Best Parental Control Software In 2024 will be described in this article. It goes without saying that the world has fundamentally changed as a result of internet-connected devices. These possibilities captivate kids like all new things do, which is generally a good thing.
Even though the internet’s high academic objectives have partly changed, it is still a potent tool for communication, information, and enjoyment. You probably already sense the “although” that will follow since, like any human social reality, not everything is always rosy.
It can be challenging to remain on top of exactly what’s going on in your children’s digital lives in an age where children are frequently more tech-savvy than their parents. There is software for every issue, whether you want to restrict the amount of time they spend gazing at a device, shield them from objectionable content, or monitor who they are chatting with online.
Because it provides a complete range of options to regulate every element of your kids’ device use, from banning particular websites to prohibiting mobile apps and games from running to limiting screen time, Qustodio is my top selection for the best parental control software.
There is even an online dashboard that crunches a lot of numbers and displays a brief analysis of their digital behaviours. Big data has now made it to parenting! If you’re seeking for a cost-free substitute, you might not have much luck. Even though some of the commercial solutions provide free versions of their software with more restrictions, the few available free options are frequently highly constrained.
One of the best free monitoring alternatives is Kaspersky Safe Kids, but as you’ll see in my review, there is a significant problem that can cause you to reconsider using it.
Honorable mention goes to OpenDNS Family Shield, which, if you have some technical know-how, offers free automatic screening of problematic online content.
Although it isn’t technically software, it enables you to set up your internet connection such that OpenDNS name servers are used to filter your domestic online browsing.
Although there are fewer bells and whistles than in a premium app and no precise control over what information is restricted, the cost is reasonable.
You can configure it to protect every device at once using your home router.
It’s a terrific approach to make sure that even unmonitored devices have a safer browsing experience, though you probably won’t want to use it by itself.
Why Trust Me for this Guide
Hello, my name is Thomas Boldt, and I have spent my entire life working with computers and software. Without going into too much detail about how long ago that was, I recall witnessing the very beginning of the parental control software market as well as the gradual ubiquity of internet connectivity in the typical family household. When I was a child, it was never utilised in my home since my parents could simply cut off the computer’s power cord to limit my screen time (I really liked computers).
That strategy would obviously not be effective today, as both the internet and how we access it have evolved significantly since then. I recognise the need to handle the situation a little more carefully now that I have a young child of my own and live in a home where there are many devices with internet access. Therefore, the software I decide to use in my own home to ensure that my daughter is safe and content online and that she doesn’t spend too much time on screens will be the winner of this roundup review.
Disclaimer: I have not received any free software or other kind of payment from any of the businesses included in this roundup review in return for these reviews. They haven’t offered any editorial suggestions or reviewed my final judgments.
Keping a digital Eye on your kids
Many businesses in this field position themselves as offering peace of mind, similar to how this is true of many software industries where safety is an issue. This is largely accurate: effective parental control software gives you an idea of what your children are doing, even whether you’re busy at work or they’re in their room hiding out. However, there is one very crucial thing to keep in mind: no piece of software can replace responsible parenting.
Even while you can keep an eye on and control all the equipment they have access to in your house, that won’t keep them safe everywhere. It’s crucial to realise that good parental control software is just ONE of the tools at your removal if you want to raise your children safely in an increasingly digital world. Nothing, no matter how wonderful, beats really talking to your children about the value of online safety.
Even if you work in the internet industry, you could still need some assistance if you don’t regularly use computers and are unsure how to talk to your kids about online security.
A Canadian organisation called MediaSmarts promotes digital and media literacy, and they provide parents looking for information on how to shield their children from contemporary issues like online safety and cyberbullying with a vast array of guides and tip sheets.
By helping kids learn how to stay safe online, you might also gain some new knowledge.
Of course, children are still children, and they occasionally get into problems despite their knowledge of better behaviour. This seems to be one of the unbreakable laws of growing up.
By monitoring other items like social media accounts, SMS texts, and other messaging apps, the best parental control software will enable you to stay ahead of this.
Maintaining your software’s frequent updates will also help you stay on top of any new cybersecurity threats and ensure that they aren’t getting around your program’s protective measures.
Kids can be surprisingly tech-savvy, so there’s always a chance they’ll find out a method to get around the security precautions you put in place.
After selecting a software programme, you can relax a little more, but you can’t just put it up and leave it.
Maintaining your children’s online safety and wellbeing is a never-ending task, much like many other aspects of parenting.
You must continue to be actively involved for it to function correctly.
Parental control software is a terrific place to start, but it isn’t capable of managing everything just yet.
Top 8 Best Parental Control Software In December 2024
Top 8 Best Parental Control Software In December 2024 are explained here.
