ClevGuard Support: Monitor Devices with Others' Permission.
Are you concerned because of your child's endless scrolling or late-night gaming sessions on mobile phones or computers and want to regain control? Don’t worry, you can set a screen time limit on your child’s device using a screen time app like KidsGuard Pro. These apps help ensure the online safety of your child and help them follow healthy digital habits.
In this article, you’ll discover the top screen time apps that allow you to set time limits, block apps, and monitor your child’s online activity.
Table of Contents
Part 1. What is a Screen Time App?
A screen time app is a tool that lets you track and manage your device usage. These apps keep track of how much time you spend on different apps or websites. They allow you to set limits on a particular app to improve your digital well-being.
Some screen time apps also offer parental control features that let you monitor your children's device usage. These apps provide insights into the apps and websites your child uses, including the time spent on them. They monitor social media activity, set limits on specific apps, schedule device downtime, and offer additional features.
Part 2. Best Screen Time App for Parental Control & How to Set Up
There are several screen time apps available in the market for parental control, including KidsGuard Pro, Norton Family, AirDroid Parental Control, and Qustodio. Here’s a quick look at their comparison before diving into detail:
| Tool | Supported Platforms | Key Features | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| KidsGuard Pro | Android, iOS and iCloud | Monitor phone calls and messages, social media, view photos, track phone location, and more. | Full device access and comprehensive monitoring, and parental control. |
| Norton Family | Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows | Web monitoring, set time limits, and locate devices. | Online safety and location tracking. |
| AirDroid Parental Control | Android and iOS | Schedule downtime, activity reports, apps and content restrictions, location services, and geofencing. | Real-time alerts and screen mirroring. |
| Qustodio | Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows, Mac, Chromebook, and Kindle | App and content filtering, track calls and SMS, get reports and alerts. | Multi-device families and custom daily routines. |
1 KidsGuard Pro
KidsGuard Pro is the best app to limit screen time on your children’s devices. You can monitor and read their phone messages, check call history and browser history, and even access other data, such as notes, calendar, and contacts. What makes it the best screen time app is that you can access the photos and videos saved on their phone, download them, track their phone location, and check the chats and media they share on social media apps. This helps you ensure that they’re safe and not engaging with suspicious people or strangers online.
How to set up KidsGuard Pro?
Step 1. Create a KidsGuard Pro account on your device.
Step 2. Install the KidsGuard Pro Assistant app on your child’s device and log in with your account.
Step 3. Add your child’s information, complete the configuration process, and allow all permissions for monitoring their device.
Step 4. The app icon will automatically disappear from your child’s device after installation. You can then monitor their device from your KidGuard Pro dashboard.
Pros & Cons of KidsGuard Pro
- You can access messages and call history from your child’s device.
- You can try it for free before purchasing the paid plan.
- It helps you detect any cyberbullying situations happening with your child.
Pros
- Some of the KidsGuard Pro features are available only on Android devices, like call recordings, screenshot capture, etc.
Cons
2 Norton Family
With Norton Family, you can check your child’s search terms and videos viewed, set screen limits, block harmful apps, and various other things. You get detailed reports of what your child is doing online to ensure their safety. You can even locate your child’s Android or iOS device to see where they’ve been.
How to set up Norton Family
Step 1. Create or sign in to your Norton account.
Step 2. Add a child to your account and apply the restriction level based on their age.
Step 3. Install Norton Family on your child’s device. You’ll get an activation code.
Step 4. Once you enter this code in your device, you can supervise your child’s device via the Norton Family Parental Control mobile app or the browser.
Pros & Cons of Norton Family
- Your child can contact you even when you put their device in lock mode.
- Offers a 30-day history of your child’s device location.
- The School Time feature can help your children focus on schoolwork.
Pros
- Doesn’t work on Windows in S mode.
- The tool doesn’t offer a free trial.
- Not all features are available on all devices.
