Lots of the best parental control apps are packed with features but charge a high price for the privilege, but Kroha tries to be different by offering a wealth of features at a more palatable price.

On paper, then, that’s an attractive prospect, and it looks even better when you consider that Kroha offers some more innovative features on certain platforms.

There’s an option to protect young eyes from blue light spectrum colors and a mode where you can listen into your child’s device microphone, which is called Sound Around.

Kroha review: Plans and pricing

Before you get to the features, though, consider the pricing – because it’s very tempting. The one-year deal costs $22.99 and supports five devices, and if you pay $49.99 you get time-unlimited access to the app for five devices.

They’re both excellent prices that undercut virtually every rival, but that latter option is the best one if you’ve got a couple of kids and you want a parental control app you’ll use for a few years.

Alternatively, you can pay $5.99 for one month of access, but that’s poor value when compared to the other deals.

If you want to add thirty minutes or three hours of Sound Around access to your package, it costs $0.99 or $4.99 respectively. It also costs $4.49 if you want to add support for five more devices to your package. And while those extras do add cost, Kroha remains excellent value.

Kroha review: Features

That Sound Around feature, currently only available on Android, is one of the most interesting additions to the app, and it’s handy if you’re concerned for your child’s safety, if they’re not answering their phone or if you need to check their safety.

By pressing the Record button within the app, you’ll take a thirty-second recording of the sound around your child. By default, users get 20 recordings per month as part of their package.

That’s useful, and unique when it comes to parental control apps. It’s also not the only sound-related option available in Kroha. Parents can play a loud siren on the child’s phone – ideal if you’ve lost the device – and parents can remotely disable silent mode.

Kroha also allows parents to take screenshots of their child’s devices – and take photos using the front and back cameras on the device, too.

Elsewhere, Kroha allows parents to block or allow apps, create app categories and alter access for those blocks of apps, and set access and screen time limits for certain apps or categories. It’s an ideal way to allow access to safe, educational tools while limiting access to time-wasting games.

Similarly, websites can be blocked based on categories, and parents can also see children’s internet histories.

Kroha supports geofencing, real-time location tracking, and allows parents to see the photos stored on the child’s device, and parents can see children’s contacts, too.

Android users get YouTube histories and viewing statistics, and the intriguing Eye Protection mode, which warns children if the phone is too close to their eyes, switches to a soothing night mode to reduce blue light exposure and allows for app exclusions – so visual apps, like school video conferencing tools, aren’t affected.

Kroha monitors key messaging and social media apps, like WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat, Discord and TikTok, as well as text messages. The feature set is completed by a comprehensive call history module and a “news feed” where parents can see how their child has used their app throughout the day, including time spent on particular apps.

There’s an awful lot available in Kroha, then, but we would warn parents whose children use iOS devices to check the feature lists before investing – because many more features are supported on Android than on iOS.

And if you want a parental control app that concentrates on social media, then a tool like Bark is even more comprehensive.

Thankfully, Kroha is available with a five-day trial, so you’ll at least have the opportunity to check if the features you need are available on Apple’s platform before you spend any money.

It’s also worth mentioning Kroha Advanced, which is an app that works on desktop PCs or Mac OS. It introduces many of Kroha’s monitoring features to your desktop or laptop system – ideal if you want the benefits of Kroha without being glued to your smartphone.

Kroha review: Interface and in-use

Kroha’s set-up procedure is fine – very similar to many of its rivals. Once you’ve downloaded the app and told it whether it needs to function as a parent or child tool, you’ll have to run through the permissions required.

It gets a bit in-depth, requiring parents to delve into settings for app usage, notifications and battery optimization, though – these steps aren’t required on many rival tools and may confuse parents who are not familiar with smartphone settings menus.

And when you get Kroha working, the interface is adequate – it’s straightforward and easy enough to navigate, but tools like Bark and Qustodio are much more visually appealing and use visual cues in a much more pleasing way.

Kroha review: Support

Kroha’s support feels a bit barebones, too. There are plenty of helpful articles on Kroha’s website covering FAQs, features, troubleshooting, setup and subscriptions, but that’s about it.

There’s a support email address at the bottom of the Kroha website for more specific queries, but no web form, no indication of how long support will take, and no option to use more immediate types of support, like live chats or phone lines.

When compared to other apps, it’s a weaker offering.

