TechRadar Reviews

Nebula X1: two-minute review

The Nebula X1 is the latest projector from Anker, a company that built its projector reputation by releasing the Capsule and Mars series, some of the most consistent, well-performing 1080p portable projectors available. A few years ago, Anker dipped its toes into the best 4K projectors category with the Nebula Cosmos Max, an oval-shaped, pixel-shifting LED projector designed to live on a shelf or ceiling mount. Since then, Anker upgraded from an LED light source to a laser one, and leaned back into the portable idea with the 2,200-ANSI lumen Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K, which has a carrying handle and rectangular shape.

Now, Anker has stepped things up again. The new Nebula X1 is a 3,500-lumen triple laser 4K DLP projector with its 14-element all-glass lens on a unique motorized gimbal, which is designed to ease setup in virtually any situation while delivering a sharp, properly aligned image. Built-in liquid cooling keeps temps down without excessive fan noise. It also has Dolby Vision HDR support, is ISF certified, and uses the Google TV smart TV platform.

The X1 includes a retractable handle for portability and has four built-in speakers (a 15W full-range woofer and 5W tweeter on each side) with a front-firing passive radiator. For improved sonic performance, two wireless speakers can be paired with the projector, and wireless microphones can turn a movie night into a karaoke night.

All of this performance and flexibility comes with a price, though, as the X1 on its own is $2,999, with the optional external speakers and microphones adding to that base price (not to mention a projection screen). But for movie nights, both inside and outside, the Nebula X1 delivers an excellent experience with an effortless, consistent setup process that will have you watching movies within minutes.

Nebula X1 review: price and release date

• First available: May 2025
• Price: $2,999 / £2,999 / around AU$4,500
  

At 3.500 ANSI lumens, the Nebula X1 is incredibly bright for a portable projector (Image credit: Future)

The Nebula X1 is available now for $2,999 / £2,999 / around AU$4,500 through the Nebula website or Amazon. The external speakers, sold in a pair, cost $699. An accessory pack is available that includes two speakers, two microphones, and a carrying case that holds all of it for $999.

There aren’t any projectors at the same price point that offer the same type of performance and portability. The triple laser Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 is the most similar, although it is more suitable as a single-room home theater projector rather than a portable one. Other triple laser projectors around its price are of the ultra short throw (UST) type, while other, less expensive portable laser projectors use a single laser.

Nebula X1 review: Specs

Connections include two HDMI ports (Image credit: Future)

Screen sizes supported:

up to a 200-inch diagonal

Brightness (specified):

3,500 ANSI lumens

HDR support:

Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG

Optical technology:

Triple laser DLP

Smart TV:

Google TV

Connections:

2 x HDMI 2.1 (1 with eARC), USB-A, USB-C, optical audio out

Dimensions (W x H x D):

11.1 x 7.3 x 9.7 inches (H x W x D)

Weight:

13.7 pounds

Nebula X1 review: design and features

Basic controls are provided on the Nebula X1's top surface (Image credit: Future)

• Incredibly easy and accurate setup
• Quiet operation thanks to liquid cooling
• Innovative motorized gimbal for optical engine

The shape of the Nebula X1 is similar to the Cosmos 4K and Cosmos 4K SE projectors in the Nebula line — a tall rectangular box with a handle. The X1, though, is larger than its cheaper cousins, and its handle can be hidden in its body, out of view, by pressing it down (it can be just as easily extended by pressing on it again). When powered on, the X1 illuminates a Cylon-esque red line on its top, and capacitive volume, auto adjustment, and back buttons appear around the tactile navigation toggle.

Some projectors, such as the Hisense C2 and JMGO N1S 4K, have a gimbal stand to manually position the projector image toward the screen from a lower vantage point. The Nebula X1 takes it to a whole new level by having the built-in gimbal motorized and attached to the optical engine itself, thereby angling just the optics and not the entire projector.

On startup, the X1 scans the wall for a projection screen or unobstructed space for the image by moving the gimbal up and down across its full 25-degree range. When a screen is detected, the Nebula’s Intelligent Environment Adaptation tools adjust the image to fit the screen size and aspect ratio. If, for some reason, the auto setup didn’t properly adjust the image, there’s a button at the top of the remote (and on the projector) that will run spatial adaptation again.

In my weeks with the projector, I only needed to do this a couple times, and all but one of those was because I didn’t have the projector situated far back enough for the scan to cover the entirety of my 100-inch Elite Screens CineTension 3, resulting in the screen space not being filled properly. Scooting the projector back a few inches and running the setup process again fixed the user-error issue. The image fit isn’t totally pristine and can extend into a screen’s masking or frame by a few centimeters, but that’s still mightily impressive for an automated system, and, quite honestly, about as good as you’ll get doing it on your own.

While the usable image is sized well to the screen, there is some dim light bleed to the borders of the unaltered projected image size (that is, the full size before taking any auto setup into account). It’s only noticeable when the adjusted picture goes to black, or if you’re specifically looking for it while watching content. And if you’re projecting onto a freestanding screen outside, it’s of no consequence, because that light bleed disappears into the space around the screen.

It’s important to note that if you simply short-press the power button to turn off the Nebula X1 when you’re done, the gimbal will not immediately return to its default position — a short press puts the projector in standby mode. In fact, it will take close to 30 minutes for it to return, and if you unplug the projector to put it away, the gimbal will stay in that position until you turn it back on. You need to long-press the power button and select Power Off, which will shut down the projector and cause the gimbal to move into its vertical, default position within six seconds. The projector is then ready to be unplugged and put away safely. The instructions point this out when discussing the power button on the projector, but not when using the remote, so it’s easy to miss.

Instead of relying solely on fans to keep the internals cool, the X1 has a liquid cooling system — touted as an industry first — to keep things running at an optimum temperature, with a large fan exhausting the heat out the back of the projector. The liquid cooling makes the X1 one of the quietest projectors I’ve come across. Be aware that if you plan to sit directly behind the projector, you’re in for a warm evening.

On either side of the projector, behind the built-in grilles, are two speakers — a 15W woofer and a 5W tweeter — with a single passive radiator at the front. When paired with the two optional wireless speakers, the projector acts as the subwoofer in the 4.1.2 configuration.

The IR remote control is small and light, with backlit buttons that glow when the remote is picked up. There’s a built-in mic for use with Google that can be activated with a microphone button. The most prominent button is the four-way nav with the select button in the middle. Below it is the home button flanked by volume (up and down), settings, and the back button. Just below those are four quick buttons for YouTube, Netflix, and Prime Video, and volume mute.

The up and down volume buttons are laid out horizontally (with down on the left side and up on the right), instead of being oriented vertically, as is the setup on most remotes I come across. It’s a minor gripe, but I found myself hitting the back button (which is located directly above the volume down button) on numerous occasions when I intended to raise the volume.

• Design and features score: 4.5/5

Nebula X1 review: picture and sound quality

The Nebula X1 has a sturdy carrying handle for toting it outside (Image credit: Future)

• Incredible detail from the 14-element, all-glass lens
• Accurate colors in Movie mode
• Gaming requires careful projector setup

The Nebula X1 has nine different picture modes – NebulaMaster, Standard, Vivid, Sport, Movie, Game (with two sub modes I’ll talk about below), Conference, ISF Day, and ISF Night.

As might be expected, Movie and the two ISF modes are the most accurate. I measured peak HDR brightness on a 10% white window pattern at 188 nits in both modes. The Nebula X1's native contrast ratio in the same was 1,656:1, and its dynamic contrast was 11,482:1.

What was not expected is that every mode, including the ISF modes, has some degree of MEMC (Motion Estimation, Motion Compensation), commonly referred to as motion smoothing or the ‘soap opera effect.’ With some content, the motion smoothing introduced artifacts when set at Middle or High. Low was more acceptable and could be beneficial when watching sports, but in general, I suggest you turn it off immediately.

NebulaMaster mode, according to information on the Nebula X1 site, dynamically adapts the image based on projection size and ambient lighting, while also using decontouring algorithms to reduce posterization artifacts (also known as banding). In my room, the image in this mode leaned heavily blue in both SDR and HDR, which was confirmed by my measurements. Some prefer an image with a cooler color balance, but for my taste, it was a bit too much. The mode also tended to slightly boost black levels in darker images.

Out of the box, Movie and the ISF picture modes were my preferred picture modes for all of my viewing. Colors, particularly skin tones, were far more accurate. Grayscale and colors could be dialed in even further in Movie mode with 11-point white balance correction, and a color management system for adjusting hue, saturation, and color brightness (luminance), plus offset and gain. (An ISF calibrator can unlock these options for the ISF picture modes, as well.)

The X1 performed admirably in dark scene torture tests from Dune and the opening scenes at Sapper Morton’s home in Blade Runner 2049, with some detail being visible in the dark shadows on the little home’s walls near the piano and in the kitchen. The X1 also delivers a good amount of brightness that allows the image to still have some pop while viewing in a backyard where there’s uncontrollable light pollution. Just wait until the sun goes down for the best experience.

But perhaps the most impressive performance aspect of the X1 was its detail. The 14-element, all-glass lens produces a gorgeously detailed 4K image, even with the picture adjustment processing to fit the image to the screen, which can introduce clarity issues towards the edge of the image. The X1’s picture looked crisp from corner to corner.

There was one issue I encountered during testing with the eARC port (HDMI2). I planned to watch a Blu-ray on my disc player connected to HDMI2, but the projector would only recognize the disc player as an audio source, and the video would default back to Google TV. When I contacted Anker about this, they said, “We are aware of this issue and will optimize this functionality in future software updates.”

When it comes to any gaming that requires a decent reaction time (which includes the vast majority of games), the projector needs to be in the Game picture mode with the Extreme setting active. This disables the keystone correction and delivers the best input lag, which I measured at 18.3 ms. But as you can imagine from that sentence, if you’ve been relying on the auto-adjust features to watch movies and TV shows, the moment you put it in this mode, the image becomes skewed and no longer fits your screen. If you use Game mode with the Standard setting, the keystone correction stays on, but the input lag shoots up to 142.1 ms with a 4K/60 signal, far too high for any serious gaming.

This scenario requires you to do a proper setup without the use of one of the best parts of the Nebula X1 – the auto adjustment. The lens needs to be level with the bottom of your screen, and it will take some time to play around with positioning to get the image to square up with your screen.

The built-in speakers can play impressively loud, although audible distortion can be heard from around 90 percent and above. But I wouldn’t recommend listening at that level anyway. As I listened in my living room, the maximum volume I set was between 50 and 60 percent, and usually lower. Dialogue was clear, and while it’s not the fullest and most robust sound I’ve heard (these are small woofers, after all), it was plenty to deliver a nice experience.

Adding the wireless speakers brings the sound performance to another level. The left speaker connected quickly, while I needed to turn the right speaker on and off several times before the connection happened. Naturally, having the ability to widely set a left and right channel with side-firing speakers increased the soundstage with a convincing phantom center, and the projector becomes the subwoofer. The upfiring Atmos speakers do a bit to add some height to the sound, but it’s not a convincing Atmos canopy with sounds flying overhead like you get from the best Dolby Atmos soundbars or discrete speakers with DSP. And if you use them outside, without a ceiling to bounce the sound off of, the effect is minimized.

Still, for a more immersive experience, I recommend getting the wireless speakers. Their relative ease of use, setup flexibility, and solid performance are a welcome addition to the Nebula X1. And if you purchase the accessory pack, they fit nicely in the carrying case along with the projector, remote, power supply, and (presumably) microphones. (I did not have the microphones on hand to test them.)

• Picture quality score: 4.5/5

Nebula X1 review: value

The Nebula X1 remote control (Image credit: Future)

• Top-of-the-line portable projector
• More expensive than competitors
• Best experience requires additional speakers

When compared to other portable projectors, or even those that aren’t as portable, the Nebula X1 delivers incredible performance and, more importantly, a great movie-watching experience no matter where you set it up. There’s no need to take 10 minutes getting its height or angle perfectly correct for a squared-up image. Just put it down, point it towards your screen, and in a few dozen seconds it’s set to go. With the addition of the wireless speakers, the sound performance greatly improves without needing to set up (and plug in) a separate sound bar.

The $2,999 price tag, though, puts it hundreds of dollars above the portable competition, and more in line with lifestyle home theater projectors such as the Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 and UST projectors like Samsung’s The Premiere 7 and the Hisense PX2-PRO. And then the accessory pack adds another $999.

That said, the performance and versatility of the Nebula X1 make it a top choice for a movie enthusiast's backyard projector, and one with the flexibility to serve as an indoor everyday projector as well.

• Value score: 3.5/5

Nebula X1 projector

Notes

Rating

Features & Design

Automatic picture calibration and wireless speakers option; sturdy design with carrying handle

4.5/5

Picture quality

Exceptional brightness for a portable projector and crisp 4K picture

4.5/5

Value

Pricey, especially with wireless speaker option, but exceptional picture quality for a portable projector

3.5/5

Should I buy the Nebula X1?

The Nebula X1 with its optional wireless speakers (Image credit: Future)Buy it if...

You want a top-end outdoor projector
The Nebula X1 is easily transportable thanks to its retractable handle and accessory pack that includes a padded carrying case, and it projects a beautifully crisp and accurate picture in the proper picture modes.

You want a projector that’s easy to set up
The automated setup process takes only a few seconds and is consistently very accurate in finding and filling your projection screen.

You want a bright projector with a great smart TV platform
For its price, the X1 has one of the brightest images currently available and runs on the Google TV OS, which supports all of the popular streaming apps and runs quickly and smoothly.

Don’t buy it if… 

You’re looking for a “sometimes” projector
The Nebula X1 is expensive for the portable projector market. When spending $3,000 on anything, you want to be sure you’ll get as much use out of it as possible. If you only want a projector for an occasional summer movie night, this might not be the best one to get.

You plan to use it mostly for gaming
Can you game on the X1? Absolutely. But since all of the auto setup features add significantly to the input lag time, it requires a more careful and time-consuming setup to get the image framed correctly without the use of keystone correction and auto zoom.

You want the option to use eARC for video sources
As it stands at the time of review, the eARC port (HDMI2) only recognizes connected sources as audio playback devices. So if you have a Blu-ray player or console connected via HDMI2, the video currently defaults to Google TV instead of what’s playing from the source.

Also consider...Comparison: 4K UST projectors

Nebula X1

BenQ X3100i

Nebula Mars 3

Price:

$2,999 / £2,999 / around AU$4,500

 $2,399 (around £1,900 / AU$3,690)

$1,099 (around £850 / AU$1,645)

Screen sizes supported:

up to 200 inches

60 to 200 inches

30-200 inches

Brightness (specified):

3,500 lumens

3,300 ANSI Lumens

1,000 lumens

HDR support

Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG

HDR10, HLG

N/A

Optical technology:

Triple laser DLP

4LED, DLP

LED DLP

Smart TV:

Google TV

Android TV

Android TV

Connections:

2 x HDMI 2.1 (1 with eARC), USB-A, USB-C, optical audio out

3x HDMI 2.0 (1x eARC, 1x internal), optical digital audio out, USB-A 2.0, RS232, 12V trigger out, 3.5mm audio output, Ethernet

HDMI, USB-A, USB-C, 3.5mm audio out, DC power in

BenQ X3100i

Another portable 4K projector with high brightness capability, the X3100i is designed specifically for gaming and features solid built-in speakers. It costs a bit less than the Nebula X1, but is a better option for someone more focused on gaming than movies.

Read our full BenQ X3100i review

Nebula Mars 3
The Nebula Mars 3 is also made by Anker and is a portable model with a built-in rechargeable battery. At 1,000 lumens, its picture is not nearly as bright as the Nebula X1's, and its picture tops out at 1080p resolution, but at around $1,000, it's a much cheaper portable projector option.

Read our full Nebula Mars 3 review

How I tested the Nebula X1

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested in multiple situations
• Measured with Calman calibration software
• Evaluated with SDR and HDR content

I primarily tested the Nebula X1 in my living room on a 100-inch Elite Screen CineTension 3 ISF-certified retractable screen with a 1.1 gain screen material. I also briefly brought it outside and projected it on my garage door to test brightness after the sun had set. To test grayscale and color accuracy, I used an X-rite i1 Pro 3 spectrophotometer, Murideo Seven-G 8K pattern generator, and Calman calibration software by Portrait Displays. Input lag testing was done with a Leo Bodnar 4K lag tester.

Subjective testing included watching hours of content through the Google TV streaming platform using the Disney+, Hulu, and Max apps, as well as 4K Blu-ray discs played on an Oppo UDP-203 disc player. Games were played with an Xbox One X console.

I’ve been testing and reviewing projectors, TVs, and other displays for a couple of decades, and am an ISF Level III certified calibrator.

First reviewed: July, 2025

• Read TechRadar's review guarantee

Lots of the best parental control apps are packed with features but charge a high price for the privilege, but Kroha tries to be different by offering a wealth of features at a more palatable price.

On paper, then, that’s an attractive prospect, and it looks even better when you consider that Kroha offers some more innovative features on certain platforms.

There’s an option to protect young eyes from blue light spectrum colors and a mode where you can listen into your child’s device microphone, which is called Sound Around.

Kroha review: Plans and pricing

Before you get to the features, though, consider the pricing – because it’s very tempting. The one-year deal costs $22.99 and supports five devices, and if you pay $49.99 you get time-unlimited access to the app for five devices.

