Looking for the best parental control app to protect your kids online? Whether it’s screen time limits, website blocking, or app monitoring, today’s tools offer smarter ways to keep children safe on every device.
We compare the top 8 parental control solutions, from popular apps like Bark and Qustodio to Race CommandIQ®, an all-in-one smart home internet control system.
Parental Control Apps: The Basics
Parental control apps help parents monitor and limit their children’s offline and online activity on tablets, smartphones, laptops, and other devices. While not a substitute for parenting and cyber education, these apps help you enforce rules around screen time and internet content.
How to Choose Parental Control Software?
There are many parental control applications on the market. To find the best app for you, parents need to consider the following questions:
- Do you need a parental control app for iOS or Android? Make sure your chosen app is compatible with the device’s operating system. For example, some parental control for Android offers deep app-level control, while iPhone solutions may have more limited capabilities due to Apple’s privacy restrictions.
- What is your budget? Parental software prices range from free to $15/month.
- How many devices do you want to control? Some parental control apps offer unlimited connected devices, while others offer different plans based on the number of connected devices.
- Which features are you looking for in your parental control software? Parental control apps vary in their features. The most common ones are location tracking, content filtering, and screen time management.
- How old are your children? Make sure your chosen parental software offers features that make sense for your family. Different ages require different types of monitoring apps.
Understanding Features and Restrictions
Parental control apps vary in their features and how restrictive they are. While some parental control app features are better suited for younger children, others cater to parents of teenagers. The older the children, the more privacy and autonomy they’ll want.
A University of Central Florida study suggests that the use of parental control apps on teenagers might even be counterproductive, citing that “the use of parental apps was associated with teens experiencing more, not fewer, online risks, including unwanted explicit content, harassment, and online sexual solicitations.”
That’s why it’s crucial to review the app’s features with your tweens and teenagers—keeping them in the loop helps prevent surprises and builds mutual trust.
The Best Parental Control Apps Have These Features
The best parental control apps come with a wide variety of features. Below, we break down essential parental control features that will keep your child safe online and offline.
Content Filtering & Blocking
The internet is brimming with content we don’t want our children to see. Consequently, most parental control software solutions offer to block content, such as:
- Pornography
- Nudity
- Drugs
- Gaming
- Suicide
- Death
- Weapons
Are you feeling anxious after reading that list? You don’t have to be. The best parental apps divide online content into broad categories, and you can choose which they’ll block, allow, or receive a warning for.
Screentime Management
If it were up to them, children would watch YouTube and scroll through TikTok all day long. The CDC reports that children and teenagers spend between 6 and 9 hours in front of a screen. That’s far more than the recommended 2 hours of leisure screen time daily.
Parents should encourage kids to spend some time away from screens. Adverse effects of too much screen time include difficulty paying attention, internet addiction, and other psychological problems.
Thanks to the best parental control app features, parents no longer need to worry about screen time. Screentime management helps parents set and enforce boundaries around device usage.
Here’s how parents can benefit from screentime management:
- Set offline hours during which children can’t use their devices
- Set general limits on screentime (i.e., three hours a day)
- Monitor average online time
- Block access to the internet during specific hours, such as the time they spend at school
Location Tracking & Sharing
Location tracking is particularly popular among parents of younger children – not so much with teenagers. This parental app feature notifies parents of their children’s comings and goings, alerting them whenever their child arrives and leaves specific locations (school, home, friend’s house, extracurricular activities).
Should parents track the location of their teenagers?
While location tracking is an excellent parental control feature, tracking teenagers can become problematic. Teenagers can find a lack of privacy and trust frustrating, leading to more rebellious behavior, conflict, and higher levels of estrangement.
Before tracking teenagers, consider giving your teen space and encouraging them to communicate where and when they will be going places. This could build trust and strengthen relationships.
Social Media Monitoring
Social media can negatively affect the mental health of children and adults alike. But children and teens are especially vulnerable to the dark side of social media, such as cyberbullying, fake news, privacy issues, addiction, and feelings of inadequacy.
Naturally, parents want to know what content their children are exposed to while on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, and other social media apps.
Many social media apps have parental control settings built in. Still, the best parental control apps can monitor a handful of apps simultaneously and are easier to manage.
Depending on the age of the child and social media platform, parental settings allow parents to:
- Block certain people
- Hide the profile from the public
- Restrict communication to followers/friends only
- Turn off chat
- Monitor who can comment on posts
- Digital Danger Alerts
The best parental control apps also alert parents to instances of cyberbullying, sexting, or mental health problems in their children. Some of them scan emails, apps, text messages, and all other online activities and notify parents when their children are subject to any digital dangers.
These are the Best Parental Control Apps
Knowing what to look for, here are some of the most popular parental control apps currently available.
1. Bark
Source: Bark
Best for: Social media and message monitoring
Bark is known for its wide-reaching monitoring across texts, emails, and 30+ popular social platforms. It uses AI to detect risks such as cyberbullying, grooming, and self-harm, alerting parents when something’s wrong.
