Still, if you don't feel a need to read your kids' text messages (and in which case you'd need Qustodio), then Kaspersky Safe Kids is well worth considering. The drawbacks, and they are minor, are that the mobile apps are clumsily designed, the web portal can be slow, and the web filters may not work with lesser-known browsers. Likewise, a feature that lets you block specific kinds of YouTube searches (opens in new tab), and review YouTube search history if you're a paid user, works on Windows, iOS and Android, including the YouTube Android app - but not on Macs. But app management is limited on iOS to blocking apps that have age restrictions.

The paid plan monitors social networks and offers location tracking and geofencing that work in both iOS and Android, as do Kaspersky's web monitoring and device scheduling. Even better, Kaspersky's paid tier is only $15 per year (there's a 7-day free trial) for an unlimited number of child devices, and its free plan lets you set screen-time limits, filter websites and manage other apps.

Like Net Nanny, Kaspersky Safe Kids lets you monitor and control your kids' activities on PCs and Macs as well as on smartphones.

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