They’re both excellent prices that undercut virtually every rival, but that latter option is the best one if you’ve got a couple of kids and you want a parental control app you’ll use for a few years.

Alternatively, you can pay $5.99 for one month of access, but that’s poor value when compared to the other deals.

If you want to add thirty minutes or three hours of Sound Around access to your package, it costs $0.99 or $4.99 respectively. It also costs $4.49 if you want to add support for five more devices to your package. And while those extras do add cost, Kroha remains excellent value.

Kroha review: Features

That Sound Around feature, currently only available on Android, is one of the most interesting additions to the app, and it’s handy if you’re concerned for your child’s safety, if they’re not answering their phone or if you need to check their safety.

By pressing the Record button within the app, you’ll take a thirty-second recording of the sound around your child. By default, users get 20 recordings per month as part of their package.

That’s useful, and unique when it comes to parental control apps. It’s also not the only sound-related option available in Kroha. Parents can play a loud siren on the child’s phone – ideal if you’ve lost the device – and parents can remotely disable silent mode.

(Image credit: Parental Control Kroha)

Kroha also allows parents to take screenshots of their child’s devices – and take photos using the front and back cameras on the device, too.

Elsewhere, Kroha allows parents to block or allow apps, create app categories and alter access for those blocks of apps, and set access and screen time limits for certain apps or categories. It’s an ideal way to allow access to safe, educational tools while limiting access to time-wasting games.

Similarly, websites can be blocked based on categories, and parents can also see children’s internet histories.

Kroha supports geofencing, real-time location tracking, and allows parents to see the photos stored on the child’s device, and parents can see children’s contacts, too.

Android users get YouTube histories and viewing statistics, and the intriguing Eye Protection mode, which warns children if the phone is too close to their eyes, switches to a soothing night mode to reduce blue light exposure and allows for app exclusions – so visual apps, like school video conferencing tools, aren’t affected.

(Image credit: Parental Control Kroha)

Kroha monitors key messaging and social media apps, like WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat, Discord and TikTok, as well as text messages. The feature set is completed by a comprehensive call history module and a “news feed” where parents can see how their child has used their app throughout the day, including time spent on particular apps.

There’s an awful lot available in Kroha, then, but we would warn parents whose children use iOS devices to check the feature lists before investing – because many more features are supported on Android than on iOS.

(Image credit: Parental Control Kroha)

And if you want a parental control app that concentrates on social media, then a tool like Bark is even more comprehensive.

Thankfully, Kroha is available with a five-day trial, so you’ll at least have the opportunity to check if the features you need are available on Apple’s platform before you spend any money.

It’s also worth mentioning Kroha Advanced, which is an app that works on desktop PCs or Mac OS. It introduces many of Kroha’s monitoring features to your desktop or laptop system – ideal if you want the benefits of Kroha without being glued to your smartphone.

Kroha review: Interface and in-use

Kroha’s set-up procedure is fine – very similar to many of its rivals. Once you’ve downloaded the app and told it whether it needs to function as a parent or child tool, you’ll have to run through the permissions required.

It gets a bit in-depth, requiring parents to delve into settings for app usage, notifications and battery optimization, though – these steps aren’t required on many rival tools and may confuse parents who are not familiar with smartphone settings menus.

And when you get Kroha working, the interface is adequate – it’s straightforward and easy enough to navigate, but tools like Bark and Qustodio are much more visually appealing and use visual cues in a much more pleasing way.

Kroha review: Support

Kroha’s support feels a bit barebones, too. There are plenty of helpful articles on Kroha’s website covering FAQs, features, troubleshooting, setup and subscriptions, but that’s about it.

There’s a support email address at the bottom of the Kroha website for more specific queries, but no web form, no indication of how long support will take, and no option to use more immediate types of support, like live chats or phone lines.

When compared to other apps, it’s a weaker offering.

Kroha review: The competition

Indeed, Qustodio, Bark and Kidslox are all far more comprehensive when it comes to support, with more methods of help available and a broader array of online articles. Bark has live chat and a forum, too.

All of those three apps look better than Kroha, too, and some go further in terms of features: Bark is much better for social media, Kidslox is stronger on location-based abilities, and Qustodio has better cross-platform abilities and more in-depth reporting.

Kroha review: Final verdict

This situation leaves Kroha in a tough spot. It’s got good app-blocking abilities, it monitors core social media tools and has geofencing, and it also has innovative features like Sound Around and the ability to access your children’s cameras.

It’s affordable, too, which is a key consideration for many parents who want parental control without breaking the bank.

The low price means weaknesses in other key areas, though. So while Kroha is a competent, affordable tool, its pricier rivals do offer more in terms of support and functionality.

• We've also highlighted the best parental control software

Companies that make the best parental control apps need to make a philosophical choice when producing software: do you want to assume trust and give children some leeway about their behavior, or is it better to try and protect kids by tracking everything?

The developers behind mSpy have clearly opted for the latter approach, with a slate of features that monitors keystrokes, locations, chats, calls, pictures and more.

This parental control method won’t work for everyone, especially for parents who want to maintain trust in their familial relationships. But if you are keen to take a closer look at your kids’ online behavior, is this the app for you?

mSpy review: Plans and pricing

If you’re a parent who wants to figure out how much mSpy actually costs, good luck: the app’s website makes it quite difficult to actually find this information.

The most affordable option is mSpy Premium. At the time of writing, it costs $11.19/£8.75 per month on Android and iOS if you pay for an annual package.

That price gives you support for one child device and a broad array of features, although some of those only work on Android and some require users to root or jailbreak phones to get them working.

The Family Kit offers support for three devices and delivers all of the features available in mSpy Premium at a price of around $33.25/£26 per month, although the price isn’t actually listed on mSpy’s website at the time of writing.

If your family use Android, the mSpy Extreme tier costs $23.99/£18.76 per month if you pay for a year of access. At this level, you get the full suite of features without any need for jailbreaking – and you get some extra functionality, like remote camera and microphone access, the ability to record calls and an anonymous Instagram viewer.

There’s also an Ultimate option for iOS-based families that costs around $39.64/£31 per month for single device support. It provides most of the features of the other tiers, although it misses out on keyword alerts, app blocking and remote camera and microphone access.

The pricing available on mSpy feels deliberately obscured, then, and those prices are also extremely high. Other parental apps don’t offer the keylogging and sheer detail of mSpy, but they offer lots of conventional parental access features at a fraction of the price.

mSpy review: Features

So, what can you actually do with mSpy? Unsurprisingly, many of the app’s features revolve around information gleaned from keylogging.

Parents can see text messages, images sent and received over SMS, and Facebook Messenger activity – alongside chats from apps like WhatsApp, Snapchat, Kik, Telegram, Tinder, Viber, Instagram, iMessage and more.

You’ll be able to get information about who has texted your children and who they’re texting, including contact numbers and names. Unsurprisingly, mSpy’s logging and reporting is always comprehensive – access the parent app and you’ll be confronted with a fearsome amount of information.

Parents can rely on mSpy’s keylogger to see every stroke that’s typed on the phone – so you can check deleted messages, URLs and more. It’s also possible to get alerts if your children type specific words.

And because much of this functionality runs in the background, hidden on the target device, your children may not even know they’re being monitored – or, at least, they won’t find it so intrusive.

The app allows parents to monitor call logs and emails, including attachments and the ability to see emails they’ve sent and received. Parents can see browser histories, see data about how often sites are visited, filter based on categories and check their bookmarks – and even see what Wi-Fi networks children are using.

(Image credit: mSpy)

That’s not all: mSpy allows parents to block apps, see what apps are installed, and view photos and videos stored on the device. A screen-recording feature is also available so parents can get visual snapshots of child phone activity – even with disappearing message features that are now popular on many apps.

Parents can view their children’s current location using mSpy’s GPS-based functionality, and also use geofencing to get alerts when children enter or leave places where you want them to visit – or want them to avoid.

And if you pay for the Extreme version, you can also access their camera and microphone, record calls, and anonymously view Instagram.

(Image credit: mSpy)

It has a comprehensive set of keylogger-based features, but bear in mind that mSpy’s Android app is far more powerful than the iOS app – if you want to monitor an Apple device, you’ll need to do some jailbreaking.

Rooting and jailbreaking is particularly concerning because it can, potentially, void your device warranty, prevent access to other apps and make devices more vulnerable to cybercrime.

(Image credit: mSpy)

Parents also need to bear in mind that mSpy’s concentration on logging means this app is lacking elsewhere

Its screen time management is basic, without the detail or granularity found in many other apps, and there’s no category-based website blocking or filtering – this is another area where the functionality is underwhelming.

(Image credit: mSpy)

Other apps also offer more in terms of location-based features, including the option to track children’s driving habits.

(Image credit: mSpy)mSpy review: Interface and in-use

Unsurprisingly, mSpy’s interface provides a comprehensive and in-depth look at your children’s device behavior. You can see everything, from message content and phone call logs to web histories and even the events in their calendar.

There are separate sections for browsing photos and videos, setting up keyword alerts, delving into the keylogger and viewing what apps your children have installed.

The interface is clean, well-organized and easy to use, with straightforward menus and good organization. Once you’re set up, it’s easy to get started.

It’s a great interface if you want to delve into the data, but other apps make things a little easier to see summaries of daily and weekly activity – mSpy keeps things granular and specific rather than providing top-level reports.

Suffice to say, though, that installation is not particularly easy. On an iOS without jailbreaking the feature set is restrictive, but jailbreaking is a fraught process that many parents may not want to attempt.

On Android, you’ll need to disable Google Play Protection to install the app and use most of its features, and parents need to root the phone to get access to every feature.

We’re pleased to see that mSpy provides installation guides for both platforms, but you get far more information if you pay extra for the Ultimate plan – a frustrating choice that feels particularly cynical.

There’s also an option to pay even more to get remote assistance with installation. But no matter what route you choose, mSpy setup is likely to be complicated, frustrating and potentially expensive.

mSpy review: Support

This is another area where mSpy seems to underperform. The FAQ section is underwhelming, with basic questions and short answers that don’t really answer questions. There’s a tiny chatbot that is hard to see.

On paper, mSpy offers phone and email support, but reports from users suggest that the help isn’t actually very helpful, with answers that are either out-of-date or incorrect.

It’s possible to pay extra for more in-depth support, but that option is expensive.

mSpy review: The competition

mSpy faces tough competition from parental control apps that concentrate on conventional features rather than surveillance and keylogging.

Bark, for instance, has better social media monitoring, Qustodio has superb scheduling and screen limiting options, and Mobicip excels in many of those areas, too. All of those tools also have better location-based functionality than mSpy.

They’re all cheaper, too – indeed, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a parental control app that’s as expensive as mSpy.

mSpy review: Final verdict

If you’re not concerned with ethical or moral questions around keylogging, then there’s no doubt that mSpy does a great job here – on Android, at least, it can monitor virtually everything that your child does using their device.

But for all of its keylogging prowess, it falls short in many of the more conventional areas of parental control and it’s very expensive.

If you want that extensive access and keylogging for your children, then mSpy may be worth the price to you – but we’d urge parents to look elsewhere for more affordable and well-rounded parental control.

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Lots of the best parental control apps try to layer features over the top of conventional software tools, but Boomerang takes a slightly different approach by including its own safe browser, called SPIN.

Beyond that, this app promises 24/7 location tracking, message monitoring and a more positive approach to app control, although there are vast differences between the experience you get on Android when compared to iOS.

Boomerang review: Plans and pricing

Boomerang gets off to a good start with attractive pricing. There’s a 14-day free trial and, if you want to invest, the Family Pack costs $40 per year and includes licences for ten devices. If you want a single licence, it costs $20 per year per device.

That Family Pack is the best option, then, and if you want to purchase the easiest way to get started is to conduct an in-app purchase via Google Play or the App Store. But bear in mind that you may hit that ten-device limit quickly if you’re a large family with lots of devices.

Boomerang review: Features

We’d certainly recommend Google Play, though, because Boomerang is far more powerful on Android than on iOS.

On Android, for instance, you can control your children’s screen time limits and schedules, always allow them to use preferred apps, and inform your children about how much time you’ve got left. Apple’s OS misses out on all of those features – on an iPhone you can only give your children a time-out from Boomerang.

The situation continues to be this one-sided. On Android you can automatically block unfiltered web browsers, set daily timers for individual apps, block apps and schedule app usage – and none of that is available on Apple’s devices.

Call and text messaging safety is far more robust on Android, too: on Google’s platform you can see call logs, restrict calls and block numbers, view text message logs and set filters for specific words. You’ll get notified when inappropriate words are used or when children are texting with unauthorized contacts.

(Image credit: Boomerang)

On Android you’ll get notified if your child removes Boomerang protection, blocks access to device settings, tries to uninstall the app or change the date and time – and none of this is available on iOS.

On both platforms you’ll get to see your child’s web history and block certain websites, but Android’s reporting is much stronger thanks to detailed email summaries, daily reports, lists of installed apps and per-app usage reporting. Android is also the only platform where you can control installed apps and use a “find my device”-style feature on your children’s phones.

It’s not all bad for iOS users. The SPIN safe browser works on both platforms, and you can block specific websites on both, too.

Location tracking works across both platforms, you can access location histories and automatic location reporting, and parents can set up impressive geofenced radii on both, too. And no matter what platform you use, you’ll get access to a family messaging group, one-on-one chatting and activity reporting.

(Image credit: Boomerang)

Dive into Android, then, and far more is available. You get bedtime routine scheduling, daily app time limits, “encouraged apps” that are exempt from those rules, and the option to give kids a time out to pause their device usage.

Boomerang’s text message monitoring is extensive, with detailed logs and the option to collect all text content, and you can control who your child calls – and who can call them. You can pair family devices with your email address, so you don’t have to create new email accounts for your children, and you can block new app installs or allow for parental approval.

Elsewhere, Boomerang monitors YouTube history and searches on Android, and it’s one of the only parental control apps to use Samsung Knox security if you’re using Samsung devices.

The SPIN browser impresses, too: searches in browsers like Bing, Google and Yahoo are automatically filtered and the browser has strict built-in filtering. It doesn’t have a private browsing mode, those content filters can be customized, and its filter watches out for 20 different categories of potentially inappropriate content.

Less impressive is Boomerang’s social media functionality. It doesn’t natively monitor social media apps or emails in the same way as Bark, for instance. The app will pick up certain things by tracking messaging and typing, and you can add social media sites to its web filters – but it’s not as good as Bark or Qustodio here.

At least, because you’ve got control over what apps are installed, you can prevent your children from installing social media tools in the first place.

Boomerang review: Interface and in-use

It’s not unusual for the installation and setup of parental control apps to be a bit fiddly, and that’s certainly the case with Boomerang.

To get call and SMS monitoring, you’ll have to install Android apps on your children’s devices via the Boomerang website, rather than the Google Play Store. You may also have to delve into the settings on the device to allow for non-store installations.

Thankfully, the parent apps can just be downloaded from Google Play or the App Store, and it’s far easier. And when everything is set up, the interface is a mixed bag: the phone app is relatively slick, but the web dashboard is archaic and harder to use when compared to the web interfaces offered by most rivals.

Boomerang review: Support

Boomerang’s support is rudimentary. Users can submit a support ticket, but the website hasn’t got any indication of how long it’ll take to get a response.

Elsewhere, there’s a knowledge base and FAQ section online, and a forum that wasn’t particularly active at the time of writing. There’s a podcast and a blog, but that’s it for support.

Boomerang review: The competition

We’ve already mentioned Bark and Qustodio, and both rival apps do a better job with email and social media monitoring – but, negatively, both are a little more expensive than Boomerang, too.

Boomerang is stronger than the competition when it comes to geofencing and screen time management thanks to its granular controls in both areas.

Qustodio is better for iOS, with a more robust offering on that platform, and OurPact is also a better alternative for Apple’s platform.

Boomerang review: Final verdict

Boomerang has its negatives, then, especially when it comes to iOS support and monitoring of email and social media apps, but it’s much stronger with geofencing, filtering, scheduling and web browsers – especially thanks to the proprietary SPIN app.

This means Boomerang is ideal for Android-based families with children who don’t currently use email or social media. The price is pleasingly affordable, too.

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Some of the best parental control apps try to concentrate on particular areas of expertise, like location tracking or social media monitoring – while others, like MMGuardian, try to do it all.

That’s an admirable aim, and MMGuardian’s list of features is certainly impressive: it monitors messaging and social media apps, it analyzes content for inappropriate messages using AI, and tracks your children’s location – while offering remote device management.

There’s no shortage of apps that offer it all, though, at least on paper – so let’s see if MMGuardian can stand up against big-name offerings from the likes of Norton, Bark and Qustodio.

Plans and pricing

MMGuardian’s most popular pricing tier is an annual family subscription, which costs $99.98/£78.53 for a year of coverage for up to five child device apps. It’s certainly a better option than the monthly subscription, which offers the same protection for $9.99/£7.85 per month.

If you only need to protect one child device, MMGuardian costs $4.99/£3.92 monthly or $49.98/£39.26 for a year of coverage.

It’s easy to see why that annual five-device plan is the most popular option. And if you’re unsure about whether MMGuardian is the right app for you, there’s a fourteen-day free trial.