Note: Even though I’ll be using the winner personally, I’m obviously not utilising anyone’s real identity or any information other than my own when evaluating each software.
1. Salfeld Child Control
One very interesting parental control software programs for Windows and Android is Salfeld Child Control. This program allows parents to set time limits and control their child’s screen time across multiple devices, which gives you greater control over your kids’ use of phone, tablet, and computer.
2. Best Paid: Qustodio
Despite its slightly unclear name (consider “custodian” or “custody”), Qustodio is a well respected parental control software programme for good cause.
The paid premium plans are relatively reasonable and provide with extra monitoring options, but the free version is only capable of safeguarding one device and has few internet filtering functions.
Depending on how many devices you wish to cover, you may choose from three different plans: up to five devices for $54.95 per year, up to ten devices for $96.95 per year, or up to fifteen devices for $137.95 per year.
If you require protection for longer than that, you might be able to work with Qustodio to create a unique plan.
You may almost immediately begin keeping an eye on your child’s online activity thanks to the software’s reasonably straightforward installation and configuration.
Even if they have access to numerous devices in the house, you can safeguard them all by simply installing the software on each one and selecting the “Hide Qustodio on this device” checkbox to prevent them from changing the settings.
Protecting your children is simple with a quick and covert installation.
An accessible online interface that is user-friendly allows you to manage your Qustodio settings from anywhere.
You have instant access to a dashboard that provides a breakdown of all internet and device usage, including general usage time, website category usage time, and social media usage time.
It will also break down the applications your children use and how much time they spend using each one for.
Given that they are all outcomes from reading various Google News stories, I’m not really sure why it believed that these were my search keywords.
I only truly searched for “gambling,” but it did extract the relevant terms from each article.
Qustodio includes a number of categories that can be allowed, prohibited, or set to notify you when they are accessed without really restricting them. This eliminates the need for you to manually enter any website you might want to block.
If you disagree with Qustodio’s classification decisions, you may also manually specify specific websites to be prohibited or allowed.
The filtering features are accurate even when using private browsing modes to visit HTTPS protected websites.
With Qustodio, you can rapidly create a plan for device usage if you have children that spend an excessive amount of time in front of screens.
This feature’s setup is quite easy, just like with their other control options.
You can watch your children no matter what device they use because Qustodio is available for a wide range of operating systems, including all versions of Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, and even Kindle and Nook e-readers.
Qustodio’s mobile device services, which go above and beyond what is provided in most other parental control packages, are one of its more distinctive features.
You can relax knowing that only authorised uses of your child’s smartphone will be permitted, from call and SMS monitoring to location tracking.
You have the option of blocking incoming or outgoing calls, contacts from particular phone numbers, and location notifications regarding your child’s device on a regular basis.
The “panic button” is another special aspect of their mobile package, however it’s only accessible on Android-powered handsets.
While it cannot replace 911 emergency services, it can be set up with up to 4 trusted contact numbers so that your child can quickly contact the individuals you specify if they ever need assistance.
The initial setup was the only unpleasant aspect of Qustodio that I encountered. Also check dupeguru alternatives
The programme simply wouldn’t run when I attempted to install it on my desktop for testing; there was no indication of the problem.
After some investigation, it appears that one of the anti-malware programmes I use—probably Malwarebytes Anti-Malware—is the culprit.
On my laptop, which uses McAfee instead, I tried installing it, and it went smoothly.
Although this is a bit of a letdown, it’s important to remember that you might be able to remove Malwarebytes, install Qustodio, and then reinstall Malwarebytes.
Despite that minor issue, the software performs admirably most of the time.
Although it’s crucial to keep in mind that no piece of software can replace good parenting, it offers a great deal of peace of mind.
3. Honorable Mention: OpenDNS Family Shield
A number of alternative DNS servers are hosted by OpenDNS to offer web browsing that is automatically filtered.
Every time you see a website, the DNS system (Domain Name Servers) on the internet converts the URL you are accessing, such as “www.google.com,” into an IP address that the computer then uses to display the relevant webpage.
Most of the time, you don’t even need to do anything; your internet service provider will immediately provide you access to a DNS server.
Your connection can be changed to use different DNS servers, which is how the Family Shield system operates.
A router is a hardware component that almost all home internet connections use to deliver wired and local wifi connectivity.
You may simultaneously secure every device in your home by logging into your wifi network and changing your DNS servers to use the Family Shield servers rather than the ones your ISP by default provides.
Here, OpenDNS provides a brief setup manual for a number of devices.
Best Parental control software: The Paid Comptition
4. NetNanny
One of the earliest parental control software tools ever created, Net Nanny got its start in 1995, when the internet was still a young child.
With a very detailed collection of categories that cover a broad range of topics, it provides a complete set of web filtering choices.
