The Best Parental Control Apps (Start With the Free Ones)
Apple Screen Time and Google Family Link are free and surprisingly capable. When a paid app like Qustodio is worth it, and how to set limits kids will accept.
Before you pay for a parental control app, set up the free tools already built into your kids' devices. For most families, they're enough. Paid apps make sense when your family uses a mix of devices, or you want more detailed web filtering and reports.
Start here: the free built-in tools
Apple Screen Time (iPhone, iPad, Mac)
Set it up through Family Sharing on your own iPhone. You can:
- Set daily time limits for app categories or individual apps
- Schedule downtime, for example no apps after 9pm except calls
- Approve app downloads with "Ask to Buy"
- Filter adult websites and restrict explicit content
- See weekly activity reports
Google Family Link (Android, Chromebook)
Install Family Link on your phone and link your child's Google account. You can:
- Set screen time limits and bedtime
- Approve or block apps from the Play Store
- Manage YouTube and Chrome content settings
- See the device's location
Both are free and built by the companies that make the devices, so they work reliably.
When a paid app makes sense
Consider a paid app like Qustodio if:
- Your family has a mix of iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac and you want one dashboard
- You want stronger web filtering across browsers
- You want more detailed activity reports
Qustodio has a free version for one device with basic features. Paid plans for families cost roughly $55 or more a year, depending on the number of devices and the store you buy through. Note that some features are more limited on iPhone because of Apple's restrictions.
Settings that matter more than the app
- Set up child accounts properly. Many controls only work with a child account, not a shared adult login.
- Lock app store purchases.
- Use the console's controls too. Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox all have free parental control apps.
- Check router-level filtering. Many home routers and some internet providers offer family filtering for every device at home.
- Secure your own accounts. Kids are good at guessing parents' passcodes. Use strong passwords.
Making limits work (without daily battles)
- Agree the rules together, especially with older kids, and explain why.
- Phones out of bedrooms at night is one of the most effective rules, and the hardest.
- Loosen controls gradually as kids show they can handle it.
- Talk about scams and phishing. Kids are targets too. See how to spot phishing.
- Model it yourself. Kids notice when the rules only apply to them.
No software replaces conversation. The goal isn't total control; it's helping kids build habits they'll keep when the controls come off.