Kroha review: The competition

Indeed, Qustodio, Bark and Kidslox are all far more comprehensive when it comes to support, with more methods of help available and a broader array of online articles. Bark has live chat and a forum, too.

All of those three apps look better than Kroha, too, and some go further in terms of features: Bark is much better for social media, Kidslox is stronger on location-based abilities, and Qustodio has better cross-platform abilities and more in-depth reporting.

Kroha review: Final verdict

This situation leaves Kroha in a tough spot. It’s got good app-blocking abilities, it monitors core social media tools and has geofencing, and it also has innovative features like Sound Around and the ability to access your children’s cameras.

It’s affordable, too, which is a key consideration for many parents who want parental control without breaking the bank.

The low price means weaknesses in other key areas, though. So while Kroha is a competent, affordable tool, its pricier rivals do offer more in terms of support and functionality.

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Companies that make the best parental control apps need to make a philosophical choice when producing software: do you want to assume trust and give children some leeway about their behavior, or is it better to try and protect kids by tracking everything?

The developers behind mSpy have clearly opted for the latter approach, with a slate of features that monitors keystrokes, locations, chats, calls, pictures and more.

This parental control method won’t work for everyone, especially for parents who want to maintain trust in their familial relationships. But if you are keen to take a closer look at your kids’ online behavior, is this the app for you?

mSpy review: Plans and pricing

If you’re a parent who wants to figure out how much mSpy actually costs, good luck: the app’s website makes it quite difficult to actually find this information.

The most affordable option is mSpy Premium. At the time of writing, it costs $11.19/£8.75 per month on Android and iOS if you pay for an annual package.

That price gives you support for one child device and a broad array of features, although some of those only work on Android and some require users to root or jailbreak phones to get them working.

The Family Kit offers support for three devices and delivers all of the features available in mSpy Premium at a price of around $33.25/£26 per month, although the price isn’t actually listed on mSpy’s website at the time of writing.

If your family use Android, the mSpy Extreme tier costs $23.99/£18.76 per month if you pay for a year of access. At this level, you get the full suite of features without any need for jailbreaking – and you get some extra functionality, like remote camera and microphone access, the ability to record calls and an anonymous Instagram viewer.

There’s also an Ultimate option for iOS-based families that costs around $39.64/£31 per month for single device support. It provides most of the features of the other tiers, although it misses out on keyword alerts, app blocking and remote camera and microphone access.

The pricing available on mSpy feels deliberately obscured, then, and those prices are also extremely high. Other parental apps don’t offer the keylogging and sheer detail of mSpy, but they offer lots of conventional parental access features at a fraction of the price.

mSpy review: Features

So, what can you actually do with mSpy? Unsurprisingly, many of the app’s features revolve around information gleaned from keylogging.

Parents can see text messages, images sent and received over SMS, and Facebook Messenger activity – alongside chats from apps like WhatsApp, Snapchat, Kik, Telegram, Tinder, Viber, Instagram, iMessage and more.

You’ll be able to get information about who has texted your children and who they’re texting, including contact numbers and names. Unsurprisingly, mSpy’s logging and reporting is always comprehensive – access the parent app and you’ll be confronted with a fearsome amount of information.

Parents can rely on mSpy’s keylogger to see every stroke that’s typed on the phone – so you can check deleted messages, URLs and more. It’s also possible to get alerts if your children type specific words.

And because much of this functionality runs in the background, hidden on the target device, your children may not even know they’re being monitored – or, at least, they won’t find it so intrusive.

The app allows parents to monitor call logs and emails, including attachments and the ability to see emails they’ve sent and received. Parents can see browser histories, see data about how often sites are visited, filter based on categories and check their bookmarks – and even see what Wi-Fi networks children are using.

That’s not all: mSpy allows parents to block apps, see what apps are installed, and view photos and videos stored on the device. A screen-recording feature is also available so parents can get visual snapshots of child phone activity – even with disappearing message features that are now popular on many apps.

Parents can view their children’s current location using mSpy’s GPS-based functionality, and also use geofencing to get alerts when children enter or leave places where you want them to visit – or want them to avoid.

And if you pay for the Extreme version, you can also access their camera and microphone, record calls, and anonymously view Instagram.

