6 Best Parental Control Apps for iPhone: Top-Rated Options
Did you know that 53% of 11-year-olds own a smartphone, and the percentage is even higher for teenagers?
With increased iPhone usage among kids, parents face growing concerns over digital safety, screen time, and access to inappropriate content.
To help families navigate these challenges, parental control apps for iPhone provide essential features like content filtering, location tracking, and app usage monitoring.
Choosing the best parental control app for iPhone depends on your child's needs and your monitoring preferences.
Whether you need a solution for social media tracking, screen time management, or location monitoring, this guide will help you select the right app.
We have tested leading apps for compatibility, ease of use, and effectiveness over three months to bring you a data-driven comparison.
For parents looking for solutions across different devices, consider exploring parental control apps for Android, parental control software for Windows, or even parental control software for Mac to cover all family devices.
What Are the Best Parental Control Apps for iPhone?
Quick Picks: Editor's Recommendations.
Here's a summarized list of the best parental control apps for iPhone according to your needs:
- Best for Comprehensive Social Media Monitoring: KidsGuard Pro for iOS.
- Best for Content Filtering & Screen Time Limits: Bark.
- Best for Real-Time Location Tracking & Advanced Monitoring: mSpy.
- Best for Comprehensive Social Media Access & Stealth Monitoring: uMobix.
- Best for AI-Powered Monitoring & Smart Alerts: Eyezy.
- Best for Advanced Monitoring & Remote Control Features: FlexiSPY.
Selection Criteria & Methodology
We evaluated each iPhone parental control app based on:
- Monitoring capabilities (text messages, call logs, social media, etc.)
- Ease of setup (user-friendly setup without jailbreaking)
- iOS compatibility (support for the latest iPhone/iPad models)
- Feature-to-price ratio (value for money)
- Customer support quality
- Security and privacy considerations
- Child age appropriateness
Quick Picks Summary
| Category | Top Pick | Runner-Up |
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall | KidsGuard Pro | mSpy |
| Best for Social Media Monitoring | KidsGuard Pro | uMobix |
| Best for Location Tracking | mSpy | Bark |
| Best for Screen Time Management | Bark | mSpy |
| Best for Value | Bark | mSpy |
| Best for Stealth Monitoring | FlexiSPY | uMobix |
| Best for Social Media Access | KidsGuard Pro | uMobix |
| Best for AI-Powered Alerts | Eyezy | uMobix |
| Best for Remote Device Control | FlexiSPY | uMobix |
| Best for Advanced Monitoring | FlexiSPY | Eyezy |
To compare other compatible solutions, check out parental control software for Chromebook for Chrome OS users or parental control routers to manage devices at the network level.
The 6 Best Parental Control Apps for iPhone
1. KidsGuard Pro for iOS
Best for Comprehensive Social Media Monitoring
KidsGuard Pro provides extensive monitoring for social media platforms like WhatsApp, WeChat, and LINE, making it a top choice for concerned parents.
It operates in stealth mode, ensuring that kids remain unaware of being monitored.
Key Features:
✔ Tracks 20+ types of data, including deleted messages
✔ Location tracking with GPS history
✔ No jailbreak required for setup
✔ Full compatibility with iOS 9 to iOS 18
Pros & Cons
✅ Best-in-class social media tracking
✅ Works in undetectable mode
✅ No need for jailbreaking
❌ Higher pricing compared to some alternatives
Pricing Plans
✔ 1-Month Plan → $49.99/month (Regular Price: $65.99)
✔ 3-Month Plan (Best Value) → $75.99 ($0.84/day) (Regular Price: $99.99)
✔ 1-Year Plan (Most Affordable) → $139.99 ($0.38/day) (Regular Price: $255.99)
For more covert monitoring solutions, parents may also want to explore parent text monitoring apps that focus on SMS and chat tracking.
Get started with KidsGuard Pro.
2. Bark
Best for Content Filtering & Screen Time Limits
Bark balances monitoring with respect for a child’s privacy.