You can create unique profiles for each family member and define each category to allow, block, or alert the user that the information they are accessing is mature.
The software is more thorough than some of the other solutions because it is not deceived by HTTPS or private mode browsing.
There are customised reports available that show each user’s habits in a user-friendly online dashboard, including how much time they spend on various websites and their web search history.
Additionally, you may set device time limits, which enables you to impose restrictions on both specific times and an overall usage cap per day or per week.
When a website is miscategorized, I like the function that lets children seek access to it, and all requests are displayed in your online dashboard for your review.
Net Nanny’s biggest flaw is that it doesn’t even attempt to monitor social media.
Younger children won’t have access to social media accounts, but teenagers absolutely adore and are constantly using them.
They would be a much stronger opponent if not for this enormous gap in their defence.
If you decide you don’t need social media monitoring features, Net Nanny is offered in a choice of three different plans: protection for a single Windows or Mac device for $39.99 per year, protection for five devices for $59.99 per year, or security for ten devices for $89.99 per year.
Only the two “Family Pass” plans, which cover 5 or 10 devices, offer mobile device protection.
5. uKnowKids Premier
With no website blocking or device usage restrictions, uKnowKids is a service that is only dedicated to social media monitoring.
Although the majority of the capabilities are focused on Android phones, it is specifically made for monitoring mobile devices.
Even though it’s a one-time fee, monitoring iOS devices will set you back an additional $50.
I have a slight suspicion regarding Apple’s intentions because no justification is provided for why Apple gadgets require an additional payment. Also check One Earbud Not Working
A part of me wonders if Apple is merely trying to profit from this apparent added value as their devices are frequently pricey premiums.
The monitoring tools themselves are highly capable for social monitoring and compile all of your data into a web dashboard.
These include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Bebo, Foursquare, Habbo, Gaia, XBOX Live, Formspring, LinkedIn, Tumblr, LastFM, Flickr, and YouTube. They also keep an eye on all the most well-known social media platforms as well as a few less well-known ones.
Although I’m not sure if youngsters ever bother texting one other on LastFM, it’s encouraging to see that they provide a wide range of possibilities.
In addition, it has the ability to keep an eye on contacts, images, the position of the device, SMS messages, and phone conversations.
Even a quick-access lexicon of acronyms and other lingo is provided because texting slang is constantly evolving.
However, as a whole, uKnowKids falls short of becoming a one-stop shop for parental monitoring.
Its protection is seriously lacking in internet filtering tools, and the pricing options are very disappointing.
6. kaspersky Safe Kids
Both a free & a paid version of Kaspersky Safe Kids are available, however the free version only provides basic security features like web filtering, app management, and device usage restrictions.
The premium plan is by far the most reasonably priced, at $14.99 per year.
A premium account includes real-time notifications when they attempt to access something inappropriately, along with location monitoring, social media monitoring, SMS and phone monitoring (only for Android devices).
Be sure to carefully study your default settings because, interestingly, Kaspersky by default permits a number of categories that are specified to be restricted by other parental control programmes.
The web dashboard for monitoring everything is quite well-designed, and they provide an outstanding breadth of monitoring options overall.
My top choice for parental control software was very nearly the premium service, but Kaspersky has recently been under fire for allegedly being used by the Russian government.
Despite their vehement denial of any such connections, I am now reluctant to give them access to a detailed monitoring profile about my child and all of my devices.
7. Norton 360
Despite being almost as old as Net Nanny, Norton’s family protection solutions are significantly more recent than the antivirus software that first made them well-known.
As a result, they’ve gone through a lot of complicated software versions, but they’ve finally started to combine everything into one package.
For roughly the same price per year, Norton 360 delivers all the features of the Norton Family Premier, along with their anti-virus and anti-malware protection.
It’s accessible through Windows, Android, and iOS, but interestingly, it doesn’t support Windows 10’s Microsoft Edge web browser.
Chrome or Firefox are better choices for you in any case, but there is an odd gap in their functionality.
Norton Security Premium is available for a free 30-day trial, but in order to install the Family Premier package, you must first register and install NSP.
Unfortunately, Norton’s reputation for dependability seems to have taken a hit.
The fact that it was the only programme I set up to monitor my child’s usage that actually crashed during setup makes me doubt its capacity to do so safely.
Additionally, I had trouble accessing the dashboard.
The online dashboard did not automatically update to reflect the fact that the web content filtering was effective enough to prevent me from viewing particular websites.
If a monitoring dashboard doesn’t refresh frequently, it isn’t much use.
If everything is configured correctly, Norton offers a great selection of monitoring and filtering options, including web content filtering, social media tracking, and location monitoring.
It can safeguard up to 10 devices and provides an easy-to-use online dashboard for examining all the data it logs.
