Top Screen Time Management Apps for Kids on Android & iPhone

Are you concerned about your child spending too much time on devices? Do you feel it diminishes your child's creativity and the amount of time they spend with their family? This is where the significance of Screen Time Management apps becomes evident. In this article, we will discuss the various aspects and requirements of Screen Time Management apps.

The benefits of using screen time management apps for kids

Parental control apps and screen time management tools are essential for managing children's device usage. These apps offer various features to help you monitor and control your kids' screen time effectively. Here are some of the key benefits:

1. Balanced Lifestyle: Managing screen time encourages a more balanced lifestyle, ensuring children engage in various activities beyond digital screens.

2. Healthy Screen Time Limits: Empower parents to set and enforce healthy screen time limits for children. Thus promoting a balanced use of digital devices.

3. Monitoring and Guidance: They provide tools to monitor their screen time, track app usage, manage web history, and set time limits, enabling you to guide their digital activities effectively.

4. Family Time: Screen time management apps encourage more family time and face-to-face interactions by limiting excessive device use and fostering stronger family bonds.

5. Educational Benefits: They can also be used to incorporate educational screen time into your child's routine, enhancing learning experiences through interactive and engaging educational content.

6. Insights into Digital Behavior: You can gain insights into your child's digital habits through usage reports, enabling informed decisions about adjusting screen time limits and content restrictions.

Why Limit Screen Time?

Children and teenagers increasingly use mobile phones for extended periods, with statistics showing that a significant portion of children aged 3-17 have smartphones, with a peak in ownership between 9 and 11 years old. A substantial number of children spend more than two hours on their mobile phones daily, with some spending over three hours on weekends. Additionally, around 62% of 7-16-year-olds with smartphones have access to them at all times, and mobile phones are considered indispensable by many children in this age group.

Screen time statistics reveal that children aged 8-18 spend an average of 7.5 hours a day in front of screens for entertainment alone, which amounts to 114 days a year. The time spent on screens increases with age, with children aged 11-14 spending about 9 hours daily on screens. Furthermore, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a significant increase in screen time among both children and adults due to the shift to remote work and schooling.

Excessive screen time, especially among children and adolescents, has been associated with various negative impacts on physical and mental health. These include sleep disturbances, neck pain, headaches, anxiety, depression, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and other adverse effects. Increased screen time has also been linked to replacing healthy behaviors like physical activity and sleep, leading to potential health risks such as obesity and cardiovascular issues among adults.

Overall, while screen time has become more prevalent due to the increased use of digital devices, especially during the pandemic, it is essential for us parents and individuals to be mindful of the potential negative consequences associated with excessive screen time and to establish healthy screen time habits for ourselves and our children.

Top 5 Android Screen Time Apps

1. Mobicip

Overview: 

Mobicip stands as a beacon of excellence in the realm of parental control software, providing a comprehensive solution to ensure a safe and secure online environment for children. With a focus on content filtering, app blocking, daily usage limits, location tracking, flexible screen time schedules and a user-friendly interface, Mobicip offers you the tools to balance online and offline activities for your children. It also sets itself apart as a top-tier choice for you looking to safeguard your children's digital experiences. 

Pros:

• Compatible with multiple operating systems like Android, Chromebook, Kindle Fire, Amazon Fire tablets with multi-platform support
• User-Friendly Interface: Mobicip is known for its intuitive interface that allows you to set up and customize controls according to your preferences.
• Tracks the time spent on each application.
• Allows you to set daily time limits on device usage, promoting a healthy balance between screen time and other activities.
• Geo-fencing and Location tracking
• Detailed usage reports
• Difficult to bypass the application once it is set up correctly.

Cons:

• For advanced features, you need to buy a plan.

Pricing:

• It provides users with a 7-day premium free trial to give them a glimpse of all Mobicip's features. 
• Basic plan: This is a free plan with 1 device coverage (once the premium 7-day trial expires) that offers website blocking and remotely locking the devices.
• Ranges from $35.88~95.99/year depending on the plan opted.
• Enterprise (Custom Pricing): Tailored for schools or organizations needing bulk licenses with additional features like classroom management tools.
• Small Business (Custom Pricing): Designed for small businesses requiring device management and security features for employee devices.
• Each plan varies in terms of the number of devices covered, additional features offered, and customization options based on the user's specific needs.

