Children today are more tech-savvy than ever. They can set up an iPad, troubleshoot your Wi-Fi, and curate the perfect family vacation photos. But even the most digitally adept kids can’t recognize every potential risk online—or safeguard themselves from harmful content.
This is where parental control apps come in. Designed to empower parents, these tools help manage children’s online activities, creating a safe environment for exploration while setting healthy boundaries. Most families see these apps as essential companions to devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops, ensuring kids can safely enjoy the benefits of technology without falling into its pitfalls.
In this blog, you’ll:
- Understand what parental control apps do and how they work.
- Learn why these apps are critical for modern families.
- Explore how much access parental control apps can provide to your child’s device.
Did you know? According to a 2024 survey, 68% of parents said they worry about their children encountering inappropriate content online, and 55% said they have limited understanding of how to control it effectively
Contents
What are Parental Control Apps?
There are three primary jobs of parental control software: monitoring, filtering, and management. Some parents even use different programs for each of the various functions. So let’s. Let’s look at what each one does.
Monitoring
Monitoring is all about what you’re able to see on your child’s device. It can include their texts, private messages within apps, photos, and videos they’ve played.
Is your child asking for an iPhone? You’ll have fewer monitoring options than Android users. These restrictions are due to Apple’s strict privacy regulations for apps on its store, not the software you choose.
Some apps monitor context. They send parents alerts about concerns without revealing entire conversations. Others allow parents access to texts, calls, and social media accounts. You’ll have to consider what level of monitoring you need based on what apps your child is using.
Filtering
Filtering is common in parental control apps, as its of the most immediate concern to many parents who want to block their children’s access to undesirable or inappropriate content on the internet.
Management
Management is the most straightforward function of parental control apps. Most apps are comparable in their ability to manage time spent on devices. They offer highly customizable hour-by-hour and day-by-day options.
Look for software that lets you manage:
- Apps your children can download
- Permissions are needed to download apps or make purchases from the app store
- In-app purchases that are allowed, disallowed, or need permission
- Time children can spend on a device, certain apps, or days of the week
- Bedtime hours when access to the phone is disabled
Common Concerns About Parental Control Apps
While parental control apps are powerful tools, parents often share valid concerns about their usage. Addressing these worries ensures families feel confident in selecting the right solution.
- Privacy: Many parents wonder how much data these apps collect and whether sensitive family information is shared with third parties. Most top-rated apps, such as Qustodio and Norton Family, explicitly state they do not sell personal data. Always check privacy policies to ensure transparency.
- Effectiveness: Some apps can miss critical activity or be bypassed by tech-savvy kids using VPNs or alternate browsers. Look for apps like Bark, which uses advanced AI to monitor context and alert parents about risky behavior without revealing unnecessary details.
- Child Resistance: Children may feel restricted or spied on, leading to frustration or attempts to circumvent controls. Open communication about why parental controls are in place—emphasizing safety, not punishment—can help alleviate these issues. Apps that provide gradual autonomy, such as Microsoft Family Safety, can help children transition to responsible online behavior over time.
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How Does Parental Control Software Decide What to Block?
Some software scans for specific words, context, and AI to filter sites. Some keep large databases of objectionable content. Others use a combination of approaches. In all cases, filtering software scans every request a child makes before allowing the website to load.
All of these apps provide some starter categories that parents often want to block. You’ll see 10–20 broad categories like “gambling” and “violence.” You can permanently block categories that aren’t right for your family. Better software lets you choose to block or allow children access to that content with a parent alert.
In every app on the market today, you can block custom sites on your children’s devices. Some apps make it a breeze. You’ll see your child’s accessed sites, and you can choose to disallow access as you browse. This is a nice option for continuous filtering based on your child’s evolving needs.
Top Features to Look for in a Parental Control App
When selecting a parental control app, prioritize features that align with your family’s needs. Here are the must-haves for 2025:
- Geofencing: Apps like Norton Family allow you to set virtual boundaries and receive alerts when your child enters or exits a predefined area, ensuring their safety on the go.
- Social Media Monitoring: Platforms such as Bark and Net Nanny offer insights into direct messages and posts on apps like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, helping parents identify potential risks like cyberbullying or predatory behavior.
- Customizable Time Limits: Apps such as Qustodio provide hour-by-hour scheduling, letting parents control screen time on school days versus weekends.
- Content Filtering: Comprehensive filtering tools block access to inappropriate content based on customizable categories. Look for apps that allow real-time adjustments, such as Family Link from Google.
- Cross-Device Compatibility: Apps that support multiple platforms, like Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS, ensure seamless protection for all devices in your household.
How Much Access to a Child’s Device Do Parental Control Apps Provide?
The biggest difference between apps is how well they monitor a child’s device. You won’t track the same activity from each app, so you’ll need to think about what’s important to you.
Parents should know that it is possible to track:
- Direct Messages within apps like Snapchat or Instagram
- Apps children are using
- Time of day children are on their phone
- Browsing and search histories
- Drawings done on their devices
- Text threads, including alerts when someone new texts your child
- Screenshots taken by children on the device
- GPS location
While parental control apps can monitor a lot, they don’t always include monitoring texts, calls, email, and content within social media apps.
Why Are Parental Control Apps Important to Have?
With the increased use of social media, the pressure to have a smartphone at a young age, and the lasting impacts of cyberbullying, setting up parental control apps is the easiest way to monitor your child’s phone or tablet.
How you monitor your children depends on your parenting goals. Before choosing your settings, ask yourself:
- How can my family protect my children from identity theft?
- Do I value transparent parental control software?
- Am I OK missing some aspects of my child’s activity?
- Am I familiar with the apps my children use and which allow anonymity and chatting?
- Do I want to set different schedules with control over apps used during specific times?
- Am I monitoring multiple children?
In a world that’s run by technology, it’s worth considering parental control apps for your children. Parental control apps can help your child use technology safely while helping them grow into responsible users when the parental control apps come off.
Conclusion: Parental Control Software is a Must in 2025
Technology is just one of the many hurdles of parenthood that you need to navigate, but it doesn’t have to be with parental control apps. Learn the apps your children use, learn your family’s values around monitoring, and set your parameters. If you’re ready to take the next step in keeping your family safe, check out which parental control apps are the best in 2025 and shop them on the Batten Marketplace.
