Kids nowadays are exposed to so many more threats than the generation before them. With easy access to the internet and being constantly on their smartphones, it is no wonder that parents are concerned for the safety of their children, both physically and mentally. Luckily, there are apps out there to help ease parents’ anxiety. Here is a list of top parental control apps for both iPhone and Android.
Top Free Parental Control Apps for iPhone and Android
1. iSharing
iSharing is an app created for families and close friends to share location with each other in a safe and private way. With iSharing, family members can easily check the location of each other 24/7, all the while accessing all the other additional safety features that are built into iSharing, such as SOS Panic Alerts or Driving Report.
iSharing also has additional features to the main location tracking that will make a parent’s life easier. The place alert feature notifies parents when their kids leave home or arrive at school. The Nearby Alert feature, on the other hand, notifies parents immediately if their child leaves their set mile raidus (it was created to prevent losing children.) Furthermore, the 30 day record of location hiostyr was just extended to 90 days, which means that as a parent, you can check where your children have been for up to 90 days. Other features, such as messaging and walkie-talkies, allow parents to communicate with their children without having to leave the iSharing app nor the map.
If location tracking is the biggest reason for you to use a free parental control app, iSharing is the best free option to be used either on an Android or an iPhone. Want to try iSharing? Download for free!
2. Google Family Link
Family Link is a wonderful free app that helps parents monitor how their children use their Android device. With Family Link, not only are parents able tosee how much time their children spend on each aapps, they’re also able to limit access to certain apps that they might find inappropriate for their children or limit their screen time overall. Family Link, similar to iSharing offers a location tracking feature, but only displays the last detected location.
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While a great free option with various features, Google Family Link is unfortunately unavailable for iPhone users. If you or your children are using an iPhone, you will not be able to use the app.
3. Screen Time
Screen Time is an alternative to the Google Family Link that is available for both iPhones and Androids. Screen Time is a great free parental control app that lets parents see their children’s app usages or screen times. Screen Time offers almost identical features as Family Link, with the exception of location tracking. In terms of monitoring the kid’s phones, Screen Time offers more extensive features, such as the ability to view search histories or social media usage.
Unfortunately, certain additional features for Screen Time, specifically Web History and Social Media and YouTube usage, is only available for Android devices. Furthermore, the free version of the app is very limited when compared to the paid version of the app.
