The best parental control software for your family
Overview
These are the tech, tools, and products — from laptops to e-readers, from earbuds to robovacs, and more — that Mashable ranks best in class.
Table of Contents
This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.
We all have the best intentions when it comes to entertaining the kids — outdoor activities, board games, sports classes, wood whittling — but it doesn't always turn out that way. Screens are just too handy and easy. Not to mention parents are generally exhausted from the reality of the working week and, well, parenting.
Indeed, it's only a matter of time before you'll turn to technology to save the day. Nothing captures the attention of a child like a desktop, tablet, laptop, or mobile, and there's nothing you can do about it. It's time to just accept it. And let's be honest: Modern kids have never known a world without the Internet and screens.
The problem, of course, is that the internet is full of danger for kids, including explicit materials, bullying, and cyber criminals. Fortunately, there is a solution in the form of parental control software. If that sound a bit new and scary, here's a quick explainer and a selection of the best options to keep your kids safe.
What is parental control software?
In the most basic terms, it's a software that helps you to manage all the devices your kids use — as well as the way they use them. It's all about making sure the online world is a safe space for your kids to explore. Though you should chat with your littles ones about the importance of safety before you let them loose online or implement any software.
How does parental control software work?
Parental control software lets you keep tabs your child's phone, tablet, or computer via an app. You can monitor internet searches and browsing history, as well as block inappropriate apps (or block distracting apps during homework hours) or even limit device usage all together. It's less invasive than physically going through their phone or computer. And when kids know that their activity is being watched or managed, they're more likely to practice better cyber safety habits.
What's a safe amount of screen time for kids?
It's easy to get sucked into scaremongering over kids' screen time. It's not the end of the world if kids have more screens than parents would like, and parents should give themselves a break when it comes to relieving the stress of parenting with a little screen time. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests very limited screen time for children under two years old, an hour a day between the ages of two and five, and two hours between the ages of five and eight. Beyond that it's important to talk to your child about responsible screen use. Problems associated with too much screen time include weight gain, sleep problems, and general inactivity.
What is geofencing?
Parental control software can also help keep tabs on your kid when they're not at home. Though most have GPS and some sort of basic "Where's my child?" function, only a select few software options offer geofencing, which is a big help for parents juggling the schedules of multiple children.
This location-based service lets you set up virtual boundaries around where a child should or shouldn't be, as well as a specific time that the child should be there. Let's say that your child goes straight from school to a sports practice three times a week. The geofencing feature will monitor their phone's location and will alert you if your child doesn't show up to the scheduled area on time. Teenagers may even enjoy not being bombarded with "Where are you?" texts. Geofencing can also be used to monitor web time when your child is in a designated location. For instance, some parents may disable games or social media during school.
What is the best parental control software?
There are plenty of parental control software options out there for you to consider, with something for every family. We have researched everything on offer and lined up a selection of the very best services, including software from big names like Kaspersky, Qustodio, and Norton. Basically, we've done all the hard work for you.
These are the best parental control software options for 2025.
Qustodio
Best For Interface
The Good & The Bad
- Attractive and intuitive interface
- Straightforward time restrictions
- App blocking
- Cross-platform support
- Social media tracking limited to Facebook
Why We Like It
Qustodio is designed to supervise, manage, and protect your child's device use on the go, making your life as a digital parent easier than ever.
With the Qustodio online dashboard and app you'll be able to see how your kid uses devices, apps, and the web. You can easily set healthy limits to manage your child’s online experience, and the powerful filtering technology is automatically enabled to protect your child from potentially harmful content.
Qustodio provides all the information you need to help protect your children against the growing number of serious online threats like inappropriate content, cyberbullying, cyberpredators, and screen addiction.
Details
Kaspersky Safe Kids
Best For Flexibility
The Good & The Bad
- Covers all kids for one user
- Strong web filtering
- Resists uninstallation
- Interface isn't the best
Why We Like It
Kaspersky Safe Kids is one of the most popular parental control software options, and is designed to help you protect your kids online and offline. It's a simple system to use, with an app for your child and an app for you, which are connected through a single account. The app on your kid's device helps regulate their activity while your app has reports and customisable settings.
You can manage your child’s app settings and block access to adult websites and content. This extends to harmful YouTube search requests and access to games and inappropriate apps. You can also manage screen time.
Kaspersky Safe Kids uses a GPS tracker so you can locate their whereabouts on a real-time online map. This function lets you define a safe area for them to stay in and alerts you if they step outside it. You'll also get an alert when they’re low on battery, so you can tell them to plug it in and charge.
Details
Norton 360 Deluxe
Best For Large Families
The Good & The Bad
- Simple configuration
- Attractive dashboard
- Insights on kids' activity
- Secure VPN and password manager
- Might be too much for some families
- At the pricier end of things
Why We Like It
Norton 360 Deluxe is a broader package for internet security, but within that package you get Norton Family, the brand's dedicated software for keeping your little ones safe and well-monitored while they're online.
Norton Family informs you which sites your kids are visiting, and lets you block harmful or inappropriate content. It also helps kids balance time spent online by scheduling screen limits for their devices. It flags unsafe behaviour and gives useful insights into the search terms and videos that interest your kids. You'll also get detailed reports on what your kids' general online activity.
Because it's a much bigger software that gives you general online security, you also get bonus features such as a secure VPN, password manager, 50GB of cloud, and more. Overall, it would suit large families that need blanket protection for every member of the household.
Details
McAfee Safe Family
Best For Time Management
The Good & The Bad
- Unlimited number of devices
- Time-management features
- Geofencing
- Pricey
- Not for Apple Macs
Why We Like It
McAfee Total Protection is another all encompassing service that includes specific features for your kids' safety — in this case the McAfee Safe Family software.
McAfee Safe Family does all the basics and lets you view your kid’s device activity, website access, current location, and checked-in places. You can set rules and time limits for apps and websites, starting from pre-defined age based rules that you can customise. But it doesn't have to be a battle with your kids over their screen use. There's also an option for them to request extra time on their favourite apps and games.
This software also lets you locate their devices on a live map, with automatic notifications as soon as they enter or leave familiar places as the school, library, or friends' houses. Simply set locations and tell the software whether you want notifications or not.
Details
Mobicip
Best for Location
Why We Like It
Mobicip lets you protect your family on the internet, limit screen time, manage apps, and track location.
Its dynamic internet filter scans sites in real-time to ensure web safety and allow only age-appropriate content for each user. It also manages screen time by setting practical schedules, and locks or restricts family devices, apps, and games when it's time to go offline.
The location tracker lets you keep tabs on your children's whereabouts, showing their last known location. This feature gives you valuable peace of mind and ensures that your little ones are safe.
Details
Leah Stodart is a Philadelphia-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable where she covers and tests essential home tech like vacuums and TVs, plus eco-friendly hacks. Her ever-evolving experience in these categories comes in clutch when making recommendations on how to spend your money during shopping holidays like Black Friday, which Leah has been covering for Mashable since 2017.
Joseph Green is the Global Shopping Editor for Mashable. He covers VPNs, headphones, fitness gear, dating sites, streaming, and shopping events like Black Friday and Prime Day.
Joseph is also Executive Editor of Mashable's sister site, AskMen.
