How much does it cost? Price is important; therefore, you should find out if you can buy a similar product for less money.
- What kind of content is blocked by the app? While not all parental control apps will ban everything, some let you access the content.
- Does location tracking come with it? For many parents, knowing where their child is at all times is one of the most crucial things.
Top 6 Safety Apps For Every Parent
Based on my independent, practical testing, these are your best choices.
- Airdroid Parental Control
AirDroid Parental Control is known for its sophisticated AI capability to identify explicit content in real-time, cross-platform compatibility, and a strong notification system. In addition to blocking inappropriate app use, it filters adult content from websites, social media, incoming calls, and SMS. It is the ideal option for anyone attempting to regulate their family’s or their own internet behavior because of its ideal balance of features that are both family-friendly and individual-friendly.
What I like the most about AirDroid Parental Control are its three powerful remote features: Screen Mirroring, Remote Camera, and One-Way Audio. With my child’s awareness and consent, these tools allow me to stay closely connected to their online and offline safety. I also rely heavily on the location tracking feature, which gives me a clear view of whether my child is commuting to and from school as expected and which places they have visited.
Recently, the app has introduced two new features that I find especially useful: Inappropriate Image Detection, which helps identify harmful content, and Focus Mode, which minimizes distractions when my child needs to concentrate on studying.
After testing, we believe AirDroid Parental Control does an excellent job of keeping kids safe in both their online and offline activities. The paid plan is reasonably priced—costing just a fraction of what you’d spend on a daily cup of coffee.
| Pros | Cons |
| All-in-one parental control | Limited features for iOS |
| Cross-platform support | |
| Intuitive interface | |
| Transparent pricing |
- Qustodio
I thought Qustodio performed exceptionally well on all fronts, in addition to having a fantastic free service that allows you to restrict content and create rules and time schedules. Additionally, it is accessible on a multitude of platforms, such as Chromebooks and Kindles.
I found the UI to be user-friendly and intuitive, making it simple to restrict and filter material. Additionally, it offers a breakdown of your child’s online activities, including the websites they visit, the applications they utilize, and the postings they make on social media. You receive alerts if they access specific websites, such as those that provide chat rooms and file sharing.
| Pros | Cons |
| Supports app blocking | Relatively expensive |
| Cross-platform support | Can be bypassed with a VPN |
| Intuitive interface | Limited features for iOS |
| Sets time limits |
- Norton Family
Norton Family can block all Android apps, and its web filter allows you to block websites on Chrome, the Norton Family browser, and Android’s built-in browser based on more than 45 site categories. In my tests, the web filters and the app performed flawlessly, and I particularly appreciate the ability to modify the web filtering rules as needed.
Norton Family’s location tracking is fantastic. It allows you to configure geofencing zones up to 2 miles and see your child’s current location. It also allows you to schedule location alerts and request check-ins, ensuring your child’s safety without the need for continuous monitoring.
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy restriction to explicit content | Bonus features need more work |
| Detects tempering | Comparatively expensive |
| Comes with a password manager | Geofencing limits |
| Screen time can be changed if a kid asks for it |
- Aura Parental Controls
For parents who require unrestricted device support without all the extra features found in other parental control software, Aura Parental Controls is the greatest option. Parents who seek combined device and identity theft security will also love Aura.
Aura Parental Controls is compatible with your Android, iPhone, and iPad, but not with other devices. It provides cyberbullying notifications, screen time control, and website screening.
Aura allows parents to keep an eye on their children and establish screen usage limits. The ability of Aura to filter online content according to your child’s birthdate is one of its best features.
| Pros | Cons |
| Screen time management | No location tracking |
| Safe gaming feature | Lags on Safari |
| Identity theft protection | |
| Easy to use |
- Bark
Bark approaches parental control apps a little differently. Instead of monitoring your child’s actions, it places a strong emphasis on trust and communication, promoting candid conversations and providing warning signs of possible problems.
Web content screening and screen time monitoring are available, but I didn’t find the tracking and monitoring to be as good as those of Bark’s competitors. Nevertheless, it still includes check-in alerts for when your child has arrived at a certain location and monitoring for YouTube, emails, and texts.
Additionally, if suicidal thoughts, drug usage, cyberbullying, or internet predators are suspected, alerts are sent.
| Pros | Cons |
| Free trial | Limited support |
| Custom control options | Alerts are delayed sometimes |
| Parental filters available | |
| Phone plans are available at an affordable price |
- FamiSafe
FamiSafe tracks speeding, abrupt braking, and infractions of traffic laws to deliver comprehensive driving reports on your teen’s behaviors. Additionally, you can configure alerts to be notified if they drive recklessly (beyond a specific speed limit).
When your child isn’t driving, FamiSafe keeps an eye on over ten Android social media apps, such as Instagram, Snapchat, and Discord. It allows you to enter custom keywords for alerts and notifies you if your youngster comes across improper terms. Additionally, it monitors your child’s activities on TikTok and YouTube and alerts you if they engage with improper content. You can even view their entire watch history on TikTok.
| Pros | Cons |
| Blocks apps on Android | Can slip through explicit content |
| Restricts use of YouTube, Chrome, Firefox, Play Store, Search | Can be underpowered |
| Content filtering on TikTok | |
| Detailed reports |
7. TiSPY
TiSPY is a parental monitoring tool that enables parents to keep a close eye on smartphone activities, including calls, messages, location, social media usage, and browsing history. It gives real time insights through a secure online dashboard, helping parents respond quickly if anything concerning arises.
With its ability to track apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and more, TiSPY supports parents in guiding safer digital habits. Used transparently and responsibly, it can be a valuable safeguard for children both online and offline, especially for parents looking for a reliable WhatsApp tracking app to enhance safety.
| Pros | Cons |
| Centralized dashboard for calls, SMS, app usage, and browsing insights | Over-monitoring may affect trust between parent and child |
| Live location tracking with geo-fencing alerts | |
| Strong support for major messaging and social media platforms | |
| Remote monitoring from anywhere via secure web panel |
Conclusion
Although there are many advantages to the internet’s simple accessibility, the reality is that youngsters now have unparalleled access to age-restricted and unlawful online content due to its rapid and frequently unregulated development. Naturally, parents are very concerned about this.
The internet is a fantastic playground for individuals of all ages, but not all websites have content controls, and dangerous content can still find its way onto what you may consider to be secure websites. Therefore, parental control apps, like Airdroid Parental Control, provide you the ability to govern what your family sees online, making you the internet’s legislator in your home and protecting them from inappropriate material.