Like other apps that provide full message logs, Bark alerts parents about concerning content, making it suitable for families seeking a healthy monitoring approach.
Key Features:
✔ AI-powered alerts for cyberbullying and predators
✔ Screen time management with flexible controls
✔ Compatible with texts, emails, and 30+ apps
✔ Location tracker with check-in updates
Pros & Cons
✅ Ideal for filtering inappropriate content
✅ Encourages safe digital habits
✅ Strong parental education tools
Pricing Plans
✔ Bark Premium → $14/month (Comprehensive monitoring & AI alerts)
✔ Bark Jr → $5/month (For younger children with basic screen time & content filtering)
✔ Annual Subscription Available (Save up to 42%)
✔ 7-day Free Trial on both plans
Parents interested in restricting online content across different devices can explore parental controls for YouTube to filter video content.
Get started with Bark.
3. mSpy
Best for Real-Time Location Tracking & Advanced Monitoring
mSpy is a feature-rich parental control app that offers GPS tracking, call logs, social media monitoring, and stealth mode.
It’s perfect for parents who want detailed insights into their child’s digital life.
Key Features:
✔ Call and message tracking with real-time updates
✔ Geo-fencing for location alerts
✔ Social media spying on Instagram, WhatsApp, Snapchat
✔ Keylogging and screen recording features
Pros & Cons
✅ Best real-time GPS tracking with alerts
✅ Highly detailed monitoring data
✅ Supports discreet, invisible mode
Pricing Plans
✔ Monthly Plan → $48.99/month
✔ Quarterly Plan (Most Popular) → $28.00/month ($84 total for 3 months)
✔ Annual Plan (Best Value) → $11.67/month ($140.04 total for 12 months)
For a broader evaluation of monitoring tools across age groups, check out parental control apps for teenagers to find solutions tailored to different maturity levels.
Get started with mSpy.
4. uMobix
Best for Comprehensive Social Media Access & Stealth Monitoring
uMobix is a powerful iPhone parental control app that specializes in social media tracking and real-time monitoring.
Unlike other solutions that offer limited insights, uMobix provides full access to platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Skype, allowing parents to see their child’s activity just as if they were using the account themselves.
Key Features:
✔ Complete social media tracking (including full access to apps like Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger)
✔ Real-time call tracking with contact details, timestamps, and call durations
✔ Text message monitoring (iMessages & SMS)
✔ Contact list management (view and monitor saved contacts)
✔ Browser history tracking (websites visited, bookmarks, search records)
✔ Stealth mode (operates in the background undetected)
✔ GPS location tracking with historical routes
✔ Full remote control over the device including app blocking
Pros & Cons
✅ One of the most powerful social media monitoring tools available
✅ Fast and easy setup (approximately 5 minutes)
✅ Works on all iPhone & iPad models without jailbreak
✅ Highly detailed dashboard for reviewing activity
Pricing Plans
✔ Monthly Plan → $49.99/month
✔ Quarterly Plan (Best Value) → $29.99/month
✔ Annual Plan (Most Affordable) → $12.49/month
For parents searching for in-depth social media monitoring, uMobix is one of the best options available today, delivering unparalleled access to a child’s digital activities.
Get started with uMobix.
5. Eyezy
Best for AI-Powered Monitoring & Smart Alerts
Eyezy brings cutting-edge monitoring technology to the parental control space, offering AI-powered detection of sensitive content, social media tracking, and live location tracking.
Its Invisible Shield feature ensures that the app runs entirely in hidden mode, preventing children from disabling monitoring.
