Between endless scrolling, gaming, chatting, and browsing, it’s no surprise that parents are concerned about their kids’ digital safety. But fear not—there’s tech that can help you regain control without invading trust. As a parental control business based in Dehradun, we’ve reviewed the most effective tools out there. Here are the 10 best parental control apps in 2025—smart, user-friendly solutions designed to protect your child and give you peace of mind.
Google Family Link is the perfect fit for Android-first families. This app lets you set screen time limits, approve or block app installs, track your child’s location, and even recommend safe, kid-friendly apps through Google’s AI. It’s trusted by over 60% of Android-using parents in the UK—and with good reason.
Screen Time helps bring balance back into family life. Parents can schedule device-free time, set daily usage limits, and manage specific apps. You can even reward good behaviour with extra screen time. Families who use this app typically see a 30% drop in screen usage—without the arguments.
Bark watches what your child sees and says across 30+ platforms—including social media, texts, and email—and notifies you if something concerning is detected. Whether it’s bullying, sexting, or signs of anxiety, Bark flags around 8 issues per child per month and sends alerts in real time. It’s proactive parenting at its finest.
Need to know when your child arrives at school or leaves a friend’s house? FamilyTime uses accurate GPS tracking and lets you set up geofencing zones. You’ll receive alerts whenever your child enters or leaves a designated area. With an accuracy of up to 5 metres, it’s one of the most reliable safety tools out there.
Qustodio continues to set the gold standard for parental control. It blocks 95% of inappropriate content, tracks location, manages screen time, and monitors app and social media usage. It works beautifully on both Android and iOS. With a 4.7-star rating from over 10,000 UK families, it’s the complete digital safety package.
Net Nanny takes content filtering to the next level. Its AI analyses web pages, apps, and even game content in real time, catching 99% of adult, violent, and drug-related material. It doesn’t just block bad websites—it actively understands what’s on the screen, offering 10% better protection than most apps in the market.
Norton Family packs a punch for its price. At just £30 a year, it offers time limits, web filtering, GPS tracking, and even antivirus protection for the whole family. Compared to buying these features separately, you could save up to £50. It supports unlimited devices, making it ideal for families with multiple kids and gadgets.
Already built into iPhones and iPads, Apple Screen Time is ideal for iOS-exclusive households. It lets you limit apps, filter content, and set up daily device schedules. No downloads required. With 78% of UK iOS users already using it, Screen Time is the go-to parental control feature for Apple fans.
Mobicip is the go-to for families with more than one child. Its dashboard gives you centralised control over all your kids’ devices, and you can set different rules based on age or behaviour. On average, it helps parents manage five devices and saves them an hour of digital oversight each day.
Kaspersky Safe Kids is one of the most flexible tools on the market. Whether you want stricter rules for your 9-year-old or a bit more freedom for your teen, this app makes it easy to create personalised settings. You can manage YouTube search history, block content, and track activity. No wonder 92% of users rate its customisation features highly.
Parental control apps are tools that help parents monitor and manage their children’s digital activity. They allow you to block harmful content, limit screen time, track location, and even get real-time alerts about concerning behaviour. With a 40% rise in usage across UK families over the past three years, these apps have quickly become essential parenting tools.
Look for these common features when choosing your app:
Time management and app blocking
Content and web filtering
Social media and message monitoring
GPS tracking
Reports and alerts
When used together, these tools can reduce harmful content exposure by up to 70% and cut screen time by around two hours per day.
Children in the UK now spend over 6 hours a day online. That time can expose them to cyberbullying, explicit content, and online predators. One in five kids has experienced online harassment, and more than half have encountered inappropriate material. Parental control apps offer a digital seatbelt—helping your child stay safe while learning and having fun.
Most UK kids get their first smartphone between the ages of 10 and 12. Readiness depends on your child’s maturity level, lifestyle, and ability to handle responsibility. Pairing their first phone with a parental control app can give both of you peace of mind during the transition to digital independence.
Parental control isn’t about spying—it’s about guiding. Be transparent about the tools you’re using and why. Involve your child in setup and rule-making. Gradually reduce restrictions as they demonstrate maturity. Studies show that families who do this experience 30% fewer online incidents.
It’s normal to wonder whether parental control apps invade your child’s privacy. But here’s what the research says:
80% of UK children feel safer knowing their parents monitor their digital activity
70% of teens say the apps helped them form better online habits
Only 15% reported feeling like their privacy was violated
Used with empathy and openness, these tools strengthen—not damage—relationships.
Always choose apps that are GDPR-compliant and use encrypted storage. Many top-rated tools offer two-factor authentication for added protection. Only two data breaches involving parental control apps have been reported in the UK over the last five years, showing that security standards are improving across the board.
Worried about apps slowing down your child’s device? Most modern tools are designed to be lightweight, using less than 5% of a phone’s processing power and only slightly affecting battery life. If you experience issues, try updating the app or switching to a more efficient option.
Tech-savvy kids can try to bypass controls using VPNs, factory resets, or other tricks. The best apps include features like tamper detection, uninstall prevention, and suspicious behaviour alerts. Still, the most effective defence is a solid relationship and ongoing conversations about safety.
Some apps are tailored to a specific system (like Apple Screen Time or Google Family Link), while others, like Qustodio and Norton Family, offer full cross-platform support. Choose based on what devices your family uses most.
UK families spend around £40 per year on average for digital safety tools. Free options exist, but premium tools offer broader features and better customer support. Norton Family offers excellent value with unlimited device support at just £30 a year.
Setup usually takes just 15–30 minutes:
Download the app
Create your parent account
Add your child’s devices
Set the appropriate rules
Involving your child in setup helps them understand what the app does—and why it matters.
The best apps allow you to create unique profiles for each child. You can set tighter restrictions for younger kids, then ease them as your children mature. Review settings regularly to keep up with changes in age, behaviour, and tech use.
Most apps offer detailed reports on what your child is doing online. Use this data to start conversations, not accusations. Ask open-ended questions, share your concerns, and explain how certain behaviours can lead to unsafe situations.
Apps work best when paired with agreed-upon household rules. Set expectations about screen-free times, appropriate apps, and device usage at bedtime or school. Written agreements help everyone stay on the same page.
The best digital safety plan includes regular conversation. Ask:
“Have you seen anything online that made you feel uncomfortable?”
“Do you know how to report someone if they’re mean online?”
“What’s your favourite app right now, and why?”
Be curious, not controlling—and let your child know they can always come to you.
As your child demonstrates responsibility, start easing controls. Give them more freedom gradually, and let them participate in shaping their own digital rules. This builds trust and prepares them for independent digital life.
Hi, my name's Craig Malloy. I'm a tec blogger. Well, actually, I'm a computer analyst. Sounds boring, but the background behind it isn't. I work for a firm in South Carolina and in my spare time I like to write about technology. Actually, I like to write posts and publish them on my blog all about technology.
I studied computing at University and have progressed in my technological career ever since.
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