Keeping up with technology can be a daily struggle, however, avoiding technology and screens has become impossible. Not only for us, but our children are exposed to screens daily, whether being passive or active screen time. During the pandemic, it sure was a headache to shift from on-sight learning in school to online learning, and since then, technology and screens have become more dominant in our children’s lives.
Children are spending more time on screens than ever, whether it being for educational purposes, finding entertainment or purely socializing. It has been studied that by the age of 2, kids are spending an average of 2.5 hours a day on screens; by the time they are between 5 years old and 8 years old, the average amount of time spent looking at screens is 3.5 hours a day.
So what can we do? We can’t avoid or run away from screens, but what we can do is manage the amount of screen time that our children are using. Being a mother of two pre-teens, I’ve had a lot of practice and a strong learning curve of how to manage screen time, and here I’m going to share with you my top parental control applications which I have tried and tested over the past 3 years.
Key Features to Look for in Parental Control Apps
When choosing a parental control app for your family, there are a few key factors to keep in mind. The goal is to find one that best fits your needs and parenting style. Personally, I believe these apps are meant to protect your child, not to control or invade their privacy, this is even more important as they grow older.
The best parental control tools should offer a balance between guidance and insight. It’s not about seeing what your child is doing every second, but understanding how they’re using their device so you can help them build healthy, responsible habits.
Here are some features to consider:
- Screen time management
- Setting daily limits
- Scheduling device-free hours
- Tracking overall usage
- App Blocking
- Restricting access to specific applications such as age appropriate games
- Access to certain social media platforms, depending on the age of your child.
- Content Filtering
- Preventing access to websites with harmful content, such as violence or adult material
- Filtering search results to be child-friendly and age appropriate.
- Activity Reports
- Providing daily or weekly summaries of how your child has been using their time on their devices, this is a great way to build a conversation with your child and get them involved in the decision making process of what is allowed or not.
- Remove Access & Controls
- Being able to pause, lock or change the settings remotely from your own phone is pretty useful as a parenting tool.
- Location Tracking
- This one will depend on each family, for safety measures it’s great to be able to see your child’s real-time location.
It’s important to sit down as a family and discuss what you’re looking for in a parental control app—and whether a particular app meets those needs. Involving your children in the process is key. It helps build trust, gives them a sense of ownership, and creates an opportunity to explain why these boundaries are in place while teaching them about balance and responsible device use.
Best Parental Control Apps in 2025
1. Qustodio
I’m currently using Qustodio as my parental control app and plan to stick with it in the future. It’s easy to set up, simple to use, and offers exactly the kind of control I need to manage my children’s screen time effectively. Here’s a quick breakdown of what I’ve experienced:
What I Like :
- Free 3-Day Trial: Great way to explore features before committing.
- Two Packages Available:
- Basic
- Complete
- Easy Setup: Installation was smooth on both my device and my kids’ devices.
- User-Friendly Dashboard: Clean interface that’s easy to navigate and adjust settings.
- Daily Screen Time Limits:
- You can set different limits for weekdays and weekends.
- Time limits apply across all devices, not just per device (unlike some other apps), which prevents kids from hopping between devices.
- Routine Feature:
- Allows you to create specific schedules like bedtime locks (e.g. 9 PM–7 AM).
- Works independently of the daily time limit.
- Can set “school time” hours where only educational apps/websites are accessible.
- Strong App Blocking & Web Filtering: So far, no complaints, so far content control has been reliable and effective.
What I Don’t Like:
- Pricing:
- More expensive than other parental control apps.
- Only annual billing is available—no monthly payment option.
2. Norton Family
Norton Family is a well-known parental control app from the trusted Norton cybersecurity brand. It’s designed especially for families with multiple children and devices, offering helpful tools to manage screen time and keep kids focused, especially during school hours. While it works well overall, it’s definitely built more for Windows and Android users.
What I Liked :
- Great for Larger Families:
- Covers unlimited devices under one subscription—perfect for households with multiple kids.
- Time supervision:
- Daily and weekly screen time limits, with options to lock the device when time’s up.
- School time feature:
- Lets you schedule focused time for educational websites only, this is very handy during homework hours or when we were remote learning due to the pandemic.
- Activity Reports:
- Easy-to-read reports showing websites visited, search terms, and time spent on devices.
- Web Supervision:
- Filters inappropriate websites and helps guide safe browsing habits.
What I Didn’t Like :
- Limited iOS Functionality:
- Most advanced features (like app supervision or detailed activity tracking) don’t work on iPhones.
- User Interface:
- The dashboard isn’t as modern or intuitive as some newer apps.
- App blocking didn’t always work:
- Especially on Android, some apps may still run in the background unless manually restricted.
3. Google Family Link
Google Family Link was the first parental control app I ever used, and the best thing was that it’s completely free. As a Google product, it was very easy to get started, especially since we already had Google accounts set up. However, once my children started using iOS devices, I had to stop using it, as the app is only compatible with Android.
What I Liked :
- 100% Free: No hidden fees or upgrade prompts.
- Easy setup: Easy to install and activate if you already use Google accounts.