Key Features:
✔ AI-driven keyword alerts (detects cyberbullying, threats, and inappropriate language)
✔ Stealth mode (hidden monitoring without detection)
✔ Location tracking with geofencing alerts (set danger zones for your child’s safety)
✔ Complete message and call logs monitoring
✔ Social media tracking (iMessage, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, Telegram, Kik)
✔ Keylogger functionality (records everything typed on the device)
✔ Screen recording for visual proof of activities
✔ Website blocking (adult content, gambling sites, violent material)
Pros & Cons
✅ AI-powered alerts help parents identify risks instantly
✅ Highly user-friendly dashboard with easy navigation
✅ Compatibility with iPhone & Android
❌ Jailbreak may be required
Pricing Plans
✔ Monthly Plan → $38.39/month
✔ 3-Month Plan (Best Value) → $22.39/month
✔ Annual Plan (Most Affordable) → $7.99/month
Eyezy is ideal for parents who want an AI-powered, invisible monitoring solution that offers real-time alerts and content filtering for enhanced digital safety.
Get started with Eyezy.
6. FlexiSPY
Best for Advanced Monitoring & Remote Control Features
FlexiSPY is one of the most advanced parental control apps for iPhone, offering powerful monitoring features like remote camera activation, live call interception, and deep-level tracking.
Unlike most competitors, FlexiSPY also provides remote device control, allowing parents to monitor, record, and manage their child's device activity with unparalleled precision.
Key Features:
✔ Live call interception (listen to and record phone calls)
✔ Remote camera activation (take photos or videos without the child's knowledge)
✔ GPS tracking with historical movement records
✔ Custom keyword alerts (receive notifications for specific words in messages)
✔ Social media monitoring (WhatsApp, Facebook, Snapchat, Viber, Skype, and more)
✔ Keylogging functionality (track every keystroke entered on the device)
✔ Browsing history & web activity tracking
✔ Stealth mode (fully hidden, undetectable)
Pros & Cons
✅ Most comprehensive parental control features (including call recording & camera access)
✅ Offers both visible and hidden monitoring options
✅ Exclusive FlexiVIEW mobile app for real-time tracking
✅ Enterprise-grade security for data protection
❌ Higher price than most competitors
Pricing Plans
✔ Lite Plan → $49.95/month
✔ Premium Plan → $79 – $179 (based on subscription length)
✔ Extreme Plan (Best for Full Control) → $119 – $419
For parents looking for a high-end parental control app that offers extensive monitoring capabilities, including live call interception and remote camera triggers, FlexiSPY is unmatched in depth and control.
Get started with FlexiSPY.
Comparison Table
| Feature | KidsGuard Pro | Bark | mSpy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $49.99+/month | $5-$14/month | $11.67-$48.99/month |
| Social Media Monitoring | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ |
| Location Tracking | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ |
| Screen Time Controls | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Stealth Monitoring | ★★★★★ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ |
| Ease of Use | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Compatibility | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ |
Extended Comparison Table
| Feature | uMobix | Eyezy | FlexiSPY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $12.49-$49.99/month | $7.99-$38.39/month | $49.95-$419 |
| Social Media Monitoring | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Location Tracking | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Screen Time Controls | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Stealth Monitoring | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Ease of Use | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Compatibility | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
For cross-platform solutions, families can also explore parental control apps for Amazon Fire tablets, which provide similar monitoring capabilities but are tailored for Fire OS.
Final Recommendations
If you're looking for the best parental control app for iPhone, consider the following:
- Best for overall monitoring → KidsGuard Pro & mSpy (most comprehensive tracking features)
- Best for social media monitoring → uMobix (full access to Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and more)
- Best for privacy-conscious families → Bark (AI-powered alerts)
- Best for AI-powered safety alerts → Eyezy (smart notifications for risky content)
- Best for remote device control → FlexiSPY (advanced features like call interception and camera activation)
- Best for budget-conscious families → Bark Jr ($5/month for basic screen time and web filtering)
If stealth monitoring and deep control are top priorities, uMobix and FlexiSPY offer some of the most powerful tracking features available.
KidsGuard Pro is, particularly, good for social media monitoring.
Parents looking for a balance between monitoring and privacy might prefer Bark or Eyezy.
Conclusion
Parental control apps are essential in today's digital landscape.
Whether you're prioritizing social media monitoring, location tracking, or content filtering, the right tool depends on your family's specific needs.
