Best parental control apps for monitoring your kid's activity on Android devices

The security battle between iOS and Android tightens each time an operating system update comes out. Apple has held the lead for years — and though the gap is expected to close with the 2020 release of Android 11 and its heightened privacy measures, iOS 14's release will be right on its heels.

But one aspect of cyber safety remains Android's turf: Cooperating with parental control apps.

These apps, which usually require access to a phone's location, contacts, browsing history, and call and text history, are occasionally hindered by Apple's more strict app restrictions (like a 2019 policy change that slashed functionality on a handful of apps). Many parental control apps that don't play well with iOS (like Qustodio) have no problem running their full suite of features on Android's flexible OS, giving families who prefer Samsung and Google phones over iPhones, or Fire Tablets and Galaxy Tabs over iPads, a more robust approach device monitoring. Read more...

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BEST GOOGLE PLAY REVIEWS

Screen Time

A hidden gem of an app that's great for situation-based app blocking and runs smoothly.

Free version: Yes
Screen Time Premium: $6.99/month

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BEST FOR LOTS OF DEVICES

Qustodio

From Instagram and YouTube monitoring to a panic button for kids away from home, Qustodio covers just about everything.

Free version: Yes
Five devices: $54.95/year
10 devices: $96.95/year
15 devices: $137.95/year

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BEST FREE APP

Google Family Link

Set digital ground rules and use Google's location tracking without committing to a monthly fee.

Free version: Yes

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BEST FULL CYBERSECURITY SUITE

Norton Deluxe 360 + Family Premier

Establish cyber safety habits early with Norton's combo of antivirus, dark web monitoring, and parental controls.

Norton Family Premier (without antivirus): $49.99/year
Five devices with Norton 360 Deluxe: $99.99/year

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BEST FOR TEXT MONITORING

Boomerang

Worried about kids and texting? This conversation surveillance feature lets you know if anything inappropriate is said.

Free version: 14-day trial
One device: $15.99/year
Family pack (10 devices): $30.99/year

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MOST AFFORDABLE GEOFENCING

FamilyTime

Keep tabs on Our parental control app lets you monitor and control your child’s mobile, tablet, or other Android devices remotely and securely. geofencing and emergency extra set of eyes on kids

Free version: 3-day trial
MyFamily (one device): $2.25/month per child
MyFamily2 (two devices): $1.46/month per child
MyFamily3 (three devices): $1.25/month per child
MyFamily5 (five devices): $1.15/month per child