2. Qustodio

Overview:

Qustodio is a comprehensive parental control tool that provides detailed insights into your child's digital activities. It offers a range of features beyond basic screen time management, including location tracking, content blocking, and application management. 

Pros:

• Call and text monitoring is possible with Qustodio.
• Cross-platform support.
• Panic button feature
• Setting daily screen time and scheduling screen-free hours is free with single-device coverage.
• Effective Content Filtering: The app includes robust content filtering options, enabling parents to block inappropriate content and ensure a safer online environment for children.

Cons:

• Complex Setup Process: Some parents find the initial setup process of Qustodio to be complex.
• You can't set different screen time rules for various apps.
• Cannot block apps and set time limits for apps for free.
• There is no uninstall protection.

Pricing:

• It provides 3 3-day free trial that offers you full access to the Premium version.
• Free to limit screen time for the whole phone, $54.95~137.95/year, depending on the plan.

3. Family Link

Overview:

Family Link, developed by Google, is a parental control application designed to help you set digital ground rules for your children's device usage. It allows you to monitor and manage their online activities and allow or deny app purchases.

Pros:

• Free to use with no premium version or additional cost
• Provides essential parental control features like web and app filtering, time limits, and location tracking.
• Offers powerful app supervision tools to restrict what children can download from Google Play.

Cons:

• Some features may be limited or vary based on the device or operating system type, potentially affecting the overall user experience.
• Limited web filtering capabilities compared to competitors.
• Children over 13 can opt out of Family Link without parental consent.

Pricing:

Google Family Link is free to use, making it accessible to all users without any subscription fees or hidden costs.

4. Kids Place

Overview:

Kids Place is a parental control application designed to create a safe, kid-friendly digital environment on Android devices. It offers a customizable interface for children, allowing you to control access to specific apps and content. Kids Place focuses on providing a secure digital space tailored to the needs of younger users.

Pros:

• Block calls and text messaging
• App restart feature: If your children accidentally close their app midway through using it, you can instantly reopen it so they don't lose their progress.
• Data control centre – one tap button to disable all network communications.

Cons:

• Need access to the child's device to make setting changes.
• It consistently encourages you to purchase the complete version.
• While suitable for younger children, Kids Place may lack some advanced features in other parental control apps.

Pricing:

• Price ranging from $0.99 ~ $89.99/year
• It offers a 7-day free trial to glimpse all the premium features offered.

5. Screen Time Companion 

Overview:

Screen Time is a parental control app focused on monitoring behaviors and limiting screen time for children. It offers features like app blocking, usage schedules, tasks, and a unique task-based reward system. While it lacks location-tracking and web filtering capabilities, it provides a cost-effective solution for managing children's device usage.

Pros:

• Features a task-based reward system to encourage positive behavior.
• It offers a free basic version with app and device usage reports.
• Provides a Premium plan for $6.99 per month with enhanced features like app blocking, usage schedules, and tasks.
• Allows monitoring of multiple devices per child profile in the Premium version.

Cons:

• Screen Time Companion may offer fewer advanced features than some other parental control apps, making it suitable for those seeking simplicity.

Pricing:

• Basic Version: Free with basic monitoring tools for one device per child.
• Premium Version: $6.99 monthly or discounted rates for six-month or yearly subscriptions.

Top 5 iPhone Screen Time Apps

1. Mobicip:

Overview:

Mobicip is a versatile parental control app that stands out for its robust web filtering capabilities. It allows parents to effectively block inappropriate content and create a safe online environment for their children. The app goes beyond by providing features to set specific time limits not only for individual apps but also for overall device usage. This comprehensive approach ensures children have restricted access to potentially harmful online content and adhere to balanced and healthy screen time limits, fostering responsible and controlled digital device usage.

