Uneasy about your kid's iPhone obsession? These apps can help.

When duking it out in more general parental control software lists, Net Nanny is frequently dubbed "best for iPhones." It's clear by now that Apple's iOS doesn't always support smooth operation of parental control apps, and Net Nanny (AKA Zift) is one of the only ones that achieves near parity on both iOS and Android devices — but it's so much more than the app that runs decently well on an iPhone.

The shining function here is web and app filtering, and there are a few ways to make sure nothing slips through the cracks: block or receive an alert for all apps and websites that fall under categories like "weapons" or "provocative content," manually choose websites to hide, or leave it to Net Nanny's real-time scan to determine if a site is appropriate.

As of August 2020, NetNanny's social media coverage extends to the actual feeds of apps like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, Twitter, YouTube, and yes, TikTok. The "Protect" setting will take restrictions you're already using for web filtering (like weapons or provocative content) and works to keep posts that fall under those categories off your child's feed. (All other social media will either have to be completely allowed or completely blocked.) 

But keeping track of every single app on an older child's phone may not be necessary. You could instead opt for App Advisor, which will only notify you when an app involves potential risks like location or photo sharing. The option for a temporary time boost without altering the official settings is nice, too.

Diehard iPhone owners who still use Google Maps, Google Docs, or Gmail aren't hard to find, and we don't blame them — Google's apps are as straightforward to use as the search engine itself, and often easier to organize than an Apple version (if one exists). Unsurprisingly, the tech giant has its own parental control app: Google Family Link offers a pretty damn comprehensive list of monitoring and management features, and the fact that it's free makes it hard to justify paying elsewhere. A 2017 update began allowing parents who have iPhones (iOS 9 and higher) to manage from afar even if their kid has an Android.

The "you get what you pay for" mantra usually applies to parental control apps — the free versions of apps with optional premium subscriptions are purposefully meager to get you to pay. But when it's Google that we're talking about, simplicity doesn't mean skimpy. Family Link covers screen time limits including bedtime schedules, app management like activity reports and a requirement for parent approval for new apps, a website blocker, and location tracking (as long as they have their device on them). Setup is a breeze for anyone who already has a Gmail account, though the controls gets tripped up when school email accounts and Google Classroom are thrown into the mix.

Family Link doesn't get involved with the phone numbers that your kid is iMessaging or calling. For parents who don't want to helicopter too much (or kids who don't have anyone to call, anyway), this works — but parents who definitely want to be able block certain numbers would have to be holding the phone to do so. Texting apps like Kik and WhatsApp can be disabled, though.

Sketchy links, webcam or selfie camera hackers, and sites asking for credit card info open a new can of worms when it comes to kids and the internet. Norton 360 Deluxe offers that famous antivirus armor with decent parental controls embedded in the package.

These controls are essentially identical to Norton Family(opens in a new tab), a $49.99 per month one-off software with its own app. Norton 360 Deluxe would usually run you $99.99 per month, but has been on sale for *checks notes* $39.99 per month as of late. Unless you already have antivirus software that you really like, paying $10 less per month for both ends of the spectrum seems like a no-brainer. (To clarifiy, Norton Family comes free when you have Norton Deluxe 360.)

A menu of 40 web filtering categories (compared to 10 to 15 on competing software) will block or warn your kids about sites they shouldn't be on. These range anywhere from sites themed around drugs and explicit content to file sharing and online chat, which comes in handy since kids tend to use way more messaging apps than adults even know exist. If an important website (like one to share documents for school) is accidentally blocked, you can reverse the setting directly from the notification.

Safety features revolving more around personal data include real-time malware threat detection, a password manager, and Safecam, which notifies you if cyber criminals try to access your webcam. Norton also scans the dark web in the background to ensure your personal info isn't floating around.

The "control" aspect of parental control apps is a touchy one. While parents have safety at top of mind and (hopefully) aren't spying just to spy, kids may not feel like it's a conducive tactic. UK-based app SafeToNet focuses just as much on guiding kids to make the right choices — thus giving them a say in how controlling the app actually is — as it does on content locks.

Artificial intelligence takes center stage to clock how safe or risky kids act when presented with lewd content. This Safety Indicator goes hand-in-hand with the app's claim to fame: a real-time smart keyboard that gives children advice as they search for content online or message others. The software scans everything sent back and forth, dropping a warning if the AI detects bullying, grooming, or sexting. Breathing exercises are offered if a kid indicates that they're feeling anxious.

Creators unveiled a beta anti-sexting feature right around the time that the company found that sexting among kids had risen 183% during lockdown. Like the smart keyboard does with words, SafeToNet scans for inappropriate imagery and immediately blurs it out. The software can also step in to block the camera if it senses racy or impulsive texts. The site asserting that no one sees what your kid is typing, sending, or receiving. It won't even show parents a child's content unless the child gives the go-ahead.

As for traditional settings, parents can customize app allowance for a certain period of time or permanently, lock devices during homework time or bedtime, and receive alerts if sudden changes in usage signal depression or aggression. SafeToNet keeps an eye on trends and lets parents know about new apps and memes that might be inappropriate.

Limiting connectivity to WiFi only is a common way for parents to mitigate what a child (often younger ones) can and can't get into on their phone or tablet. In this case, Circle Home Plus would be ace: It's a filter for your home WiFi that monitors behavior, has control settings, and presents it in a clean dashboard that is super easy to navigate. The $9.99 monthly subscription works in tandem with Circle Home Plus (the hardware device that looks like a Bluetooth speaker). Setup on each device is time consuming but the overarching account can be synced to the Circle Home Plus with a QR code.

Each profile is color-coded based on age filters: kid, teen, adult, and none. The "kid" platform lists supported apps like Cartoon Network and TikTok, but you can toggle these on or off and add custom URLs. Turning on "Bedtime" turns internet access off at a certain time each night, but doesn't affect any offline games or books. Once kids leave your home's WiFi range, the limits that you've set are extended with a local VPN.

Actual activity and history reports are vague. Circle can report specific URLs that were accessed but can't narrow down queries on Google or YouTube. Circle also stays out of all things call or text related.