Best Parental Control App in 2025 (Android & iPhone)

With numerous parental control apps, you might find it hard to pick the best one that will prevent access to harmful content, manage screen time, and monitor who your kids communicate with. That’s why I spent hours investigating the best parental control apps, along with the Cybernews research team. I evaluated different criteria to make the best choice, such as features, ease of use, and price.

But if you’re like me, and you’re really impatient to learn more, keep reading my detailed review.

Quick-look: our top 7 parental-control apps

1. Aura Parental Control – the best bundle that covers everything you need
2. Qustodio – top choice for multi-platform monitoring
3. Bark – best for social media monitoring
4. Norton Family – great for teens concentrating on their school tasks
5. mSpy – best tracking and monitoring app
6. Google Family Link - best parental control app for Android
7. Microsoft Family Safety - best kids’ phone monitoring with content filters

Parental control app feature comparison table

	Aura Parental Control	Qustodio	Bark	Norton Family	mSpy	Google Family Link	Microsoft Family Safety
Our rating	4.8/5	4.7/5	4.6/5	4.5/5	4.3/5	4.2/5	4.2/5
Best for	All-in-one solution	AI-powered search and message alerts	Social media monitoring	Specific school websites filtering	Multimedia monitoring	Tracking Android and ChromeOS devices	Gaming devices monitoring
Price (monthly price range)	$13-50/month	$4.58-8.33/month	$4.08–39.00/month	$49.99-99.99/year	Not specified	Free	Free
Free trial	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌No	❌No
Number of protected devices	Unlimited	1, 5, or unlimited	Unlimited	Up to 15	Up to 3	Up to 5	Up to 6
Web filtering	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Screen time management	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Conversation monitoring	❌No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌No	✅ Yes	❌No	❌No
Location tracking and geofencing	❌No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Remote lock	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes

Best parental control apps of 2025 – detailed list

Now that you’ve seen the most crucial aspects, it’s time for me to take you into the more specific overview of each parental block app. In my seven detailed reviews, you’ll be able to learn more about their features, platforms, ease of use, and pricing. So, let’s begin.

1. Aura Parental Control – best for robust monitoring functionalities

Price:	From $13/month
Platforms:	Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS
Blocking:	Yes
Screen time limiting:	Yes
Location tracking:	No

Visit Aura Parental Control

Aura Parental Control is one of the best parental control apps, allowing you to monitor and restrict your children’s usage of different apps and websites. But what made me place it first is its wide range of robust parental controls. Therefore, you can use it as the best parental app for iPhone, Android, Windows, and macOS.

Who is it best for: Aura Parental Control is suitable for parents who look for a well-rounded solution. This is because you’ll enjoy features like content blocking, screen time, internet access limits, and customization options. But what I liked the most is that you can also benefit from advanced options, such as 24/7 In-Game Voice & Text Monitoring, Cyberbullying & Predator Alerts, and Weekly Gaming Activity Report.

Why we picked it: When I heard about the bunch of features, I was a bit skeptic. But I couldn’t place it anywhere lower on my list, especially due to the ease of use and straightforward access to features. For instance, you can pause your kids’ internet access with just one click with this parental internet control app.

For more details, check out our comprehensive Aura review.

2. Qustodio – best for emergency alerts

Price:	From $4.58/month
Platforms:	Windows, Android, iOS, Mac, and Kindle
Blocking:	Yes
Screen time limiting:	Yes
Location tracking:	Yes

Visit Qustodio

If you’re looking for another great phone monitoring app for parents, I recommend exploring Qustodio. This is one of the most powerful parental control apps, providing numerous security features, including geofencing options. It even has AI-powered search and message alerts.

Who is it best for: Qustodio stands out for those who want advanced tracking capabilities, such as emergency notifications. Therefore, you can benefit from its wide range of advanced features, which include GPS location tracking, geofencing, and AI-powered alerts about any suspicious searches.

Why we picked it: However, the main reason I picked it is that in case of emergency, your kid can click the panic button, and you’ll receive immediate notification. I really liked how fast the alerts are.

If you want even more information, you can also visit our in-depth review of Qustodio.

3. Bark – best for monitoring 30+ social media sites

Price:	From $4.08/month
Platforms:	Android, iOS, Amazon Fire, and Chromebooks
Blocking:	Yes
Screen time limiting:	Yes
Location tracking:	Yes

Visit Bark

The third app to monitor kids’ iPhone or any other devices is Bark. I was really satisfied with its ability to scan over 30 social media apps. But there are also many other worthy capabilities.

Who is it best for: Another well-rounded parental control on my list is Bark. Among its numerous features, including texts, images, videos, and audio scanning, along with messaging app monitoring, application and web use restrictions and monitoring, and email monitoring, you can track 30+ social media that your kids may use. This gives you valuable insights about their safety while they’re scrolling on their phones.

Why we picked it: But what got my attention was the personalized reports that Bark provides. On top of this, I was satisfied that you’ll receive expert recommendations on how to handle some challenging moments of your child’s online behavior, which is not something many parental control apps offer.

If you want to examine Bark’s features in greater depth, check out our comprehensive Bark review.

4. Norton Family – best parental control app for teenagers

Price:	$49.99/year
Platforms:	Windows, Android, and iOS
Blocking:	Yes, on Android and Windows
Screen time limiting:	Yes
Location tracking:	Yes

Visit Norton Family

Norton Family is my next recommendation as the best app for parental control. With it, you’ll get all the necessary insights about your children’s and teenager’s devices.

Who is it best for: Norton Family lets you set restriction ranges that are appropriate for your child’s age. That’s why I picked this app as the best phone monitoring solution for teenagers who may resist strict restrictions and tracking.

Why we picked it: But I didn’t pick Norton Family just because of the restriction range. I also evaluated a lot of other features, and I was positively surprised by the functionality of monitoring platforms like YouTube and Hulu. On top of this, you can even allow access to certain school-related websites.

If you want to dig deeper, visit our complete review of Norton Family and its features.

5. mSpy – best multimedia monitoring app

Price:	On-request
Platforms:	Android and iOS
Blocking:	Yes
Screen time limiting:	No
Location tracking:	Yes

Visit mSpy

mSpy is another of my top picks for the best apps to monitor a child’s phone. In fact, this app works only on iOS and Android, allowing you to monitor your child's phone activity closely.

Who is it best for: If you seek a solution that will let you monitor various media on your kids’ phones, then mSpy can definitely be the one. More precisely, you’ll be able to track text messages, calls, GPS locations, social media chats, and a bunch of other data that your children have access to.

Why we picked it: But it seems like mSpy covers everything. Based on my and my research team’s investigation, you can check your children’s photos and videos. You can also screen record on their phones for real-time insight into their activities. Ultimately, there’s a keylogger feature that monitors their keystrokes and a keyword trigger, which alerts you if they search for some restricted terms or phrases.

For a full examination of mSpy’s entire feature set, click over to our detailed review of mSpy parental controls.

6. Google Family Link – best parental control app for free

Price:	Free
Platforms:	Android and ChromeOS
Blocking:	No
Screen time limiting:	Yes
Location tracking:	No

Google Family Link is an entirely free parental control app that lets you monitor your kids' devices. It’s available only for Android and ChromeOS devices, which is why it can be one of your top choices as the best phone monitoring apps for Android.

Who is it best for: If you’re like me and you’re searching for an entirely free app that will let you protect your kid from different online threats and harmful content, you’re in the right place. You can now consider using Google Family Link, which doesn’t require any subscription.

Why we picked it: Even though the free usage is attractive enough, this is not the only reason why Google Family Link ensured its place on my list. As soon as I heard about the app permission management for installed apps feature, I knew I had to test it. The results were pretty positive. You'll get a notification if your kid wants to install an app in no time.

7. Microsoft Family Safety – best for monitoring gaming devices

Price:	Free
Platforms:	Windows, Xbox, Android, and iOS
Blocking:	Yes, on Microsoft Edge and Bing
Screen time limiting:	Yes
Location tracking:	Yes

Last but not least, one of the apps to monitor a child’s phone is the Microsoft Family Safety. As the name implies, this parental control app is suitable for all Microsoft users, but you can also use it for iOS devices.

Who is it best for: As the name implies, the Microsoft Family Safety is ideal for anyone who wants to ensure top-notch protection for the whole family, even if your kids are in front of their gaming devices at all times. More precisely, you’ll be able to select which games your kids can access.

Why we picked it: Despite all the functionalities, I mainly picked Microsoft Family Safety due to the free usage. Without paying anything, you’ll be able to benefit from content filtering and setting screen time limits.

Price: The best part about this parental control app is that it’s free. Therefore, you can get ultimate safety without paying a dime.

How we test parental control apps

To provide you with the best solution, I worked with my colleagues in the Cybernews research team to simulate and test as many scenarios as possible. Of course, I also followed the testing methodology for parental control apps. So, let me guide you through the process:

• Core features effectiveness (35%). Then, I always check several core features necessary to track a child’s online activities. These include location tracking, monitoring web searches and app activity, limiting screen time and internet access, and restricting various inappropriate content.
• Real-world usability (30%). First, I mimic real-world use cases to test the effectiveness of parental controls. In this case, I use the parent’s and child’s devices (mobile or desktop). To do this, I installed the apps on iOS 18 and Windows 10 Pro devices. I use the parent’s device (iOS 18) to monitor the child’s online activities, restrict screen time, filter out content, and check for alerts. Meanwhile, the child’s device (Windows 10 Pro) must have parental controls installed and simulate regular internet browsing.
• Resistance to bypassing methods (20%). Last but not least, I test whether children can bypass the parental control apps. I try to circumvent the limits by uninstalling the app, using a VPN, searching on different browsers, restarting the device, GPS spoofing, changing the DNS address, disabling the internet and GPS on the child’s device, and accessing websites using proxy-like tools.
• Devices and OS compatibility (15%). I also always evaluate the supported devices and operating systems and check if all of the features are available on all of them.

