Best Parental Control Apps and Services
Kids are diving into the digital world earlier than ever, with smartphones and tablets basically becoming their sidekicks. And yeah, school’s not helping much—everything’s online now, from homework to group projects.
The good news? Parental control apps are out there to save your sanity. They help you cut down screen time, block sketchy sites, and put some boundaries around all that scrolling.
Oh, and we’ve rounded up a few solid picks for parental control tools you might wanna check out. Heads up, though—if you click our links, we could snag a little commission.
Google Family Link
Google Family Link’s basically your go-to freebie for keeping tabs on your kid’s phone habits. You can decide what apps they can grab, set daily screen time limits, and even control what they’re buying.
Once you’ve got it up and running, it doubles as a tracker, showing you where their phone is at any given time. It’s available on iOS and Android, and honestly, it’s packed with features that other apps try to charge you for every month.
Qustodio
Qustodio might cost you a bit, but it’s a solid favorite for a reason. It works across iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and even Kindle, so no matter what your kid’s using, you’re covered.
You get daily reports on what apps they’re glued to and how much time they’re spending on their screens. Plus, you can set up strict time windows where the device basically shuts down outside the allowed hours.
The web filtering is next-level too, blocking sketchy content no matter what browser they’re using. The free version gives you the basics for one device, but keeping tabs on multiple gadgets means you’ll need to subscribe.
Microsoft Family Safety
Keeping track of your kids’ gaming habits can be a total headache, but Microsoft Family Safety makes it way easier. It’s a free app that lets you keep an eye on what they’re doing on Xbox One, Windows 11, and even Android if they’re using Microsoft Edge.
You can block apps, set schedules, and filter the web for up to six family members—all without spending a dime. The content filters are clutch too, letting you decide which sites are a green light and which are a no-go. The app itself is free, though there are a few optional in-app purchases if you wanna level up.
Family on PSN
The PlayStation 4 doesn’t have its own fancy app like Xbox or Nintendo, but it’s got some pretty solid parental controls baked right into the console. You just head over to Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > Family Management, and boom—you’re in charge.
You can set daily gaming limits, lock in specific hours for playtime, and even control what age ratings are allowed for games, movies, and DVDs. It’s a simple setup that makes solo gaming time way less stressful for parents.
Nintendo Switch Parental Controls
Nintendo’s got you covered with their Switch Parental Controls app—it’s free, works on iOS and Android, and syncs right up with your Nintendo Switch. Once it’s hooked up, you can keep tabs on who’s playing, what games they’re into, and how long they’ve been at it.
The app lays everything out super clearly, so tracking screen time is basically effortless. The real MVP feature? You can slap daily playtime limits on the console and even shut it down entirely after bedtime. Easy peasy.
Bark
Bark’s got two plans to pick from: Bark Jr. for $5 a month (or $49 a year) if you’ve got younger kids, and Bark Premium for $14 a month (or $99 a year) if your crew spans all ages. Both plans cover the whole fam, let you share locations, manage screen time, and block shady websites.
Bark Premium goes a step further—it keeps an eye on over 30 social networks around the clock, watches YouTube usage, texts, emails, and even flags stuff like cyberbullying, predators, or warning signs of self-harm. Basically, it’s like having a digital watchdog for your kids.
OpenDNS Family Shield
OpenDNS FamilyShield is a freebie that locks down your internet connection, keeping everyone in the house away from adult or sketchy stuff online.
The cool part? It works across every device—PCs, phones, tablets—you name it. It’s not some app you download on your phone; it’s more like a background bouncer for your Wi-Fi, making sure no one stumbles onto anything they shouldn’t.
ESET Parental Control
Most parental control apps on Android make you cough up some cash to get the good stuff, but ESET’s free version actually delivers more than you’d expect.
Once you’ve got it set up on your kid’s device, you can keep tabs on the websites they’re visiting, block certain app downloads, put limits on app time, control their spending on digital stuff, and get a simple activity breakdown.
If you’re down to pay for the premium version, you’ll unlock web filtering and location tracking, but let’s be real—other apps let you do that without charging. Oh, and you can manage everything from ESET’s website, which is super handy if you’re not drowning in smart devices at home.