It has a comprehensive set of keylogger-based features, but bear in mind that mSpy’s Android app is far more powerful than the iOS app – if you want to monitor an Apple device, you’ll need to do some jailbreaking.

Rooting and jailbreaking is particularly concerning because it can, potentially, void your device warranty, prevent access to other apps and make devices more vulnerable to cybercrime.

Parents also need to bear in mind that mSpy’s concentration on logging means this app is lacking elsewhere

Its screen time management is basic, without the detail or granularity found in many other apps, and there’s no category-based website blocking or filtering – this is another area where the functionality is underwhelming.

Other apps also offer more in terms of location-based features, including the option to track children’s driving habits.

mSpy review: Interface and in-use

Unsurprisingly, mSpy’s interface provides a comprehensive and in-depth look at your children’s device behavior. You can see everything, from message content and phone call logs to web histories and even the events in their calendar.

There are separate sections for browsing photos and videos, setting up keyword alerts, delving into the keylogger and viewing what apps your children have installed.

The interface is clean, well-organized and easy to use, with straightforward menus and good organization. Once you’re set up, it’s easy to get started.

It’s a great interface if you want to delve into the data, but other apps make things a little easier to see summaries of daily and weekly activity – mSpy keeps things granular and specific rather than providing top-level reports.

Suffice to say, though, that installation is not particularly easy. On an iOS without jailbreaking the feature set is restrictive, but jailbreaking is a fraught process that many parents may not want to attempt.

On Android, you’ll need to disable Google Play Protection to install the app and use most of its features, and parents need to root the phone to get access to every feature.

We’re pleased to see that mSpy provides installation guides for both platforms, but you get far more information if you pay extra for the Ultimate plan – a frustrating choice that feels particularly cynical.

There’s also an option to pay even more to get remote assistance with installation. But no matter what route you choose, mSpy setup is likely to be complicated, frustrating and potentially expensive.

mSpy review: Support

This is another area where mSpy seems to underperform. The FAQ section is underwhelming, with basic questions and short answers that don’t really answer questions. There’s a tiny chatbot that is hard to see.

On paper, mSpy offers phone and email support, but reports from users suggest that the help isn’t actually very helpful, with answers that are either out-of-date or incorrect.

It’s possible to pay extra for more in-depth support, but that option is expensive.

mSpy review: The competition

mSpy faces tough competition from parental control apps that concentrate on conventional features rather than surveillance and keylogging.

Bark, for instance, has better social media monitoring, Qustodio has superb scheduling and screen limiting options, and Mobicip excels in many of those areas, too. All of those tools also have better location-based functionality than mSpy.

They’re all cheaper, too – indeed, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a parental control app that’s as expensive as mSpy.

mSpy review: Final verdict

If you’re not concerned with ethical or moral questions around keylogging, then there’s no doubt that mSpy does a great job here – on Android, at least, it can monitor virtually everything that your child does using their device.

But for all of its keylogging prowess, it falls short in many of the more conventional areas of parental control and it’s very expensive.

If you want that extensive access and keylogging for your children, then mSpy may be worth the price to you – but we’d urge parents to look elsewhere for more affordable and well-rounded parental control.

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Lots of the best parental control apps try to layer features over the top of conventional software tools, but Boomerang takes a slightly different approach by including its own safe browser, called SPIN.

Beyond that, this app promises 24/7 location tracking, message monitoring and a more positive approach to app control, although there are vast differences between the experience you get on Android when compared to iOS.

Boomerang review: Plans and pricing

Boomerang gets off to a good start with attractive pricing. There’s a 14-day free trial and, if you want to invest, the Family Pack costs $40 per year and includes licences for ten devices. If you want a single licence, it costs $20 per year per device.

That Family Pack is the best option, then, and if you want to purchase the easiest way to get started is to conduct an in-app purchase via Google Play or the App Store. But bear in mind that you may hit that ten-device limit quickly if you’re a large family with lots of devices.

Boomerang review: Features

We’d certainly recommend Google Play, though, because Boomerang is far more powerful on Android than on iOS.

On Android, for instance, you can control your children’s screen time limits and schedules, always allow them to use preferred apps, and inform your children about how much time you’ve got left. Apple’s OS misses out on all of those features – on an iPhone you can only give your children a time-out from Boomerang.

The situation continues to be this one-sided. On Android you can automatically block unfiltered web browsers, set daily timers for individual apps, block apps and schedule app usage – and none of that is available on Apple’s devices.