Pros:

• Compatible with multiple devices like iPhone, iPad, iPod and MacOS. 
• The latest version of the Mobicip app is the first parental control solution designed using Apple's Screen Time Framework. It supports customized parental controls, using key features like core restrictions and device activity monitoring to create safe, secure experiences while providing measurable control for parents and guardians.
• User-friendly and interactive interface.
• Tracks the time spent on each application. Parents can set time limits for apps as well.
• The ability to block access to apps or the internet automatically after predefined time limits have been reached ensures that children adhere to the established screen time rules.
• Provides users with a 7-day premium free trial to glimpse all the features Mobicip offers.
• Remote monitoring and location tracking.

Cons:

• Limited free version available.

Pricing:

• It provides users with a 7-day premium free trial to give them a glimpse of all Mobicip's features. 
• Basic plan: This is a free plan with 1 device coverage (once the premium 7-day trial expires) that offers website blocking and remotely locking the devices.
• Ranges from $35.88~95.99/year depending on the plan opted.
• Enterprise (Custom Pricing): Tailored for schools or organizations needing bulk licenses with additional features like classroom management tools.
• Small Business (Custom Pricing): Designed for small businesses requiring device management and security features for employee devices.
• Each plan varies in terms of the number of devices protected, additional features offered, and customization options based on the user's specific needs.

2. Screentime

Overview:

Screen Time is a parental control solution that empowers families to manage and monitor their children's digital device usage. The platform offers features such as device access configuration, app blocking, and content filtering to promote a safe and controlled online environment for children.

Pros:

• Easy installation and setup
• App blocking feature
• The platform has a user-friendly interface that allows parents to configure settings according to their preferences without technical difficulties.
• Homework & tasks – Encourage positive habits by setting your children tasks to complete and reward additional screen time
• Supports geofencing for location tracking
• Free play: Allows you to override the filter settings temporarily in situations where you need your children to be distracted

Cons:

• Limited monitoring for Macs or PCs
• Easily uninstalled by children
• Inconsistent features across different platforms
• Web history is not available for iPhones

Pricing:

• Basic (no parental controls features for iPhone users): Free
• Premium: $6.99 per month

3. Moment

Overview:

Moment Screen Time Tracker is a versatile application designed to help users manage and monitor their screen time usage. With features focused on configuring device access, app blocking, and content filtering, Moment aims to promote a healthy balance between screen time and real-world activities.

4. OurPact

Overview:

OurPact is a comprehensive parental control application designed to assist families in managing and monitoring their children's device usage. With features such as device access configuration, app blocking, content filtering, and location tracking, OurPact aims to provide parents with the tools to create a safe and balanced digital environment for their children. It also offers features to configure device access, block apps, filter web content, set time limits, and monitor screen time. It aims to help parents effectively manage their children's screen time and promote healthy device habits.

Pros:

• Affordable pricing options
• Easy-to-use interface
• Family Locator tool for tracking children's location
• Web filtering to block inappropriate content
• Text blocker feature for managing texting times

Cons:

• Complicated setup process
• Limited web filtering capabilities
• Limited customer support (email-only)
• Non-refundable purchases
• Some features may require additional payments

Pricing :

OurPact offers several subscription plans:

• OurPact Free: $0 for managing one device with basic features
• OurPact Plus: $1.99/month for managing up to 10 devices with additional features
• OurPact Premium: $6.99/month for managing up to 20 devices with advanced features
• OurPact Premium+: $9.99/month for comprehensive features and device management

5. Screen Time

Overview:

Apple Screen Time is a built-in feature in iOS devices that empowers users to monitor and manage their screen time. It provides insights into device usage patterns and allows users to set app limits, schedule downtime, and create content restrictions, fostering a balanced digital lifestyle.

Pros:

• Apple Screen Time is integrated into the iOS operating system, eliminating the need for additional downloads. Users can access it directly from their device settings.
• Screen Time allows users to set app limits, control the time spent on specific apps, and schedule downtime, promoting healthier device usage.
• Parents can utilize content and privacy restrictions to manage access to certain apps, websites, and explicit content, making it a practical tool for family use.

