mSpy vs Highster Mobile: Which is the Best Tracking App?
If you’ve been looking for the best mobile tracking apps, you would’ve come across mSpy and Highster Mobile. Both applications are quite popular, but to choose the right one, you need to know how they compare in terms of features, compatibility, pricing, and their overall ease of use.
This guide will give you an in-depth comparison of both apps so you can make the best decision based on your needs. So let’s get right into it.
What is mSpy?
mSpy is possibly the most popular spy app in the market today. It’s compatible with all Android and iOS mobile devices and offers an impressive list of tracking features at a competitive price.
The key features of this app include –
- Call tracking: mSpy allows you to monitor all outgoing and incoming calls made from and to the target device. It also gives you additional information such as the timestamps, call duration, and the phone numbers on both sides.
- SMS and instant messenger monitoring: You can also use mSpy to monitor all text messages and media files shared between the target and their contacts. You get the phone number on both sides, the date and the time of the sent or received messages. Further, these messages are also presented in a conversation view, making them easy to navigate between. However, it doesn’t offer any filtering, so you can’t search for messages based on the date and or even using a specific phrase.
- GPS location tracking and geofencing: This is one of mSpy’s most advanced features. It gives you the accurate real-time time location of the target device at any point in time. It also shows you the date and the time at which the target was at a location, and gives you a link to view the location on Google Maps. Additionally, the geofencing feature allows you to set safe zones or virtual boundaries so you’re alerted whenever they’re breached or crossed.
- Keyword tracking: With mSpy, you will receive alerts whenever the target enters certain keywords when performing a web search or chatting with someone. You can manually enter the keywords or phrases of your choice, and the app will give you an alert accordingly.
- Media files monitoring: You can also use mSpy to monitor all the media files present on the target device, including pictures, videos, and audio files.
- Web browser monitring: While this is one of the app’s more basic features, it gives you a list of the URLs visited and the dates at which they were accessed.
- App blocking: With mSpy, you can also manually block any apps you don’t want the target to access on their device, be it your child or your partner or spouse.
- Socal media monitoring: mSpy also gives you the ability to monitor various social media apps like Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and more. It’s also a great Tinder tracking app.
You can check out our detailed mSpy review for more information.
mSpy Pricing
mSpy is among the more well-priced spy apps in the market today. For example, unlike a lot of apps that offer different pricing plans for monitoring iOS and Android devices, mSpy starts at $29.99 for both. Further, the app also comes with an online demo that allows you to see how the app functions, and has a 7-day free trial so you can actually download the app and see if it fits your needs well.
Pros
- Offers a variety of tracking features
- Well priced
- Comes with a 7-day free trial and an online demo
- Accurate keylogger and keyword tracking
- App and website blocking
- 100% hidden on the target device using Stealth Mode
Cons
- Only offers tracking for one device per account
- Filtering through collected records isn’t the easiest
- Advanced features require rooting and jailbreaking
What Does Highster Mobile Offer?
The next app in our mSpy vs Highster comparison is Highster, of course. It used to be quite a popular spy app until the company started engaging in unethical company practices. A lot of our users reported that the app was visible on the target device and that the customer support was almost non-responsive. You can read more about this in the disclaimer in our Highster review.
Regardless, given below are the key features of this app –
- Call and text messsage monitoring: Highster does a decent job of monitoring all text messages and calls on the target device. One thing it has going for it is that it can also record deleted text messages.
- GPS location tracking: With the location of the target device being uploaded on Google Maps, you can see where the target is at any given point in time.
- Social media monitoring: Highster can be used to monitor chats on social media apps like WhatsApp, Kik, Viber, and more.
- Phone media monitoring: Using the control panel, you can also monitor the photos and videos stored on the target device.
- Track browsing history: You can use Highster Mobile to monitor the target’s web browsing history and get a log of the websites they visit and when.
- Keylogging: While Highster offers a keylogger, there i a fair bit of delay in the transmission, you the app tends to miss out keystrokes from time to time. This can be a disadvantage for someone to wants to monitor every single keystroke entered on the target device.
