Short on time?
Its a crucial part of modern parenting.
By meticulously researching and testing dozens of parental control apps, Ive uncovered the truth behind the marketing hype.
What I found was a mixed bag.Many apps made big promises, but only a few truly delivered.
Some were super easy to delete, while others only scratched the surface of effective monitoring.
However, there was 1 that rose above the rest Qustodio.
Some of Qustodios best features include:
Qustodios uninstall protection ensures it cant be deleted without your permission.
However, the protection doesnt stop there Qustodios web and app filtering proved to be a trusted ally.
With it, I could handpick the websites and apps I wanted my child to have access to.
The setup process was easy, with over 25 predefined website categories I could turn on or off.
Another tactic kids will try is using an incompatible online window to access blocked sites.
Qustodio offers 3 plans.
The free plan covers basic features for 1 rig, including screen time management and web filtering.
TheBasicplan at IDR77,660 / month covers up to 5 devices with added benefits like location tracking and app blocking.
All premium plans come with a 3-day trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Qustodio is my favorite parental control app.
With flexible plans and a risk-free 30-day guarantee, its a worthy investment in your childs online safety.
Norton Family includes many key features, such as:
The uninstall protection in Norton Family works perfectly.
It requires parental account credentials to delete the app putting it beyond the reach of clever kids.
When testing Norton Family on Android and Windows devices, I was impressed by its reliability.
However, its not perfect.
Another annoyance a tech-savvy kid could turn off the web app extension if theyre in the know.
But at least Nortons real-time alerts mean that youll get pinged the moment that happens.
The app filtering is good, too, and covers popular apps like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
All plans are backed by a generous 60-day money-back guarantee.
Norton Family is a top contender in the parental control arena.
The bundled plans and extended money-back guarantee only further cement its place as a prime choice.
To ensure it cant be deleted, Bark has uninstall protection for Android and Kindle Fire users.
Bark offers a unique blend of advanced monitoring and trust-based parenting.
Additionally, it requires administrative privileges on mobile devices, making it more challenging to remove than standard apps.
And even if successfully uninstalled, youll receive an immediate notification.
The adjustable geofencing feature allows you to set boundaries between 328 and 3,280 feet.
Another standout feature is FamiSafes driving reports.
However, the app falls short in web filtering compared toNorton Familys 45+ predefined site categories.
Whats more, despite FamiSafes claims of TikTok and YouTube monitoring, these features were ineffective in my tests.
FamiSafe offers 3 paid plans.
Besides having good uninstall protection, I really liked how granular I could get with scheduling screen time.
Mobicip provides precise scheduling, enabling app and web restrictions in 5-minute intervals.
Outside of these schedules, kids have a daily free time limit, adjustable in 15-minute chunks.
When this is exhausted, only emergency calls are allowed.
I liked the Vacation Mode, too which lets you relax the limits for holidays or breaks.
Mobicip also excels in web filtering, efficiently managing content across various browsers even in incognito mode.
While its predefined filtering categories arent as extensive asQustodioorNorton Family, it compensates with keyword-based filters.
App management shines on Android, but theres room for improvement on iOS.
ThePremiumplan at IDR135,470 / month can monitor up to 20 devices and allows for social media monitoring.
Mobicips strong uninstall protection and advanced scheduling earn its place on this list.
This stops children or unauthorized users from deleting the app to bypass restrictions.
Do all parental control apps offer uninstall protection?
No, not all parental control apps have uninstall protection.
While its becoming a standard feature inmany top-tier apps, some still lack this security measure.
For maximum safety, I recommend choosing apps that incorporate this feature.
Does using incognito mode or private browsing bypass parental control app restrictions?
Most top-tier parental controls likeQustodiocan still monitor or restrict internet access even when a child uses incognito mode.
Can a VPN be used to bypass web and app filtering in parental control apps?
Quick Overview of My Top Recommendations:
