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September 20, 2019

Phone Monitoring Software Guide for Parents

software for parental cell phone monitoring

With adult content, cyber bullies, and online predators, cyberspace is not always a safe place for your child to be. The best way to keep them safe is to carefully monitor their online activity, but of course, a parent can’t watch their children all the time. Especially now that smartphones let them access the internet anytime, anywhere, luckily, you’re not alone in this struggle, and there are some apps that help parents to closely monitor their children’s phones. You can use location tracking to find where your child is at all times, time limits to cut down on screen time, web filters to keep their browsing family friendly, and even app blocks to keep them from using programs you don’t approve of. There are more tools at your disposal than ever before. This handy list features some of the best programs currently available. Investing in one of the apps listed below is guaranteed to provide a safer online experience for kids and much needed peace of mind for adults.

Norton Family Premier (Android and iOS):

  1. The Good: Top-notch location tracking, curfews and time-use limits, and the ability to block the use of specific apps.
  2. The Bad: You can’t place time limits on specific apps and it features limited message monitoring.
  3. Overall Rating: ★★★★☆

PhoneSheriff (Android):

  1. The Good: Setting limits on browsing time and number of texts per day, a full log of browsing and text history, and location tracking that features an alert if your child leaves a Geofenced area.
  2. The Bad: Difficult to install, unwieldy to manage, and a little expensive.
  3. Overall Rating: ★★★★☆

ESET Parental Control (Android):

  1. The Good: Easy-to-use web filter and time limits, supports unlimited devices, and provides great value for price.
  2. The Bad: No location history and no tool to monitor contacts.
  3. Overall Rating: ★★★☆☆

Qustodio (Android):

  1. The Good: App-specific time limits and thorough call and text logs.
  2. The Bad: You can’t place time limits on specific apps and it features limited message monitoring.
  3. Overall Rating: ★★★★☆

Net Nanny (Android):

  1. The Good: Very intuitive interface and ability to mask profanity while browsing.
  2. The Bad: Only works on one Android device at a time.
  3. Overall Rating: ★★★☆☆

My Mobile Watchdog (Android):

  1. The Good: Easy to install and easy to use web-browsing history.
  2. The Bad: Lacks features of competitors, like social media monitoring.
  3. Overall Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Categories: Child Safety Ages 4-11, Safety Tips, Tweens/Teen Safety

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