Call and text messaging safety is far more robust on Android, too: on Google’s platform you can see call logs, restrict calls and block numbers, view text message logs and set filters for specific words. You’ll get notified when inappropriate words are used or when children are texting with unauthorized contacts.

On Android you’ll get notified if your child removes Boomerang protection, blocks access to device settings, tries to uninstall the app or change the date and time – and none of this is available on iOS.

On both platforms you’ll get to see your child’s web history and block certain websites, but Android’s reporting is much stronger thanks to detailed email summaries, daily reports, lists of installed apps and per-app usage reporting. Android is also the only platform where you can control installed apps and use a “find my device”-style feature on your children’s phones.

It’s not all bad for iOS users. The SPIN safe browser works on both platforms, and you can block specific websites on both, too.

Location tracking works across both platforms, you can access location histories and automatic location reporting, and parents can set up impressive geofenced radii on both, too. And no matter what platform you use, you’ll get access to a family messaging group, one-on-one chatting and activity reporting.

Dive into Android, then, and far more is available. You get bedtime routine scheduling, daily app time limits, “encouraged apps” that are exempt from those rules, and the option to give kids a time out to pause their device usage.

Boomerang’s text message monitoring is extensive, with detailed logs and the option to collect all text content, and you can control who your child calls – and who can call them. You can pair family devices with your email address, so you don’t have to create new email accounts for your children, and you can block new app installs or allow for parental approval.

Elsewhere, Boomerang monitors YouTube history and searches on Android, and it’s one of the only parental control apps to use Samsung Knox security if you’re using Samsung devices.

The SPIN browser impresses, too: searches in browsers like Bing, Google and Yahoo are automatically filtered and the browser has strict built-in filtering. It doesn’t have a private browsing mode, those content filters can be customized, and its filter watches out for 20 different categories of potentially inappropriate content.

Less impressive is Boomerang’s social media functionality. It doesn’t natively monitor social media apps or emails in the same way as Bark, for instance. The app will pick up certain things by tracking messaging and typing, and you can add social media sites to its web filters – but it’s not as good as Bark or Qustodio here.

At least, because you’ve got control over what apps are installed, you can prevent your children from installing social media tools in the first place.

Boomerang review: Interface and in-use

It’s not unusual for the installation and setup of parental control apps to be a bit fiddly, and that’s certainly the case with Boomerang.

To get call and SMS monitoring, you’ll have to install Android apps on your children’s devices via the Boomerang website, rather than the Google Play Store. You may also have to delve into the settings on the device to allow for non-store installations.

Thankfully, the parent apps can just be downloaded from Google Play or the App Store, and it’s far easier. And when everything is set up, the interface is a mixed bag: the phone app is relatively slick, but the web dashboard is archaic and harder to use when compared to the web interfaces offered by most rivals.

Boomerang review: Support

Boomerang’s support is rudimentary. Users can submit a support ticket, but the website hasn’t got any indication of how long it’ll take to get a response.

Elsewhere, there’s a knowledge base and FAQ section online, and a forum that wasn’t particularly active at the time of writing. There’s a podcast and a blog, but that’s it for support.

Boomerang review: The competition

We’ve already mentioned Bark and Qustodio, and both rival apps do a better job with email and social media monitoring – but, negatively, both are a little more expensive than Boomerang, too.

Boomerang is stronger than the competition when it comes to geofencing and screen time management thanks to its granular controls in both areas.

Qustodio is better for iOS, with a more robust offering on that platform, and OurPact is also a better alternative for Apple’s platform.

Boomerang review: Final verdict

Boomerang has its negatives, then, especially when it comes to iOS support and monitoring of email and social media apps, but it’s much stronger with geofencing, filtering, scheduling and web browsers – especially thanks to the proprietary SPIN app.

This means Boomerang is ideal for Android-based families with children who don’t currently use email or social media. The price is pleasingly affordable, too.

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All of the best parental control apps focus on different features and take their own approach to protecting children – and for Kidslox, that means a significant concentration on location services.

Using this app, you’ll be able to see your kids’ locations, track their location history, and even view the routes they’ve taken. And beyond that, Kidslox offers screen time schedules, web filtering and app blocking.

On paper, then, that’s a solid selection of features, but can Kidslox compete with big names like Qustodio, OurPact and other strong competitors?

