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Short answer: start with Google Family Link. It is free, it is built for Android, and it covers screen time, app approvals and location for children under 13. For teens, Bark sends alerts about bullying, predators and self-harm without handing you every message, and AirDroid Parental Control adds live check-ins for the moments a child stops answering. Skip covert spy apps entirely: putting one on another adult’s phone is illegal in most places.
Search for spy apps for Android and most of what comes back is stalkerware: apps built to hide on somebody else’s phone. This guide leaves them out. It covers the parental monitoring apps that run in the open, on a child’s phone, with the child aware they are there.
The legal line matters more than any feature list. In most countries, secretly installing monitoring software on an adult’s phone is illegal. In the US it can break the federal Wiretap Act and the Stored Communications Act, and in the EU it runs straight into GDPR. Every app below assumes a parent supervising a minor’s account. If the worry is about a partner, no app fixes that; a conversation, or professional help, is the right path.
The short version
- Best free startGoogle Family Link. Screen time, app approvals and location, with no subscription.
- Best for teen safetyBark. Alerts on risky messages instead of a copy of every chat.
- Best for live check-insAirDroid Parental Control. Screen mirroring and remote camera, on request.
- Best for mixed devicesQustodio. The same rules on Android, iPhone, Windows and Mac.
- SkipCovert spy apps. They break store rules, often break the law, and rarely stay installed.
How the five apps compare
Prices are the vendors’ own list prices, checked against each pricing page. The free option column says what you get without paying, and the ages column is where each app fits best, not a hard limit.
| Tool | Best for | Free option | Paid price | Ages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Family Link | Free baseline | Everything is free | None | Under 13 |
| Bark | Teen safety alerts | Trial only | $14/mo or $99/yr | 10 to 17 |
| AirDroid Parental Control | Live check-ins | Basics, plus a 3-day trial | $9.99/mo or $59.99/yr | All ages |
| Qustodio | Multi-device families | 1 device | From $59.95/yr | All ages |
| Norton Family | Norton 360 households | In Norton 360 Deluxe | $49.99/yr | All ages |
| Digital Wellbeing / Screen Time | Teens managing themselves | Built in | None | Older teens |
| Covert spy apps | Not recommended | Varies | Varies | Not recommended |
Pick by your child’s age
The right tool depends on how old your child is and what you are actually trying to prevent. A young child needs limits. A teenager needs someone who notices when things go wrong, and blanket surveillance tends to backfire at that age because teens find the workaround and stop talking.
Match the tool to the age
- Under 13. Google Family Link is the baseline, with strong filters and supervision at the account level.
- 13 to 17. Monitor with the teen’s knowledge. Bark watches for safety signals such as bullying, predatory contact and self-harm without reading every text to you.
- 18 and older. There is no legitimate app for this. Talk to them.
Covert installation used to be the selling point of this category. Google Play now bans it outright: monitoring apps must show a persistent notification and a clear icon, so parent and child both know what is running.
Google Family Link
Free controls from Google
Family Link is where most Android families should start. It supervises the child’s Google account rather than one handset, so the limits follow the child to any Android phone or Chromebook they sign in on.
- Best forChildren under 13, and anyone setting up parental controls for the first time.
- PriceFree, no subscription
- Runs onAndroid, Chromebook; parent app on iPhone
- Free optionEvery feature is free
- AgesUnder 13, supervised teens
The good
- Free, with no paid tier holding features back
- App approvals and daily limits work from the parent’s phone
- Teens cannot drop supervision without a parent’s approval
The bad
- Reads no messages, so bullying goes unflagged
- Site filters apply in Chrome, not in every browser
Setup takes two apps: Family Link on the parent’s phone and the child’s supervised Google account on theirs. Once that is done, you get screen time limits, app blocking, location sharing and content filters, managed from one place, and it works anywhere Google services do.
It fits ages 6 to 13 best. Google has added teen options that let parents loosen specific controls as a child gets older, and Google’s own rules for accounts at 13 explain what changes on that birthday: the teen can ask to end supervision, and both of you get notified when it ends.
Key features
- Daily limits and bedtime: a screen time budget per day and a downtime window that locks the phone at night.
- App approvals: the child requests an app on Google Play and you approve or block it from your own phone.
- Location: see where the child’s phone is, as long as it is on and online.
Bark
Alerts on real safety risks
Bark looks for danger, not gossip. It scans texts, email and supported social apps for signs of bullying, predators, drugs and self-harm, then sends the parent the flagged snippet rather than the whole conversation.
- Best forTeens 10 to 17, when you want warnings about risk without reading every message.
- Price$14/mo or $99/yr; Bark Jr $5/mo
- Runs onAndroid, iPhone, Chromebook, Windows, Mac
- Free optionFree trial, no free plan
- Ages10 to 17
The good
- Flags risk without exposing every chat
- One plan covers every child and every device
- Screen time and web filters come with Premium
The bad
- Monitoring goes less deep on iPhone than on Android
- No free plan once the trial ends
The day-to-day chat stays private to the child. Parents hear about it only when Bark spots something concerning, which is why this model sits better with teenagers than apps that mirror every message to a parent’s inbox.
Bark Jr is the cheaper tier for younger kids. It drops the message monitoring and keeps screen time, app and site blocking and location, which makes it a paid alternative to Family Link rather than to Bark Premium.
Key features
- Alerts with context: each alert shows the flagged content and suggests how to raise it with your child.
- Screen time rules: schedules and app blocking per device.
- Location check-ins: the child can share where they are, and you can see it on a map.
AirDroid Parental Control
Live check-ins when it matters
AirDroid Parental Control pairs the usual screen time, web filter and GPS tools with live features the others lack: screen mirroring, remote camera and one-way audio. They switch on only when a parent asks, for the moment a child stops answering or turns up somewhere unfamiliar.
- Best forParents who want real-time check-ins alongside standard controls.
- Price$9.99/mo or $59.99/yr
- Runs onAndroid, iPhone; live tools on Android
- Free optionFree basics, 3-day full trial
- AgesKids to teens, with consent
The good
- Screen mirroring and remote camera for urgent check-ins
- Yearly plan covers up to 10 devices
- No rooting or jailbreaking needed
The bad
- Live camera and audio need an honest talk first
- The monthly plan covers only 2 devices
Most apps on this list are about prevention: block this, limit that. AirDroid adds situational awareness. You manage several children and devices from one web dashboard, and the live tools are there for the rare call that goes unanswered.
Those live tools are also the most intrusive features in this guide, so use them the way AirDroid intends: openly, with the child’s knowledge, and agreed on before anything goes wrong. A child who finds out afterwards that the camera can be switched on remotely will not trust the app, or you, for long.
Key features
- Screen mirroring: see the child’s screen live, on request, to check what is happening.
- Remote camera and one-way audio: check the surroundings when a child cannot be reached.
- Location and geofences: real-time position, with alerts when the phone enters or leaves a place you set.
Qustodio
One rule set on every device
Qustodio is the broad toolkit: web filtering, app limits, social media monitoring, location and screen time, managed from one dashboard. It suits a household with a mix of phones, tablets and computers.
- Best forFamilies who want the same rules on Android, iPhone, Windows and Mac.
- PriceFrom $59.95/yr for 5 devices
- Runs onAndroid, iPhone, Windows, Mac, Chromebook
- Free option1 device, basic features
- AgesAll ages
The good
- Consistent rules across every major platform
- Detailed daily reports on apps and sites
- The free plan is enough to try it properly
The bad
- Stricter and more restrictive than Bark’s alert model
- Unlimited devices needs the $104.95 Complete plan
Qustodio earns its place in homes where a child moves between an Android phone, a school Chromebook and a family laptop. The rules you set once apply on all of them, and the reports come back in one timeline.
It takes a different approach from Bark. Where Bark waits for a warning sign, Qustodio restricts up front and records more, which suits younger children better than teenagers who will push back on it.
Key features
- Web filtering: block sites by category, and the filter works in any browser.
- Time limits: per-app limits and a button that pauses the internet on the spot.
- Calls and SMS on Android: see who your child calls and texts, on the paid plans.
Norton Family
Bundled with Norton 360
Norton Family from Gen Digital covers web filtering, time limits, location and a simple parent dashboard. It is the easy choice if you already pay for Norton 360 Deluxe, which includes it.
- Best forHouseholds that already pay for Norton 360 security.
- Price$49.99/yr on its own
- Runs onAndroid, iPhone, Windows; no Mac
- Free optionIncluded in Norton 360 Deluxe
- AgesAll ages
The good
- Costs nothing extra with Norton 360 Deluxe
- Simple dashboard that parents pick up quickly
- Unlimited devices for each child
The bad
- No Mac support
- Standalone buyers get more from Bark or Qustodio
Norton’s strength is the bundle. If the family already runs Norton 360 on its computers, turning on Norton Family adds parental controls with no new account and no new bill.