Which app fits your family?

As the best parental app is pretty subjective, I decided to help you further. More precisely, I created a segment table, in which you can find the right parental app for you and your needs. So, let’s check it out:

Budget	Aura Parental Control, Bark
Free	Google Family Link, Microsoft Family Safety
Large families	Aura Parental Control, Qustodio, Bark, Norton Family
Social-media heavy	Bark, mSpy
Teens	Norton Family

How to choose the best parental control app for your family

Monitoring adolescents and younger children can be complex as they develop and assert more independence than younger children. Your teens and tweens likely don’t want you to oversee and control their online activities. This means there is a balance to strike between trust and control features.

Many apps will help you monitor your kids’ devices through their basic features, like screen-time limits and app blocker options. However, there are more advanced features, like geofencing and location tracking.

I’ll help you choose the best parental control app based on your children's ages and your preferences. So, let’s see how to select a parental control app that will provide your kid with a balance of safety and freedom:

• Range of parental controls. You must ensure the app covers all your areas of concern, such as content filtering, screen time restrictions, location monitoring, geofencing, and monitoring online activities.
• Filtering tools. Look for advanced filtering and content-blocking capabilities. This functionality will help prevent access to adult content, explicit lyrics, and communication with strangers or people you don't know.
• Ability to set time limits. Consider choosing an app that allows you to set intuitive and customizable time limits for device usage. This way, you can adapt the parental restrictions to your kid’s schedule.
• Ability to track location and monitor online activities. Features like geofencing and location tracking ensure your child’s safety and enable quick response to unexpected situations.
• Ease of use. Always select an app with an intuitive user interface, clear explanations of features, and a straightforward setup process.
• Cross-platform compatibility. Ideally, choose an app that works seamlessly across all devices you and your child use, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, gaming systems, and smart TVs.

Free vs paid parental control apps

You can find many paid and free parental control apps on the market. Therefore, you need to know which one to choose. So, I’ve got your back. The most crucial difference between a free and paid app to control kids’ phones is in the functionalities.

That said, free versions of parental control apps usually offer basic features. These include necessary options, such as web filtering and screen time limits. For example, while Google Family Link has these functionalities, it doesn’t offer geo-tracking or web blocking.

On the other hand, paid parental control apps have a lot more functionalities, allowing you to protect your kids at a deeper level. Some of the features you’ll enjoy with these apps are social media monitoring and detailed activity reports.

Many apps, like Aura Parental Control, even implement AI-powered insights, recommendations, and alerts. Therefore, they offer more comprehensive protection for your children and teenagers.

Tips for implementing parental controls effectively

If you already have a particular app to monitor kids’ iPhone or any other device in mind, it’s good to know how to use it properly. Due to this, I decided to compile a short list of the most effective tips. Let’s briefly go over my list:

• Open communication. Before you go for the best parental control for iPhone or other device, you need to discuss the purpose and benefits of the app with your children. Explain to them that it’s not only so you can see what they’re doing online but rather to protect them from harmful content and even cyberattacks.
• Setting clear boundaries. The next thing you should do is to establish agreed-upon rules for device usage. This will help your children easily adapt to them and they’ll also become familiar with the time limits they have on particular apps or the whole device.
• Regular reviews. Last but not least, you need to assess and adjust the settings from time to time. This is especially important because your kids grow and technology evolves faster than you think, so you must align the parental control app with the latest events.

Will parental control software block all inappropriate content?

Parental control apps are highly efficient at imposing monitoring and content restrictions. However, the effectiveness and appropriateness of a parental control app’s restrictions for your children are more complex. What may be considered inappropriate for a young child might be perfectly acceptable for a teenager.

The primary concern for many users is having control over what their children can access online. However, even the most advanced tools cannot guarantee complete protection.

For example, your children may find a way to bypass controls, especially as they become more tech-savvy and learn about VPNs or similar tools. Additionally, the expansion of the internet and the loads of data make it difficult to monitor all potential sources of inappropriate content.

Therefore, parental control apps are valuable tools but not an all-powerful solution. You should use them with other strategies, such as open communication and education about online safety.

Bottom line

You should select cell phone monitoring apps based on your needs and preferences. However, based on my detailed review and testing, I recommend Aura Parental Control as the top choice. It has all the necessary features and provides comprehensive reports and insights into your kids' online behavior.

However, if you want more advanced location tracking options, then I recommend checking out Qustodio. But if your kids are in their teenage years, then I also recommend considering Norton Family, as its features are not limited to younger aged kids.

Ultimately, I also put two entirely free parental control apps if you’re on a tighter budget. More precisely, you can go for Google Family Link and Microsoft Family Safety, which although limited, have basic monitoring features.

Regardless of your choice, you must properly implement the app. This requires open communication with your kids, agreeing on device-usager rules, and adjusting the settings as your children grow.

FAQ