That pricing aligns well with Bark’s Premium offering, which also costs £99/£78 annually. But Qustodio is a little cheaper – and so is Norton Family, too.

Features

MMGuardian makes a big deal about its web filtering, and it’s easy to see why. There are over 140 categories of inappropriate content to filter out, which is more than virtually any rival offers, and parents can use filters based on age ranges and also manually block or allow particular websites.

On Android, the web filtering works on browsers like Chrome, Firefox and Opera. It’s common for parental control apps to be a little more toothless on iOS, though, and that’s true here: on Apple devices, web filtering only works if you use MMGuardian’s own safe browser.

There are other areas where MMGuardian is just as comprehensive. You can access, monitor and read your child’s sent and received text messages and see the time, duration and number of their phone calls.

Additionally, MMGuardian offers message monitoring for popular services like WhatsApp, Instagram, Kik, Discord, Facebook Messenger, TikTok and Snapchat, so most of the big social media sites are covered.

You’ll get alerts if MMGuardian detects messages featuring inappropriate content, but it’s worth noting that this scanning and notifying is well-supported on Android but a bit patchy on iOS – it works on iMessage and WhatsApp, for instance, but not on Instagram or Snapchat.

(Image credit: MMGuardian)

MMGuardian can update parents on children’s locations periodically, with parents able to choose how often they get alerts, but this is a rare miss from MMGuardian – unusually, there’s no geofencing available in this app. That means you won’t get a notification when children enter or exit your chosen areas – like arriving at home or school, for instance.

MMGuardian’s screen time limiting has preset schedules for school nights or weekend nights, with the latter offering more leniency, and parents can create their own schedules. Individual apps can also be augmented with usage time limits.

If they contravene limits, they can still call or message parents, but there’s a missing feature here: MMGuardian doesn’t allow parents to define how much time their children are allowed to spend on their devices every day. That’s a very common feature for parental control apps, so it’s disappointing that it’s not available here.

If you want to easily see what your children have been up to, MMGuardian offers comprehensive activity reporting.

(Image credit: MMGuardian)

Delving into specific areas gives parents loads more data, so there’s no shortage of options for parents who want to monitor their children’s device usage.

Elsewhere, MMGuardian allows parents to lock and unlock child devices remotely and use a siren to help find a lost phone. Android users can also monitor YouTube viewing histories.

It’s also worth noting what’s missing, though. MMGuardian might be great at monitoring messages, but it doesn’t watch over emails – a big miss when it comes to content monitoring.

Also note, if you’re a parent who wants a particular level of control, that MMGuardian sells its own phones in conjunction with Samsung. The A15 and A35 devices are essentially Samsung phones with MMGuardian features layered over the top, and they include advanced GPS tracking, real-time monitoring, instant alerting and built-in protection to stop kids from tampering with the settings.

It’s the best way to get MMGuardian’s full suite of parental control abilities, although it does require quite an upfront cost on the devices – the A15 costs $229/£180 and the A35 is $339/£226.

Interface and in-use

It’s easy to get started with MMGuardian. Download the parents’ app, confirm that you’re the parent and create an account, and you’re good to go.

On child phones, it’s easy enough to link to parent apps – it just involves sending a link – and then it’s just a matter of accepting permissions and getting started.

The Android and iOS apps are easy to use, with settings stored in obvious places. And while there are fewer features available on iOS, that’s typical with parental control tools.

The web interface is just as easy to navigate, and it does a tremendous job of presenting parents with pertinent information.

The only downside here is the aesthetic: MMGuardian’s software is easy to use and well-designed, but it looks a bit archaic.

Support

MMGuardian’s website has an FAQ section with some articles and a glossary of teen slang, and there are installation videos to help Android and iOS users set up their software.

Beyond that, support functionality extends to a support email address that’s accessible on the website and a chatbot that directs questions back to MMGuardian. The chatbot says that MMGuardian usually responds within 24 hours.

It’s a solid support selection, but nothing special – competitors sometimes have phone support at particular product tiers, and many have more extensive article and FAQ sections on their websites.

The competition

MMGuardian tries to offer every kind of mainstream feature found in parental control apps – which means it faces lots of strong rivals.

Take Bark, for instance. It’s great for social media and AI-based content analysis and has a better interface than MMGuardian, but doesn’t provide complete web histories.

Bark and Qustodio both outpace MMGuardian for user interface, too, and Qustodio is a better option for screen time controls and for value.

Norton, similarly, is a cheaper option with a more attractive interface, but it’s weaker on social media and message monitoring.

Final verdict

MMGuardian, then, tries to do everything – and does a pretty good job. Its web filtering, message monitoring and screen time controls are excellent, the pricing is reasonable – even if others are cheaper – and it has comprehensive reporting and decent location tracking.

It doesn’t have geofencing, though, and it misses out on social media abilities and attractive UI when compared to rivals, some of which are cheaper. It’s also far stronger on Android than on iOS.

That said, MMGuardian is certainly a contender. If you’re not concerned about an attractive UI and you’re an Android-based family, compare MMGuardian’s features to Bark, Qustodio and Norton – and this may well be a winning app for you. 

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All of the best parental control apps focus on different features and take their own approach to protecting children – and for Kidslox, that means a significant concentration on location services.

Using this app, you’ll be able to see your kids’ locations, track their location history, and even view the routes they’ve taken. And beyond that, Kidslox offers screen time schedules, web filtering and app blocking.

On paper, then, that’s a solid selection of features, but can Kidslox compete with big names like Qustodio, OurPact and other strong competitors?

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Plans and pricing

Kidslox is available in two pricing tiers: Basic and Family. The Basic package costs $3.09/£2.39 per month if paid annually, and the Family option is $4.64/£3.59 per month with the same year-long deal.

As the name suggests, the Basic package is more limited – it works with one device, while you get support for ten on the Family option.

And while you get web filtering, location tracking, screen time limits, and app blocking using both pricing models, if you opt for the Basic service, you miss out on more advanced location abilities, alongside more innovative settings like remote screen view.

Features

Kidslox has one of the best location-tracking modules we’ve seen on any parental control app. As well as providing real-time tracking so you can see your child’s location on your map, you can view their location history over the past seven days – so you can see routes, where they stopped, and for how long.

Geofencing is supported with instant alerting when your child arrives or leaves your designated zones. The geofencing radius of 1,000 metres is generous, and you can easily edit zones you’ve already created.

By default, Kidslox sets a two-hour device limit on weekdays and a three-hour limit on weekends. Users can customize these limits as needed, with scheduling available for every day of the week. The limits are easy to adjust, and children can request more screen time directly from within their version of the app.

Screen time is even lightly gamified in Kidslox: parents can assign children chores and reward them with more time if they’re completed.

(Image credit: Kidslox)

Elsewhere, Kidslox offers bedtime lock scheduling, prevents notifications during nighttime hours, and the app supports up to five different screen time schedules.

The parent app offers easy options for locking apps immediately, and parents can also create a list of allowed apps for permanent access – a handy feature for educational software. Parents can also lock the device entirely if needed.

Web content is filtered through a blocklist with over four million URLs, and parents can easily add more sites to the list. Internet access can be locked entirely if needed, and children are not allowed to disable the safe search settings built into browsers like Bing and Google.

Kidslox also allows parents to see browsing histories and app usage – with the latter only available on Android. If the children’s device uses Android, parents can take a screenshot at any time and receive reports with periodic screenshots of the device.

This is a good range of features, but it’s worth taking a deeper dive into what features are only available in the Family version of the app.

(Image credit: Kidslox)

You only get alerts for inappropriate searches, nudity, new app installations and locations in the more expensive package, for instance. You’ll need to pay for the Family package to get the gamified time rewards, location histories, and the option to view your child’s search, YouTube and TikTok activity. That handy remote screen view option is only included in the pricier version, too.

It’s also worth noting what features are not available in either of the Kidslox pricing tiers. You can’t block websites by category or type – unlike other apps, which offer dozens of options. Instead, you’re limited to using the full Kidslox block list and adding your own sites individually.

Other apps keep data for longer – some of Kidslox’s histories are only available for seven days – and this app does not monitor text messages, calls or social media apps.

It would have been useful if differing screen time limits could be set for different apps. Additionally, there is no keylogging functionality available with this app.

(Image credit: Kidslox)Interface and in-use

This is one area where Kidslox excels. Download the app from Google Play or the App Store, use a handy code to pair it with the child app on the kids’ phones, give the app the necessary permissions, and you’re good to go.

GIFs during the setup process show you precisely what to do, which makes installation even easier.

Once that’s done, the impressive design continues. As well as being visually attractive, it’s very easy to use, with features laid out sensibly in a straightforward and intuitive layout.

Statistics are displayed clearly, too, and it’s very easy to see what changes you’re making. The same goes for the child’s app, too – everything is simple to understand.

Support

This is another area where Kidslox performs well. Its knowledge base and FAQ section are comprehensive and an excellent starting point for solving most problems. There are also videos available for solving various common issues.

Support is accessed by emailing Kidslox, and it’s also possible to fill out a web form and attach files if you prefer that approach.

Customer feedback indicates that Kidslox email support is highly responsive, too, with responses within a matter of hours.

There’s no live chat or phone support, though, so you’ll need to explore apps like Qustodio if you’d like that level of access. That said, at the time of writing, a message within the app was asking parents if they’d prefer to use phone support as it’s an option that Kidslox is considering – so that feature may be added in the future.

The competition

Bark is better than Kidslox when it comes to social media monitoring – indeed, Bark is one of the best options on the market for monitoring those kinds of apps.

And if you want to see how long your children have spent on specific websites, then you should investigate Qustodio.

Kidslox, though, competes well with its location abilities, it’s reasonable in other areas, and it’s easy to use. And it’s also a little cheaper than both of its rivals: the Family package is over $40 cheaper than Bark’s annual Premium plan, and Qustodio is pricier as well.

Final verdict

Kidslox is very strong when it comes to location features, and its monitoring, reporting and screen time abilities are all impressive – we like the option to reward your children for completing chores.

When it comes to web filtering and monitoring social media, calls and texts, though, Kidslox is weaker. It would be better if web filtering had categories. Beyond its screenshot abilities, this app can’t monitor social apps, calls, or texts at all. And the Basic package is just that – it misses out on many of the features that justify buying Kidslox in the first place.

It’s easy to set up and use, though, it’s strong when it comes to location abilities, and it’s cheaper than the competition. Kidslox is not ideal if you need to monitor social media or if you want better filtering, but for affordable location-based tracking, it’s good.

Lots of the best parental control apps pair a full set of features on Android with a much more limited offering on iOS, but OurPact tries to provide a far more comprehensive set of features on Apple devices.

With geofencing, scheduling, screen time allowances, encrypted screenshots and more available across both platforms, there’s plenty to like here – and, in theory, plenty of reasons why OurPact should be able to compete with rivals from across the parental control sector.

Plans and pricing

OurPact’s two paid options, Premium and Premium+, cost $6.99/£5.45 or $9.99/£7.78 per month if you pay annually.

Both tiers allow you to manage up to twenty devices, which is ample for all but the largest families. The more affordable tier, Premium, includes the app’s core features, like scheduling, app rules, screen time management and family location ability.

In the Premium version of OurPact you also get the option to set rules for messaging apps and website visits.

Premium+ includes all of those features alongside the ability to view a gallery of your children’s screenshots, instantly take screenshots of your child’s device, and automate those screenshots – and the option to filter those screenshots by specific content categories.

That pricing is reasonable: Qustodio and Bark are a little more expensive and MMGuardian is slightly cheaper if you purchase the annual products rather than pay every month, but all four products offer similar pricing.

OurPact offers a 14-day free trial if you want to try out its Premium and Premium+ features. There’s also a free version of the product, although it’s very limited: it includes one automated schedule and management of one device alongside the ability to block web browsers.

Qustodio’s free product is better, and Microsoft Family Safety is also more impressive than the free version of OurPact.

Features

The Screenshot feature in Premium+ is one of OurPact’s key innovations. It offers three differing ways to see what your kids are doing: periodic screenshots, on-demand screenshots and a gallery.

The periodic view delivers automated screenshots of your child’s device at a schedule you set, although bear in mind that your children need to start the OurPact Jr app’s recording feature themselves for this to work. Bark takes a different approach here, only delivering screenshots when it detects suspicious content.

The on-demand option allows parents to look at their kid’s behavior whenever necessary. And when navigating the gallery, parents can browse by device, data or by categories like drugs, violence, romance and many more.

OurPact’s web filter allows parents to block inappropriate content, and parents can also create custom lists of blocked sites and websites that are always allowed – ideal if you want to allow your kids to always access educational resources, for instance.

As well as this conventional filtering, OurPact enables parents to prevent kids from making in-app purchases and uninstalling apps, and it can also disable iOS features like Siri and AirDrop – and limit the data that is collected for advertising usage. On Android, parents can also disable airplane mode.

That filter works in conjunction with a feature that allows parents to disable browsers like Chrome and Safari.

(Image credit: OurPact)

OurPact has mediocre scheduling abilities, with customizable daily scheduling available alongside easy app blocking during specific periods – but other apps offer far more granularity in terms of time periods that can be chosen when building a new schedule.

Parents can reward children with more screen time within the app. Individual apps can be allowed permanent or scheduled access – but children can’t send a request for more screen time, which is an increasingly popular feature elsewhere in the market.

Children can also use their version of the OurPact app to track their screen time, and this is a manual process that helps them stay mindful of their device usage and take responsibility for their behavior.

OurPact is one of the only parental control apps that allows parents to block iMessage on iOS devices, and it’s also possible to block text messaging apps, too.

(Image credit: OurPact)

And, finally, there’s the location tracker – which has real-time tracking, geofencing with a generous 1,000m radius, and location history for all of your children. You’ll also get push notifications when children arrive or depart your safe or forbidden zones.

There’s no doubt that OurPact has a good range of features, especially on iOS – indeed, it’s unusual to find a parental control app where core functionality is shared across Apple’s platform and Android, with the latter usually far more versatile.

That said, it’s clear that OurPact misses out on some basic features too.

It doesn’t have clear, easy activity reporting, so it can be difficult to get an overview of your child’s recent device behavior – and this is something that’s extremely common with rival tools. And while we’re always pleased to see web filtering, it just has one filter to use for all adult content, while Qustodio offers more than 25 filters and MMGuardian delivers over 100.

While OurPact’s web filter does block adult content, those rival apps do a better job of blocking anything else that you might consider inappropriate, so it does a better job of giving parents control over what children see.

OurPact doesn’t have in-depth social media monitoring like Bark, and it doesn’t monitor messages in the same way as Bark or MMGuardian. If you’re a parent who would like that level of control, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

Interface and in-use

To get started with OurPact, parents need to create an account – but once that’s done, things get a little more complicated.

On iOS child devices, parents need to disable the Find My iPhone feature for OurPact to work properly. On Android, USB debugging needs to be enabled. This is a little more technical than many other apps but, thankfully, OurPact provides clear instructions on how to get the job done.

When you’ve got the apps set up, OurPact is easier to use. The interface is intuitive on all platforms, with easy navigation even for beginners, and the OurPact Jr app for children makes it easy for them to see their screen time allowances and other important information.

The only complaint we’ve got is that OurPact looks a little bland and dated – but that’s a purely aesthetic issue that has no bearing on how the app functions day-to-day.

Support

OurPact’s Support page offers straightforward guides to setting up and using the app alongside a troubleshooting section for fixing common problems.

If you need to get in touch, there’s a web form that promises responses every day of the week, with reports suggesting that responses are both fast and helpful. OurPact promises a Live Chat feature, too, but reports elsewhere suggest that agents are rarely available – so it’s best to stick with email.

There’s also a Family Resource Page that provides links to helplines for families or children who may be experiencing distress.

It’s a reasonable support offering that matches many other apps, but Bark and Qustodio are notably better: Bark provides loads of help videos and Qustodio has its superb Care Plus package that’s included with its Complete product.

The competition

Indeed, it’s easy to see where OurPact’s key rivals are much better. With Bark, you get improved social media, message and email monitoring for a slightly cheaper price.

Qustodio, meanwhile, costs a little more, but it has better filtering and scheduling abilities. And MMGuardian delivers the best filtering around alongside more comprehensive messaging monitoring.

It’s also worth noting that all three of those apps offer top-level reporting abilities that make it easier to stay on top of child behavior, which isn’t available with OurPact.

Final verdict

It leaves OurPact looking a little meagre, especially when the price and competition are considered.

It may have reasonable screenshotting, app control and screen time abilities, but rivals are better in most of those areas – and, as we’ve seen, other apps also go far further with web filtering, social media monitoring and reporting. If you want a free product, Qustodio’s no-cost version is better than the OurPact equivalent, too.

And while OurPact may be strongest on iOS, rivals like Bark and Qustodio still have reasonable Apple offerings – even if they’re stronger on Android.

OurPact, then, is only worth serious consideration if you’re an Apple-based family – and, even then, weigh up the features first. For everyone else, look elsewhere for stronger alternatives.

Our series on identity theft protection apps will evaluate the features, pricing options, competition, and also the overall value of using each app. However, these are not full hands-on reviews since evaluating identity theft protection apps is almost impossible. It would require several months of testing, purposefully hacking accounts to see if the protection app works, handing over personally identifiable information, performing multiple credit checks, and risking exposure of the reviewer’s personally identifiable information.

