parental controls

Top 10 Android Parental Control Apps: Reviewed

The most effective way to keep your child safe from negative internet influence is by installing dedicated Android parental control apps. Basic parental control apps for Android allow you to monitor, limit, and even block your children’s unwanted online activity.

In turn, advanced monitoring solutions give you access to more essential data for child’s online security, such as live location tracking or social media chats. If you’d like to keep your kids safe, set time limits, our team of cybersecurity specialists and concerned parents in one can vouch for the following providers after testing them first-hand:

Too long to read? Here’s a summary of our Top 3 Parental Control Software:
🥇 mSpy – invisible, fast, and reliable for all your spying needs. You can screen record the target device, spy on social media, read SMS, view call logs, block applications, set controls, receive reports, and view browsing history. No rooting.

🥈 KidsGuard Pro – our second-best pick for Android users. Affordable pricing. Free demo. Spy on social media. Geofencing. Record phone calls. Take secret photos. Invisible. No rooting.

🥉 uMobix – a reliable option with a decent amount of features. Pornography blocker. Detailed activity reports. SOS panic button. Screen time tracking. Beginner-friendly. Great customer service. Outstanding user interface. Invisible. No rooting.

Try #1 Parental Control Software

mSpy – Best Overall Android Parental Control App

mspy parental control android

With more than 30 monitoring features and about 1 Million customers, mSpy is an acknowledged market leader among the best parental control apps. It works with both Android and iOS and provides a complete tracking solution for calls, texts, and social media.

Pros

  • Secure payment options like Mastercard, Visa, Discover, and American Express
  • Advanced tracking with geo-fencing feature
  • 24/7 customer support in 8 languages
  • Undetectable spy app
  • Offers no-jailbreaking version

Cons

  • Most premium features require rooting

Pricing: mSpy phone tracker by number plans range from $29.99 a month to $199.99 a year, based on whether you are going for the Basic or Premium package. And the subscriptions also come with a 14-day refund policy.

Download mSpy

KidsGuard – Remote Parental Control App

KidsGuard is one of those rare monitoring solutions that not only give you basic social networks and device access but also allow parents to record calls and activate an Android phone’s camera without touching the device. If you’re in the market for all-round monitoring, KidsGuard is right for you.

Pros

  • Supports multiple languages
  • Can track stickers, photos, emojis in messenger apps
  • Offers unique iCloud monitoring feature
  • Control panel works with any browser
  • 5-minute installation

Cons

  • No internet filtering or website blocking available

Pricing: iCloud monitoring costs $8.32 per month, just like Android monitoring. iOS monitoring will cost slightly higher, at $9.16 per month. On average, KidsGuard is only $0.27 per day.

Download KidsGuard

uMobix – Top-Notch Android Parental Control Software

umobix kik spy

uMobix is a great parental control app that can help you do just that. With uMobix, you can track your child’s web browsing history and see what websites they’re visiting. You can also set up filters to block certain types of content, and receive alerts if your child attempts to access a blocked site. uMobix also lets you set limits on how much time your child can spend online each day. With all of these features, uMobix is a great tool for keeping your child safe online.

Pros

  • Does not require rooting
  • Lets you control some options remotely
  • 5-minute set up

Cons

  • Requires physical access

Pricing: The Basic option comes at $49.99, per month, but you can pay 3 times less per month if you opt for a 3-month subscription.

Download uMobix

Spyzie – Monitoring App for Android With Advanced Features

If you are looking for the best parental control app around, then go with Spyzie. It is one of the best parental control apps for Android due to its super-easy over-the-air installation. All you have to do is click the download link.

Pros

  • Does not require rooting
  • Free lifetime updates
  • A great refund policy
  • No Jailbreak needed for iPhones

Cons

  • No free trial

Pricing: The Basic option comes at $39.99, while the Premium edition costs $49.99. Also, the plans come with a money-back guarantee. This is one of the most affordable providers in the market.

Download Spyzie

Qustodio – Advanced App Blocker for Android Devices

Qustodio is another widely used best parental control app preferred by Android users. Probably, this is the best way to supervise your children wherever you are. The app is one of the most advanced filtering software, blocking access to inappropriate content and it offers screen time control.

Pros

  • Detailed & regular reporting
  • Android panic button
  • Screen time control
  • App usage management and game restrictions
  • Family locator function

Cons

  • No keylogger feature

Pricing: This best Android parental control app’s pricing plans are less flexible in comparison to other providers, there are only yearly subscriptions available. Although, the discounts and special offers are impressive: the prices range from $49.46 to $124.16 annually.

Download Qustodio

Spyic – Multi-Device Internet Filter

The parents of a big family who want to keep an eye on all their kids in one place should try Spyic. It gives you the ability to track messages, e-mails, multimedia files, GPS location, social media activity, and internet browser actions for up to 3 different Android or iOS devices.

Pros

  • App management & blocking
  • Screen time control
  • Advanced device usage data analytics

Cons

  • Slow location updates
  • Cheaper packages offer fewer features

Pricing: With Spyic, you can choose between a monthly, an annual, or a quarterly plan. The Basic subscription plan costs $39.99, the Premium is $49.99, and the Family plan costs $69.99.