Cons:

• Apple Screen Time is primarily designed for iOS devices. Users with devices from other platforms may need to seek alternative solutions for comprehensive screen time management.
• The effectiveness of Apple Screen Time relies on user discipline to adhere to the set limits. It may not prevent users from manually bypassing restrictions if they choose to do so.

Pricing:

Apple Screen Time is a free built-in feature on iOS devices running iOS 12 and later versions. Users can access and configure Screen Time settings directly from the settings menu on their iPhone or iPad without any additional cost.

Screen Time Guidelines for Kids 

Screen time guidelines for kids vary by age and are often provided by experts in child development, paediatrics and psychology. These recommendations aim to balance the use of digital devices with other essential aspects of your child's development. These experts recommend specific screen time guidelines for children based on their age to promote healthy growth and well-being:

• Under two years old: Pediatricians generally advise zero screen time, except for video chatting with family or friends, as this period is crucial for developing essential motor and social skills. Hence, interaction with caregivers is prioritized over screens.
• 2 – 5 years old: Experts suggest limiting screen time to one hour daily. The content should be age-appropriate, educational, and interactive. Co-viewing with parents can enhance the learning experience.
• 6 – 12 years: It is recommended to limit the screen time to 1-2 hours per day to establish consistent time limits for screen use, ensuring a balance between educational content, recreational activities, and other essential aspects of a child's life. 
• 13 – 18 years: The suggested screen time limit is around seven and a half hours per day, excluding school-related screen time. Adolescents are encouraged to prioritize sleep, physical activity, and face-to-face interactions over excessive screen time. Experts also often recommend that parents set clear guidelines on the duration and content of screen use while encouraging responsible digital citizenship.

Tips for Making Screen Time Rules

Establishing screen time rules for children can be challenging but essential for their well-being. Here are some tips on setting and managing screen time limits effectively:

• Set Clear Limits:

Clearly define the amount of time allowed for screen use each day. This includes time spent on computers, smartphones, tablets, and other devices. Having specific and measurable limits helps everyone understand expectations. Also, avoid debating the rules once they are set; make it clear that they are non-negotiable. 

• Regularly Review and Adjust:

Periodically review and adjust screen time rules as needed. As children grow and circumstances change, it's important to reassess and modify guidelines to suit the family's evolving needs. 

Occasional exceptions to the rules are acceptable, especially when they contribute to parents' self-care or help manage other responsibilities. Flexibility can alleviate stress for both parents and children.

• Family Screen Time:

Consider incorporating family screen time, where certain activities are enjoyed together. This can include watching a movie, playing a video game, or engaging in educational apps as a family. It provides an opportunity for shared experiences and discussions.

• Educate on Online Safety:

Teach your children the importance of online safety, privacy, and responsible digital citizenship. Discuss potential risks and establish guidelines for appropriate online behavior.

• Implement Screen-Free Time Before Bed:

Limit screen time to the hour before bedtime to promote better sleep. Screens emit blue light that can interfere with the body's natural sleep-wake cycle.

• Establish Screen-Free Zones:

Designate certain areas of the home as screen-free zones, such as bedrooms and dining areas. This helps promote face-to-face communication, better sleep hygiene, and a separation between technology and personal space.

• Encourage Balanced Activities:

Emphasize a balance between screen time and other activities, such as outdoor play, reading, sports, or creative hobbies. This helps foster a well-rounded lifestyle and reduces the potential negative impacts of excessive screen use.

FAQs

How do I choose the right app for my family? 

Choosing the right screen time management app for your family involves considering various factors to ensure it aligns with your needs and preferences. Here are some guidelines to help you make an informed decision:

• Define Your Goals:

Clarify your objectives for using a screen time management app. Are you aiming to limit screen time, monitor content, or encourage educational usage? Understanding your goals will guide you in selecting an app that best fits your family's needs.

• User-Friendly Interface:

Look for apps with intuitive and user-friendly interfaces. The easier they are to navigate and set up, the more likely they will be seamlessly integrated into your family's routine.

