Best Parental Control Apps for Android in 2023

As children get older and earn cell phones from their parents, it’s important that some safeguards are in place so they remain protected online. This is where parental control software comes into play.

Here is a list of some of the best parental control apps for Android:

Norton Family: This app from Norton allows parents to supervise their kids’ online activity. It offers features like web filtering, location tracking, and time supervision.
Qustodio: This parental control software has tools for setting time limits, tracking location, filtering content, and monitoring calls and texts.
Net Nanny: Known for its advanced web filter technology, Net Nanny lets parents block inappropriate content, manage screen time, control apps, and locate their kids.
Kaspersky Safe Kids: Kaspersky offers location tracking, geo-fencing, app usage control, and content filtering. It also provides battery level checks for the child’s device.
OurPact: This is another robust parental control app that allows parents to block messaging and internet, set screen time limits, and schedule screen-free routines.
MMGuardian: Known for its strong text monitoring and filtering features, MMGuardian also provides app control, time restrictions, location tracking, and detailed activity reports.
Google Family Link: This is a service by Google that allows you to create a Google account for your child (under 13), which you can manage. You can monitor app usage, set screen time limits, remotely lock the device, and even approve or deny app installations.

Norton Family

Norton Family leverages several features of Android phones to provide robust parental controls. Here are some specific Android phone features that make Norton Family an effective parental control app:

App Permissions: Norton Family can request access to various system permissions on Android devices that allow it to effectively monitor and control activity. This can include access to the device’s location, browsing history, app usage details, and more.
Internet Connectivity: Android’s always-on internet connectivity allows Norton Family to monitor online activities in real-time, send instant lock commands, and provide real-time location tracking.
Multi-Device Synchronization: Android’s Google account system allows Norton Family to sync settings and rules across multiple devices. This means that the controls a parent sets on their child’s tablet will also apply to their phone, and vice versa.
Push Notifications: Norton Family uses Android’s notification system to alert parents when their child attempts to violate the rules set up in the app.
Device Admin Features: By making use of Android’s Device Admin features, Norton Family can prevent uninstallation of the app, ensuring that parental control settings can’t be easily bypassed.
Accessibility Services: Norton Family can use Android’s Accessibility Services to monitor text messages and app usage.
Background Running: Norton Family can run in the background without significantly affecting the device’s performance, making it a seamless experience that doesn’t interfere with the device’s normal usage.

Qustodio

Qustodio is another excellent parental control application that takes advantage of Android phone features to help parents manage their child’s device use. Here are some of the ways it utilizes Android phone features:

App Permissions: Qustodio requires permissions to access and control certain aspects of the Android device, such as app usage, calls, texts, and location. This allows it to monitor and limit app use, track device location, and even block calls or texts.
Internet Connectivity: Qustodio uses the device’s internet connection to synchronize settings, track browsing activity, and update reports in real-time. Parents can view these reports and adjust settings from anywhere through the Qustodio dashboard on their own devices.
Multi-Device Support: Much like Norton Family, Qustodio can sync settings across multiple Android devices using the same account, ensuring consistent rules and limitations.
Background Services: Qustodio can run quietly in the background without impacting device performance, continuously monitoring activity and enforcing limitations.
Device Admin Features: Android’s Device Admin features allow Qustodio to prevent its uninstallation, thus ensuring the persistence of its protective features.
Accessibility Services: Using these services, Qustodio can monitor text and app usage, and control access to inappropriate content.
Notifications: Qustodio can use Android’s notification system to send alerts to parents for specific activities, such as a new app installation or an attempt to access blocked content.

Net Nanny

Net Nanny leverages several features of Android phones to provide its parental control services. Here’s how it does so:

App Permissions: Net Nanny utilizes Android’s permissions system to gain access to various functions on the device, such as internet data, app usage, and location. This helps it to filter web content, block apps, monitor app usage, and track the device’s location.
Internet Connectivity: Net Nanny takes advantage of the device’s internet connection to send real-time updates to parents about their child’s online activity and device usage.
Device Administration: Net Nanny can use Android’s Device Admin features to prevent children from uninstalling the app, ensuring that it continues to monitor and control device usage.
Background Processes: Like many other parental control apps, Net Nanny can run as a background process on Android devices, monitoring and controlling activity without interfering with the device’s performance.
Notifications: Net Nanny uses the Android notification system to alert parents when children attempt to access blocked content or exceed screen time limits.
Multi-Device Synchronization: If your child has multiple Android devices, Net Nanny can synchronize settings across all of these devices.
Accessibility Services: Android’s Accessibility Services allow Net Nanny to monitor more deeply and control content in apps and browsers.

