5 Best Parental Control Apps for Android

Updated October 6, 2023
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Every kid wants a smartphone so parents have to find a way to both give their kids the present they want and keep them safe.  Mobile parental control apps can be the answer; especially on android, which allows third-party apps more control over a smartphone than iOS or Windows Mobile.  Parental control apps have sprung up in the past year to take advantage of this phenomenon.  This is a list of the five best parental control apps available on android for parents to choose from:

1# MMGuardian Parental Control

MMGuardian

MMGuardian combines text and drive prevention, monitoring of calls, texts, and apps, and location controls. The text and drive prevention contains both an automatic override option – for when parents know in advance that their kid will be in a moving vehicle but not driving – and a manual override for last minute changes.  MMGuardian can also pre-schedule location updates, block calls or texts from certain numbers, send alerts if text messages contain words or phrases flagged by the parent, and monitor and block the apps downloaded on the child’s phone.

2# Kids Place

Kids Place App

Kids Place creates a separate ecosystem on the smartphone, which becomes the only part of the phone the child can access.  Any applications, numbers, etc. that the parent does not put in the Kids Place safe zone are blocked by the application.  Kids Place is a strong fit for very young kids getting their first smartphone and may also be used in conjunction with other, remote control-oriented parental control apps.

3# Android Parental Control

Android Parental Control

One of the older parental control applications, Android Parental Control focuses on monitoring and controlling applications.  Parents can see the apps on their child’s phone and determine if they should be allowed or blocked.

4# Kaspersky Parental Control

Kaspersky Parental Control

Kaspersky is a big name in web-based parental control and this application represents their first foray into mobile.  Kaspersky enables parents to block applications and to filter websites for appropriate content.  The web filter reflects Kaspersky’s expertise in providing filtering capabilities for parents on the web, a sub-industry in which it remains a key leader.

Update:- This application is now Removed from the Play Store

5# AT&T Drive Mode

AT&T Drive App

Heavily promoted by AT&T, drive mode is the carrier’s answer to the growing text and drive epidemic.  AT&T has put significant advertising spending into preventing teens from texting while driving, especially their “It Can Wait” campaign.  Drive Mode enables parents to prevent their teens from texting while driving but must be combined with other pricey parental control options to offer complete protection.  Other carriers, including Verizon and Sprint, also offer parental control options but these choices can be very pricey to the consumer.

Unfortunately, similar parental control options to do not exist on iOS.  Parents of kids with iPhones can use the limited parental control options provided by Apple, though many may find them to be rather inadequate.  This makes android the best option for parents looking to buy their child a new – perhaps even their first – smartphone.

Paul Grossinger is a New York technologist, entrepreneur, and angel investor.  He is also a freelance writer with a degree from Columbia University’s School of Journalism.

3 comments

  • Maria Lynette

    Awesome apps. From these apps the parents can easily protect their children s. Thanks for sharing this.

  • GeeksWiki

    These are such nice apps to protect things from child’s, I’ve android and I’ll use them )

  • Syed Qasim

    I’m using android phone. Thanks To God. MY PARENTS HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO USE PARENTAL CONTROL APPS. HAHAHAH 😉

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