Free Parental control software
8. Microsoft family
A lot of practical parental controls are available through Microsoft Family, a free service offered by Microsoft.
Every member of the family must have a Microsoft account, but if you don’t already have one, creating one is free and not too difficult.
It does, of course, have some shortcomings.
Only Windows PCs and Windows mobile devices may use it, and even then, only the Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge browsers can filter material.
The usage of IE or Edge is required when other browsers are blocked from running, but that’s still not ideal.
However, there are some really good features given that the full service is free if you don’t mind these limitations.
You may set screen time restrictions, filter content from particular websites, and stop your child from making large purchases in online shops without your knowledge.
Additionally, you can quickly examine all of their online activities on Windows 10 and Xbox devices, as well as use GPS to locate their Windows mobile device.
Although there are no predetermined categories of specific websites to block, setup is pretty simple. You will have to manually go through and block any objectionable websites, which is nearly impossible given the amount of mature content on the internet.
Free is a price that cannot be argued, so this service may be beneficial when used in conjunction with another free solution, such as OpenDNS Family Shield, for automatic web filtering.
9. KidLogger
KidLogger is more of a monitoring app than a control app, as you might infer from the name.
You can monitor all of these activities and their consumption times but not plan screen time, censor websites, or stop programmes from running.
It is compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS devices and logs all keystrokes made on the computer.
When a particular volume level is reached, it can record Skype calls and instant messages as well as audio directly from the microphone. Also check Instagress Alternatives
This may be a better option for you than outright bans if you’re unsure if you want to actively prevent your children from using their devices how they want.
It allows you to keep an eye on what your children are doing and, if you notice anything inappropriate, to talk to them about it.
Unfortunately, unless you choose one of the expensive plans, there is nothing to stop a tech-savvy kid from simply uninstalling the programme, so this isn’t really the best option for older kids or teens.
How We Chose Parental control Software
Parental control software comes in a variety of forms, and not all of them are the same.
The following is a index of the variables we looked at when doing our review:
Does it have good filtering tools?
There is a lot of value in prevention, much like in the field of medicine.
By setting up filters to block hazardous and undesirable content from the web, you can stop young eyes from seeing things they shouldn’t thanks to a solid parental control tool.
It should be easily configurable while still being customizable.
Using a web browser’s private browsing mode or the HTTPS protocol can trick certain rudimentary filtering technologies, but stronger ones can still filter content viewed this way.
Does it provide a variety of monitoring options?
Along with restricting content, it’s critical to keep tabs on your children’s online activities.
You might want to maintain an eye on their SMS communications, internet interactions, and use of social media.
The best software will let you to keep an eye on all of these communication channels, and some of it may even offer some kind of mobile device location tracking in real time.
Is it possible to set a device usage cap?
You may still want to limit how much time your child spends staring at a screen, whether or not you want to watch everything they do online.
This might be a lockout screen and should provide the child some notion of how much time is still available for free use.
Certain apps and games may be prohibited by some of the most efficient monitoring solutions, allowing your child to do their schoolwork without being interrupted.
Does it function across several platforms?
Large families typically employ a variety of platforms and device kinds, however some may only use Apple or Windows devices.
In addition, a growing number of gadgets, including ebook readers and gaming consoles, can now access the internet and online content.
The best parental control software will support as many devices as is practical, guaranteeing that your children will be safe regardless of the device they are using.
Is the number of devices it can defend constrained?
The typical North American family had seven connected gadgets in 2016, and since then, the number has continued to rise with no sign of a decline.
The amount of devices that you may safeguard is often restricted by parental control software makers, but the better ones offer customizable options that let you pick the best choice for your family.
Some of the best don’t place any restrictions on the number of devices, allowing your protection to expand as quickly as your family does.
Does it make information about your child’s usage patterns easily accessible to you?
The first step is monitoring your child’s gadget use and online behaviours, but you must always have rapid access to the information.
It has to be written simply and laid out in a way that makes it simple for you to understand so that you can decide on your child’s rights with knowledge.
To check on them whether you’re at your computer or on a mobile device, this information should ideally be secure but accessible from a variety of devices.
Is configuration easy?
Not least of all, effective parental control software ought to be quite easy to set up.
Even the best security measures are meaningless if they are poorly configured or difficult to set up.
It should ideally give you a straightforward set of customisable options to choose the exact restrictions you wish to impose on your child’s access and usage.
A Final Word
It can be challenging to decide on a parental control system, but hopefully this has made it simpler to separate the good applications from the bad.
However, I must emphasise that no matter how effective your parental control software is, it is not a replacement for genuinely talking to your children about the value of online safety and responsible internet usage.
However, even the best software cannot completely replace you.