Kaspersky Safe Kids

Kaspersky Safe Kids leverages various features of Android phones to provide robust parental control services. Here are the Android features that make Kaspersky Safe Kids effective:

App Permissions: Kaspersky Safe Kids requires permissions to access specific parts of the Android device, such as app usage, location, calls, and texts. This allows the app to monitor and control app usage, track the device’s location, and even monitor calls or texts.
Internet Connectivity: The app uses the device’s internet connection to sync settings, track online activities, and update reports in real-time. This allows parents to view reports and adjust settings from any device through the Kaspersky Safe Kids online portal.
Background Services: Kaspersky Safe Kids can run in the background, continuously monitoring activities and enforcing limitations without impacting device performance significantly.
Device Admin Features: Kaspersky Safe Kids utilizes Android’s Device Admin features to prevent children from uninstalling the app, ensuring its protective features remain in place.
Notifications: Using Android’s notification system, Kaspersky Safe Kids can send alerts to parents about specific activities, such as when a child enters or leaves a safe area (thanks to geofencing) or tries to access blocked content.
Multi-Device Support: Settings and rules can be synchronized across multiple Android devices using the same account.
Battery Monitoring: An interesting feature of Kaspersky Safe Kids is the ability to monitor the child’s device battery level. This allows parents to know if their child’s device is about to run out of power, which is particularly useful in combination with location tracking.

OurPact

OurPact is a well-regarded parental control app that leverages certain features of Android phones to help parents manage their children’s device use. As of my last update in 2021, these are some of the ways it utilizes Android phone features:

App Permissions: OurPact requires permissions to access and control certain aspects of the Android device, such as app usage, location, and internet access. This enables it to monitor and limit app use, track device location, and control internet access.
Internet Connectivity: OurPact uses the device’s internet connection to synchronize settings, manage remote controls, and update parents in real-time about their child’s activities.
Background Services: OurPact can run in the background without noticeably affecting device performance. This allows it to continuously monitor activity and enforce parental controls.
Device Administration: Using Android’s Device Admin features, OurPact can prevent children from uninstalling the app, thereby ensuring that its protective features persist.
Accessibility Services: By leveraging Android’s Accessibility Services, OurPact can control access to inappropriate content, monitor text and app usage.
Multi-Device Support: OurPact can sync settings across multiple Android devices using the same account. This ensures consistent rules and limitations for your child, regardless of the device they’re using.
Notifications: OurPact uses Android’s notification system to send alerts to parents for certain activities, like when a new app is installed or when screen time rules are violated.

MMGuardian

MMGuardian is another parental control app that takes advantage of Android features to provide comprehensive monitoring and control tools. These are some of the ways MMGuardian utilizes Android phone features:

App Permissions: MMGuardian requires permissions to access certain aspects of the Android device, such as app usage, location, calls, and texts. This allows it to monitor and limit app use, track the device’s location, and monitor calls or texts.
Internet Connectivity: MMGuardian uses the device’s internet connection to synchronize settings and reports, manage remote controls, and provide real-time location tracking.
Background Services: MMGuardian can run in the background, continually monitoring activity and enforcing parental controls without noticeably impacting device performance.
Device Administration: By making use of Android’s Device Admin features, MMGuardian can prevent children from uninstalling the app, ensuring the ongoing efficacy of its monitoring and control features.
Accessibility Services: MMGuardian leverages Android’s Accessibility Services to control access to inappropriate content, monitor text messages, and control app usage.
Multi-Device Support: MMGuardian can synchronize settings across multiple Android devices using the same account, ensuring consistent rules and limitations.
Notifications: MMGuardian utilizes Android’s notification system to alert parents about certain activities or violations of set rules, like attempts to access blocked content.
SMS & Call Monitoring: Android’s open nature allows MMGuardian to monitor SMS and call logs, which is a feature not always available on other platforms.

Google Family Link

Google Family Link is a parental control app provided by Google that integrates deeply with Android and Google’s own services. Here are some specific Android features that make Google Family Link effective for parental control:

Google Account Integration: Family Link allows parents to create a Google Account for their child that’s like their own, but lets parents set certain digital ground rules. These rules apply across a variety of Google services like Google Search, YouTube, Google Play, and more.
App Permissions: Family Link uses Android’s app permissions to monitor and control app usage, track device location, and see device activity.
App Management: Family Link lets parents manage app installation and usage. Parents can approve or block apps from the Google Play Store, and can also monitor the screen time of each installed app.
Screen Time Management: Android’s usage tracking allows Family Link to monitor screen time and set time limits or bedtime schedules to ensure healthy digital habits.
Internet Connectivity: Family Link uses Android’s internet connectivity to send real-time activity reports to parents, remotely manage the child’s device, and track the device’s location.
Location Services: With Android’s location services, Family Link can provide parents with the real-time location of their child’s device.
Device Lock: Family Link can remotely lock the child’s device instantly or based on a schedule, making use of Android’s secure lock system.
Google Play Integration: Because Family Link is integrated with Google Play, parents can manage purchases and downloads from the Play Store, adding an extra level of control over the child’s device.

Best Parental Control Apps for Android