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Plans and pricing

Kidslox is available in two pricing tiers: Basic and Family. The Basic package costs $3.09/£2.39 per month if paid annually, and the Family option is $4.64/£3.59 per month with the same year-long deal.

As the name suggests, the Basic package is more limited – it works with one device, while you get support for ten on the Family option.

And while you get web filtering, location tracking, screen time limits, and app blocking using both pricing models, if you opt for the Basic service, you miss out on more advanced location abilities, alongside more innovative settings like remote screen view.

Features

Kidslox has one of the best location-tracking modules we’ve seen on any parental control app. As well as providing real-time tracking so you can see your child’s location on your map, you can view their location history over the past seven days – so you can see routes, where they stopped, and for how long.

Geofencing is supported with instant alerting when your child arrives or leaves your designated zones. The geofencing radius of 1,000 metres is generous, and you can easily edit zones you’ve already created.

By default, Kidslox sets a two-hour device limit on weekdays and a three-hour limit on weekends. Users can customize these limits as needed, with scheduling available for every day of the week. The limits are easy to adjust, and children can request more screen time directly from within their version of the app.

Screen time is even lightly gamified in Kidslox: parents can assign children chores and reward them with more time if they’re completed.

Elsewhere, Kidslox offers bedtime lock scheduling, prevents notifications during nighttime hours, and the app supports up to five different screen time schedules.

The parent app offers easy options for locking apps immediately, and parents can also create a list of allowed apps for permanent access – a handy feature for educational software. Parents can also lock the device entirely if needed.

Web content is filtered through a blocklist with over four million URLs, and parents can easily add more sites to the list. Internet access can be locked entirely if needed, and children are not allowed to disable the safe search settings built into browsers like Bing and Google.

Kidslox also allows parents to see browsing histories and app usage – with the latter only available on Android. If the children’s device uses Android, parents can take a screenshot at any time and receive reports with periodic screenshots of the device.

This is a good range of features, but it’s worth taking a deeper dive into what features are only available in the Family version of the app.

You only get alerts for inappropriate searches, nudity, new app installations and locations in the more expensive package, for instance. You’ll need to pay for the Family package to get the gamified time rewards, location histories, and the option to view your child’s search, YouTube and TikTok activity. That handy remote screen view option is only included in the pricier version, too.

It’s also worth noting what features are not available in either of the Kidslox pricing tiers. You can’t block websites by category or type – unlike other apps, which offer dozens of options. Instead, you’re limited to using the full Kidslox block list and adding your own sites individually.

Other apps keep data for longer – some of Kidslox’s histories are only available for seven days – and this app does not monitor text messages, calls or social media apps.

It would have been useful if differing screen time limits could be set for different apps. Additionally, there is no keylogging functionality available with this app.

Interface and in-use

This is one area where Kidslox excels. Download the app from Google Play or the App Store, use a handy code to pair it with the child app on the kids’ phones, give the app the necessary permissions, and you’re good to go.

GIFs during the setup process show you precisely what to do, which makes installation even easier.

Once that’s done, the impressive design continues. As well as being visually attractive, it’s very easy to use, with features laid out sensibly in a straightforward and intuitive layout.

Statistics are displayed clearly, too, and it’s very easy to see what changes you’re making. The same goes for the child’s app, too – everything is simple to understand.

Support

This is another area where Kidslox performs well. Its knowledge base and FAQ section are comprehensive and an excellent starting point for solving most problems. There are also videos available for solving various common issues.

Support is accessed by emailing Kidslox, and it’s also possible to fill out a web form and attach files if you prefer that approach.

Customer feedback indicates that Kidslox email support is highly responsive, too, with responses within a matter of hours.

There’s no live chat or phone support, though, so you’ll need to explore apps like Qustodio if you’d like that level of access. That said, at the time of writing, a message within the app was asking parents if they’d prefer to use phone support as it’s an option that Kidslox is considering – so that feature may be added in the future.

The competition

Bark is better than Kidslox when it comes to social media monitoring – indeed, Bark is one of the best options on the market for monitoring those kinds of apps.

And if you want to see how long your children have spent on specific websites, then you should investigate Qustodio.

Kidslox, though, competes well with its location abilities, it’s reasonable in other areas, and it’s easy to use. And it’s also a little cheaper than both of its rivals: the Family package is over $40 cheaper than Bark’s annual Premium plan, and Qustodio is pricier as well.