Download Spyic

FlexiSpy – New Level of Parental Control Software

FlexiSPY is known for its professional-grade functions like phone call interception and recording of calls on Facebook, Skype, Viber, WhatsApp, and more. The app can listen to all background sounds via a microphone, take photos/screenshots or shoot videos from the target device, capture passcodes.

Pros

  • Comes with Android keylogger
  • Records VoIP calls & phone calls
  • VIP-level tech support
  • Offers devices with pre-installed FlexiSPY parental controls
  • The only provider boasting free Android mobile viewer app

Cons

  • Fast internet connection required
  • Rooting is necessary

Pricing: The basic FlexiSPY package capable of remote phone control is available at just $29.95 per month. A more advanced set of features, including tracking of most instant messenger chats, is priced from roughly $13 a month. The all-inclusive Extreme version is about $30.

Download FlexiSPY

Cocospy – Best No-Root Parental Control App for Android

If your kids tend to run late, skip school, and often don’t return your calls, the Cocospy Android spy app fits the bill. The key highlight is the top-notch Wi-Fi, SIM-card, and LTE-based location tracking. Using this service, you won’t have to worry about their whereabouts or misplaced Android devices anymore.

Pros

  • ALL features are available without rooting
  • No viruses or plugins
  • 1 million active users across the world, 96% satisfaction rate
  • Access to ~20 social networks, Tumblr, Telegram & Tinder included
  • Well-organized dashboard

Cons

  • Lacks a call recording feature

Pricing: Basic plan from $8.33 per month will do for small kids. Parents of teens should choose the Premium subscription worth $9.99 a month. If you have 3 kids, opt for Family package starting from $16.66 monthly.

Download Cocospy

Hoverwatch – Parental Control Developed for Android Only

Focusing on a single mobile OS, Hoverwatch regularly perfects its Android monitoring abilities ahead of the competition. The most recent developments are call recording for Android 10 and tracking WhatsApp, Facebook, Viber, Hangout, Instagram, Snapchat, and browsing activity without rooting Android devices.

Pros

  • Tracks up to 25 devices, suitable for a large family or a whole class
  • Neat dashboard with all mobile devices & PC’s in one place
  • Regular free & remote updates
  • Data upload every 5 minutes
  • Available for macOS and Windows

Cons

  • Doesn’t support iOS
  • Physical access required for installation

Pricing: Hoverwatch doesn’t limit its functionality for any of the pricing plans. Only the number of devices makes them different. Monthly fee of $8.33 for one device, $3.33 per device for 5 of them, and $1.67 per device for 25.

Download Hoverwatch

Bark – Android Parental Control Against Online Threats

Bark is an award-winning parental control app and a website blocker for parents and school administrations. You can also use it to block inappropriate content. The app has impacted more than 5 million lives by providing advanced management, monitoring, detection, and alerts on impending harm like cyberbullying or suicidal thoughts.

Since its inception, the app has  thwarted 16 school shootings and more than 50,000 self-inflicted injuries. 

Pros

  • Developed ft. child psychologists
  • Smart keyword alerts to detect harmful topics like drugs, porn, violence, etc.
  • Doesn’t invade child’s privacy (only dangerous content accessible for parents)
  • Monitors 30+ social media, more than any other provider
  • Features Google Suite integration for schools

Cons

  • No clear notifications about subscription renewal

Pricing: There’s an entry-level product for younger kids for $5 per month (focused on screen time, location, and web filtering) and a more comprehensive solution (featuring social networks and potential issues alerts) for $14 per month. Annual subscription saves you up to 41%.

Download Bark

How to Set Parental Controls on an Android Phone

Step 1 – Register on the website of the chosen provider and purchase a subscription.

Step 2 – Click the installation link from the welcome email and follow the setup wizard’s instructions.

Step 3 – Sign in to your control panel and start monitoring.

How to Choose the Best Parental Control Android App?

Because there are so many different best parental control apps options to choose from, you might find it difficult to decide which one to go for. There are a couple of different factors to consider when trying to make the final decision.

The most obvious one is to compare features. While these best parental control apps might seem similar, not all of them offer the same features. Some offer advanced features such as screen time recording and live camera feed, while others offer better website blocking and filtering features.

The second factor to consider is age. Feature-packed mSpy, Flexispy, and Cocospy are great for teenagers because they have great social media monitoring features.

On the other hand, if your kids are very young, then Bark, Qustodio, Spyic, and KidsGuard might be your best options. Some of those have even received rewards in the past for the good they’ve done to prevent cyberbullying and high school suicides.

What Is the Best Parental Control Android App?

Our team’s personal favorite is mSpy due to its stable performance and price-quality ratio.

However, if you prefer some other options from the list, that’s fine too. In the end, the best parental control apps for Android are the ones that are the most suitable for your lifestyle and your needs. So, let’s get to reviewing our top nine picks.

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2 Comments

  1. Have you tried the Family Time App yet? It has all the features that are needed for parenting and at a very affordable cost. You should try out family time today to ensure that your child remains safe while using the internet and also in real life.

    1. Hey Dave, we did, but we’re not getting a response from them. If you’ve got a way to reach them, make sure they know we’re up for reviewing their software 🙂

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