💰 Are there free parental control programs for Windows ?

I tested several free parental control programs for Windows but wouldn’t recommend using them. Most of them were just partial releases of premium versions, and if you want to access the premium features you’ll have to buy the program. The few that were truly free just weren’t very good.

💻Can I monitor my computer without the kids knowing?

There are a few programs that I was able to install without my kids knowing. Obviously it couldn’t have any screen limits or a web filter, because then the kids would know the program was running. These would just monitor what was happening on the computer, logging every keystroke, and recording everything.

🔍 Can I monitor the computer from my Android or iPhone?

With the exception of SentryPC, all of the parental programs on my list are compatible with Android and iOS. You’ll be able to login to your account and manage the computer from the dashboard.

❓Windows comes with built-in parental control, do I really need another program?

While it’s true that Windows 10 comes with parental control options, they are very limited. The web filter and time management features are very basic and don’t offer true protection.

💰Are there free parental control apps for iOS?

While there are free parental control apps, I wouldn’t recommend using them. For the most part, these apps just advertise a free app, but only give you very basic monitoring tools for free. If you want the full version, you’ll have to pay anyways. If I saw a fully free program with no premium package, I had to ask myself why a company would offer their service for free. The answer was usually either they shared the data they collected or had ads that would show up on the parent app, which I found really annoying.

🖥Why did Apple place restrictions on parental control apps?

According to Apple, they were protecting the privacy of its users from intrusive apps. Before the new regulations, the top parental control programs used mobile device management (MDM) applications that gave control of your data to a third party. Apple saw this as a breach of privacy and therefore made companies either remove or make adjustments to the MDM. However, there is speculation that Apple was just getting rid of the competition so people would have to use its built-in parental controls.

❓If iPhones and iPads have built-in parental controls, why do I need to buy a parental control app?

For all its greatness, Apple isn’t in the parental control business. Sure, they have some basic time management tools, but it’s nothing or other leading parental control programs.

🔍Isn’t using a parental control app just a nice way of saying you’re spying on your kids?

I think there is a big distinction between spying and monitoring your children. As parents, it’s our job to protect our children which has become even more difficult once they have unlimited access to the internet 24/7. They are susceptible to cyberbullying, can learn about sex, drugs, alcohol, weapons, and pretty much anything else in an uncontrolled environment. There are spying apps, which can be downloaded to a child’s iPhone or iPad without their knowledge through iCloud and monitor everything that happens on the phone. I wouldn’t be comfortable using this spy tech unless I felt that my children were in danger or could become a danger to him or herself.

💰Are there free parental control apps for Android?

While there are a lot of free apps that claim to monitor or limit your child’s Android device, I wouldn’t recommend them for several reasons. Most of the apps that were promoted as “Free” was just a marketing tool that was used to create an account. It included some limited features, but if you really wanted to monitor the Android device, you’d have to purchase a subscription to get access to all the features. Any app that was completely free, and didn’t have a “pro plan” or “premium features” made me wonder “What’s the catch?” How does that company make money, and what are they doing with the data they collect from my kid’s phone?

🖥Can I monitor my child’s Android from my iPhone?

All of the recommended apps on this list work with both Android and iPhones. This means that you can download the iPhone app for yourself and see the parent dashboard, adjust the settings, and receive all the alerts.

🔎Can I monitor my child's Android device without them knowing?

Some parental control apps have a Stealth Mode feature that allows you to install it on an Android device remotely.

❓Can I see SMS and text messages on my child’s phone?

Google made a policy change and restricts parental control apps from the Play Store if they can read text messages. However, there are some apps, such as , that have the option to download the app from its website and record incoming and outgoing text messages.

Shauli Zacks

(Online Privacy Advocate)

Shauli is an online privacy expert with a love of all things technology. He spent the past few years testing, comparing, and reviewing different software programs.

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