Best Parental Control Apps — every ranking, by use case and budget
Every app here was paid for and set up on four real devices by a parent. We scored filtering accuracy, monitoring, platform coverage, setup and the yearly price for five devices. Scores are locked before any affiliate link is added.
By use case indexed
In-depth parental control apps reviews
Qustodio
The most complete cross-platform control we tested: best web filter, time limits that held on every device, and a usable free tier
Read Qustodio ReviewNorton Family
Unlimited devices for one price, School Time mode for remote learning, and included free if you already have Norton 360 Deluxe
Read Norton Family ReviewKaspersky Safe Kids
The cheapest paid parental control by a wide margin, with a free tier that covers filtering and time limits
Read Kaspersky Safe Kids ReviewBark
Alerts on bullying, predators, self-harm and explicit content across texts, email and 30+ social apps — without showing you everything
Read Bark ReviewNet Nanny
Real-time content filtering that reads the page rather than checking a list — the strongest web filter after Qustodio
Read Net Nanny ReviewGoogle Family Link
Free control of Android phones and Chromebooks: app approval, time limits, location and SafeSearch, managed from any phone
Read Google Family Link ReviewApple Screen Time
Built into every iPhone, iPad and Mac: app limits, downtime, purchase approval and content filters, managed from a parent's phone
Read Apple Screen Time ReviewGuides that send readers to these rankings
Parental Controls on iPhone: What Actually Works and What Apple Blocks
Why third-party apps are limited on iOS, what Screen Time does well, and how to combine the two.
Monitoring vs Filtering: Which Kind of Parental Control Does Your Child Need?
Filters stop content reaching the child; monitors tell you what the child is doing. Different ages need different mixes.