Highster Mobile Pricing
Highster Mobile offers two plans – Basic and Pro. The Basic plan costs $29.99 while the Pro plan will set you back $69.99. When it comes to monitoring features, the difference between the two plans is considerably large. The Basic Plan offers features like call and text message monitoring, location tracking, and email monitoring.
The Pro version offers you the full range of tracking features that Highster has to offer.
Pros
- Can monitor iPads along with other iOS mobile devices
- Decent tracking features
Cons
- Shady company practices
- App visible on target device
- Non-responsive customer support
- Refunds not issued to customers
mSpy vs Highster: How Do They Compare?
Tracking Features
In terms of tracking features, both apps offer certain features that are common between them. These include call and text message tracking, location tracking, social media monitoring, keylogging, and a few others.
However, mSpy goes a step beyond in terms of features like a 100% reliable Stealth Mode, which Highster fails at. Further, features like app and website blocking, WiFi monitoring, and geofencing make mSpy the better option between the two. Even if you consider how these features are implemented, mSpy comes out ahead.
Adding to this is the fact that Highster doesn’t offer monitoring for as many social media apps on its iOS target devices as it does for Android devices, creating a major loophole for the target to exploit if they’re smart.
Our pick: We’d easily choose mSpy over Highster Mobile given its wider array of features and better overall implementation.
Pricing
In terms of pricing, mSpy offers standard prices for both Android and iOS monitoring. Its pricing plans start from $29.99 per month for the Basic version and $69.99 per month for a one-month subscription of their Premium plans. However, if you opt for their 12-month Premium plan, you can use all of the app’s advanced features for as little as $16.66 per month.
On the other hand, Highster’s Basic version comes in at $29.99 and the Premium one costs $69.99. While their prices seem similar, you obviously get a lot more features and far better reliability and customer support for the price. Further, mSpy also offers a 7-day free trial and an online demo.
Our pick: If we were to choose between the two, we’d easily choose mSpy over Highster as it offers far more features and an overall better customer experience for the same price. Additionally, if you don’t like the app, you can be sure to receive a refund, which isn’t the case with Highster.
Location Tracking
Both mSpy and Highster Mobile offer GPS location tracking as standard features. Further, both also use Google Maps to show you the exact location of the target device.
However, mSpy goes a step further by giving you the exact GPS coordinates, the date, and the time at which the target device was at a given location. Further, its geofencing abilities offer a key feature for parents who want to ensure their kids don’t venture out of unsafe areas.
Our pick: mSpy takes the win when it comes to its location tracking abilities due to the amount of information it offers and its geofencing abilities.
Setup and Installation
Both mSpy and Highster are compatible and Android and iOS devices, and as standard, installing these apps on an Android device will require physical access to it, whereas installing it on an iOS device merely requires the target’s iCloud credentials.
However, the setup process is far easier on both operating systems when it comes to mSpy. Further, when mSpy gives you the option to enable Stealth Mode, they actually mean that the app will remain 100% undetectable on the target device. On the other hand, many users reported that the Highster app was visible on the target phone despite enabling Stealth Mode. this also makes it prone to being detected by the best antivirus programs.
Our pick: mSpy takes the in yet again when it comes to its ease of setup and installation.
mSpy vs Highster: Who’s the Winner?
The clear winner in this mSpy vs Highster comparison has to be mSpy. Its impeccable reliability, customer support, advanced tracking features, value for money, and the provision of a free trial and an online demo put it miles ahead of Highster Mobile. So, if you’re in the market for a spy app or a phone tracker and are at an impasse between mSpy and Highster, we’d strongly recommend mSpy.
Is mSpy completely undetectable?
Yes, mSpy operates in Stealth Mode and is completely undetectable on the target device. This means you can use all its advanced tracking features without the target knowing that they’re being monitored.
Does mSpy notify the target phone?
No, given mSpy’s Stealth Mode, the target will not be notified of the app’s presence on their phone.
Can you install mSpy remotely?
You can install mSpy remotely on all iOS mobile devices. All you need is the target’s iCloud credentials. However, if you want to install the app on an Android device, you will need physical access to it for about 5 minutes.
