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The kids' software directory

Parental controls and family safety

What each control can see or block, what it costs and what it keeps.

  • 51 researched
  • 2 to know about

Researched by Peabody

Facts from each maker's own pages (terms, pricing, privacy), with our one-line take. A to Z; we rank nothing until we have tried it.

  • Desk researchPaid

    Amazon Kids Tablets (and Fire Kids tablets)

    Amazon · ages 3+ and 6+ versions

    A reasonable first tablet if you want Amazon's controls plus real Android apps; families who want a tightly closed device may prefer a device without the Play Store.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    Amazon Kids+ and Parent Dashboard

    Amazon · ages 3-12

    A good-value bundle for families already on Amazon devices with kids 3-12; skip it if your child mostly uses an iPad or a phone.

  • Desk researchFreeNo ads

    Apple Messages and FaceTime (Communication Safety)

    Apple · ages any age with a parent-made child account; teens 13-17

    Worth turning on for any child with an iPhone or iPad; pair it with contact limits for younger kids.

  • Desk researchFreeNo ads

    Apple Screen Time

    Apple · ages any age under 18

    The first stop for any family whose child uses an iPhone or iPad; it does nothing on Android or Windows.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    Apple Watch For Your Kids

    Apple · ages kids who don't have their own iPhone; no set age

    Good for iPhone families who want a phone alternative with strong contact controls; cheaper kids' watches exist if you only need calls and location.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    Aura Parental Controls

    Aura · ages kids and teens

    Makes sense for families who already want Aura's identity protection; those who only need screen time limits can use free built-in tools.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    Bark (app, Bark Phone, Bark Watch)

    Bark Technologies · ages kids and teens

    For parents who want alerts about serious risks on a teen's phone and will talk openly about it; families wanting simple limits can start with free built-in tools.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    Canopy

    Netspark Inc. (doing business as Canopy) · ages for parents of kids and teens (about 6-17)

    A strong option for parents of a child's first phone who want explicit content filtered; parents of older teens should weigh the trust cost of this much monitoring.

  • Desk researchFree, with paid extrasNo ads

    CleanBrowsing

    CleanBrowsing · ages whole household

    A cheap, private base layer for a home network; pair it with device controls for phones that leave the house.

  • Desk researchFree

    Educational App Store

    Educational App Store Ltd · ages for parents and teachers (covers apps for ages 3-18+)

    A useful place for parents and teachers to scan teacher-reviewed apps; keep in mind that makers pay to be reviewed, so cross-check before buying.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    Enabot EBO home robots

    Enabot (Shenzhen Fuzhi Technology) · ages Terms say 18+; kids interact with it at home

    A home monitoring gadget for adults, not a kids' learning robot; families with young children should think hard about a remote-controlled camera plus open AI chat.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    Gabb (Gabb Phone, Gabb Watch)

    Gabb Wireless · ages Watch 5-12, Phone 9-14

    A solid locked-down first device for elementary and middle schoolers; teens who need school apps or a browser may outgrow it fast.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    Gizmo Watch (Verizon)

    Verizon · ages about 6-11 (Gizmo Watch 3 Adventure); Verizon says devices are for kids 3+

    A reasonable kids' watch for Verizon customers; families on other carriers or wary of AI answers can choose a simpler watch.

  • Desk researchFreeNo ads

    Google Family Link

    Google · ages any age; built for kids under 13 and supervised teens

    A sensible free default for families on Android or Chromebook; iPhone families should use Apple Screen Time instead.

  • Desk researchFree, with paid extrasNo ads

    Google Nest / Gemini for Home (supervised kids)

    Google · ages supervised children and teens

    Usable for families who already supervise accounts in Family Link and want to set limits; parents wary of kids chatting with AI should keep Gemini off.

  • Desk researchFreeNo ads

    k-ID Family Connect

    k-ID (Kidentify Pte. Ltd.) · ages parents of children and teens who play online games

    Useful for parents whose children play k-ID games, since it gathers consent in one place; it is not a general parental-control app.

  • Desk researchFree

    Kiddle

    Kiddle (not affiliated with Google) · ages young kids who search the web

    A handy free search page for young kids at home or school; set it as the homepage alongside other filters, not instead of them.