• Compatibility:

Ensure the app is compatible with your family's devices. Check if it supports various platforms, such as iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS, so that you can manage screen time across different devices.

• Technical Support & Customer Service:

Choose an app with reliable technical support and prompt customer care to address issues or concerns.

• Customization & Flexibility:

Choose an app that allows you to customize settings based on the age and maturity of each family member. 

• Content filtering & Age-appropriate controls:

Select an app with solid filtering options if content management is a priority. Look for apps that allow you to set age-appropriate controls and block or restrict access to inappropriate content.

• Notification and Control Features:

Choose an app that provides notifications when screen time limits are approaching or have been reached. Additionally, look for apps that offer parental control features, allowing you to adjust settings or grant additional time when needed remotely.

• Reviews and Recommendations:

Read reviews and seek recommendations from other parents with similar goals. Look for apps with positive feedback regarding ease of use, effectiveness, and customer support.

• Privacy and Security:

Prioritize apps that respect privacy and security. Ensure that the app's data collection practices align with your comfort level, and carefully review the privacy policy to understand how user data is handled.

• Cost and Trial Period:

Consider your budget and check whether the app offers a trial period. Many apps offer free trials, allowing you to assess their features and determine if they meet your family's requirements before committing to a subscription.

What if my child tries to get around the limits? 

Well, this is a constant concern for most parents, right? However, it is common for children to attempt to bypass screen time management apps, especially if they are determined to access more screen time. Knowing that this does not make it any better, here are some tips/strategies to address this challenge:

• Open communication:

Open communication with your kids is one of the best ways to help them understand the importance and need for setting screen time limits. Explain the importance of balance, health, and other activities. Encourage them to express their concerns or preferences, fostering a collaborative approach.

• Set Clear Expectations:

Communicate the consequences of attempting to circumvent the screen time limits. Let your child know the importance of following the rules and the potential impact on privileges or additional restrictions if the limits are consistently ignored.

• Password Protection:

Use password protection or other security features within the app to prevent your child from changing the settings. Ensure that the password is not something that can be easily guessed by your child and is known only to you or the caregivers.

• Work towards empowering your child to manage their own screen time responsibly. Engage in discussions about time management, goal setting, and balancing screen use with other activities.
• Reinforce positive behavior by acknowledging and rewarding your child when they adhere to screen time limits. Positive reinforcement can be a powerful motivator for children to follow the established rules willingly.
• Stay informed about new features or updates to the screen time management app. Some apps continually improve their security measures, and staying up-to-date can help you maintain effective control over screen time.
• If your child constantly tries to bypass the screen time limits and it becomes a significant issue, consider seeking advice from a child psychologist, counsellor, or other professionals specializing in child behaviour. They can provide insights and strategies tailored to your specific situation.

We must remember that finding the right balance between setting boundaries and fostering open communication is crucial. It's natural for children to test limits, but consistent and thoughtful responses can help establish a healthy approach to screen time within the family.

Should time limits apply to educational use? 

While setting screen time limits is generally recommended to ensure a balanced and healthy lifestyle for children, educational use of screens is often an exception. However, time limits should also apply to educational screen time. While this can offer benefits like improved academic outcomes, excessive screen time, even if educational, can negatively affect your child's development and overall well-being. 

As the famous old saying goes, "Too much of anything is good for nothing." it highlights the importance of moderation in our lives and warns against the dangers of excess. Additionally, even research indicates that too much screen time, regardless of its educational nature, can lead to delayed learning, behavior and attention problems, a drop-off in engagement with academic activities, and even health risks like obesity. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization recommend limiting the total screen time for children aged 6 to 10 years to no more than 1.5 hours per day, with a maximum of 2 hours for all age groups. Learn more

While we discuss the pros and cons of setting time limits to education screen time, it is also essential to recognize that each child is unique, and their educational needs may differ. In other words, some children may benefit from more educational screen time, while others may thrive with a greater emphasis on hands-on activities and traditional learning methods. 

Therefore, it is advisable to establish clear rules and limits for all types of screen time, including educational activities, to maintain a healthy balance between screen use and other activities that contribute to a child's overall well-being.