Cons
3 AirDroid Parental Control
AirDroid Parental Control is an all-in-one protection tool for your kids that offers tons of features like screen mirroring, inappropriate image detection, downtime scheduling, website restrictions, and more. Whether you have a kid, a preteen, or a teenager, AirDroid offers parental controls for every age group. You can detect explicit content on social media, block unwanted websites, and also get alerts for any unusual activities.
How to set up AirDroid Parental Connector
Step 1. Register an AirDroid account on your device.
Step 2. Once you buy the AirDroid Parental Control plan, you’ll get a binding code that you have to input into your child’s device.
Step 3. Install the AirDroid Kids app on your child’s phone.
Step 4. Input the binding code to connect both devices and start monitoring.
You need to install AirDroid Parental Connector to unlock full features and activate Supervision Mode on your child's iOS device. It also lets you enhance monitoring on their Android devices.
Pros & Cons of AirDroid Parental Connector
- You can try it for free before you purchase the paid plan.
- It offers controls for different age groups (3-8, 9-12, and 13-18).
- You get detailed activity insights and alerts in real time.
Pros
- Some users said that many features stopped working after buying the paid plan.
- iOS has fewer features compared to Android.
- Users found that when the target device goes offline, the parental control on it also goes offline.
Cons
4 Qustodio
Qustodio is a popular parental control app that offers various features, from screen time tracking to SMS monitoring. You can block inappropriate apps, games, and websites, allowing your kids to visit child-friendly websites safely. You can even check their activity timeline, browsing history, YouTube views, screen time, etc., and set time limits on them. Plus, Qustodio works on every device: Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows, Mac, Chromebook, and Kindle.
How to set up Qustodio
Step 1. Create your Qustodio account.
Step 2. Install Qustodio on your child’s device.
Step 3. Log in with your parent account credentials.
Step 4. Accept all the permissions to start the supervision.
Pros & Cons of Qustodio
- You can detect suspicious contacts by seeing your child’s call history and messages.
- Offers a free version with basic parental controls.
- Lets you set a custom routine for different times of the day (study time, bedtime, etc.).
Pros
- Calls and messages for iOS require a Mac or Windows device./li>
- Setup can be complex across multiple devices.
- The panic button is available on Android devices only.
Cons
Part 3. Tips for Effective Screen Time Management
Managing your child’s screen time is not just limited to these apps; you should also follow some healthy practices. Here are some essential tips to create a healthy digital environment for your children:
Keep Devices Away from the Dinner Table: Don’t use your mobile phone while eating, as children won’t be able to develop their social skills and healthy eating habits. Families who eat together without any devices have a stronger bond and better communication. Plus, you can be mindful of your eating without getting distracted. Also, do not use your phone when spending time with others. When you play with your kids or help them with homework, put your phone away. This will show them that human relationships are more important than digital distractions.
No Screen Time Before Bed: Turn off notifications of unnecessary apps on your child’s device. They might take the phone just to check the notification and then find themselves playing games or watching videos without keeping track of time. Also, don’t expose them to any screens at least one hour before bed, as the blue light coming from the devices can affect sleep quality.
Encourage Physical and Problem-Solving Activities: Do not use your electronic devices to escape from boredom or stress. Make your children understand that boredom often leads to creativity. Instead of just handing them a device to help them develop problem-solving skills, make them do activities like reading, drawing, solving puzzles, etc. Make sure you also take your kids out to play or just take a walk in a park to maintain their physical health.
Conclusion
Monitoring your child’s device usage is no longer difficult. With the right tools by your side, you can easily have access to your child’s online activity, set a screen time limit, track phone location, and do various other things. If you’re looking for a tool that basically gives you full access to your child’s device, like reading messages and monitoring entire social media sites, KidsGuard Pro stands out as the best screen time app. Along with these screen time parental control apps, it’s also important to create a healthy environment for your kid that makes them not use their devices and engages them in other self-development activities.