  • Desk researchFree, with paid extras

    Kiddoware Safe Browser (with Kids Place)

    Kiddoware (General Solutions and Services, LLC) · ages about 4-15

    A workable filtered browser for families with younger kids on Android tablets; iPhone families should use Apple's built-in controls.

  • Desk researchFreeNo ads

    Kids Web Services (KWS) parent verification

    Kids Web Services Ltd (Epic Games); originally built by SuperAwesome · ages used by parents of children under their country's digital consent age

    Parents will meet it rather than choose it; know which method shares the least before you start, and skip the SSN option if a card check is offered.

  • Desk researchFree

    KidzSearch

    KidzSearch · ages about 7-14

    A reasonable filtered search page for younger students; parents may want to block the community sections.

  • Desk researchFree, with paid extras

    Kinedu

    Kinedu, Inc. (Kinedu SAPI de CV) · ages parents of children from pregnancy to 4 years

    Helpful for new parents who want daily play ideas; skip it if you dislike subscriptions or comparing your baby with charts, and talk to a pediatrician about real concerns.

  • Desk researchFree, with paid extrasNo ads

    Kinzoo Messenger

    Kinzoo · ages young kids to tweens, on a parent-made account

    A good first messenger for under-13s whose friends will also join; check the in-app store settings.

  • Desk researchThrough schoolsNo ads

    Lightspeed Filter (with Lightspeed Alert)

    Lightspeed Systems (Lightspeed Solutions, LLC) · ages grades K-12 (about 5-18)

    Parents do not buy it, but if your child's school device runs Lightspeed, assume searches, chats and documents on it are seen by the school, and ask the district what Alert scans and who gets flagged cases.

  • Desk researchThrough schoolsNo ads

    Linewize Monitor

    Qoria (Linewize) · ages grades K-12 on school accounts and devices

    If your district uses it, ask what is monitored, who sees alerts, and whether it runs at home on school devices; it's a school decision, not a family one.

  • Desk researchFreeNo ads

    Messenger Kids

    Meta · ages under 13 (App Store rating 4+)

    A reasonable first messenger for under-13s whose family already uses Facebook; skip if you don't want Meta holding your child's messages.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    Meta Quest (parent-managed accounts for ages 10-12)

    Meta Platforms · ages 10+ (10-12 with a parent-managed account)

    Workable for 10-12s with an engaged parent who approves each app; too much for kids under 10, as Meta itself says.

  • Desk researchFreeNo ads

    Microsoft Family Safety

    Microsoft · ages kids and teens on Windows, Xbox and Android

    Worth turning on for any child with a Windows PC or Xbox; pair it with Apple or Google tools for phones.

  • Desk researchFree, with paid extrasNo ads

    NextDNS (parental control)

    NextDNS Inc. · ages a tool for parents; protects any age

    A strong, low-cost filter for a hands-on parent; pay for Pro, and pair it with device controls since it is easy for a teen to bypass.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch Online

    Nintendo · ages about 5-16

    A strong family console for younger kids; set up the Parental Controls app before handing it over.

  • Desk researchFreeNo ads

    Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app

    Nintendo · ages any age

    Every family with a Switch should set it up; it does nothing for other devices.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    Pinwheel phone

    Pinwheel · ages first phone through older teens

    Good for families who want a real smartphone with tight, adjustable rules; parents who prefer no AI chat should keep PinwheelAsk off.

  • Desk researchFree, with paid extrasNo ads

    PinwheelAsk (formerly PinwheelGPT)

    Pinwheel (Firepit Inc.) · ages about 5-13 (App Store: made for ages 9-11)

    Fits parents who want a child's first chatbot with full visibility; skip if you want image answers, school-grade tutoring, or a named AI model.

  • Desk researchFree, with paid extras

    PlayStation (Family Management)

    Sony Interactive Entertainment · ages any age (child accounts)

    Families with a PlayStation should make child accounts and set a spending limit on day one.

  • Desk researchFreeNo ads

    PRIVO

    Privacy Vaults Online, Inc. (PRIVO) · ages parents of children under 13 (and teens)

    Parents can trust a PRIVO consent screen as legitimate; check your approvals at my.PRIVO.com now and then.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    Qustodio

    Qustodio Technologies · ages kids and teens

    A strong choice for mixed-device households that want one dashboard; parents of older teens should weigh the monitoring against trust.

