Best Parental Control Apps for Android

What separates the best parental control app for Android picks?

Six apps made this list, and the scores run from 8.5 down to 7.1. The gap comes down to filtering, monitoring and platform coverage. Qustodio leads at 8.5: it blocked 37 of 40 checklist items, enforced time limits on iPhone, Android, Windows and Chromebook, and costs $54.95. Norton Family scored 7.9 and blocked 33 of 40, with unlimited devices for $49.99. Kaspersky Safe Kids is the cheapest paid option at $14.99 a year, also for unlimited devices, and scored 7.8. Bark scored 7.6 and focuses on alerts across texts, email and 30+ social apps, but its web filter blocked 30 of 40. Net Nanny scored 7.4 and blocked 35 of 40 by reading page content live. Google Family Link is free and scored 7.1, with app approval, time limits and location on Android and Chromebook.

What should you check before buying a parental control app?

Start with the devices in your house. Norton Family has no Mac or Chromebook apps. Kaspersky Safe Kids has no Chromebook, and its iPhone features are more limited than Qustodio's. Bark's iPhone texts are only monitored via a Mac/PC sync or the Bark Phone. Google Family Link cannot control an iPhone, and its web filtering is Chrome-only and coarse.

Then decide how much monitoring you want. Qustodio's message monitoring is Android-only and needs the Complete plan. Norton Family has no message or social monitoring. Net Nanny has no message monitoring. Bark flags risk in messages and social posts rather than dumping everything on the parent.

Finally, check setup time and price. Qustodio setup on iPhone took 25 minutes with a VPN profile. Prices here are $14.99, $49, $49.99, $54.95, $54.99 and Free.

Which parental control app is right for your family?

• Qustodio — best for families who need the strongest web filter and time limits across iPhone, Android, Windows and Chromebook.
• Norton Family — best for unlimited devices on one price, plus School Time for remote learning.
• Kaspersky Safe Kids — best for a low-cost paid plan with a free tier that covers filtering and time limits.
• Bark — best for alerts on bullying, predators, self-harm and explicit content across texts, email and 30+ social apps.
• Net Nanny — best for real-time content filtering that reads the page rather than checking a list.
• Google Family Link — best for free control of Android phones and Chromebooks, with app approval and location.

If you need the strongest filter and cross-platform time limits, Qustodio is the pick. For unlimited devices on one price and School Time, Norton Family fits. Kaspersky Safe Kids suits tight budgets, Bark suits message and social alerts, Net Nanny suits live page filtering, and Google Family Link is the free route for Android and Chromebook homes.