Bought on its own, it is harder to recommend. Bark and Qustodio are more focused parental tools at a similar price, and both support the Mac that Norton Family leaves out.
Key features
- Web supervision: category filters and a log of blocked and visited sites.
- Time supervision: daily limits and schedules for school nights and weekends.
- Instant Lock: lock the child’s device with one tap, while calls to you still go through.
Why covert spy apps were pushed out
Three things ended the covert spy app business. First, Google Play banned it. Google’s stalkerware policy allows monitoring apps only when they are built for parents or employers, show a persistent notification and a clear icon, and never hide. It also says these apps cannot be used to track a spouse, even with their knowledge and permission.
Second, the law caught up. In the US, the Wiretap Act and the Stored Communications Act cover intercepting someone’s messages without consent, and GDPR does the same work in the EU. The FTC’s guide to stalkerware describes these apps for what they usually are: a way for an abusive partner to read someone’s location, messages and photos in secret. Third, covert monitoring does not work well even on its own terms. Kids find workarounds, and once the app is discovered, trust goes first.
Apps that still sell themselves as covert surveillance, for a “cheating spouse” or for employees who must not know, sit in legal gray areas at best. The tools above are built for parents supervising a minor child, with the child aware of it. Other Android security steps are about protecting yourself, not watching somebody else.
Start with a conversation
These tools work best when the child knows they are there, knows why, and knows what will lead to a talk. Monitoring without that conversation erodes trust and rarely catches the real problem, because kids find workarounds and the damage to the relationship sticks.
A setup that works
- Talk first. Have the family conversation about online safety before you install anything.
- Write it down. Agree on screen time, apps and what triggers a check-in.
- Install it openly. Set the app up with your child, not behind their back.
- Check in regularly. Go over what the reports show, together, and relax limits as trust grows.
That is the model Family Link, Bark and AirDroid are all built around. The surveillance-only apps undercut it from the first day.
FAQs
Is parental monitoring legal?
Yes, when a parent supervises a minor child’s account. Every app in this guide works within that. Monitoring an adult without their consent is illegal in most places, and these apps refuse to support it.
Can my child see that a monitoring app is installed?
On Android, yes. Google Play requires monitoring apps to show a persistent notification and a clear icon whenever they run. That is by design: the point is supervision the child knows about.
Will my teen find a workaround?
Probably, for any single tool. The aim is not to block every workaround; it is to have a system that flags worrying patterns so you can talk about them. Bark’s alert model copes with this better than blanket monitoring.
Can I monitor my spouse’s phone?
Not legally without their consent in most places. In the US, federal wiretap and stored communications laws, and similar state laws, prohibit it, and GDPR covers the same ground in the EU. Google Play bans apps that track a spouse even with permission. If you are worried about a partner, talk to them or get professional help.
Is Google Family Link enough on its own?
For children from 6 to 12, often yes. For teens, Bark or Qustodio add the monitoring for safety signals that Family Link does not have, and AirDroid adds live check-ins.
Will these apps catch a phone scam aimed at my child?
Bark comes closest, because it flags suspicious messages, scam patterns included. Family Link’s filters block some malicious sites but do not read messages. No app catches everything, so talk to your child about scams too.
How do I talk to my teen about installing monitoring?
Frame it as protection, not surveillance. Explain what the tool watches for, what triggers an alert and what you do with the data, and be ready to relax controls as trust builds. Bark publishes conversation guides for different ages.
The verdict
Parental monitoring on Android works best when it is open and agreed on. Google Family Link covers the basics for free. Bark adds safety alerts for teenagers, AirDroid Parental Control adds live check-ins for emergencies, and Qustodio and Norton Family suit households that want one tool across many devices.
The covert spy apps that once filled this category are gone for good reasons, legal and ethical. For minors, use one of the consent-based tools above. For adults, talk instead of tracking; secretly installing monitoring software can carry serious legal consequences.
How we put this guide together
We tested Google Family Link, Bark Premium, Qustodio Premium and Norton Family on a Pixel 8a, a Galaxy S25 and a OnePlus 12, using a child Google account set up for testing rather than a real child’s. AirDroid Parental Control joined the list later; its features and prices come from AirDroid’s own documentation and pricing page. We checked each app’s privacy policy and data disclosures, and the legal context against the US Stored Communications Act, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and GDPR’s protections for minors.
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