  • Desk researchFree

    Roblox Parental Controls

    Roblox Corporation · ages for parents of kids about 5-17

    Every Roblox parent should link an account and set these up; they reduce risk but do not make Roblox safe for young kids on their own.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    Samsung Galaxy Watch for Kids

    Samsung · ages kids without their own phone

    Makes sense for Samsung families with a spare LTE Galaxy Watch; others will find cheaper kids' watches.

  • Desk researchThrough schoolsNo ads

    Securly Aware

    Securly, Inc. · ages grades K-12 on school accounts and devices

    If your district uses it, ask what is scanned, who sees alerts and the wellness score, and what the Home app shows; it's a school decision, not a family one.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    Spacetalk kids smartwatches

    Spacetalk (Australia) · ages about 4-12

    Suits parents of younger kids who want calls and location without a phone; skip it if you do not want a monthly plan or round-the-clock tracking.

  • Desk researchFreeNo ads

    Steam (Steam Families)

    Valve · ages 13+ by the terms (younger only through a parent in practice)

    Good controls for families of teen PC gamers; younger kids are outside Steam's own age rule.

  • Desk researchFreeNo ads

    Take It Down

    National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) · ages anyone pictured when under 18, including adults now

    Every parent of a teen should know this exists and tell their kids about it; it is one step alongside a CyberTipline report, not a guarantee.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    The Light Phone

    The Light Phone, Inc. · ages about 10+ (as a first phone)

    A calm first phone for families who want calls and texts without the internet; families who need location tracking or contact limits should look at a kids' phone with parental controls.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    TickTalk 6

    TickTalk Tech LLC · ages about 3-12

    Suits parents who want calls, texts and location for a young child without a smartphone; skip it if you want a watch without a camera or monthly fees.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    Troomi

    Troomi Wireless · ages younger kids to teens

    A fit for parents who want a smartphone that opens up slowly with no social media; teens who need a full browser may chafe.

  • Desk researchFreeNo ads

    uBlock Origin Lite

    Raymond Hill (gorhill) · ages all ages (set up by a parent)

    A sensible free add-on for any family computer to cut ads and trackers; parents who need content filtering or screen-time limits still need a separate parental-control tool.

  • Desk researchFreeNo ads

    Vroom

    Bezos Family Foundation · ages birth-5 (for their parents and caregivers)

    An easy, free source of everyday play ideas for parents of babies and preschoolers; parents wanting a structured curriculum or a kid-facing app should look elsewhere.

  • Desk researchFree, with paid extrasNo ads

    Xbox (Family Settings)

    Microsoft · ages any age (child accounts)

    Any family with an Xbox or Windows gaming PC should set up the family group and app; it does nothing for other consoles.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    Xplora kids smartwatches

    Xplora Technologies (Norway) · ages about 4-10

    Suits parents of young kids who want calls and location without a smartphone and like EU-style data limits; skip it if you want no camera or no monthly fee.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    Xplora X6Play

    Xplora Technologies · ages 7-11 (XGO3 for 4-7)

    Fits parents who want a reachable, trackable child without a smartphone; skip it if the subscription or always-on location bothers you.

  • Desk researchFree

    Yoti age checks and Digital ID app

    Yoti Ltd · ages anyone asked to prove age; app accounts 13+ or the local consent age

    Among the less invasive ways to pass an age check; parents should prefer the selfie estimate over uploading ID and think twice before setting up the Digital ID app for a teen.

  • Desk researchFree

    YouTube Kids (and supervised YouTube)

    Google · ages preschool through tweens

    Safer than main YouTube for young kids, best in approved-content-only mode; not a babysitter.

Know before you buy

Shut down, exposed children's data, or said unsafe things in tests.

  • WarningPaidNo ads

    Circle (Circle Home Plus)

    Circle Media Labs (an Aura company) · ages whole household

    Do not buy new hardware; owners can keep using it while it works, and new buyers should look at Aura or router-level filters like CleanBrowsing.

  • WarningThrough schoolsNo ads

    Gaggle Safety Management

    Gaggle.Net, Inc. · ages grades K-12

    A serious surveillance tool districts choose, not parents; find out if your school uses it and what students are told.