Key Features
- AI scans messages, images, and videos for harmful content
- Overall screen time schedules and device-based time limits
- Filters websites by category (more effective on Android)
- Block apps or websites (Android-focused)
- Basic location tracking and check-ins
- SOS button available only with Bark phone/watch
Cons
- No full app usage logs or per-app time limits (except Bark Phone)
- No geofence alerts; location tracking is basic
- Features limited on iOS due to Apple restrictions
Pricing
- Bark Jr: $5/month or $49/year
- Bark Premium: $14/month or $99/year
2. Qustodio
Source: Qustodio
Best for: Balanced, all-in-one parental control on Android
Qustodio is a robust and flexible tool for parents who want control over app usage, screen time, web safety, and location tracking.
Key Features
- Real-time web filtering with 20+ customizable categories
- Per-app daily time limits (Android/iOS)
- App blocking and usage insights
- Live GPS tracking and geofence alerts
- SOS button (Android only)
- Monitors WhatsApp, Instagram DMs (Android only)
Cons
- Limited call/text monitoring (Android only)
- No true social media post/content monitoring
- iOS features limited compared to Android
Pricing
- Free: 1 device with limited tools
- Premium: 5 devices $54.95/year, 10 devices $96.95/year
3. Google Family Link
Best for: Basic controls on Android, free of charge
Google Family Link is a great entry-level tool for managing Android and Chromebook usage, offering foundational screen time and app controls.
As one of the most effective free parental control software options, Google Family Link gives parents core tools for screen time, app approvals, and location tracking at no cost.
Key Features
- Set device screen time schedules and limits
- Approve or block app installs
- Location tracking (Android only)
- Restrict Chrome browsing with basic filters
- Set app time limits and activity reports
Cons
- Very limited iOS capabilities
- No content scanning or social monitoring
- Children over 13 can opt out of supervision
Pricing
- Free for all features
4. Net Nanny
Source: Net Nanny
Best for: Powerful content filtering across devices
Net Nanny remains a top pick for parents wanting to prevent access to harmful websites and manage screen time at a detailed level.
Key Features
- Real-time web content analysis (14 filter categories)
- Device screen time schedules and daily limits
- App usage reports and app blocking (platform-dependent)
- YouTube search and viewing monitoring
- Instant alerts for blocked site attempts
- Family feed dashboard for real-time updates
Cons
- No call, text, or social monitoring
- Some features not equal across iOS/Android/PC
- May take time to fully configure
Pricing
- 5-device plan: ~$55/year
- 20-device family plan: ~$90/year
Best for: Home-wide control
Race CommandIQ® is a network-level tool for managing Wi-Fi, screen time, and online safety directly from your home router.
Key Features
- Pause internet per device or profile
- Set time schedules and offline hours
- Category-based content filtering (e.g. adult, violence)
- View connected devices and usage stats
- Built-in malware/phishing protection
- No app installs required; protects every device at home
Cons
- Only works with Race Communications internet
- Controls apply only to home network (not mobile data)
Pricing
- Included free with Race fiber internet plans
6. Aura
Source: Aura
Best for: Families focused on digital threats and emotional safety
Aura offers a child protection suite that includes basic parental controls, identity protection, and alerting for online risks like cyberbullying.
Key Features
- Blocks harmful sites and flags risky behavior
- AI alerts for signs of cyberbullying or online abuse
- Monitors screen time and device use patterns
- Identity protection bundled in family plans
Cons
- Less control over apps or per-app time limits
- Lacks GPS tracking or geofencing
- Some features only available in premium tiers
Pricing
- Bundled with Aura plans (typically $9–$20/month for families)
7. Nintendo Switch Parental Controls
Best for: Console gameplay time and age controls
Nintendo’s free parental app lets you manage when and what kids play on the Switch console.
Key Features
- Daily play-time limits and game suspension
- Age-based restrictions by ESRB rating
- View game titles played and duration
- Push notifications for daily activity summary
Cons
- No per-game blocking (only rating-based)
- Doesn’t restrict social media or browsing
- Alerts are limited and not real-time
Pricing
- Free app, available for iOS/Android
8. Kaspersky Safe Kids
Source: Kaspersky Safe Kids
Best for: Affordable, cross-platform monitoring
Kaspersky Safe Kids provides strong filtering, screen time tools, and location tracking at a budget-friendly price.
Key Features
- Filters inappropriate content across major categories
- Time limits and device schedules
- Location tracking and geofencing alerts
- Monitors app installs and usage
- YouTube search and watch history reports
- Battery level alerts for child’s device
Cons
- Limited social media monitoring (only basic Facebook/VK features)
- Some tools less functional on iOS
- Setup may feel complex for new users
Pricing
- $22.99/year (1 license covers unlimited devices/children)
Talk to Your ISP About Parental Controls
There, you have a list of the best parental control apps available. Before implementing any of these tools, discussing them with your kids is crucial. Gaining their consent is particularly important for teenagers who value their privacy. They’re more likely to try to bypass these controls without their agreement.
Whether or not you decide to use parental control apps, consider placing your kids’ devices on a separate WiFi network, often referred to as a guest network. This simple step can enhance security and manage usage without extensive monitoring.
Also, consult your internet service provider (ISP) about parental controls. Leading ISPs don’t just offer internet access; they provide essential tools for safe browsing. For example, Race Communications offers the Race CommandIQ app, which enables parents to manage WiFi access effectively.
If you’re interested in learning more about the services from Race Communications, don’t hesitate to reach out. You can contact us at 877-722-3833 or send an inquiry. We’re committed to delivering reliable, fast internet service with top-notch online safety features.