What Is the Best Parental Control App for iOS?

Looking for an iOS app that will help you protect your kids while they are on their phones? Look no further, our team is here to extend a helping hand. So many different parental control or monitoring app our there so what is the best parental control app for your iOS devices, let it be iPhone or iPad and how to decide if it suits your needs. Parental control app can be a part of a software or stand-alone app that you can download on iTunes app store.

iOS supported parental controls are not easy to find as it is usually harder to get visibility to iOS devices vs the open Android devices. If you would like to find the right parental control for your iOS supported devices such as the iPhone and the iPad you would need to look at small letters of each supporting app. Here at Parental Control Now, we try to help you with this selection. We constantly review each app to give you impartial and comprehensive reviews to make the process quick and simple.

• Our favorite app for iOS devices is Bark, which is very affordable ($14 monthly or $99 yearly) and does a great job in monitoring the leading social networks.
• Another great option is the $4.99 per month for 1 iOS device from MMGuardian.

If your kids are extensive users of iPads make sure to read our review of the best parental control apps for iPad.

Here are the top parental control apps for iOS devices that support iPhones and iPads:

How Do We Rate Parental Control Apps for iPhone?

Our rating for the best iPhone parental control app is not one thing that we do randomly. It is based on a pre-determined criterion that makes it easy to rank the best options that are available. To rate each app, below are the most important factors we consider:

1. Functions: What can the parental control for iPhone do? This is one of the first things that we ask as we narrow down and review the possibilities. We recommend only those with features that are crucial for monitoring online activities. The more useful and practical functions are present in the app, the higher is the rating our team gives.
   
   
2. Ease of Use: We give a high score to iPhone parental control program that is user-friendly. It must be straightforward to use, making it less frustrating for parents. The app needs to have a seamless design and should load quickly. To know if the app is easy to use, make sure to read reviews from users who are sharing genuine and real-life experiences.
   
   
3. Price: Last but not least, consider the price of the iPhone parental control option that you will pick. It is tempting to get one that is available for free like Zoodles. In most cases, they might be limited in terms of what they can do and often monitors only a single device. Premium options are also worth considering.

BEST DEAL:

What Should Parental Control Apps for iPhone Have?

Individual needs and preferences will dictate the important features that should be present in an iPhone parental control app. Below is a quick list of the crucial functions that must be present:

• Content Filtering: At the most basic, the app needs to have the ability to filter contents that a child can access depending on the parameters set by parents. For instance, you as a parent, must be able to block certain content types such as pornography and violence.
  
  
• App Blocking: This works pretty much like content filtering, but you should be able to block specific apps that are not suitable for your kids. For example, you should be able to block social networks if you don’t want your kids using apps like Facebook and Instagram. Different apps provide tracking and blocking for different social networks, you would need to make sure the parental control app you are choosing supports the monitoring and blocking of the right social network.
  
  
• Location Tracking: One of the greatest fears of parents is to lose track of the location of their children. If they have their device with them and the GPS is turned on, parents can easily track their location with the help of iPhone parental controls. Most of the apps have geo fencing, which automatically alerts the parents once the person being monitored leaves a defined location.
  
  
• Time Restrictions: Once my kids got their phones, one of the toughest things was to get them separated. One of the leading function of parental control apps is the ability to set the screen time of a specific gadget. iOS does provide you with some basic settings to monitor time of use and other behavior patterns. See our video of how to set up parental controls on your iPhone to learn more. Depending on the app that you will download, you can set several hours or the exact time when they can use the gadget. Once the time has elapsed, the gadget or app will be inaccessible. This is a good way to make their time more productive.
  
  
• Block In-App Purchases: Many game apps allow free download just to lure you in for their paid versions. When children play these mobile games, there is a great chance that they will be trying to buy some in app purchases for items or special locks to certain levels in the game. The right parental control app gives you the control to oversee any activity on the account, prevent unnecessary purchases and block unauthorized third-party payments.
  
  
• Track Search Activities: The app can also be useful when it comes to the search queries that your child inputs when browsing the web. It can create a word cloud to give you a snapshot of the things young users find interesting. Depending on the app, some features will allow you to block certain keywords.
  
  
• Communication Tracking: The best parental controls apps monitor not only online activities, but even the calls and texts that are sent without an internet connection. This makes it possible to monitor their conversations. The implementation can vary from one app to another, with most having the option to monitor communications in a less invasive manner.

Why Should You Consider Using Parental Control Apps for iPhone?

Need compelling reasons to download parental control for iPhone? Below are some things that can convince you:

1. To Control Content Children Can Access: Whether it is in social media sites or video streaming platforms, many contents are age-inappropriate, especially those related to pornography and violence. With the right app, you will be able to filter these contents, making sure that your children won’t see them.
   
   
2. To Instill a Sense of Discipline: It is common knowledge that many kids nowadays are hooked on their gadgets, including smartphones and tablets. It became the default toy of this generation. In most instances, they spend longer screen time than what is necessary. This lessens the time for study. It also confines them indoors. To instill discipline, iPhone parental control can help restrict their screen time and gadget use.
   
   
3. To Prevent Cyberbullying: Whether it is your kid who is being bullied or the one who is bullying, iPhone parental control apps can help. It restricts what the users can do when they are online, which is one of the best ways to prevent cyberbullying.
   
   
4. To Prevent Unauthorized Purchases: When you are not watching kids, there is a tendency that they will make unauthorized purchases. For instance, they might download an app without knowing that it requires payment. They can also carelessly buy items they need to progress in a game they are playing. There is an app for that!
   
   
5. To Prevent Online Threats: Hackers find mysterious ways to get into your gadgets. When they do, they can steal valuable information that can compromise your personal information. Parental controls can help prevent kids from accessing unreputable websites and links, which will minimize the likelihood of being vulnerable to threats.
   
   
6. To Understand Your Child Better: Through these apps, you can monitor the search keywords used or the videos being watched. This is a good way to understand how they feel. It allows you to understand them better based on their online behaviors.

iOS Parental Control Features

Apple allows parents for some control over what their kids are exposed to. Check out our detailed step by step article on how to put parental controls on iPhone without any supporting app.

Final Verdict

In sum, for parents to find the best iPhone parental control app is beneficial in more ways than one. It provides peace of mind as it allows parents to track the activities and behavior of their children. Whether it is filtering the online content they see, tracking their location, or limiting third-party payments, the right app is a must-have in this digital age.

If you or your child use Android supported devices make sure to read our detailed reviews of the best parental control apps for Android to find the one that suits your needs.