Final verdict

Kidslox is very strong when it comes to location features, and its monitoring, reporting and screen time abilities are all impressive – we like the option to reward your children for completing chores.

When it comes to web filtering and monitoring social media, calls and texts, though, Kidslox is weaker. It would be better if web filtering had categories. Beyond its screenshot abilities, this app can’t monitor social apps, calls, or texts at all. And the Basic package is just that – it misses out on many of the features that justify buying Kidslox in the first place.

It’s easy to set up and use, though, it’s strong when it comes to location abilities, and it’s cheaper than the competition. Kidslox is not ideal if you need to monitor social media or if you want better filtering, but for affordable location-based tracking, it’s good.

Lots of the best parental control apps pair a full set of features on Android with a much more limited offering on iOS, but OurPact tries to provide a far more comprehensive set of features on Apple devices.

With geofencing, scheduling, screen time allowances, encrypted screenshots and more available across both platforms, there’s plenty to like here – and, in theory, plenty of reasons why OurPact should be able to compete with rivals from across the parental control sector.

Plans and pricing

OurPact’s two paid options, Premium and Premium+, cost $6.99/£5.45 or $9.99/£7.78 per month if you pay annually.

Both tiers allow you to manage up to twenty devices, which is ample for all but the largest families. The more affordable tier, Premium, includes the app’s core features, like scheduling, app rules, screen time management and family location ability.

In the Premium version of OurPact you also get the option to set rules for messaging apps and website visits.

Premium+ includes all of those features alongside the ability to view a gallery of your children’s screenshots, instantly take screenshots of your child’s device, and automate those screenshots – and the option to filter those screenshots by specific content categories.

That pricing is reasonable: Qustodio and Bark are a little more expensive and MMGuardian is slightly cheaper if you purchase the annual products rather than pay every month, but all four products offer similar pricing.

OurPact offers a 14-day free trial if you want to try out its Premium and Premium+ features. There’s also a free version of the product, although it’s very limited: it includes one automated schedule and management of one device alongside the ability to block web browsers.

Qustodio’s free product is better, and Microsoft Family Safety is also more impressive than the free version of OurPact.

Features

The Screenshot feature in Premium+ is one of OurPact’s key innovations. It offers three differing ways to see what your kids are doing: periodic screenshots, on-demand screenshots and a gallery.

The periodic view delivers automated screenshots of your child’s device at a schedule you set, although bear in mind that your children need to start the OurPact Jr app’s recording feature themselves for this to work. Bark takes a different approach here, only delivering screenshots when it detects suspicious content.

The on-demand option allows parents to look at their kid’s behavior whenever necessary. And when navigating the gallery, parents can browse by device, data or by categories like drugs, violence, romance and many more.

OurPact’s web filter allows parents to block inappropriate content, and parents can also create custom lists of blocked sites and websites that are always allowed – ideal if you want to allow your kids to always access educational resources, for instance.

As well as this conventional filtering, OurPact enables parents to prevent kids from making in-app purchases and uninstalling apps, and it can also disable iOS features like Siri and AirDrop – and limit the data that is collected for advertising usage. On Android, parents can also disable airplane mode.

That filter works in conjunction with a feature that allows parents to disable browsers like Chrome and Safari.

OurPact has mediocre scheduling abilities, with customizable daily scheduling available alongside easy app blocking during specific periods – but other apps offer far more granularity in terms of time periods that can be chosen when building a new schedule.

Parents can reward children with more screen time within the app. Individual apps can be allowed permanent or scheduled access – but children can’t send a request for more screen time, which is an increasingly popular feature elsewhere in the market.

Children can also use their version of the OurPact app to track their screen time, and this is a manual process that helps them stay mindful of their device usage and take responsibility for their behavior.

OurPact is one of the only parental control apps that allows parents to block iMessage on iOS devices, and it’s also possible to block text messaging apps, too.

And, finally, there’s the location tracker – which has real-time tracking, geofencing with a generous 1,000m radius, and location history for all of your children. You’ll also get push notifications when children arrive or depart your safe or forbidden zones.

There’s no doubt that OurPact has a good range of features, especially on iOS – indeed, it’s unusual to find a parental control app where core functionality is shared across Apple’s platform and Android, with the latter usually far more versatile.

