🛡️ Parental controls and family safety · 🏡 School apps, family logistics and safety
Kids Web Services (KWS) parent verification
By Kids Web Services Ltd (Epic Games); originally built by SuperAwesome. Visit Kids Web Services (KWS) parent verification
Desk research from the maker's own pages. Not yet tried by us. Checked 2026-10-24.
KWS is the check that pops up when a child signs up for Fortnite or another game or app that uses it and the service needs a parent to prove they are an adult and give consent. SuperAwesome built it; it is now run by Kids Web Services Ltd, part of Epic Games, while SuperAwesome itself now sells kid-safe advertising. The parent picks a method (card, part of a Social Security number, ID scan or face scan, depending on country), then manages the child's permissions.
Our take: 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.
| Ages it suits | used by parents of children under their country's digital consent age |
|---|---|
| What its terms say about age | For adults only: KWS exists to confirm that the person giving consent for a child is an adult. Each game or app sets its own age rules for the child. (terms) |
| Price | Free. Free for parents and developers (maker, Oct 2026). US card checks charge $0.05, refunded within 8-13 business days. |
| Works on | Web |
| Account | A parent's account |
| Ads | None |
| In-app purchases | None |
| The AI in it | Outside the US and South Korea, one option is a face scan by Yoti that uses AI to estimate the parent's age. |
What's good
- One verification can cover many games
- Several methods, so parents can avoid ID scans in some countries
- Free to parents
Watch for
- US parents may be asked for SSN digits
- Verified status follows you to other KWS apps
- Face and ID scans go to outside vendors
- KWS's own privacy policy page did not load for this review
Data and privacy
Depending on country, the parent gives a card (via Stripe), name, birth date, address and last 4 SSN digits (US, checked by Veratad), an ID scan (Veriff) or a face scan (Yoti). KWS says it does not store the verification details, but it keeps the fact that you are verified in its 'AgeGraph' so other KWS apps can skip the check. Read the privacy policy.
Does it work?
No independent study found. The maker claims about 30 million pre-verified adults and calls KWS the most widely used parent verification tool.
Alternatives to Kids Web Services (KWS) parent verification
Desk researchPaidNo ads
1Password Families
AgileBits Inc. (1Password) · ages whole family; under 16 needs a parent's consent
A good family password plan if you are willing to pay; Bitwarden is the cheaper option with a free tier.
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Acorns Early (formerly GoHenry)
GoHenry Inc. d/b/a Acorns Early (Acorns) · ages 6-18
A fair pick for families who want a kids' card with money lessons; compare the fee with Greenlight and BusyKid first.
Desk researchFree, with paid extrasNo ads
Bitwarden Families
Bitwarden, Inc. · ages 13+
The best value for families with teens 13 and up; younger kids are not allowed on their own accounts.
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Brightwheel
Brightwheel · ages mostly 0-5, plus school-age kids in camps and afterschool programs
Useful if your child care uses it; check the photo and marketing settings, since the privacy policy reads like a general commercial app's.
Desk researchPaid
BusyKid
BusyKid · ages kids and teens (chores are preset by age)
A good-value chore and card app for families who want a weekly allowance routine; skip it if you only need a chore chart.
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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.
Where these facts come from
- https://www.superawesome.com/
- https://www.superawesome.com/parents-policy-makers/
- https://www.superawesome.com/privacy-hub/
- https://www.kidswebservices.com/
- https://legal.epicgames.com/epicgames/parental-consent
Prices, terms and features change. Nobody paid to be listed, nothing here is an affiliate link, and Peabody never rates itself. Where we and the maker disagree, the maker's own pages are the ones to trust.