When it comes to keeping kids safe online, parents need as much help as they can get. That’s why parental control software is so popular. But it’s not easy choosing which software is best for you. Indeed, some are very different like mSpy and Qustodio. mSpy only works on mobile phones and lets you see just about everything your child does. On the other hand, Qustodio covers all kinds of devices and offers a more general overview of your kid’s online activity. Of course, it’s hard to choose between two tools that have such different specialties. Here, we take a close look at each to help you find the ideal parental control solution for your family.
Main Features |
mSpy |
Qustodio |
Logo | ||
Rating | ||
Reviews | Reviews | Reviews |
Visit | Visit Site | Visit Site |
Coupons | Coupons | Coupons |
Headquarters | UK | Spain |
Founded | 2010 | 2012 |
Languages | EN, FR, DE, ES, AR, JP | EN, ES, FR, DE, JP, CN |
Extra Services | n/a | n/a |
Main Features |
mSpy |
Qustodio |
Profile Limits | 1 | 15 |
Content Filter | ||
Website Blocker | ||
Pornography Blocker | ||
Schedule Restriction | ||
Remote Management | ||
Browser History | ||
Keystroke Logger | ||
Social Media Monitoring | ||
YouTube Monitoring | ||
Permission Requests | ||
Uninstall Protection |
Mobile |
mSpy |
Qustodio |
Location Tracking | ||
Geofencing | ||
App Blocker | ||
Call Monitoring | ||
SMS Monitoring | ||
Battery Monitoring | ||
Panic Button |
Devices |
mSpy |
Qustodio |
Windows 10 | ||
Windows 8 | ||
Windows 7 | ||
macOS | ||
Android | ||
iOS | ||
Kindle | ||
Chromebook |
Pricing |
mSpy |
Qustodio |
Number of Devices | 3 | 15 |
Lowest Price | $11.66/mo | $0 |
1 Year | $11.66/mo | $54.95 (5 devices) |
2 Years | n/a | $47.98/yr ($95.95) (5 devices) |
3 Years | n/a | n/a |
Free Trial | n/a | 3 days |
Free Version | n/a | |
Money-Back Guarantee | n/a | 30 days |
Payment Methods |
mSpy |
Qustodio |
Visa | ||
Mastercard | ||
American Express | ||
PayPal | ||
Wire Transfer | ||
Discover | ||
Liberty Reserve | ||
Bitcoin | ||
Amazon Payments | ||
Google Pay |
Customer Support |
mSpy |
Qustodio |
24/7 Support | ||
Live Chat | ||
Community | ||
On Call | ||
Remote Desktop |
mSpy
If it falls into the wrong hands mSpy could easily be used as spyware, but for parents it’s actually a surprisingly effective tool. Launched in 2010, mSpy does have an admittedly difficult setup process – requiring you to jailbreak or root your child’s phone to access the full range of functions. But, once completed, it gives you a huge range of monitoring features.
With mSpy, you can view your child’s SMS messages, photos, and even what they type. mSpy also allows you to read messages sent and received on a wide variety of social media platforms like Facebook, Snapchat, and WhatsApp. Since mSpy works on mobile devices, you can also take advantage of GPS tracking to see where your child is, and set up geofencing so you’ll receive notifications if they leave a chosen area. Although you can’t prevent kids from accessing full categories of websites with mSpy, you can block specific sites instead.
mSpy’s price depends on how many devices you need to cover (between one and three) and how much monitoring you want to do. Prices aren’t the cheapest, but you can test the software first through mSpy’s 7-day free trial.
Qustodio
Qustodio has been helping millions of families keep their kids safe online since 2012. With this solution you can block particular categories to prevent your child from seeing anything inappropriate as well as restrict access to specific apps. Through the software’s dashboard, you get an in-depth overview of your child’s online activity, showing you search and browser history. Handily, you’re able to check whether the websites your child visits are appropriate using the Web of Trust integration. The software also allows you to set up screen time schedules for your kids, with the device locking once the time is up. But Qustodio doesn’t have as many social media monitoring tools as mSpy, other than letting you see your child’s Facebook activity.
Qustodio works on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Kindle. Parents can use Qustodio completely for free, although features are limited. While Qustodio costs less than mSpy, it still isn’t the cheapest option on the market, but you can test out the premium version first through its 3-day free trial.
Conclusion
When you look at mSpy and Qustodio, you can see they offer two very different ways for parents to keep kids safe online. mSpy certainly allows you to see more than Qustodio, making it especially useful if you’re worried about your kids being the victim of cyberbullying. The geofencing feature is particularly useful when children are out of the house. However, it’s only available for mobile. If you want a more comprehensive overview of your children’s online activity, then Qustodio is the better option. Not only that, but Qustodio is also the cheaper of the two and even offers a free version. But since both tools come with free trials, it’s worth testing them out first to see which fits in best with your parenting style and the needs of your family.
Best Parental Control Software of 2024
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