- Custom time limits per device: Great for setting different limits on tablets and phones.
- Scheduled lock times: Perfect for enforcing bedtime hours.
- Parental approval for downloading apps: Kids need permission before installing anything.
- Bonus time feature:
- Let me reward good behavior with extra screen time.
- Fully customizable, from a few minutes to hours.
- Emergency access control:
- Even when the phone is locked, kids can still call or receive calls from emergency contacts.
What I Didn’t Like :
- Limited Device Support:
- Only works on Android and ChromeOS.
- Once my kids switched to iOS, I couldn’t continue using the app.
- Changing devices wasn’t smooth:
- Switching devices (e.g. when upgrading a phone) was quite a hassle.
4. OurPact
OurPact came highly recommended, and the reviews were really promising. It’s known for its visual scheduling, screen time management, and a clean interface. However, my personal experience was quite different: the setup process was frustrating and time-consuming, especially without a computer.
What I Liked :
- Visual set up:
- You can create custom screen time schedules using a drag-and-drop calendar interface.
- App blocking and pausing:
- Allows you to instantly block apps or pause the entire device—handy for enforcing “no phone” times.
- Allowance system:
- Lets kids “earn” screen time or use it in chunks throughout the day.
- Location:
- Built-in GPS tracking to see where your child’s device is in real time.
- Built-in GPS tracking to see where your child’s device is in real time.
What I Didn’t Like :
- Difficult to set up:
- Setup on iOS was extremely difficult without a Mac or PC—many features couldn’t be activated at all.
- Time-consuming to install:
- The process involved device profiles, remote management, and extra steps that took much longer than other apps.
- Setup felt incomplete:
- Even after setup, some features didn’t work properly, especially on Apple devices.
- Lack of web filtering:
- Lacks strong web content filtering, which many other apps include by default.
5. Apple Screen Time
Apple Screen Time is built directly into iPhones and iPads, so it’s a convenient option for families using Apple devices. It’s free, simple, and doesn’t require any third-party app downloads. While it’s great for setting limits and downtime, it does have a few limitations—especially when it comes to how the child’s Apple ID is set up.
What I Liked :
- No additional download:
- Comes built-in with all iOS devices with no extra downloads or subscriptions required.
- Daily time limits:
- You can set daily usage limits and lock the device during set hours (like bedtime).
- Limitations on App category:
- Set time restrictions for categories like social media, games, or entertainment.
- Communication limits:
- Control who your child can call or message during allowed screen time or downtime.
- Reports:
- Weekly and daily summaries show app usage and screen time trends.
- Remote management:
- You can control settings from your own iPhone or iPad through Family Sharing.
What I found frustrating:
- Child account must be set up from the start:
- If the child’s Apple ID was created as a regular (adult) account, you cannot convert it to a child account later which means you’ll need to create a brand new one with the correct birthdate under Family Sharing.
- If the child’s Apple ID was created as a regular (adult) account, you cannot convert it to a child account later which means you’ll need to create a brand new one with the correct birthdate under Family Sharing.
- Kids can figure it out:
- My oldest daughter was able to get around the restrictions as there were some features I didn’t set it up correctly in the beginning.
- No web filtering:
- It doesn’t have a strong web content filtering or app blocking compared to third-party apps.
Tips for Using Parental Apps Effectively
Parental control apps are powerful tools , and they really have helped me over the years. However, I learnt the hard way that clear communication and consistent habits at home are important for the success of raising children with a balance on screen time.
Here’s some areas I’d like to emphasize:
Start with an open conversation
Before even installing your chosen app, have a conversation with the whole family as to why screen time limits are important. Get your children involved in the rules setting process, so that they understand and learn to compromise, rather than seeing it as a punishment. If you are open to ‘bonus time’ and rewards, this could be a great opportunity to discuss with your children and push it as ‘their idea’.
Set realistic rules and stay consistent
We all know that children copy the behavior of those around them, and especially us as parents, we are the most dominant role model, therefore, when setting rules and limits, you need to be realistic and reasonable: I try to use my phone in similar amounts that I allow them. That doesn’t mean kids should be allowed to do the same as an adult, but let’s be real here, as parents, we need to set good examples for our children. Think back to when you were young, even though mobile phones might not have been everywhere, screens definitely were, and I feel we were exposed both actively and passively.
I allow flexibility on weekends or holidays, as I feel this teaches my children a balance between school days and free time.
Use reporting tools to understand behavior
Most applications will offer daily/weekly reports on how your child spends time online, you can use this information to spot patterns – and use this to start conversations with your children. It’s a great way to discuss with reason/reports/facts and allow your child to understand their own behavior on screens.
Adjust settings as your child grows
Having used these tools for some time, I realized that rules and agreements need to adapt with time. The rules I had set when they were 7 years old are not the same as they are today. As with everything else, as your child grows, their digital needs also change, therefore it’s important to regularly check in and update settings for your child.
Model good screen habits yourself
As previously mentioned, kids learn by example. We can’t avoid screens, but we can show that screen time has limits for everyone – parents included. By doing this, not only are you setting a good example, but you are also showing that everyone is equal, and rules can apply to everyone.
