Which Is Better? Top 7 Parental Control Apps of 2024
The best parental control applications allow you to limit your child’s access to certain applications and websites, especially those that could expose them to unsuitable content, and monitor their actions on social media and other websites. Because of the best services, family members may still enjoy having autonomy while exploring the internet with additional safety nets. The last thing you would like is to come out as dominating because restricting information may be a sensitive topic to discuss with your children.
These applications can additionally location tracking, provide you notifications, and keep track of how many hours your kids spend on screens, so you can make sure they’re not using their cellphones excessively. If you want to keep your kids safe at a reasonable cost, check out our list of the best free parental control apps. Let’s find out.
Best Parental Control Apps of 2024

The following are the best parental control apps of 2024.
1. Aura
Platforms: Windows, iOS, Android, and iPad
Number of devices: Unlimited
Blocking: games, apps, and websites
Screentime limiting: Yes
Location tracking: No
Aura serves as a password manager, antivirus, VPN, and identity theft protection all in one. Setting up the parental management feature was straightforward and the app itself was easy to use. The software provides a downloadable QR code for additional convenience. Users below the age of 18 are the only ones who can access it.
Pros
- Simple interface and simple to use.
- Notify the parents in case of cyber-attacks.
Cons
- Only for users under the age of 18
- Can be pricey if you don’t need all the extra protection.
2. Qustodio

Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Chromebook, Android, and Kindle
Number of devices: Unlimited
Blocking: games, apps, and websites
Screentime limiting: Yes
Location tracking: Yes
Qustodio worked flawlessly in every aspect, and it offers an amazing free option that lets you set rules, timetables, and content blocking. It is available on a wide range of devices, including Kindles and Chromebooks. We appreciate how easily content can be filtered and restricted because of the user-friendly design.
Pros
- Excellent content filtering.
- Easy to use.
Cons
- Expensive
- Does not block VPN usage.
3. Net Nanny
Platforms: Windows, Android, Kindle Fire, Mac, and iOS
Number of devices: 20
Blocking: apps and websites
Screentime limiting: Yes
Location tracking: Yes
Customization and surveillance on social media are given priority by Net Nanny. Its ingenious content screening, which analyses content in immediate time rather than relying solely on blacklists like a few other services do, really impressed us. Setting screen time limits, limiting access to apps, and getting data on the kid’s usage habits are all possible.
Pros
- Custom web filtering options
- Eye-catching dashboard
Cons
- Unreliable app
- Geofencing limits
4. Microsoft Family Safety

Platforms: Windows, iOS, Android, and Xbox
Number of devices: Unlimited
Blocking: games, apps, and websites
Screentime limiting: Yes
Location tracking: Yes
Microsoft Family Safety is excellent software for parental control if your children utilize Microsoft products. On Windows, Android, and Xbox, administrators can set time spent on the screen limitations, which is great if your child spends a lot of time playing games. Although information can be blocked in other programs, the fact that website blocking, and engine filtering are only available in Microsoft Edge and Bing is a huge disadvantage.
Pros
- Controls access to Microsoft Store
- Accurate location tracking
Cons
- Web filtering supports Microsoft Edge only.
- Limited iOS app
5. Norton Family
Platforms: Windows, Android, and iOS
Number of devices: Unlimited
Blocking: websites
Screentime limiting: Yes
Location tracking: Yes
Norton, a well-known consumer cybersecurity business, offers parental controls through the Norton Family. This is a wonderful solution, in our opinion, if you have multiple children who use both Windows and Android. We realized that it had outstanding geofencing functionality, allowing parents to track their child’s whereabouts. Unfortunately, this is not accessible for iOS devices.
Pros
- Can restrict to educational sites only.
- Excellent location and other tools
Cons
- Small interface issues and bugs.
- Lacks apps and games blocking on PCs.
6. Bark
Platforms: Android and iOS
Number of devices: Unlimited
Blocking: apps, and websites
Screentime limiting: Yes
Location tracking: Yes
Bark approaches restricting apps in a fairly unique way. It focuses on interpersonal relationships and confidence rather than analyzing your child’s actions, encouraging frank discourse, and identifying potential difficulties. There are several solutions available, and the expenses are cheap, with simple installation. Screen time monitor and internet material screening are available; however, Bark’s tracking and evaluation features are less robust than those of some of its closest rivals.
Pros
- AI-powered monitoring and control
- Ability to connect to numerous applications and websites.
Cons
- No precise monitoring.
- No browsing history
7. Mobicip
Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Chromebook, Kindle Fire, and Android
Number of devices: 20
Blocking: games, apps, and websites
Screentime limiting: Yes
Location tracking: Yes
We think Mobicip is a great choice when it comes to parental control software. It does real-time internet scanning in addition to relying on blacklists. The browsers Chrome, Firefox, and Safari can all use it. The three accessible setting options are Monitor simply, Strict, Medium, and Mature. We found the setup process to be fairly simple. The software can then be installed on Windows, Mac, iOS, or Android.
Pros
- Real-time notification when your kids try to access blocked sites/ apps.
- Excellent Android setup.
Cons
- Default restrictions didn’t always make sense.
- Desktop browsing restrictions are easy to bypass.
Conclusion
Considering how parents and kids browse, we gathered a list of the aforementioned parental control apps. To guarantee a fair comparison, we evaluated applications on the same thing platforms wherever possible, but we also examined how certain apps’ performance differed between platforms. In doing so, we expect to have created a purchase guide that is appropriate for a wide range of users. Don’t forget to give this guide a read.
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