Thinking of installing a screen time app on your iPhone or Android devices or your kid’s phone? You’re not alone. Parental controls can help. These apps offer functionalities that let you monitor and manage the time your kids spend on their digital devices, schedule usage times, and restrict access to certain applications and websites.
Screen Time apps show you how much time you and your kids spend on apps, websites, and more. You can see real-time reports about how you and your kids use your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices, and set limits if you want to. Too much screen time can be harmful for children. It can affect their school performance and sleep patterns. Children often get addicted to apps that are frustrating and unproductive. Studies show that children spend over 7 hours a day on their smartphones, which is much more than the healthy amount of 2 hours.
These apps to limit screen time help you to create a balanced screen time for your children. Here is the list of the best screen time apps to monitor and limit the screen time on your iPhone, iPad, and Android devices.
Best Apps for limiting Screen Time
Best Overall App for Limiting Screen Time
OurPact is a parental control app that helps parents manage their children's screen time and app usage. It allows parents to set schedules for when their children can use their devices, block specific apps and websites, and monitor their children's online activity
Top Features
- Screen Time Scheduling: Set daily and weekly schedules for when your children can use their devices.
- App Blocking: Block specific apps and websites to prevent your children from accessing them.
- Activity Monitoring: Monitor your children's online activity, including the apps they use, the websites they visit, and the people they communicate with.
Cons
- Little Pricey
- Cannot monitor text messages and posts on social media apps
Cost: 14-day free trial. Subscription starts from $70 per year
Devices: iOS, Android
Good for setting customizable app & web time limits.
Kidslox is a parental control app for controlling screen time and blocking inappropriate content. You can monitor and control kids' devices set up with Kidslox from any phone, tablet, or computer with a web browser.
Top Features
- Task reward system and incorporates a pocket money/allowance management system
- Track screen time: ScreenCoach tracks how much time kids spend on each device and app so parents can see where their kids' time is going.
- Set limits: Parents can limit how much time kids can spend on each device and app.
- Block apps: Parents can block specific apps or websites if they don't want their kids to use them
Cons
- Cancellation through a third-party account
Cost: 30 days for only $1 (30 day money-back guarantee)
Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows and Mac
Excellent for Limiting Screen Time + Web Content
1Question is an educational app designed for children to earn screen time minutes to use in their favorite apps while learning through engaging mini-games. The app offers 1-minute video lessons and quiz questions that cover a wide range of subjects, and its AI creates a personalized learning pathway for each child. Parents can control screen time usage and select learning topics that benefit their child while getting real-time progress reports and insights into their child's learning.
Top Features
- Screen time productivity: the app allows children to earn minutes to use in their favorite apps while learning
- Personalized learning pathway: the app's AI creates a customized pathway through the content
- Parental control: the app gives parents control over screen time usage by allowing them to select learning topics that benefit their child and adjust the recreational to educational screen time ratio
Cons
- Skipping knowledge questions in app
Cost Free for limited free
Devices: iOS, Android
Best for limiting screen time with a great app time limits feature.
Qustodio is a parental control and digital well-being solution that helps parents keep their kids safe online and helps them develop a healthy relationship with technology. The app helps you understand how your children use their phones, including apps and the web, so you can set appropriate screen limits to manage their online experience and filtering technology protects kids from unsafe content
Top Features
- Filter content & apps: Block inappropriate apps, games, and websites.
- Monitor activity: Get a real-time view of your child's browsing history, YouTube views, social media use, screen time, and more.
- Set time limits: Prevent screen addiction and encourage healthy sleep routines.
Cons
- Little Pricey
- Cannot monitor text messages and posts on social media apps
Cost 7-day free trial. Subscription starts from $55 per year for 5 devices (30 days money-back guarantee)
Devices: iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Chromebook, Kindle
Beginner-friendly app for limiting your child’s screen time.
FamiSafe is a parental control app that helps parents monitor and protect their children's online and offline activities. It offers a free plan with limited features, as well as a premium plan with all features unlocked.
Top Features
- Screen Time Management: Set daily screen time limits and block apps during certain times.
- Location Tracking: Track your child's real-time location and see their location history.
- Web Filtering: Block inappropriate websites and apps.
Cons
- Cannot read text messages
- Drains the battery on your device
Cost 3-day free trial and subscription starts from $10 per month (7-day money back guarantee)
Devices: iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Chromebook, Kindle Fire
Excellent app for limiting screen time + flexible web filtering.
AirDroid Parental Control stands out as an exceptional, user-friendly application for managing screen time. It enables you to oversee and guide your child's online and offline activities, promoting healthy digital habits on their devices. Additionally, the app offers capabilities to supervise their web engagement, view their Android device's live screen, and restrict access to potentially harmful games. It supports syncing notifications from popular apps such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and more.
Top Features
- Limit the time and period your kids can access the screen or a specific app and category.
- Set different limits at various places, such as having games available at home but not at school.
- Schedule study, bedtime, family, or screen-free time.
Cons
- Parents can only use it to manage screen time on Android devices.
Cost 3 days free trial without any limitation, $9.99/Month for 2 devices, $19.99/Quarter and $59.99/Year for 10 devices
Devices: iOS, Android
How to Choose the Best Apps for Limiting Screen Time in 2024
- Restrict screen time with parental control apps; some allow specific app restrictions.
- Essential features to look for: web/app filters, scheduling, location tracking, and activity reports. All recommended apps include these.
- Consider extra monitoring tools for different ages, such as YouTube, call, and SMS monitoring, plus an SOS button (e.g., Qustodio).
- Ensure the app is user-friendly; recommended apps are accessible for both parents and children.
- Choose providers offering good value: affordable prices, free plans, trials, or money-back guarantees.
How much screen time should kids have?
The World Health Organisation makes the following recommendations for per-day use:
- Under one — no screen time.
- One-year-old — no screen time
- Two-year-old one hour per day maximum but less preferred
- Three and four-year-olds — no more than one hour.
For older kids, the advice is less clear cut with the following being a general guideline: Older children should limit their screen time to less than two hours per day, excluding online classes.
Online safety is not just about filtering content and restricting usage. Kids also need to learn to anticipate the risks.
