Everyone wants to protect their children online, and parental control software seemslike a straightforward solution. However, using a single app for online safety can be complicated. After all, installing invasive software to spy on kids can be counterproductive. Additionally, a curious child can often circumvent many restrictions imposed by parental controls. Finally, most third-party apps we’ve tested collect and store troubling amounts of data. For these reasons, we no longer assign ratings to third-party parental control products. Instead, we recommend checking out built-in options, like Apple’s Screen Time, Google’s Family Link, and Microsoft’s Family Safety, for comprehensive, <a href="https://www.pcmag.com/picks/apple-vs-google-vs-microsoft-who-has-the-best-free-parental-controls” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>free child-monitoring software. We also recommend enabling the parental control features within gaming and chat apps with your child’s consent. If you still prefer to use third-party parental control apps, we have details about popular ones below.
Overview
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The Best Parental Control Software for 2026
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| Our Pick | Bark Premium | Boomerang | FamilyTime Premium | Mobicip | Symantec Norton Family Premier | Qustodio Parental Control |
Net Nanny | Bark Premium | Boomerang | FamilyTime Premium |
| Rating | 3.0Average | 2.5Fair | 3.5Good | 4.0Excellent | 3.5Good | 3.0Average | 3.0Average | 2.5Fair | ||
| Best For | Best for Total Surveillance | Best for Android Device Monitoring | Best for Busy Parents | Best for Screen Time Management | Best for Establishing Online Rules | Best for Location Tracking | Best for Big Families | Best for Total Surveillance | Best for Android Device Monitoring | Best for Busy Parents |
| Free Version | ||||||||||
| Device Limits | 1/10 | 1/3/5 | 20 | None | 5/unlimited | 1/5/20 | 1/10 | 1/3/5 | ||
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| Web Filtering | ||||||||||
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| Social Network Monitoring | ||||||||||
| Remote Management | ||||||||||
| Filter HTTPS Sites | ||||||||||
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| Supports iOS |
Buying Guide: The Best Parental Control Software for 2026
How to Choose the Best Parental Control Software
Children who feel they have some agency in using parental control apps are less likely to attempt to disable the software or circumvent restrictions. If you aren’t looking forward to difficult talks with your kids, take a moment before the chat to learn how your child uses technology.
Check that any product you choose doesn’t restrict the number of child profiles or devices your subscription covers. Large families, for example, will appreciate an app that works on an unlimited number of devices. Most parental control software operates as a subscription service, so pricing tiers tend to align with device limits. However, some offer free versions for basic protection on a limited number of devices.
Some parental control utilities use VPN technology, running internet connections through a local app to enable content filtering. You’ll see the VPN icon when such a utility is active, but that doesn’t mean a full-scale VPN secures the child’s connection, nor does it mean the device’s IP address is masked.
Many kids spend more time on gaming consoles than on any other device. The parental control services in this roundup don’t cover this situation, but we show you how to enable parental controls on gaming consoles elsewhere.
Content Filtering, Screen Time Limits, and App Blocking
Parental control tools usually offer content filtering, which is the ability to block access to websites matching categories such as hate, violence, and porn. This type of filtering only works if it’s browser-independent and works with secure (HTTPS) sites. Without HTTPS filtering, a savvy teenager could, in some cases, bypass the system by using a secure anonymizing proxy website or an uncommon web browser. Using a VPN or the Tor browser can often break even the strongest protections.
Most apps also offer the option to permanently enable SafeSearch, though these settings are typically limited to Google, Bing, and, occasionally, YouTube. Your child can thwart most SafeSearch restrictions by using a lesser-known search engine such as Ecosia.
Access scheduling is another very common feature. Some services let parents set a daily or weekly schedule for device usage. Others specifically restrict the amount of time your kid spends on the internet. This is particularly useful for children who have a habit of playing games or using social media apps instead of doing homework. The most helpful time-based settings apply to all your kids’ devices, so they can’t switch between them to evade limits.
How to Monitor Your Child’s Text Messages and Social Media
As kids get older, content filtering alone may start to seem pointless. At some point, you start to worry more about their interaction with the wider world. Sure, if their friends come over in person, you can at least meet them, but what about friends on social media and other people your child never mentions? Who are they, really, and what are your kids discussing with them?
Some services allow you to monitor contacts and messages, and look out for potentially dangerous or unauthorized situations. You can even block new contacts or view message content with some parental control software. Keep in mind that this primarily applies to SMS texts; popular messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Snapchat, and Signal are not covered by the same scope.
It’s also important to remember that, although some supervision is acceptable, you should avoid snooping on your kids. Using parental control software as spyware is not an effective way to teach your child how to combat online threats, such as bullying or cybercrime. Instead, consider talking to your kids about their online lives and helping them form healthy online security habits.
Parental Controls for AI Chatbots
Like them or not, AI chatbots appear to be here to stay. Sometimes chatbots interact with children in inappropriate ways, and sometimes the conversations children have with AI end tragically. That’s why, if you want your child to interact with LLMs, it’s a good idea to set guardrails through the chatbot’s parental controls.
If you don’t want your child to interact with popular chatbots, you can use parental control software to block all of the popular chatbot apps on your child’s devices. You should also use the browser content filtering settings to block the related websites. For example, if you don’t want your child to use ChatGPT, block the app, and then block https://chatgpt.com/ using the web filter.
Parental Controls for Disney+, Netflix, and Other Streaming Services
You can use parental control software to block access to video streaming apps and sites, and limit the time your child spends using them. However, if you want to restrict what your child can watch on Netflix, Disney+, and other video streaming platforms, none of these parental control tools provides that capability. Instead, you need to dive into each service’s settings.
The parental control capabilities of video streaming services vary widely. Some do not offer any options to restrict content, while others may simply offer a kid-friendly mode that broadly limits the streaming library to content appropriate for young children. The best services allow you to set rating restrictions on individual profiles and prevent your kid from simply switching to an unmonitored profile without a password or PIN.
Parental Control Alerts, Notifications, and Remote Management
Most kids use mobile devices at least some of the time, and many access the internet almost exclusively on their phones. Fortunately, many parental control services offer a companion app that allows you to view your child’s activity, set basic rules, and receive notifications as they arrive. This type of companion app is particularly useful for responding to access or time extension requests on the go. Otherwise, you manage everything online or locally on the PC, where you have fine control over activity reports and restrictions. Any changes you make should propagate to your children’s devices when they connect to the internet.
When your child tries to visit a blocked site, makes a post using questionable language, or otherwise breaks the rules, the best parental control services send you a notification to your preferred channel, such as
Advanced Parental Control Features to Look For
Some parental control systems offer advanced features that set them apart from the crowd. These include YouTube monitoring, geofencing, and remote device locking, among others. Microsoft’s Family Safety app even tracks your teens while they’re driving to encourage better driving habits.
You’ll also find advanced versions of standard features with paid parental control apps. For example, the best content filters don’t rely solely on a database of categories. They analyze page content, filter profanity, and let you add custom keywords and categories to block. We also like those services that support multi-factor authentication for account logins. Generally speaking, the more advanced features you want, the higher the price you can expect to pay.