Every discussion about Experian IdentityWorks in reviews and news begins with the mandatory mention of the company's previous data breach history. This evaluation contains the same pattern as others, but readers should evaluate its complete fairness. The brand IdentityWorks operates under Experian, which maintains its position as a subsidiary, despite Experian’s well-known reputation for negative reasons.

In 2015, the major consumer credit reporting agency revealed one of the most significant data breaches, which exposed more than 15 million customer records. The massive security failure of a credit reporting agency handling sensitive financial data caused global shock and widespread public concern, despite additional data breaches across various industries.

The infamous security incident occurred more than ten years ago. The long duration of this event would remind movie fans of a memorable scene from The World According to Garp. The movie depicts Robin Williams' character, who searches for a house but watches a plane crash into his potential home. He decides to buy the house because he believes another plane hitting the house would be astronomically unlikely.

The security measures implemented by Experian follow a similar pattern to the previous situation. The company likely dedicated significant resources to improving data security after its major and harmful 2015 data breach, thus surpassing other organizations in their security enhancements. Experian faces an "astronomical" probability of experiencing another major data breach at least as severe as its previous incident. The focus on Experian's 2015 breach creates an inaccurate impression because the company has probably developed enhanced defensive capabilities that provide better protection for its IdentityWorks users today.

Experian offers a number of plans to choose from depending on how many adults and children there are in your household (Image credit: Experian)

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Experian IdentityWorks: Plans and pricing

The Basic plan, a free tier of Experian, offers limited features. It includes a complimentary Experian credit report, FICO score, dark web surveillance report, and FICO score tracker. While cost-effective, this plan provides minimal protection.

The Premium plan offers a comprehensive range of features designed to protect adults from identity theft and fraud. Priced at $24.99 per month, this subscription service provides robust monitoring and alerts to safeguard sensitive personal information.

One of the key features of the Premium plan is full access to credit monitoring. This service monitors your credit reports from the three major credit bureaus—Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion—and notifies you of any changes or suspicious activity. This allows you to stay informed about your credit profile and quickly identify any potential issues, such as unauthorized inquiries or fraudulent accounts.

To enhance account security, the plan offers financial account takeover alerts. These alerts vigilantly monitor your financial accounts for any unauthorized transactions or changes. By doing so, this feature safeguards your bank accounts, credit cards, and investment accounts against potential compromises. If any suspicious activities are detected, you will receive immediate notifications, allowing you to take prompt action to secure your accounts effectively.

Within the Premium plan's robust offerings, change of address alerts stand out as a crucial feature. This service keeps a watchful eye on public records to detect any modifications to your address, such as alterations to your driver's license or voter registration. Identity thieves frequently exploit change of address requests to reroute your mail, allowing them to pilfer confidential documents. However, this alert system safeguards you by promptly notifying you of any unauthorized changes, empowering you to take proactive steps to shield your identity from harm.

In addition to its monitoring features, the Premium plan provides social network monitoring alerts. This service vigilantly scans social media platforms for any unauthorized use of your name, photos, or personal information. Given that social media accounts are frequent targets for identity thieves, this alert system keeps you informed of potential online fraud attempts.

Among the many benefits of the Premium plan, the most notable feature is the up to $1 million in identity theft insurance it provides. This coverage acts as a financial safety net in the unfortunate event you become a victim of identity theft. The insurance covers expenses associated with restoring your identity, including legal fees, lost wages, and credit repair. This coverage offers invaluable peace of mind, knowing that you have a support system in place to help you recover from the devastating impact of identity theft.

The Premium plan provides a comprehensive array of security features to safeguard adults from identity theft and fraudulent activities. This subscription service offers robust monitoring, timely alerts, and substantial insurance coverage, creating an invaluable layer of protection for your sensitive personal information.

For families with more than one adult, the top-tier Family plan is the best choice. With a monthly cost of $34.99, this plan covers two adults and up to ten children, offering all the features of the Premium plan except for one minor difference.

The assumption of identity theft prevention software that users could have "up to" 10 children is perplexing, particularly given that the average number of children per family in the US is only two, and even fewer in the UK. Despite this, IdentityWorks inexplicably offers pricing options that accommodate up to 10 children and one or two adults. This pricing structure stands in stark contrast to the reality of family sizes in most countries, raising questions about the rationale behind such an assumption.

Unfortunately, annual discounts are currently unavailable. Instead, a brief 7-day free trial is offered. However, it necessitates purchasing the plan and then canceling it within the trial period, effectively converting it into a money-back guarantee during the first week.

Experian does not offer a standalone app for IdentityWorks and instead the service is baked into its credit report app. (Image credit: Experian)Experian IdentityWorks: Interface

Thank goodness we're partnering with a major corporation like IdentityWorks, which boasts the resources and expertise to develop a user-friendly and feature-rich application. IdentityWorks' dashboard exemplifies minimalist design, featuring a sleek layout with intuitive tabs at the top that simplify navigation. Users can effortlessly find the information they need without unnecessary distractions. Additionally, the dashboard incorporates a dynamic wizard that visually tracks progress, indicating the number of steps completed and accounts configured, much like the seamless experience offered by Norton LifeLock, which prioritizes accessibility and user engagement.

In contrast, PrivacyGuard's interface appears somewhat cluttered, with an overabundance of bright colors that can be distracting and create a sense of overwhelm for specific users. IdentityWorks, on the other hand, cultivates an atmosphere of professionalism and importance, ensuring that users feel confident and secure while managing their sensitive information.

The IdentityWorks app is packed with practical features that empower users to take charge of their identities and maintain their privacy. For example, it offers tools for generating strong passwords, regularly monitoring credit reports, and sending timely alerts about potential identity theft. These proactive measures are crucial in today’s digital landscape, where threats to personal information are constant and evolving. Additionally, the app includes comprehensive resources for identity recovery in the event of an unfortunate need, ensuring users have a plan in place to regain control if their identity is compromised.

Overall, IdentityWorks stands out as an excellent choice for individuals seeking a comprehensive and user-friendly identity management solution. Its clean interface, practical features, and robust security measures position it as a leading option for anyone serious about protecting their identity and privacy in an increasingly digital world.

However, it's worth noting that while the IdentityWorks website provides links to apps for both Android and iOS devices, many consumers are unaware of their actual existence. Unfortunately, the linked apps lead to the Experian app rather than a dedicated IdentityWorks application. This oversight is disappointing and frustrating for consumers who are actively seeking a well-rounded identity management solution tailored to their needs. Improved visibility and clarity regarding app options could significantly enhance the user experience and ensure that users have the necessary tools at their fingertips.

Experian IdentityWorks: Features

In addition to its unique features, IdentityWorks emphasizes the importance of education and empowerment in the realm of identity protection. The platform is designed not only to monitor for potential threats but also to equip users with the knowledge they need to take proactive steps in safeguarding their identities. By providing access to a wealth of educational resources, including articles, guides, and webinars, users can stay informed about the latest trends in identity theft and cyber threats, enabling them to make more informed decisions about their safety.

Another noteworthy aspect of IdentityWorks is its focus on customer support. Recognizing that navigating issues of identity theft can be stressful and overwhelming, IdentityWorks provides comprehensive, round-the-clock support to its users. This includes access to dedicated identity theft recovery specialists who can guide users through the process of resolving any issues they may encounter. Whether it’s disputing fraudulent charges, recovering stolen identities, or simply understanding the nuances of personal credit, having expert assistance available can significantly alleviate the anxiety often associated with identity theft.

Additionally, IdentityWorks places a strong emphasis on user privacy and data security. In an era where data breaches are becoming increasingly common, the platform utilizes advanced encryption techniques and robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard sensitive user information. This commitment to protecting personal data not only enhances trust among users but also aligns with the growing demand for responsible data handling practices in the industry.

Moreover, the ability to tailor monitoring alerts is another feature that enhances the user experience. Users can customize the types of alerts they receive, ensuring they are only notified about issues relevant to them. This level of personalization not only reduces noise and potential overwhelm but also allows for a more focused approach to identity monitoring. Users can prioritize their concerns and receive timely updates that are relevant to their specific situations.

Finally, as technology continues to evolve, IdentityWorks remains committed to staying current with advancements in the field of identity protection. By regularly updating its services and features, the platform aims to stay ahead of emerging threats, offering users cutting-edge tools that reflect the current landscape of identity security. This commitment to innovation not only positions IdentityWorks as a formidable player in the identity theft protection market but also helps reassure users that their security is a top priority in an evolving environment.

In summary, while many identity theft protection services offer foundational monitoring features, IdentityWorks stands out through its unique offerings, emphasis on education and customer support, commitment to privacy and data security, customizable alerts, and dedication to staying current with technological advancements. These qualities make it an attractive option for those seeking comprehensive protection and guidance in navigating the complexities of identity management.

Experian IdentityWorks: The competition

The strong set of features in Experian IdentityWorks includes court record monitoring alongside FICO score simulation accuracy. Still, the identity theft protection market offers multiple robust alternatives for diverse needs and price ranges. LifeLock serves as a prominent identity theft protection service because it is integrated within the Norton 360 suite, which offers comprehensive cybersecurity protection. LifeLock monitors deeply, offering extensive dark web and home title and social media surveillance, along with $3 million in identity theft insurance coverage. However, its costs rise substantially following initial promotional periods.

Aura stands as a powerful alternative, achieving high ratings from users who praise its comprehensive security features. Aura provides users with comprehensive identity and credit monitoring capabilities through its alert system, which tracks all three major credit bureaus and incorporates full cybersecurity features, including VPN protection, antivirus software, and parental control capabilities. Aura offers families an excellent digital security solution, providing comprehensive protection at competitive prices with generous identity theft insurance benefits of up to $5 million for family plans.

The Premier version of Identity Guard provides advanced AI technology based on IBM Watson to monitor three bureau data alongside comprehensive protection which sets it apart from other options. The system provides immediate alerts and focuses intensely on credit reporting so it suits users who want to protect their financial information. The legal support feature of IDShield through LegalShield makes it stand out as a provider because it offers simple pricing together with dedicated legal assistance during identity theft situations. The restoration process includes access to a licensed private investigator along with social media tracking and VPN protection for users who need complete identity protection along with robust legal protection. The selection between these alternatives depends on individual preferences regarding specific features and insurance levels as well as budget constraints and the need for a complete cybersecurity package.

Experian IdentityWorks: Support

Experian doesn't provide a specific phone number or email address for direct contact regarding issues. Instead, clicking on "Contact us" directs users to a help center with various articles. For immediate assistance, Experian recommends obtaining an Experian credit report and calling the phone number provided on the report.

To enhance user satisfaction, we would suggest more streamlined and accessible communication channels for users to reach out to Experian.

Experian IdentityWorks: Final verdict

Safeguarding your personal identity stands as an absolute necessity in the current digitally connected world. Our personal information exists in the digital atmosphere to a greater extent than ever because of online transactions and social media posts, along with connected devices. The defense mechanisms provided by credit protection cover only a limited segment of identity theft risks that continue to evolve.

Identity theft is a broad and damaging criminal activity that encompasses multiple types of fraudulent actions, resulting in severe harm to victims. A person who steals your personal details can perform multiple illegal actions, such as establishing unauthorized credit accounts using your name while taking loans you will need to pay, filing false tax returns, and committing crimes, which will appear on your criminal record. The consequences of identity theft go beyond financial damage because they cause severe credit score deterioration along with damaged reputation and both emotional suffering and time-consuming identity recovery procedures.

Experian IdentityWorks stands as one of the primary services that protects identities from theft among all available options. The service provides a comprehensive suite of protective tools designed to defend personal data and mitigate identity theft threats effectively. The service offers continuous credit bureau monitoring, a proactive fraud alert system, substantial identity theft insurance coverage, and dedicated support for resolving identity theft cases.

Many users choose Experian IdentityWorks because of its extensive educational resources and instructional materials. The service provides highly valuable, actionable information that teaches users effective techniques for preventing identity theft and secure methods for handling their data online. The informational materials provide clear and engaging content that enables individuals with varying digital skills to protect their personal information effectively.

The choice to sign up for Experian IdentityWorks depends on personal factors which include your comfort level with risk and the specific issues you want to address. The financial and credit security features of Experian IdentityWorks make it a solid choice for those seeking comprehensive credit monitoring and fraud protection, thanks to its direct connection to Experian's credit data. Direct access to Experian credit data enables users to benefit from superior accuracy and a more detailed understanding.

The past data breach of Experian remains a notable concern for potential customers who decide against the service. The company invested extensive resources in security improvements following the breach more than a decade ago, although the incident continues to impact those who need perfect security standards. People who want better security and peace of mind should consider identity protection services such as LifeLock, Aura, Identity Guard, and IDShield.

We've also highlighted the best identity theft protection

When it comes to web hosting and website management, there is no shortage of options. The vast majority of companies out there offer affordable services that are good enough to get the job done.

Kinsta is a cloud-based hosting solution providing services for WordPress websites, web applications, databases, and static sites. They provide you with access to high-performance servers and features such as staging environments, automatic backups, enterprise-level Cloudflare integration, and more.

Kinsta also includes quality security features such as DDoS protection, SSL certificate with wildcard support, and malware scanning and removal.

• Want to try Kinsta? Check out the website here

From the main website, you can access Kinsta’s official blog. It’s easy on the eye and filled with a myriad of articles, most of which are related to WordPress and software development. In addition to this, Kinsta offers a fresh and video-packed YouTube channel and relatively active presence on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

(Image credit: Future)Kinsta features

Kinsta offers high-end CPUs, as well as global availability thanks to Google’s C2 and C3D machines on its premium tier network. By using these top-of-the-line CPUs, you are guaranteed that your website will be up and running faster than ever before.

To further improve the speed of your website, Kinsta also offers a global content delivery network with over 260 locations around the world. This allows Kinsta to deliver fast pages and serve cached assets from your visitors’ closest location.

Kinsta also comes with built-in application performance monitoring (APM), which is its custom-designed performance monitoring tool specifically for WordPress sites. We used this feature to identify any potential issues or bottlenecks slowing down our site during our test of the hosting service.

Kinsta's DevKinsata feature provides a comprehensive development environment that makes it easy to develop applications locally on your computer. DevKinsata includes many helpful features such as version control which allows developers to roll back to previous versions of their code if needed, easy debugging capabilities with Xdebug integration, and deployments to production servers with just one click.

With the new Kinsta Cloudflare integration, we took advantage of a wildcard SSL certificate which let us secure our subdomains with just one certificate. A wildcard SSL is an SSL certificate that secures both a root domain and its individual subdomains. This is in contrast to other types of certificates that require you to list each individual subdomain on the certificate.

As part of its Cloudflare integration, Kinsta offers customers a unique benefit - reserved IP addresses. Reserved IPs are unique IP addresses assigned to each Kinsta customer site. These IP addresses are reserved exclusively for use by that specific customer and ensure that the DNS A-record IP address will not be shared by other sites on Cloudflare's network. In some cases, this can cause problems if a service blocks a spam site that happens to share the same Cloudflare IP address as your site.

We were also impressed with the Kinsta Brotli Compression Tool (a lossless compression format that is supported by all major browsers and achieves better compression ratios than gzip).

Brotli compression works by compressing web content with a very large built-in static dictionary that contains various strings in multiple languages. By taking advantage of this feature, the Kinsta Brotli compression tool helped us optimize our page speed by reducing our website's page size by up to 45%.

Kinsta also released a tool called Edge Caching. This is an incredibly powerful tool for websites running WordPress that can significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to serve cached HTML to site visitors. Edge Caching is included free with all Kinsta plans, and no additional plugins are required.

Kinsta’s Edge Caching works by saving your website/page cache to Cloudflare’s global network of over 260 data centers. When site visitors load your website, cached responses will be delivered from the location closest to them, helping to reduce latency and ensure faster loading times.

With the help of the Early Hints, you can further improve site speed. Early hints is a modern web standard that defines a new 103 HTTP status code. Enabling this web standard on your site, it gives your site visitors’ browsers the chance to download certain resources in advance or in parallel with others. This results in a faster page rendering speed

For web hosting services in Australia, Kinsta CDN is in six Australian cities, including Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.

(Image credit: Future)Is Kinsta easy to use? 

We find Kinsta easy to use - from signing up to navigating through the dashboard. The web host provides you with an intuitive dashboard that makes hosting your website easy. The dashboard let us quickly access all the features and settings in one place, which makes it simple to manage our website’s performance and security.

With Kinsta, you can also set up and manage multiple websites from one account, as well as deploy applications, databases or static sites, meaning you don’t have to switch between different accounts every time you want to make changes or update your site or create a new web app.

Kinsta also has a number of helpful features that make managing your website easier. All these features are designed so that even those who aren’t tech-savvy can easily manage their website without too much hassle.

As a fully managed WordPress hosting provider, Kinsta's prices are higher than other web hosts (Image credit: Future)Kinsta plans and pricing

Kinsta offers different plans, ranging from $35/month to $1700/month. All plans include free wildcard SSL, CDN, staging, and unlimited migrations. But what do you get when you purchase one of these plans? The Single plans starts at $35/month and allows you to install 1 WordPress, 10 GB of storage space, 125 GB free CDN, and 35,000 visits per month. The Single-site plans scale with each step up getting more site visits, storage, and CDN bandwidth. Each Single site plan denotes the support amount of visits. The plans go as high as 1,250,000+ visits, 15 GB+ storage and 1000GB CDN bandwidth.