That said, it’s clear that OurPact misses out on some basic features too.

It doesn’t have clear, easy activity reporting, so it can be difficult to get an overview of your child’s recent device behavior – and this is something that’s extremely common with rival tools. And while we’re always pleased to see web filtering, it just has one filter to use for all adult content, while Qustodio offers more than 25 filters and MMGuardian delivers over 100.

While OurPact’s web filter does block adult content, those rival apps do a better job of blocking anything else that you might consider inappropriate, so it does a better job of giving parents control over what children see.

OurPact doesn’t have in-depth social media monitoring like Bark, and it doesn’t monitor messages in the same way as Bark or MMGuardian. If you’re a parent who would like that level of control, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

Interface and in-use

To get started with OurPact, parents need to create an account – but once that’s done, things get a little more complicated.

On iOS child devices, parents need to disable the Find My iPhone feature for OurPact to work properly. On Android, USB debugging needs to be enabled. This is a little more technical than many other apps but, thankfully, OurPact provides clear instructions on how to get the job done.

When you’ve got the apps set up, OurPact is easier to use. The interface is intuitive on all platforms, with easy navigation even for beginners, and the OurPact Jr app for children makes it easy for them to see their screen time allowances and other important information.

The only complaint we’ve got is that OurPact looks a little bland and dated – but that’s a purely aesthetic issue that has no bearing on how the app functions day-to-day.

Support

OurPact’s Support page offers straightforward guides to setting up and using the app alongside a troubleshooting section for fixing common problems.

If you need to get in touch, there’s a web form that promises responses every day of the week, with reports suggesting that responses are both fast and helpful. OurPact promises a Live Chat feature, too, but reports elsewhere suggest that agents are rarely available – so it’s best to stick with email.

There’s also a Family Resource Page that provides links to helplines for families or children who may be experiencing distress.

It’s a reasonable support offering that matches many other apps, but Bark and Qustodio are notably better: Bark provides loads of help videos and Qustodio has its superb Care Plus package that’s included with its Complete product.

The competition

Indeed, it’s easy to see where OurPact’s key rivals are much better. With Bark, you get improved social media, message and email monitoring for a slightly cheaper price.

Qustodio, meanwhile, costs a little more, but it has better filtering and scheduling abilities. And MMGuardian delivers the best filtering around alongside more comprehensive messaging monitoring.

It’s also worth noting that all three of those apps offer top-level reporting abilities that make it easier to stay on top of child behavior, which isn’t available with OurPact.

Final verdict

It leaves OurPact looking a little meagre, especially when the price and competition are considered.

It may have reasonable screenshotting, app control and screen time abilities, but rivals are better in most of those areas – and, as we’ve seen, other apps also go far further with web filtering, social media monitoring and reporting. If you want a free product, Qustodio’s no-cost version is better than the OurPact equivalent, too.

And while OurPact may be strongest on iOS, rivals like Bark and Qustodio still have reasonable Apple offerings – even if they’re stronger on Android.

OurPact, then, is only worth serious consideration if you’re an Apple-based family – and, even then, weigh up the features first. For everyone else, look elsewhere for stronger alternatives.

Screen Time is an app that gets right to the point, with a name that tells you exactly what this piece of software does, and its one of the best parental control apps.

When we’re all spending more time on our phones and children are easily distracted by inappropriate online content, it’s crucial to be able to restrict what they’re seeing and how often they’re able to use devices.

Despite the name, though, Screen Time doesn’t just concentrate on that feature – it’s actually got a full range of parental control abilities. And, as a bonus, there’s a free version.

Plans and Pricing

That free version includes daily reports on your children’s app usage and, on Android, it allows parents to view web and YouTube histories. The free product also includes some social media monitoring on Google’s platform.

The free version only includes support for one child device, though, which is a tight restriction. KidLogger’s free version includes support for five devices, and Qustodio’s free product also monitors just one device – but it has a better set of features.

Google Family Link and Microsoft Family Safety are both free, too, and both are more powerful.

Screen Time’s free product isn’t really representative, though, and its paid version is a far more compelling prospect – because it has the full range of features included. It’s affordable, too, at $6.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. That price is a little cheaper than the monthly cost of the full-fat versions of Qustodio, Bark, MMGuardian and KidLogger – four of our paid favorites.

