With young kids being handed smartphones or tablets, there is a need to ensure safety for the online activities they do as well as the apps that they use. Parental control apps are designed to help parents be able to control the different settings and app usage on their children’s devices, even with the help of remote surveillance apps.
There are several useful features that these applications provide. Once installed in a kid’s device, it can be monitored remotely from a parent’s phone or tablet or simply by logging into the member account online. The apps help set up the right environment for a child to browse a computer or the internet in a safe manner; parents can also control the kind of apps that their children can use on their devices as well as know the physical location of whereabouts of their children through GPS tracking.
How to Choose an Application for Parental Control?
There are different applications that are available in this category. They also serve different purposes. Hence, it is best to know what one is looking for before downloading software.
- Some are designed to help control the settings on an Android or an iOS device.
- Many have inbuilt features to help parents monitor whereabouts of their children.
- Several applications include all kinds of features, from control on browsing activities, the kind of apps a child can install in his or her device as well as tracking whereabouts of the device as well as the children.
- One needs to consider their budget as well; many apps in this category have free versions but the features they provide in such versions are basic and limited.
It is important to check the features that software in this category provides as well as the price that it comes for. Also, the age of the child will help one to determine or shortlist among the different parent control app software out there. Teenagers need monitoring and supervision in certain ways that are different from the basic supervision or monitoring that toddler’s need.
Best Parental Control Apps
Here are some of the popular ones that are available in free or paid versions. Most of them have common features while some have additional advantages to offer.
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Bark
This is a simple application that is known for its protective features. It is known to have provided alerts from before which have helped to stop shootings in schools as well as identify self-harm conditions.
Features of this application that are distinctive are:
- It incorporates an effective algorithm that watches out for warning signs; it monitors text messages, photos, emails and posts on social media channels.
- It sends alerts only when there are pics or posts that could be flagged as inclusive of dangerous content; specialized alerts are sent as per the warning signs noted that allow parents to take up the issues with their children.
Many feel that the app is helpful as it is not invasive or overarching but helps parents to take proactive measures. It is, however, an expensive subscription service since it comes with a subscription fee of $99 every year as well as a seven day trial period. Also, it is available only for Android devices.
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Qustodio
This is an application that is suitable for monitoring the teens. There is a basic version that comes for free or one that has extra features for which one can pay a subscription fee.
This software offers several advantages such as:
- There is a panic button included in it; kids can reach for the same and hit it; the message goes to the parent’s phone along with the location of the child; hence, one knows where one has asked for help.
- Advanced monitoring of social media accounts such as Facebook and other domains; parents can track photos, posts, messages sent by a child; one can also track calls, texts as well as block out contacts that one deems inappropriate.
- It also offers a plan by which one can cover five or more devices under a single subscription plan.
- Web blocking and content filtering are sophisticated features on this application.
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Net Nanny
This app has gained a lot of popularity of late, especially for young mothers who have to monitor their toddlers. The software is an expensive one but there are several features that it offers which makes it a much-wanted application:
- It helps block access to certain apps and websites; however, this feature is basic and recommended only for younger children who need basic web filtering on their devices.
- It includes a time out feature that can be monitored remotely by parents.
- It also helps parents to track the location of their children real-time through GPS monitoring.
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Kaspersky Safe Kids
This software has several beneficial features to offer. At the same time, the annual subscription fee is only $15 which allows one to access the premium functions as well as protect about 500 devices.
Its special functionalities include:
- Alerts for low battery; if a child’s phone requires a charge, parents will get a notification on their device.
- The free version provides management of screen time and control over the content.
- It is an affordable app that helps to cover several devices.
Long-Standing Apps in This Category
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FamilyTime
This app has been around for long, one of the pioneering applications for parental control both for iOS as well as Android devices.
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UKnowKids
This is a product that is great for monitoring content on social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
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Boomerang
This app works best for Android devices, offering control for parents, especially when it comes to limiting time as well as blocking out apps.
Conclusion
With several apps available in this category, one needs to know what features they wish to use when it comes to monitoring their children. The above list mentions apps that are reliable and well-reviewed, indicating that many families or parents have downloaded and used them to find them satisfactory.