Multiple-site plans support multiple WordPress installs. Each plan name denotes the amount of WordPress installs supported. Each multiple-site plan supports multisite network and site cloning. For WP 2 ($70/mo) you get two WordPress installs, with 70,000 visits, 250 GB of CDN bandwidth, and 20 GB storage. As the plans increase in price the resources, site visits, and amount of WordPress installs increase too. The WP 40 plan ($450/mo) supports 40 WordPress installs, 60 GB storage, 1500 GB of CDN, and 75,000 monthly visits.

Kinsta also offers an Enterprise Plan for multiple sites, which starts at $675/month and includes 60+ WordPress installs, 100+ GB of space, 1,250,000+ visits, and a 30-day backup retention.

All the above plans come with unlimited free migrations and a 30-day money-back guarantee, so if you are not satisfied with the service, you can request a refund. Select plans on Single and Multiple-site tiers also include a one month free trial.

We used GTmetrix to measure the uptime and response time of our Kinsta site (Image credit: GTmetrix)Kinsta speed and experience

Kinsta argues that it is almost a certainty that users will see “faster page load times, along with back-end (WordPress dashboard) speed” when hosting with them. Faster than what, we asked ourselves. Faster than the average speed, faster than lightning or faster than Superman?

In any case, GTmetrix (a tool we used to test the speed performance of Kinsta’s main website) appears to agree with them given that it rated the performance of their website with an A (91%), which is not a result we often see. All major core metrics related to the speed were above the average, which looks pretty promising.

When it comes to uptime, Kinsta’s technical team monitors all of its users’ websites at all times, which means that they will be notified if any downtime occurs and lasts longer than five minutes, and, thus, prompt them to rush to resolve the issue. After monitoring Kinsta’s main website for a month using UptimeRobot, we couldn’t find a single trace of downtime, which does inspire confidence.

Latest results

We recently ran more tests on Kinsta for our best hosting for agencies guide. We did the same test we do for every host. We migrate a simple website and perform some baseline WordPress benchmark test and do some Siege testing for concurrent visitors. We used the Agency 20 plan. While these don't show what the server is like under load. It does show a good baseline score for site performance.

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WordPress benchmark

Performance metric

Result

Operations with large text data

6.68

Random binary data operations

8.24

Recursive mathematical calculations

7.32

Iterative mathematical calculations

8.63

Filesystem

Filesystem write ability

9.71

Local file copy and access speed

9.56

Small file IO test

10

Database

Importing large amount of data to database

9.23

Simple queries on single table

9.88

Complex database queries on multiple tables

8.23

Object cache

Persistent object cache enabled

0

Network

Network download speed test

10

Server score

8.1

Siege

Performance metric

5 concurrent visitors

9 concurrent visitors

Transactions

8484

13580

Availability

96.37

96.36

Elapsed time

299.43

299.19

Data transferred

91.72

145.90

Response time

0.17

0.18

Transaction rate

28.33

45.39

Throughput

0.31

0.49

Concurrency

4.87

8.11

Successful transactions

8164

13068

Longest transaction

1.33

39.76

Failed transactions

320

513

Shortest transaction

0.09

0.08

Kinsta security

Kinsta is one such provider that offers quality security measures (in our opinion) including SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates. An SSL certificate is a type of digital certificate that provides encryption and authentication for data sent over the internet. It helps protect user information, like credit card numbers and passwords, from being accessed by malicious third parties.

An SSL certificate also helps verify the identity of a website so that users know they are connecting to the correct server and not a malicious one.

Kinsta uses Cloudflare's infrastructure to provide wildcard SSL certificates with 128-bit or higher encryption as well as 2048-bit RSA keys. Kinsta says its servers are also constantly monitored 24/7 for any signs of suspicious activity or hacking, which is good to know. Kinsta also offers a 99.9% SLA-backed uptime guarantee.

There's also a Malware Security Pledge in which Kinsta's team will help restore a site in the event of an attack. Kinsta have earned SOC 2 and ISO 27001 compliance so security standards are high and hopefully you'll never have to use that.

You'll find plenty of how-to guides in Kinsta's knowledgebase (Image credit: Future)Customer support

Kinsta offers knowledgeable sales representatives who can help you find the hosting plan that best fits your website or project.

If you want a deeper dive into all of Kinsta’s features, consider scheduling a personalized demo with one of its experts. This is an excellent way to get familiar with Kinsta's powerful dashboard and hosting features, as well as ask any questions that come up during the process.

We had a few questions about our website and contacted Kinsta through its question form on the website. They got back to us the next day with answers tailored specifically to our hosting dilemma.

Kinsta’s support team is available 24/7/365 via live chat in the MyKinsta dashboard so that you can quickly receive help. You can also open up tickets here if there are ever any issues with your site.

Kinsta also offers free webinars to its customers (Image credit: Future)

There are more than a few self-help options including regularly updated documentation, free e-books, free webinars, a newsletter and a blog we mentioned before, and everything is dedicated to bringing knowledge about WordPress to its users. In addition to this, Kinsta’s YouTube channel is filled with step-by-step guides and the new ones are coming out on a week-to-week basis at the very least.

As an alternative, you can reach Kinsta’s “timely and knowledgeable” support via email and chat.

Kinsta alternatives

Much like Kinsta, Flywheel is a fellow US-based host specialized in “top-of-the-line” managed WordPress hosting solutions. Both of them strive to be beginner-friendly, offer well-rounded, feature-packed packages and are on the high-priced side of the spectrum. However, Kinsta’s least expensive solution starts at a whopping $30, half as much as what is offered by Flywheel. Therefore, if the price is the key criterion (since both hosts are competent) for you, you could save some bucks by going with Flywheel.

Bluehost is one of the most popular hosting options on the market today, even when it comes to managed WordPress hosting. In comparison with Kinsta, Bluehost has a myriad of hosting types and options besides WordPress and its WordPress plans are well-structured and suitable for newcomers. If you are, however, looking for premium managed WordPress options, you might find yourself at home with Kinsta.

DreamHost is a US-based provider supplying WordPress-optimized hosting solutions and related services, including a domain registration, which is something you won’t get with Kinsta. Another thing they don’t provide is a website builder and you’ll have that as an option with DreamHost. What is more, in addition to offering more hosting options, DreamHost has more pocket-friendly plans, so you’ll save some money as well.

Although HostGator does not specialize in WordPress hosting, it has a few rather attractive solutions on the offer. Nonetheless, if you are looking for a premium fully managed WordPress hosting (and you are ready to shell out the money) Kinsta might be a better pick. If you would rather have something simpler and more on the affordable side, HostGator is an excellent choice.

WP Engine is also a great alternative as it offers a wide range of services, from shared hosting to managed WordPress hosting and dedicated servers. WP Engine is known for its fast speeds and reliable uptime, as well as its excellent customer service and support team.

SiteGround is another great option if you’re looking for an alternative to Kinsta. This provider offers a variety of hosting plans that range from shared hosting to VPS and cloud solutions. SiteGround also has excellent customer service and support, which makes it a great choice if you need help getting started or have questions about how to use their services.

Is Kinsta right for you? 

Kinsta offers a range of features to help businesses get up and running quickly and easily, including easy scalability, managed updates, automated daily backups, and 24/7 support.

Kinsta offers a range of features to help businesses get up and running quickly and easily, including automatic scaling, managed updates, automated daily backups,SSH access, WP CLI, a powerful API, Application Performance Monitoring, and 24/7/365 support in 10 languages, with a response time within a minute and 98% client satisfaction.

Kinsta also prides itself on its performance and reliability - It’s caching technology ensures websites load faster than ever before; this helps keep visitors on your site longer which can lead to increased conversions.

Kinsta FAQsIs Kinsta only for WordPress?

No! While Kinsta is an excellent choice for WordPress websites, that’s not all it can do. It also supports static sites, application hosting, and database hosting.

Do I need a security plugin with Kinsta?

No - and that’s one of the many advantages of using Kinsta hosting. The security at Kinsta is built into the platform itself; all accounts are automatically scanned daily for malicious code and activity and protected with regular backups as well as enterprise-grade DDOS protection.

Plus, every account includes free SSL/TLS encryption to protect your data in transit.

One in twelve people online visit a website hosted on WP Engine daily. They host over one and a half million sites across 150 countries and still maintain a customer satisfaction rate of 96%. That is reliable hosting.

WP Engine uses its own caching system and content delivery system (CDN) and your get your choice of data centers in North America, Europe, or Asia. Plus, your websites are hosted on the fast Google Cloud Platform. This all means your customers should have a better user experience because of faster loading times and reliability.

WP Engine’s managed WordPress hosting solution
WP Engine provides everything needed for a true managed WordPress solution, including automatic PHP and WordPress updates, effortless backups, all without compromising on security and speed. Currently offering 4 months free for TechRadar readers. Get 4 months free on all new annual plans with code: techradar20.

WP Engine manages your WordPress site for you making the day-to-day running of your site easier allowing you to focus on your business. In addition, WP Engine provides features like automatic plugin updates, malware detection, and automated backups. Although managed hosting comes at a higher cost than unmanaged, it's not until a vulnerability is discovered at 2am on a Saturday that the value of having someone look over the security and updates of your server becomes really noticeable.

The cheapest WP Engine plan starts at $20/month (Image credit: WP Engine)WP Engine Plans and pricing

WP Engine have three main types of hosting: WordPress Hosting, WooCommerce Hosting, and Headless.

WordPress hosting has five plans which are all on a shared infrastructure. The most basic plan is Startup which provides hosting for one site, 25,000 monthly visits (with a 50GB bandwidth cap which is enough for the average website), and 10GB local storage.

With this plan you get chat only support, security patching, plugin risk scans, daily backups, EverCache, and global CDN. This plan is $20/mo and refreshingly there are no confusing renewal prices.

From there onwards, the plans support 3, 10, and 30 sites and the bandwidth, storage space, and monthly visits increase as you would expect. There is also the option to completely customize your plan starting from $600/mo.

For WooCommerce, the plans are similar in their specs and what they support but they come with lots of features as standard such as elastic search capabilities, support for unlimited products, Live Cart, and more. These plans are slightly more expensive than the WordPress hosting plans and the custom plan costs a minimum of $800/mo.

You can use the Page Performance tool to diagnose issues with a slow-loading site (Image credit: WP Engine)Features

The core reasons to choose WP Engine over cheaper WordPress hosting are increased reliability, performance, support, and management, but these are hard to quantify. Some features stand out when you browse the interface, however, that can give you some insight into the service offered.

WP Engine Page Performance is a neat tool designed to help you speed up your WordPress site by offering meaningful metrics on performance.

Running a test returns you a page-performance report that details how quickly your page rendered, how long it took to load in its entirety, and the total size of the page. It even includes historical data on your site’s performance over the past six months and recommendations on how you can reduce page load.

You can develop your WordPress site in a Staging or Development environment before making the changes live (Image credit: WP Engine)

Avoid embarrassing mistakes on your site by making changes to a copy of your website before it goes live. This is called Staging, and it allows your developers to make extensive changes to your site without affecting your customers.

WP Engine has a comprehensive list of plugins that are disallowed (Image credit: WP Engine)

In a relatively unusual move, WP Engine restricts the WordPress plugins you can install. Those typically restricted are plugins that have been noted to cause performance issues and security holes. For important features such as caching, backups, and search engine optimization tools, WP Engine has made alternatives available that don’t put a high load on the server.

Interface and in use

WP Engine’s interface is professional and well laid out, but the powerful features might mean a steep learning curve for inexperienced users. If you have an understanding of terms like Git, CNAME, and redirect rules, you’ll be right at home here, but otherwise you’ll need to spend some time on the support site.

Creating a site in WP Engine is made simple, thanks to a straightforward process. Whether you’re hosting on a domain, or building a staging site, the process is automated, so you don’t need to do anything. Once the name of the site has been set, and you’ve decided on adding WordPress on its own, or Word Press with WooCommerce, it will self-install while you make a coffee.

Note that WP Engine doesn’t offer any AI-guided site generation tools here. Anything you create will have to be done manually through the current WordPress theme management environment.

One of the main attractions for many customers is promised easy migration. Intended to make it simple to move a WordPress site from one host to another, WP Engine offers a dedicated plugin specifically for this purpose. Using it is simple enough – you install the downloadable plugin on the source (old) web host, create a secure key when prompted, then paste this into the plugin on your WP Engine hosting. In testing, the migration of a site around 500MB in size was pretty slick, completing in just a few minutes.

The WP Engine support center has detailed guides on using each of the service’s key features (Image credit: WP Engine)Support

A managed WordPress service should offer extra value through its support, and WP Engine delivers. The support site includes videos and articles of a quality you’d expect from a paid training course, with help on deeper WordPress functionality that many WordPress hosts don’t go into.

There’s 24/7 live chat support and a ticket system, too. In our testing, the response was quick and the agent knowledgeable. For all plans except for single-site plans, there’s telephone support, too.

Testing

Testing the performance of WP Engine – specifically, the Essential Startup – I was intrigued to find that while reasonably slick, it seemed slower than other hosts. Now, I’ll preface this with the knowledge that WP Engine specifically aims for efficient WordPress hosting. It is known to block some plugins that can affect performance; it opts for its own caching plugin, for example. So, gauging performance with benchmarking tools on WP Engine is a little different to other hosts.

However, the tests delivered results around 30% slower than other hosts. Given that the comparisons were with plans for a similar budget and server specification, I was surprised at how poorly WP Engine scored.

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WordPress Benchmark

Performance metric

Result

Operations with large text data

6.9

Random binary data operations

7.93

Recursive mathematical calculations

5.06

Iterative mathematical calculations

7.9

Filesystem

Filesystem write ability

7.79

Local file copy and access speed

8.25

Small file IO test

9.76

Database

Importing large amount of data to database

1.94

Simple queries on single table

6.66

Complex database queries on multiple tables

5.78

Object cache

Persistent object cache enabled

0

Network

Network download speed test

9.5

Server score

6.4

Siege

Performance Metric

5 concurrent visitors

9 concurrent visitors

Transactions

9583

17028

Availability

96.28

96.31

Elapsed time

299.70

299.33

Data transferred

106.33

189.25

Response time

0.15

0.15

Transaction rate

31.98

56.89

Throughput

0.36

0.63

Concurrency

4.84

8.15

Successful transactions

9578

17028

Failed transactions

370

652

Longest transaction

2.25

5.67

The competition

If it’s the higher level of customer support you value in a managed WordPress host, Liquid Web often tops customer satisfaction polls. It has a focus on high-end products like virtual private servers (VPS) and dedicated servers, so if your needs extend beyond a high-performance WordPress site into other software solutions, we recommend checking it out.

TsoHost is another managed web hosting provider we recommend. The price can ramp up, with even the most basic VPS options starting at $52 per month, but you get a level of on-hands customer support that’s virtually unrivaled.

Final verdict

WP Engine is not the cheapest hosting around and it doesn't seem to be the fastest either. It's also not the first WordPress host we’d recommend to newcomers, as the breadth of tools can be intimidating.

WP Engine used to be the champion of WordPress hosting but I think that's starting to change with hosts like SiteGround and Kinsta taking over.

Screen Time is an app that gets right to the point, with a name that tells you exactly what this piece of software does, and its one of the best parental control apps.

When we’re all spending more time on our phones and children are easily distracted by inappropriate online content, it’s crucial to be able to restrict what they’re seeing and how often they’re able to use devices.

Despite the name, though, Screen Time doesn’t just concentrate on that feature – it’s actually got a full range of parental control abilities. And, as a bonus, there’s a free version.

Plans and Pricing

That free version includes daily reports on your children’s app usage and, on Android, it allows parents to view web and YouTube histories. The free product also includes some social media monitoring on Google’s platform.

The free version only includes support for one child device, though, which is a tight restriction. KidLogger’s free version includes support for five devices, and Qustodio’s free product also monitors just one device – but it has a better set of features.

Google Family Link and Microsoft Family Safety are both free, too, and both are more powerful.

Screen Time’s free product isn’t really representative, though, and its paid version is a far more compelling prospect – because it has the full range of features included. It’s affordable, too, at $6.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. That price is a little cheaper than the monthly cost of the full-fat versions of Qustodio, Bark, MMGuardian and KidLogger – four of our paid favorites.

Features

If you call your app Screen Time it has to impress in this category. And, thankfully, Screen Time doesn’t disappoint.

Parents can set daily screen time limits using the software, choose from preset options, alter timings for weekdays or weekends, and apply time limits to individual apps. It’s easy to build different schedules for different children, and one button allows parents to instantly pause their children's devices – handy if you need to get their attention.

(Image credit: Screen Time)

There’s an innovative feature here, too, thanks to Free Play – an option to override all limits and schedules with just one tap. If you’re stuck with bored kids on a long journey, it could be a huge relief.

Screen Time also allows parents to maintain family harmony by rewarding kids with extra device time if they complete tasks, like chores or homework. Parents are able to set up the tasks and approve their completion to grant a custom amount of time as a reward.

Screen Time pairs its impressive device and app controls with solid reporting. Parents can see what apps children use most often, how much time they’ve spent on each app, and get daily summaries of all the important data – handy when things are hectic.

And if you want to prevent certain apps from being used entirely, Screen Time allows you to see what apps are installed, block specific apps, and only allow new apps to be installed with parental approval.