Features

If you call your app Screen Time it has to impress in this category. And, thankfully, Screen Time doesn’t disappoint.

Parents can set daily screen time limits using the software, choose from preset options, alter timings for weekdays or weekends, and apply time limits to individual apps. It’s easy to build different schedules for different children, and one button allows parents to instantly pause their children's devices – handy if you need to get their attention.

There’s an innovative feature here, too, thanks to Free Play – an option to override all limits and schedules with just one tap. If you’re stuck with bored kids on a long journey, it could be a huge relief.

Screen Time also allows parents to maintain family harmony by rewarding kids with extra device time if they complete tasks, like chores or homework. Parents are able to set up the tasks and approve their completion to grant a custom amount of time as a reward.

Screen Time pairs its impressive device and app controls with solid reporting. Parents can see what apps children use most often, how much time they’ve spent on each app, and get daily summaries of all the important data – handy when things are hectic.

And if you want to prevent certain apps from being used entirely, Screen Time allows you to see what apps are installed, block specific apps, and only allow new apps to be installed with parental approval.

Screen Time also has conventional location-based features. Parents can see current child locations, monitor routes when children are travelling, and use geofencing to get alerts when kids enter or leave approved or restricted spaces. Trip and location records are kept for seven days – other apps provide longer histories.

Screen Time has some additional features that are only available on Android. Web filtering, for instance, is only available on Google’s platform, and there are 25 categories of content that parents can allow or restrict, and it’s possible to add or restrict individual websites too.

Android users can also monitor text messages, view photos on child devices, and monitor third-party messaging apps like WhatsApp, Viber and Kik.

This app is certainly weaker on iOS, then, and some features are not as comprehensive as those you’ll find elsewhere.

Its web filtering, for instance, is not as strong as those on rivals – apps like MMGuardian provide more categories for parents to use when filtering. Bark is notably better for social media monitoring, too.

Interface and in use

Screen Time has an effective, uncluttered interface with easy, color-coded buttons that let you see your schedules, app and web filter allowances and your children’s routes.

Other apps certainly pop with more color, but Screen Time looks good, and its effective design means it’s very easy for parents to use. This approach carries over to the monitoring interface available in web browsers, too.

Installation is similarly straightforward, at least on Android: sign up, download the app, follow easy instructions to pair with the app on your child’s device and you’re nearly there.

Once that’s done, you’ll have to set up a parental control PIN and allow the relevant permissions, then you’re good to go.

If you’re on iOS, it’s a little more complicated. Parents have to download and install profiles and change Remote Management settings on their devices.

Thankfully, both platforms are covered by comprehensive instruction articles and videos on the Screen Time website.

Support

This is one area where Screen Time didn’t impress – because clicking the Support link on the website led to a 404 error page.

That’s not a good start, but it is possible to use a web form elsewhere on the main Help Center page to request support from the Screen Time team, and the company assures parents of a response within 24 hours.

The FAQ and Help Center sections are also reasonable, with plenty of articles covering every aspect of the app.

Just don’t expect the phone support or live chat that you’ll sometimes find with rival products, like Qustodio or Norton Family.

The Competition

Screen Time lives up to its name – when it comes to scheduling and controlling how often your children use their devices and certain apps, this software matches every rival. Its location abilities compare well with other apps, too.

Go beyond this, though, and Screen Time begins to fall short. MMGuardian is stronger with web filtering, for instance, and Bark is better with social media, messaging and calls. If you’re on iOS, consider OurPact too.

Screen Time may undercut other paid options with slightly lower prices, but if you want a free parental control product then you’d potentially be better with Microsoft or Google’s in-built tools or with KidLogger.

Final Verdict

If you want an affordable app that provides comprehensive scheduling alongside device and app limitation and control, then Screen Time is one of the best choices around. In this regard it’s got good core functionality alongside a couple of innovative features.

Beyond that, though, it’s middling. Its location-based functionality is fine, it blocks apps, and provides reporting, but rivals do that, too – while also being stronger in other categories. And weaknesses on iOS mean Screen Time is only really suitable for families on Android.

Screen Time is not a bad parental control app – and if you do want to concentrate on restricting the amount of time your kids spend on their devices, it’s excellent. But for a more rounded experience or a better option on iOS, we’d rather spend a little more and shop elsewhere.