(Image credit: Screen Time)

Screen Time also has conventional location-based features. Parents can see current child locations, monitor routes when children are travelling, and use geofencing to get alerts when kids enter or leave approved or restricted spaces. Trip and location records are kept for seven days – other apps provide longer histories.

Screen Time has some additional features that are only available on Android. Web filtering, for instance, is only available on Google’s platform, and there are 25 categories of content that parents can allow or restrict, and it’s possible to add or restrict individual websites too.

(Image credit: Screen Time)

Android users can also monitor text messages, view photos on child devices, and monitor third-party messaging apps like WhatsApp, Viber and Kik.

This app is certainly weaker on iOS, then, and some features are not as comprehensive as those you’ll find elsewhere.

Its web filtering, for instance, is not as strong as those on rivals – apps like MMGuardian provide more categories for parents to use when filtering. Bark is notably better for social media monitoring, too.

(Image credit: Screen Time)Interface and in use

Screen Time has an effective, uncluttered interface with easy, color-coded buttons that let you see your schedules, app and web filter allowances and your children’s routes.

Other apps certainly pop with more color, but Screen Time looks good, and its effective design means it’s very easy for parents to use. This approach carries over to the monitoring interface available in web browsers, too.

Installation is similarly straightforward, at least on Android: sign up, download the app, follow easy instructions to pair with the app on your child’s device and you’re nearly there.

Once that’s done, you’ll have to set up a parental control PIN and allow the relevant permissions, then you’re good to go.

If you’re on iOS, it’s a little more complicated. Parents have to download and install profiles and change Remote Management settings on their devices.

Thankfully, both platforms are covered by comprehensive instruction articles and videos on the Screen Time website.

Support

This is one area where Screen Time didn’t impress – because clicking the Support link on the website led to a 404 error page.

That’s not a good start, but it is possible to use a web form elsewhere on the main Help Center page to request support from the Screen Time team, and the company assures parents of a response within 24 hours.

The FAQ and Help Center sections are also reasonable, with plenty of articles covering every aspect of the app.

Just don’t expect the phone support or live chat that you’ll sometimes find with rival products, like Qustodio or Norton Family.

The Competition

Screen Time lives up to its name – when it comes to scheduling and controlling how often your children use their devices and certain apps, this software matches every rival. Its location abilities compare well with other apps, too.

Go beyond this, though, and Screen Time begins to fall short. MMGuardian is stronger with web filtering, for instance, and Bark is better with social media, messaging and calls. If you’re on iOS, consider OurPact too.

Screen Time may undercut other paid options with slightly lower prices, but if you want a free parental control product then you’d potentially be better with Microsoft or Google’s in-built tools or with KidLogger.

Final Verdict

If you want an affordable app that provides comprehensive scheduling alongside device and app limitation and control, then Screen Time is one of the best choices around. In this regard it’s got good core functionality alongside a couple of innovative features.

Beyond that, though, it’s middling. Its location-based functionality is fine, it blocks apps, and provides reporting, but rivals do that, too – while also being stronger in other categories. And weaknesses on iOS mean Screen Time is only really suitable for families on Android.

Screen Time is not a bad parental control app – and if you do want to concentrate on restricting the amount of time your kids spend on their devices, it’s excellent. But for a more rounded experience or a better option on iOS, we’d rather spend a little more and shop elsewhere.

OpenDNS is a cloud-based Domain Name System (DNS) provider that delivers enhanced security with web filtering and various blocking features – and OpenDNS Family Shield is its consumer product for protecting entire households from inappropriate content on the internet. So while it isn't a fully fledged parental control app, it does offer some similar functions.

Family Shield is designed to offer fast, easy parental control – the kind of product where parents can set it up once and forget about it, knowing that it’ll block adult content on all devices. It’s easy to use, but doesn’t include customization.

OpenDNS also has a free product called OpenDNS Home, which allows parents to customize their web filtering and view basic usage stats. It’s more involved, but trickier to set up.

Since 2015, OpenDNS has been part of the Cisco organization, so there’s no shortage of cloud computing and cybersecurity knowledge underpinning this tool.

Plans and pricing

Family Shield gets off to a pleasing start – because it’s entirely free, just like the customizable Home product.

Despite that free status, Family Shield covers an unlimited number of devices, and it doesn’t require an account to use – unlike the free Home product, which requires account creation in order to use its customization abilities.  

Features

Family Shield is free, then, but what does it do? Put simply, it’s a preconfigured web filter that you can set up on your router, PC, smartphone or server. Once it’s configured, it blocks potentially harmful traffic.

The best way to use OpenDNS is to set it up on your router – that way, it’ll filter all the traffic that goes through your router, whether that’s from phones, games consoles, laptops or anything else.

(Image credit: OpenDNS)

Family Shield’s preconfigured filter blocks content in four categories: pornography, tasteless, proxy/anonymizer, and sexuality. You’ll find virtually everything you don’t want your children seeing within those four categories. On top of that, OpenDNS Family Shield also blocks phishing sites and other potentially dangerous websites.

The filter works extremely well, and the fact it works on routers means it works across a broader range of devices than most parental control tools.

Bear in mind, though, that more conventional tools like Qustodio or MMGuardian allow you to filter using a far wider array of categories.

If you want a wider array of categories or if you want to add your own permitted or blocked sites to lists, then you’ll have to use OpenDNS Home – a more customizable product that’s admittedly a bit more technical.

Once Family Shield is configured, there’s no dashboard, control panel or app to worry about – you apply the settings and let it work.

(Image credit: OpenDNS)

It couldn’t be easier, then, but it’s worth noting that OpenDNS Family Shield is a filter, not a conventional parental control app, so you miss many features you’ll find elsewhere.

You won’t find screen time controls, location monitoring, app blocking or anything else here, for instance – because OpenDNS Family Shield is simply not that kind of product.

If you want those, you’ll have to explore a free tool from Microsoft, Google or Mobicip, or a paid product like Norton Family Safety, Qustodio or Bark.

Interface and use

The most effective way to use OpenDNS Family Shield is by setting it up on your router – that way, it filters all of the web traffic that goes through the router across your array of devices.

To set up Family Shield on your router, you’ll have to go into your router’s browser settings and alter its DNS settings – the numbers that control how web traffic flows through the router. Once those settings are saved, web traffic is routed through OpenDNS’s filters, which means inappropriate sites are blocked.

The process will likely be almost identical for most routers, but OpenDNS provides dozens of useful guides, with pictures, for many common models.

That’s great, although people who aren’t technically savvy may still struggle to set OpenDNS Family Shield up because they’re unsure about delving into router or device networking settings – and that’s entirely understandable.

If you want to install OpenDNS filtering on individual devices, like smartphones, then it’s just as easy – and this is an effective way to apply filtering on technology that won’t always be connected to the internet through your home router.

On Android and iOS, it’s as simple as heading to the network settings and changing the DNS configuration. On Windows and macOS, it’s a similar process. And for a huge variety of devices, from phones and games consoles to Linux laptops and Windows devices, OpenDNS provides clear tutorials.

If you want to use OpenDNS Home instead, setup is largely similar – and you can use a web-based dashboard to manage your network, alter filters, and view statistics about network usage.

Support

We’ve already mentioned the wealth of setup guides you can use with OpenDNS Family Shield, and support is comprehensive elsewhere. The Documentation section is full of guides that take a deeper look at OpenDNS technology, and you can delve into configuration if you’d like to use OpenDNS Home instead.

The user forum is extremely busy, so it should be relatively easy to get answers to common technical issues, and there’s a ticket-based system for submitting support requests. Reports online suggest that replies are both quick and helpful.

The only thing missing here is phone support or live chat, but that tends to be offered by larger organizations with parental control apps that have more features. While OpenDNS is certainly a huge company, Family Shield is a relatively basic filter rather than a fully-featured parental control app.

The competition

That status means that it’s quite difficult to weigh up OpenDNS Family Shield with any close rivals – because this web filtering product is unique.

It does a great job of filtering your network, for instance, but you’ll also find excellent filtering in Qustodio and MMGuardian – albeit on individual devices. Both of those products, and Bark, also provide a broader slate of parental control features, even though they are paid-for products.

And if you want parental control without paying a penny, then shop around: Microsoft Family Safety and Google Family Link both have basic filtering, and Qustodio offers a free parental control app for single-device monitoring.

Final verdict

There’s no doubt that OpenDNS Family Shield is an excellent web filter. When applied to your router, it’ll do a tremendous job of blocking inappropriate traffic across every device in your home – and all for free.

When used on smartphones and laptops, it’ll block those same websites when children are using other networks, too, and OpenDNS Home is an ideal next step for customization if you’re comfortable with more technical setup and customization.

Beyond the filter, though, OpenDNS Family Shield has little to offer because it’s not a full parental control suite.

If you’re happy with using a filter on your networks, then Family Shield is a free and effective option. But if you want parental control features like location tracking, screen time restrictions and app control, then you’ll have to look elsewhere – and maybe spend some money, too.

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Some of the best parental control apps that use keylogging, like Spyrix, can sometimes generate spirited discussion around the ethics and morality of tracking literally everything children do on their devices, but their popularity proves that there’s undoubtedly a place for them in the market.

And when it comes to pairing a comprehensive set of features with a tempting price, Spyrix gets off to a good start – because it’s free.

With remote monitoring, app activity, screenshots and reporting all available, there’s no doubt that Spyrix has plenty of ability – but this software is designed for PCs rather than mobile devices, so parents may need to combine this tool with other apps for a more comprehensive picture.

Plans and pricing

As the name suggests, Spyrix Free Keylogger doesn’t cost a penny – a good start for any parent who wants a PC-based keylogging tool.

The free version includes keylogging, app activity, screenshot capturing, USB drive and printer monitoring, keyword alerts and remote monitoring with advertisements included in the interface.

Spyrix is a larger software company with plenty of apps available, though, so you’ve got options if you want a broader monitoring solution and if you’re happy to pay.

If you want to remove adverts and add live viewing, message monitoring, and dozens more features to your children’s PCs, then Spyrix Personal Monitor is your best bet. It costs $79 for a one-PC license, $89 to monitor three devices and $129 to cover five, and if you want to add screen, webcam and call recording, or facial recognition, it costs extra.

Those prices are mirrored for MacOS functionality. There’s an Android version too, called Spyrix Phone Tracker, which adds monitoring across a host of social media apps and messaging tools – although it’s very powerful, prices start at $99.95 annually.

On iOS, there’s a rudimentary tool called Spyrix Viewer, but it’s basic and wasn’t available at the time of writing due to technical maintenance.

Beyond the free tool, then, Spyrix gets expensive, and that leaves it a little weaker when compared with its keylogging rivals.

KidLogger, for instance, has a free version that works on Windows, Android and Mac OS that supports five devices – and as well as keylogging, it monitors calls and can be used to block and limit app access, too.

KidLogger’s paid version is more affordable than Spyrix’s paid options, and it includes many of the same options as Spyrix’s equivalent tools.

The third option here is mSpy. It works well on Android and is packed with features, but it’s very expensive.

Features

Let’s get back to Spyrix Free Keylogger, though – the most likely option for parents who want to easily monitor everything their kids are typing on Windows desktop and laptop devices.

As the name suggests, this app is a keylogger – you’ll see all recorded keystrokes on your child’s device, even if they’re deleted.

(Image credit: Spyrix Free Keylogger)

Parents can view all running applications on child PCs using Spyrix, and also monitor and control the usage of removable USB and SSD drives and even printers.

Spyrix allows parents to see all content copied to the clipboard, record the date and time the computer is used, and capture screenshots of the device without the user's knowledge.

That’s a reasonable set of PC-based keylogging features, especially for a free app, but the paid versions of this tool are far more powerful.

(Image credit: Spyrix Free Keylogger)

If you want to upgrade to Spyrix Personal Monitor you’ll get access to a far more capable piece of software.

Parents can monitor remotely from a secure web account, for starters, and view the device and its cameras live. The paid version includes screen recording, monitoring of popular messaging tools, and facial recognition.

The paid version monitors URLs and search engines, can block websites and alert parents if certain keywords are typed. And if you want to pay even more for Spyrix Personal Monitor Pro, you can add microphone monitoring, webcam snapshots and more features to the list.

(Image credit: Spyrix Free Keylogger)

On Android, Spyrix Phone Tracker includes loads of options, including monitoring across lots of messaging and social media apps, keylogging, scheduled screen, photo and audio recording, social media tracking, call capturing, location tracking, geofencing, app blocking and monitoring and more.

Indeed, that version is more like a traditional parental control app than anything else, but it’s expensive compared to other conventional tools – if you want the full array of features, pricing ranges between $119.95 and $249 annually to protect one to five devices.

Interface and in-use

Spyrix Free Keylogger is easy to use. Download the app from the Spyrix website, create an account and install the app on the target system and you’ll be able to link the tools together and start monitoring. Bear in mind that parents have legal obligations to let children know their devices are being monitored.

Be aware that your system’s antivirus software may flag Spyrix Free Keylogger as a malicious tool, so you may have to allow the download and permit the software to run from within your system or antivirus settings.

Once it’s installed, Spyrix has a conventional Windows app experience, with a slick summary screen highlighting activity in your child’s device and individual modules that allow parents to delve into specific areas to see events, typing, social media activity or anything else.

Support

Spyrix’s support ticket system is available 24/7 by emailing the company, and Spyrix assures customers that replies will arrive within 48 hours.

Elsewhere, the Spyrix website has a comprehensive online manual that takes users through the basics of installing and setting up apps, but that’s it.

It’s not a particularly impressive support offering. Many companies offer faster responses, loads of rivals have more comprehensive knowledge bases and FAQ sections, and some even offer phone and live chat support.

The competition

KidLogger and mSpy both have similarly underwhelming support options, so that certainly seems to be a trend with keylogging tools. A conventional parental control tool will be a better option if you want better support, including phone and live chat help or a customer forum.

And in terms of pure keylogging software, Spyrix Free Keylogger may not be your best choice, either. KidLogger’s free version is more versatile thanks to a broader range of features and Android support.

If you want to pay for keylogging software Spyrix suffers from high pricing. KidLogger is more affordable while maintaining a similar slate of features.

We wouldn’t consider mSpy, though. Its keylogging abilities are fine and it includes conventional parental control features too, but it’s very expensive. Want a keylogger? Both Spyrix and KidLogger are better. Want parental control? Check out Qustodio or Bark.

Final verdict

Spyrix Free Keylogger is an effective PC monitoring tool with plenty of functionality, but it does have some severe weaknesses.

It only works on Windows, for starters – if you want keylogging functionality and more features on other platforms, you’ve got to pay for it.

If you want a free keylogging app, then KidLogger is a much better option thanks to its increased functionality. And while Spyrix is much better if you’re willing to pay, KidLogger offers a comparable array of features at a lower price.

Spyrix Free Keylogger is effective, but other apps are much better – so if you do want keylogging, shop around.

The best parental control apps differ in terms of the level of trust they provide to children – some offer more freedom, only reporting notable activity to parents, while others track everything children do on their device. KidLogger falls into the latter category.

That may not work for some parents, but it’s ideal if you need to closely monitor what your children are doing. And, as an added bonus, there’s a free version available – suitable if you want to save some pennies, too.

Plans and pricing

With the free version of KidLogger, you can monitor up to five devices and keep logs and histories for 18 days. You get a meagre 18MB of cloud storage space for storage.

The Standard plan costs $9 for three months of access, $17 for six months of usage, and £29 for one year – so that latter option is the best deal. It retains the five-device limit, which means it won’t be suitable for larger families with numerous devices, but it does increase the storage to 400MB and keeps logs for 60 days – both much better options than the free product.

That plan also adds features, including analytics, email reporting, dedicated technical support, and screenshotting.

The most powerful option is the Professional tool. This product allows parents to monitor ten devices, keep logs for 90 days and use 1GB of cloud storage, and it costs $89 for a year of access.

At this tier, you get scheduled email reports, more in-depth options for monitoring messenger apps, phone calls and cameras, the option to hide the software on children’s phones and powerful keylogging features.

Features

There will, of course, but many parents are unhappy with the prospect of using a keylogger that takes screenshots, looks through the camera, and listens to phone calls. There are plenty of parental control tools that are less intrusive.

It’s also worth checking whether this type of app is even legal in your country – in some countries, using such a keylogger may contravene the law.

If you do need that level of control and it’s legal, though, there’s no denying that Keylogger gets the job done, and it works on Android, Windows and Mac OS – so there’s more platform support than you’ll find on most parental control apps.

(Image credit: Kidlogger)

You’ll notice that iOS is missing because KidLogger is extremely limited on Apple’s smartphones, essentially functioning as a location tracker with little else available.

KidLogger will let you record keystrokes and, on certain platforms, text copied to the clipboard. It’ll monitor web history on Edge, Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Safari, and track the amount of time your children spend using their devices.

The app can log all external drives connected to devices, record the names of files and folders that are opened, take screenshots of the device every five minutes, and even take screenshots when children type particular keywords.

(Image credit: Kidlogger)

It monitors chats and messages on apps like Facebook Messenger, Kik, WhatsApp, and Viber, and tracks the most frequently used applications on your children’s devices.

On certain platforms, like Android, you can track location, record incoming and outgoing calls, monitor text message content and view all the photos taken with the camera.

(Image credit: Kidlogger)

And if that wasn’t enough, there’s now an offline mode that tracks activity and reports back once the children’s device reconnects to the internet – and an option to prevent any unauthorized user from removing the app’s monitoring abilities.

At certain product tiers, you can block websites and apps, and because KidLogger monitors everything, it does a better job of tracking direct messages, notes and search terms – things that other apps may struggle to track.

(Image credit: Kidlogger)

KidLogger doesn’t have traditional social media monitoring, even if it does have its keylogging and screenshotting features, and if you want to create screen time and app usage schedules then you’ll need to install a separate app. Using this module, parents can also allow kids to use certain apps without any time limits.

Also bear in mind that KidLogger does not support conventional website and content filtering options, but this is a philosophical choice: because while KidLogger tracks everything your children do on their devices, it’s not designed to be particularly restrictive with what they do.

It’s an app about tracking what they’re doing – not stopping them from doing it.

(Image credit: Kidlogger)Interface and in-use

KidLogger is easy to install across all platforms, and its dashboard is easy to use, with clear sections for screenshots, messages, web usage, text records and other data that has been gathered from children’s devices.

The user interface doesn’t look particularly attractive due to its old-fashioned and basic design, but it’s very straightforward, making it easy to access the content you need to see.

There are few options here for actually interacting with your children’s devices – you won’t be able to check in, message, or restrict usage like you can with other tools.

Support

Head to the KidLogger website, and you can log a support ticket, consult the forum and browse knowledge base articles, and you can also email KidLogger directly. The company aims to respond to queries in 48 hours.

In terms of support, though, that’s it – don’t expect live chat or phone support from this relatively small organization.

The competition

KidLogger falls behind most of the competition in terms of its interface – tools like Qustodio and Bark are far more visually appealing.

Bark does a better job of monitoring social media and using AI to stay on top of new trends, and Qustodio is available on many platforms, including iOS.

The best alternative to keylogging is mSpy, which offers many of the same features as KidLogger – but that app is also more expensive. It’s worth weighing up the features of both to decide which one is more applicable to your situation.

Final verdict

KidLogger may not be a moral or legal choice in your family or location but if you do want a logging app for your children’s devices, there are few better than this – especially on Android.

It’ll track everything that children do on their phone, even going beyond texts with its screenshotting, camera monitoring and call recording, and it works on Windows devices too.

You’ll need to look elsewhere if you want a service that can block websites and apps and allow you to control your children’s screen time, but this is a first-class tool if you want to log, monitor and keep track of children’s device habits.

Mobicip is positioned as one of the best parental control app for busy parents who want to restrict the impact of big tech companies on their children’s lives, and it’s got Family Voice and Mom’s Choice Awards to back up its claims about protecting kids.

Mobicip also claims that “more than 2 million parents” love its app, and that it can protect kids from social media, apps, websites and excessive screen time.

It can be a little pricey, though, and faces strong competition, so should you consider Mobicip if you want to protect your children?

Plans and pricing

That pricing, for instance, can ramp up if you want the maximum level of protection available from this service.

Mobicip’s Premium package costs $7.99/£6.26 per month if you pay annually, and that tier includes protection for 20 devices and every feature that Mobicip offers.

Qustodio, meanwhile, costs $7.44/£5.83 per month if billed annually and that includes support for unlimited devices, and Norton Family is even cheaper. Bark is more expensive, though, but does go further than almost anything else when it comes to social media monitoring.

If you’d rather not shell out for Mobicip’s premium package, the Standard tool supports ten devices and costs $4.99/£3.91 per month if purchased annually. You don’t get social media monitoring or app timers with that tier, though – and those are two of the biggest draws of any parental control tool. Similarly, the Lite package is affordable at $2.99/£2.34 per month, but it omits those features and only supports five devices.

Mobicip is one of the pricier parental control apps on the market, but that Premium package is still the best value by some way thanks to its features. And, pleasingly, there’s a seven-day free trial and thirty-day money-back guarantee.

Final verdict

Mobicip setup is easy and the ability to filter content by keyword gives you more control over web blocking. It's missing some common features, though - can't set an overall device usage time, for instance, just a schedule - and dated app lists and poorly chosen default settings mean you'll need to pay extra attention when setting up.

Features

Mobicip’s screen time scheduling is immediately impressive. Parents can create specific schedules for homework, sleeping or school time.

Daily screen time limits are available and, in an innovative twist on screen time features, parents can call for “family time” by locking all managed devices instantly – perfect for grabbing people’s attention.

(Image credit: Mobicip)

You can create an unlimited number of custom filters, build schedules with five-minute increments, and allow or restrict apps or websites based on categories, too. There’s also a Vacation Mode feature that parents can deploy to allow more leniency.

This is comfortably one of the best scheduling tools on the market thanks to its great set of features – the only thing missing is the ability to set time limits for individual apps.

If you want to ensure that phones don’t capture attention, Mobicip allows parents to limit time spent on apps that hit certain categories, like social media or games, and particular apps can also be blocked entirely – while others can be put on a safe list.

(Image credit: Mobicip)

Mobicip’s web filtering comes with 20 different categories of inappropriate content alongside the ability to block adult content, block specific words and block specific websites. Parents can also use a “whitelist-only” mode that allows children to only browse a list of pre-approved sites.

GPS functionality extends to a family locator tool, location sharing and geofencing – an ideal slate of location-specific options, even if Mobicip doesn’t have the innovative driving abilities found in some rival tools. Its geofencing includes a 1,000m radius, which is more generous than many other apps – even if Norton is wider still.

When it comes to reporting, parents can access a slick dashboard that provides browsing histories, location histories, your children’s access requests and a graphical representation of screen time usage displaying the categories of content your kids use the most – like social media apps, games or browsers.

Children also have access to a dashboard where they can request more screen time or ask to access blocked apps.

And if you want multiple people to be able to manage the app, parents can add trusted guardians or contacts using a straightforward and secure invitation system.

Elsewhere, Mobicip monitors Facebook and Snapchat for harmful content, but that’s it for social media monitoring – a poor showing compared to most rivals and, notably, Bark.

You can’t set time limits for individual apps on Mobicip, only categories of apps, and Mobicip doesn’t monitor text messages or calls.

Interface and in-use

It’s very easy to get started with Mobicip: download the app, allow permissions, and off you go. And, impressively, Mobicip works across loads of platforms, from Android and iOS to Windows, macOS, Chromebook and even Kindle.

In-depth guides make setup and configuration even easier, and parents can duplicate settings across multiple child devices – ideal for families with more than one child.

(Image credit: Mobicip)

Mobicip’s web interfaces and apps are clean, intuitive and easy to use, too: for kids, it’s easy to check their screen time allowances and schedules. For parents, it’s simple to find every setting required and to access activity reports and analytics.

Support

This is another area where Mobicip goes above and beyond many rivals. As well as submitting a support ticket, parents can schedule a call with Mobicip’s customer service teams – ideal if you want to speak to a human.

An AI-powered chatbot provides answers to simpler questions, and there are loads of guides with useful imagery on Mobicip’s website.

It’s a good support option, with callbacks available alongside more conventional email support and loads of comprehensive articles.

The competition

Mobicip is a strong contender when it comes to parental control, but it still has rivals that are better in some areas.

Bark, for instance, is a much better option for social media monitoring – which is one of Mobicip’s weaker departments. MMGuardian, meanwhile, is better for checking calls and messages.

Qustodio and Norton Family are both cheaper than Mobicip, with the former supporting an unlimited number of devices and offering more robust social media and message monitoring too.

Final verdict

Social media and messaging are the two areas where Mobicip could be better, then, and if these are important to you, then we recommend you look elsewhere.

That said, Mobicip impresses in loads of other departments. Its filtering is effective, and its screen time and scheduling options are among the best you’ll find anywhere. Its location-tracking features are strong, too, and this app is attractive and easy to use for parents and children.

Customer support is excellent, its activity reporting is comprehensive, and it does some innovative things with scheduling and screen time that some rivals simply don’t offer – like its Vacation Mode or Family Time settings.

Mobicip is a little pricier than some tools, and it’s not ideal if you want to monitor social media. But if you need filtering, screen time controls and GPS-based functionality, Mobicip is one of the best parental control apps around.

• We've also featured the best free parental control software

Mous Charging Station with Qi2 review

The Mous Charging Station with Qi2 is a 2-in-1 wireless charger featuring a raised Qi2 pad for compatible smartphone charging and an inlaid Qi pad for wireless earbud charging. It also has an 18W USB-C output on the back and a Pogo connector on the right-hand side, meaning it can be teamed with a USB-C cable or the Mous Elevated Apple Watch Charger to power up additional devices.

Available from the Mous website and Amazon, the Mous Charging Station with Qi2 comes in a choice of three finishes: Walnut, Aramid Fiber, and Matte Black. The list price varies from $79.99 – $89.99 / £69.99 – £79.99, depending on the finish, with Matte Black costing the least, and Aramid Fiber being the most expensive.

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(Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future)

As things stand at the time of writing, I’d highly recommend purchasing this charging station directly from Mous rather than Amazon. This is because Mous includes the 65W power adapter needed to run the charging station efficiently when ordered from their website, but for some reason, one isn’t included when purchasing from Amazon. This would have made some sense if the Amazon listings were discounted, but as I type this, they are in fact more expensive than buying from Mous directly. Go figure!

Aside from this, everything else appears to be the same. There’s a 59-inch / 1.5m USB-C to USB-C charging cable with a soft braided outer included, which, if you’ve seen my guide to the best wireless chargers, you’ll already know is a big positive, as these woven coverings can significantly increase cable lifespan, plus they tend to look a bit nicer, too.

(Image credit: Future)

The charging speeds of the Mous Charging Station with Qi2 delivered were fairly average, taking 132 minutes to fully charge our testing iPhone 13 Pro, which has a 2,600mAh battery capacity, and 269 minutes to charge our 4,610mAh Xiaomi 14, when charged separately.

As it only weighs 9.6oz / 272g, and the non-slip base is a little, well, slippy, this isn’t the sturdiest charging station out there. This light weight is good news if you intend to use it in different locations, but as it was so easy to shuffle it across my desktop every time I touched my phone, I’d wager this isn’t the charging station you’re looking for if you want something that’ll stay put. Skittishness aside, I was pleased with the strong grip of the Qi2 pad and had no concerns over my phone being knocked from it.

The Mous Charging Station with Qi2 looks good aesthetically and appears to be well-made. The materials feel and look nice, including the top surface of the charging station, which is actual walnut, rather than just a printed effect. The entire unit feels suitably robust, with no flexing, despite my best efforts. The only thing that let the aesthetics down was the Mous logo on the top, as some of the white finish was missing, leaving black specks behind.

(Image credit: Future)

I was pleased to find that Mous had used mostly paper-based packaging for the Charging Station with Qi2, though the unnecessary plastic wrap around the housing of the USB-C connectors and what seemed to be a plastic coating on the paper cable ties mean there’s some room for improvement.

For the most part, it was fairly easy to clean the Mous Charging Station with Qi2 when it got dusty, as most of the surfaces were smooth and easy to wipe down. The only sticking points were the fine gap around the edge of the walnut plate, the debossed Mous logo, and the silicone ring of the Qi charging pad, which dust really liked to cling to.

(Image credit: Future)

Overall, I’d say the Mous Charging Station with Qi2 is pretty pricey for an average-performing charging station. That being said, it is very nicely made, and the real Aramid Fiber and Walnut material plates might make it worth the cost if you want something a little more interesting than your run-of-the-mill black plastic finishes. So if aesthetics and the ability to charge extra devices are your top priority, then you’ll be quite happy with the Mous Charging Station with Qi2. If you’ll only be charging one device at a time, and like the sound of good charging speeds at a fraction of the cost of the Mous Charging Station with Qi2, I’d recommend checking out the ESR Qi2 Mini Wireless Charger instead.

Mous Charging Station with Qi2 review: Price & specs

Price

$79.99 – $89.99 / £69.99 – £79.99

Model tested

A839

Output

15W Qi2, 5-7.5W Qi, 18W USB-C, 5W Pogo connector

Devices charged

2 wirelessly, more with add-ons

Connection

USB-C

Charging tech

Qi, Qi2

Recommended input

60W

Weight

272g

Dimensions

175mm x W: 87.5mm x H: 20.1mm​

Should I buy the Mous Charging Station with Qi2?Buy it if…

You want a fancier finish
The use of aramid fiber and walnut sets this charging station apart from its competitors, making it worth considering if you want something a little different from run-of-the-mill black plastic chargers.

You want something expandable
It’s not uncommon to find wireless charging stations with a USB-C output, but as these are often limited to 5W for Apple Watch Charging, it’s good to see an 18W output on offer here. Not only that, there’s the option to add on an Apple Watch charging module via the Pogo connector.

Don't buy it if…

You want a steadfast station
The light weight and inefficient non-slip areas on this dual pad charger meant it wasn’t difficult to knock it around as I charged my phone on my desktop.

You want a charger that’s easy to dust
While the majority of the charger is easy to wipe clean, the silicone areas and gaps on the surface make things more difficult when it comes to keeping this charging station dust-free.

Mous Charging Station with Qi2 review: Also consider

ESR Qi2 Mini Wireless Charger
If you’re after something cheaper and faster, and you’re happy to charge one device at a time, then this Qi2 charging pad is worth considering. It delivered satisfying charging speeds, plus it’s easy to hold and has a reinforced cable, making it a bargain buy considering the low price. If you’d like to learn more, check out my full ESR Qi2 Mini Wireless Charger review.

It’s impossible to avoid Microsoft if you’ve got a family full of tech - with laptops, PCs, smartphones and games consoles full of Redmond’s software, they’re everywhere.

But while that might sound all-encompassing, it might not be a bad idea if you need a parental control app. With features that smoothly integrate with your existing tech and a free price, Microsoft Family Safety could be the parental control app that your family needs.

• Interested in Microsoft Family Safety? Check out the website here

Plans and pricing

There’s not much to say here, because Microsoft Family Safety is free - so you don’t have to fork out any cash, you don’t need to investigate different product tiers and their varying features, and you don’t have to mess around hunting for deals or registering for free trials.

Microsoft Family Safety is also included with Microsoft 365 subscriptions and Windows 11 operating systems.

Features

Family Safety runs on Windows, Xbox, Android, and Apple devices, and parents can also use Mac OS computers to access the web dashboard and monitor their children. Bear in mind, though, that you can’t install Family Safety on Mac OS devices used by your children - on Apple’s desktop and laptop OS, it’s a one-way street.

(Image credit: Microsoft Family Safety)

It’s easy to get started with Family Safety - more on that later - and once you’re up and running, the app has a decent set of core parental control features, at least on paper.

Take web filtering, for instance: while this is a core component of any good parental control app and rivals like Qustodio do a tremendous job, on Microsoft Family Safety you’re only able to filter the Microsoft Edge browser. That might work for Microsoft, which wants to keep people using its own software, but that’s not practical in families where people want to use Chrome, Safari or other browsers.

Many alternative browsers are just blocked by the app instead, and it’s possible for parents to block individual websites - and allow favored ones, too.

Frustratingly, Microsoft Family Safety doesn’t let parents see the categories of content it blocks, and users report frequent issues with unsafe websites not being blocked and not being flagged on the parent dashboard.

(Image credit: Microsoft Family Safety)

Family Safety’s screen time functionality didn’t impress all that much, either. Initially, all seems well: you can set schedules for your children’s devices, save them easily, and customize them for different days. On Android, parents can set limits on a per-app basis, too.

But a deeper dive by intrepid users online suggests that device screen time limits don’t work particularly well on Android - some reports suggest that children could continue using their devices even when contravening their scheduled limits.

Elsewhere, app blocking and whitelisting are supported and parents can allow children app access if kids send a request from their phones.

Family Safety’s location tracking features are basic. These features only work in the parents’ app on Android and iOS devices, not the web dashboard. Geofencing is only supported for Microsoft 365 subscribers - so while Family Safety is free, you’ve got to pay for 365 to get access to that feature.

Delve deeper into Family Safety’s location functionality and you will find one innovation - the Drive Safety mode. If a teen activates the feature, parents can see their route, speed and any abrupt braking. It’s welcome, but apps like Bark provide similar functionality.

What’s missing from Family Safety? Sadly, quite a lot. Outside of its web filtering, there’s no social media, messaging app or text message monitoring, and none of the camera and audio features that you’ll find in some more forward-thinking tools. You also can’t shut down or take control of child devices using Microsoft Family Safety.

Interface and in-use

Family Safety is very easy to use: install the app, grant some basic permissions and build a family group using people’s Outlook addresses, phone numbers or alternative emails and you’re good to go.

(Image credit: Microsoft Family Safety)

In a nod towards transparency, children can see the restrictions they’re under on their app’s dashboard.

On Windows devices, functionality is similar - you just make your children a new account on the device rather than using their phone number.

(Image credit: Microsoft Family Safety)

Once you’re all set up, Family Safety is exceedingly easy to use. The interface is clean and spacious with familiar Microsoft green accents, and everything is laid out well - all of the key options are in obvious places.

Support

Microsoft Family Safety’s website includes setup guides, FAQs and troubleshooting tips that should solve most common issues, and Microsoft’s busy forum is also available for more specific queries.

In-app support and reporting is available on Android and iOS, and the central Microsoft support website is available if you need to get in touch with Microsoft – although that does mean delving into the support functionality of one of the world’s biggest companies, and that means a likely slow response.

The competition

There’s no doubt that Family Safety has impressive rivals. Take Qustodio: it has far better web filtering and monitoring than Microsoft’s tool and it’s excellent for families that have lots of devices.

Bark outpaces Microsoft’s tool for social media and email monitoring, too.

Final verdict

There are certainly some areas where Microsoft Family Safety fights back. It’s free, for starters, and is easier to use for families that already use the Microsoft ecosystem through PCs, laptops or games consoles alongside smartphones.

It’s easy to use, too, and has accessible and moderately effective filtering, location-tracking, app management and screen time features.

That said, there are serious limitations in all of those departments, the iOS app is more limited than the Android version, and its rivals – while not free – are far more capable in every key area.

If you want basic parental control without spending any money, Microsoft Family Safety is easy to use and already available for loads of families. But if you’re at all serious about parental control, look elsewhere.

• We've also featured the best free parental control software

If your family uses Android devices and you don’t want to pay extra for one of the best parental control apps, then it can be tempting to turn to Google Family Link – Android’s own parental control suite.

Unsurprisingly, this tool works well with Google’s own apps, like Search, Chrome and YouTube, and it can save you money because you’re not investing elsewhere.

But a deeper dive into its features reveals some missing capabilities when compared to other apps – so let’s find out if it’s a false economy.

• Want to try Google Family Link? Check out the website here

Features

We’ve skipped our usual “Plans and pricing” section because there’s nothing to say beyond the fact that this app is free.

Before you get started, it’s worth checking Family Link’s device compatibility, too. For kids, Family Link is compatible with Android devices running version 7.0 or higher. However, only certain settings will function on devices using Android 5.0 or 6.0. There’s no kids app for iOS.

For parents, the control app runs on Android devices running Android 5.0 or higher or iOS devices running iOS 11 or higher.

That last point is a boon because it means you can use Family Link on children’s devices even if you’re a parent on iOS.

(Image credit: Google Family Link)

Family Link allows users to set screen time controls, including downtime and app-specific time limits. Parents can also manage app, website, and extension permissions and downloads through the control software.

You can always see your child’s location thanks to Google’s mapping prowess, too.

(Image credit: Google Family Link)

Delve into many of these features, though, and you’ll discover that they’re relatively basic.

You can set device usage limits and restricted times for your children, with support for 15-minute increments, so they won’t be browsing their phones during school hours or bedtime, for instance.

Device locking is supported, and you can also give your children always-on access to certain apps. But when compared to other tools, like Bark or Qustodio, Google’s Family Link is pretty basic here.

The filtering is relatively rudimentary, too. While there’s no doubt that Google’s SafeSearch filtering works very well by blocking or blurring unsuitable text and images, other apps offer dozens of categories to choose from if you want to block specific topics, and you can’t go any further than SafeSearch here. You can block certain sites and allow others, but you’ll have more control elsewhere. And while Family Link filters YouTube, too, the options here are still fairly basic.

More impressive is Family Link’s app capability. You can see exactly which apps your children have installed and either block or limit their usage individually.

Content restrictions are available for Google Play, and you can prevent your children from making purchases as well – handy if you want them to stop spending a lot of money on addictive games. You can also prevent app installation from unknown sources and stop your children from adding or removing users from their devices or delving into the Developer options.

Unsurprisingly, Google’s location tracking is very accurate, and you can set up geofenced locations with decent radius limits – although other apps are even wider here.

You’ll get notified if children leave the area. One smart addition is the ability to view your child’s battery status, allowing you to spot if they’re about to run out of charge, too.

One notable omission here, though, is location history – it’s simply not available.

Elsewhere, Family Link doesn’t include text or call monitoring, and across basically every part of the app you don’t get the granular control you’ll find on other tools. Other apps also offer more comprehensive activity monitoring, including email and social media monitoring. And when your kids are 13, they can opt out of the monitoring if they wish.

Interface and in-use

As you’d expect from a Google app, Family Link is a sleek and minimalist piece of software that looks clean and uncluttered. It’s easy for parents and kids to navigate most of the settings available, which means setup is quick.

That’s great if you want an app that doesn’t overwhelm you with information, but it also means that some crucial bits of info can be hard to find.

(Image credit: Google Family Link)

You’ll need to use different screens to check children’s app and YouTube usage, for instance, and you'll also have to delve into various menus to view their web history. Many competitors make it easier to access this information, offering more centralized access to reports, alerts, and details.

Setup is easy, at least: because this is an official Google product, you don’t have to deal with the sideloading that's sometimes required elsewhere.

Support

Unsurprisingly, from a computing behemoth like Google, Family Link’s support is a little sporadic and impersonal.

If you need help you’ll need to go through Google’s official channels, and you’ll probably not get a fast response.

Thankfully, there are plenty of good knowledge base articles in the help center, but that’s it. If you want more extensive or faster support, a dedicated app will be far better.

The competition

Norton Family, for instance, has much better support, with live chat, and Qustodio has phone support available for people in certain tiers.

There’s also no denying that those apps are more extensive in terms of features, even if competitors fall short in certain areas: Norton doesn’t do well with text and call monitoring either, and Qustodio can be pricey.

Final verdict

Google Family Link’s free price is one of its biggest selling points, then, and elsewhere its key strength comes from its granular, powerful app controls and its decent screen time and scheduling options.

Go beyond this, though, and Google Family Link is lacking. You may have to pay for rivals, but they have far more extensive filtering and location tracking and work on a broader array of devices.

Google Family Link is ideal if you want to use it alongside one of those apps, perhaps to control Google Play usage or double up on filtering to have an extra safety net. But it’s just not powerful enough to function as your primary parental control tool.

• We've picked out the best free parental control software

The best parental control apps, like Bark, are becoming increasingly popular as the web gets increasingly dangerous for young people – and with features like screen time management, website and app blocking and location tracking available, it’s no wonder.

Bark was founded by Brian Bason, the current CEO, in 2015. It’s grown to become one of the biggest names in the parental control space, with 7.5 million children covered by its services – and, admirably, it’s detected millions of potential self-harm and bullying situations alongside loads of other threats.

Should you consider Bark for your parental control needs, though, or should you look elsewhere? Let’s find out.

Plans and pricing

Bark’s core service, its monitoring app, is available with two different plans. The more affordable plan, Bark Jr, costs $5 per month or $49 per year and allows parents to control screen time, filter websites and apps and monitor for appropriate content. It also offers location tracking and check-in features.

The more expensive plan, Bark Premium, costs $14 per month or $99 for a year and adds social media, email, and YouTube monitoring on phones, tablets, and computers. That pricier product also includes advice and tips from child psychologists and web search monitoring.

Bear in mind that right now the app only works in the US, Guam, South Africa and Australia.

Bark’s size and popularity mean that the company has branched out beyond the app, too.

The Bark Phone integrates many of the app’s features into a kid-friendly smartphone with automatic monitoring capabilities. The Starter Plan costs $29 per month and doesn’t allow apps, social media or browsing, so it’s ideal for younger children. The Advanced Plan costs $39 per month and adds those features – with parental controls – for older children.

The Bark Watch monitors texts, tracks locations, manages contacts, and includes an emergency SOS button. It costs $15 per month and includes a Bark Premium subscription.

Finally, there’s Bark Home, which is a small device that connects to your home internet to monitor screen time, content and apps for every device in your home. It costs $6 per month.

Features

We’re here to discuss the Bark app, though, and there’s no denying that there’s plenty to talk about.

Firstly, it’s essential to note that, like many parental control tools, Bark can monitor various services and apps on both Android and iOS devices. This is because of how easily Bark’s software works with those operating systems. For Bark, Android is the most comprehensive platform.

On Android, Bark currently monitors 27 different apps. The list includes big social media names, like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, X and TikTok, alongside messaging services like WhatsApp, Kik, Slack and Discord. It covers cloud storage services like OneDrive and Google Drive, apps like ChatGPT, Spotify and Steam, and gaming platforms like Roblox.

(Image credit: Bark)

Beyond that, Bark on Android monitors Google Chrome, Firefox, and the device's default browsers, email clients including Outlook, Gmail, AOL, Comcast, and iCloud, and the device’s texts, photos, and videos.

On iOS, add Yahoo Mail to the list. On Apple’s platform, Bark only includes complete monitoring for 15 apps, and that list does not include TikTok, Snapchat, Skype or Discord.

When a potential event is detected, the parent gets a real-time alert to intervene, and different alerting methods are available, including texts, emails, or push notifications.

(Image credit: Bark)

Bark also offers comprehensive features to limit children’s online time, including blocking websites and controlling screen time with a range of granular options – although it's worth noting that a complete website history is not available. Bark will only update you if it’s flagged for your chosen topics.

But, with Bark, that’s the idea. It’s not a keylogger or a tracker, and relies on a certain level of trust between parent and child – so you get alerting and reporting, but not a complete picture.

A similar approach is deployed for Bark’s location tracking. You get alerts when your children are at specific locations, rather than 24/7 tracking. If they drive, you get a summary of their travel and top speed.

Elsewhere, Bark is a smart bit of software with some unfortunate blind spots. Its machine learning is great at catching the latest trends and slang words, and it can spot if your child is using VPNs or trying to create alternative accounts for services and apps, but it can’t block offline apps.

To play into the trust involved here, children can uninstall Back – albeit with a warning. If they try to install risky apps, parents will get a warning and parents can block, but that’s not automatic.

Interface and in-use

Bark’s apps and desktop interfaces are excellent: clear, straightforward, and attractive. A dashboard provides a summary of the rules you’ve set for your children and their activity over the last seven days, and parents get a weekly report via email too.

Individual reports are clear, which makes it easy to see what’s been flagged and why, and alerts that need attention are displayed prominently.

(Image credit: Bark)Support

Bark offers email and live chat support, online guides and forums, and an AI assistant can provide easy access to articles and triage basic issues.

On the Bark website you’ll find how-to videos that explain the app’s key features, and plenty of support articles.

There isn’t any phone support, though, which may be a dealbreaker for parents who want quick responses while talking to a real person.

The competition

Bark faces plenty of competition as one of the larger names in the sector. Qustodio is one of the other big names, and it suffers from some of the same issues: it’s far more powerful on Android than on iOS, for starters.

It’s stronger on screen time limits and web filtering, but it’s a little more expensive.

Elsewhere, Google Family Link is free, even if it’s a bit more basic than Bark, and Mobicip is a good alternative if you want real-time activity monitoring and location tracking.

Bark: Final verdict

Bark may not have every feature available, but it does excel when it comes to tracking key social media apps and other services that are popular with kids and teens – indeed, few apps track as many apps on Android as Bark.

Elsewhere, Bark is easy to use and relatively affordable, making it a good option for maintaining some level of trust with your children.

Be aware, though, that it only works in certain countries, and it’s not suitable if you want an app that provides complete tracking.

• We've picked out the best free parental control software

There are few more prominent names in cybersecurity than Norton. Norton Family tries to leverage that recognition and trust into one of the best parental control apps that protects your children when they’re using the internet.

With a wide feature set that includes screen time controls, inappropriate content filters, app restrictions, and location checkers, it’s clear that Norton Family provides many of the options that busy families with digitally savvy children need.

Some of the features have more depth than you’ll find on other parental control apps, too, but there are questions about how effective Norton Family is on Apple’s iOS platform – so let’s find out if Norton’s product is the right option for protecting your children.

Plans and pricing

Norton Family gets off to an impressive start: it costs just $49.99/£29.99 per year. That stellar price undercuts many rivals – top tools like Qustodio and Bark cost $89.36/£69.95 and $99 for a year of access to their upper-tier products. Mobicip’s pricing also sits in the same category as Qustodio and Bark.

Because Norton offers so many consumer cybersecurity products, it’s easy to get Norton Family included in other products.

Norton 360 Deluxe, for instance, includes Norton’s parental control features alongside a secure VPN, dark web monitoring, and scam protection. It costs $49.99/£29.99 for the first year, with a renewal price of $119.99/£89.99.

And if you want to add even more features, Norton 360 Premium or Select Plus costs $99.99/£99.99.

Those prices may look high, but remember that they’re for broader security products that happen to include Norton Family features, so they still represent excellent value.

If you’re still unsure if Norton Family is right for you, there’s a thirty-day free trial – a generous offer that’s longer than many other free trials. Bear in mind, though, that there’s no free version of Norton Family.

Features

Web filtering is one of Norton Family’s strongest areas. Parents can block websites using 45 pre-defined categories of inappropriate content – more than many rivals.

Norton tries to give children some trust with its web filtering too: parents can choose to warn children about sites and let them decide whether to proceed. Kids will also be able to see why particular sites have been blocked.

Differing access levels are also allowed depending on age groups, with specific categories of content permitted for older children, and there is the usual option to allow or block specific sites.

Norton also monitors how your children use search engines, and has an option to always enable safe searching across various browsers on Android – but on iOS, this only works using Norton’s own browser. Also note that Norton Family doesn’t work on child Mac OS devices at all.

Reports for parents show your child’s web history, including which blocked sites they’ve tried to access, their search histories and their YouTube history. Norton’s web filtering works across Android and iOS, with browser extension options for desktop and laptop browsers. It’s a comprehensive, effective system.

The impressive filtering extends to apps, too. Parents are presented with a list of apps installed on child devices, blocking is simple, and each app has an activity report for parents to see when the app was installed and how much it’s used. Newly-installed apps are even given a special highlight on Android devices.

Set a device to school time and it can only access educational web categories (Image credit: Norton)

The only thing missing here is the ability to set app time limits – a feature you’ll find on many rivals, including Qustodio.

Norton’s screen time schedules can be built in thirty-minute increments – that’s fine, but apps like Mobicip allow more granular control. Parents can set screen time limits on different days or just restrict devices at night, and it also has a selection of effective pre-defined schedules for children of different ages. There’s also a specific module for setting more restrictive limits during school hours – that education option includes additional web filtering to further restrict the content children can access.

Kids can request more screen time – a feature you’ll find in Mobicip but not in Qustodio – and screen time reports are displayed easily, with clear graphs showing usage.

(Image credit: Norton)

Norton Family includes the usual array of location-based features. There’s real-time tracking, and the geofencing tool includes a generous radius of 3,200m (2 miles) – the largest we’ve seen on any parental control app.

Parents can set up alerts to find out where kids are located at particular times of day. Norton’s emphasis on trusting children also extends to an option where kids can perform check-ins and choose to share their location – rather than parents automatically viewing the location.

Elsewhere, Norton allows parents to instantly lock child devices and prevent app uninstallation with additional security features, but Norton Family does not monitor text messages or calls – or what your children are posting and messaging on social media apps. If you do need that feature, Bark is your best option.

Interface and in-use

Norton’s parental control apps are available on Android, iOS and the Edge, Chrome and Firefox browsers, while child apps can be installed on Android, Windows and iOS devices.

No matter what platform you’re using, Norton Family is very easy to set up with a familiar process that requires account registration and allowing the typical range of app permissions on child devices.

That ease-of-use continues to using Norton Family. The kids apps allow children to browse the web using the Norton Family Browser and it’s easy for children to find the option to send a check-in to parents, see the rules they’ve been set, or ask for a time extension.

Parent apps are similarly well designed, with clean design and options in sensible places. Altering settings is simple, and the app's web version is just as straightforward to use.

Support

Norton Family’s entry-level support module includes loads of helpful, well-produced guides and a busy forum for asking questions. If you need to contact Norton support, there are phone and live chat options that are open 24/7 – the benefit of dealing with a large business like Norton rather than a smaller organization that can’t provide that level of access.

If you’d like more support, including faster access to experts, then you can also pay for Norton Ultimate Help Desk. This provides quicker and more comprehensive support, but it costs $99.99/£99.99 annually.

Also note that Norton’s array of support options doesn’t always mean you’ll get a good answer.

The sheer size of Norton means that some users report that some of Norton’s customer support representatives are not particularly helpful with queries about Norton Family features – if you’ve got a specific query then you’ll need to get lucky and land a knowledgeable support representative if you don’t want to get generic and vague answers.

The competition

Still, those support options are excellent, and align with what you get with Qustodio’s Care Plus package. Bark’s support is reasonable, but it still can’t compete.

Elsewhere, Norton competes reasonably well on value thanks to its great pricing, but its biggest competitors offer more features: Qustodio is stronger on call and SMS monitoring, and Bark is better with social media.

MMGuardian is worth considering if you want improved web filtering, and Mobicip has great scheduling and screen time functionality, even if it fails on social media and messaging in the same way as Norton.

Final verdict

Norton Family, then, sits in a tricky spot. It’s an effective, competent parental control product that offers great value and a good range of features – and it’s very easy to use, too.

However, it falls behind on social media, call and text message monitoring, and it could perform better on iOS, too. And, importantly, rivals go better in all of these areas, with more power and innovation.

There’s still a place for Norton Family, though: it’s a good, well-rounded parental control app, it’s affordable, and it’s very easy to use. It helps that it’s included with many other Norton apps too.

If you want a straightforward, effective tool that’s easy to use – and trust Norton’s brand and other products – then this is worth its good-value prices. But if you need social media or messaging monitoring, or want more power, then shop around.

• We've also featured the best free parental control software