As the years pass, smartphones become more common for people of all ages. This includes our kids and that can be both useful and troublesome. In the digital age we live in, it’s important to keep up with possible dangers that stem from our kids being frequently online.
Types of apps
The types of monitoring we can do through these apps can be separated into a few groups. The first is apps that exclusively track the location of the person. The next one includes the ability to set perimeters and specific locations. The third group contains the ability to monitor other apps, social media use, texts and calls, and many other things. Said tools can have a multitude of additional features. Some examples would be the ability to add alarms, trusted people, and specific information.
1. Google Maps
Let’s start with a free option for those who just wish for a bit of reassurance on their child’s location. Widely popular Google Maps come first in this category. While we usually use it to navigate, this app actually has a feature you may be unaware of. This app allows you to share locations with others. All you need is to allow the location sharing and you’ll be able to take a look at the person’s location. The app doesn’t require additional software and most devices have built-in Google Maps, so it doesn’t require any additional setup.
In case your kid is savvy enough to disable permissions, it may be rendered useless, but if they are fine with tracking regardless, it’s a fair enough option. Some interference can make the location a bit inaccurate, but it’ll do fine especially considering it’s completely free.
2. Apple Find My
For Apple users, we have a free alternative to Google Maps called Find My. Before we proceed, it’s important to know it requires both parties to own an Apple product. This app is already installed on iPhones, so it shares the same benefit of not requiring setup. The app utilizes GPS to track the people you are connected with, allowing you to see their position at any time. The added benefit is that once you’ve connected iPhones, it’s very easy to find a phone that’s on the list of connected devices in case they get lost.
The younger the kid is, the higher the chances they’ll lose their phone. After all, it’s easy to get carried away while enjoying their free time, so the possibility of a phone being lost somewhere is possible. Sometimes they may just forget where they left it, but retrieval is made easy either way.
3. Life360
When you are considering apps, it’s very useful to check ones that have multiple plans. These apps give us additional customizability when it comes to our child’s safety. The first among these, and one of the most popular ones, is Life360. The app is available on both iOS and Android, so families with different devices can be connected too. In case you choose to use solely the free version, the app will allow you to see the location of your child or other people inside of your Life360 groups. The map of the app will display all the people tied to the app.
These groups are referred to as Circles, and each Circle has a recommended maximum of 10 members. Keep in mind that you can make multiple circles and group people based on whichever basis you wish to. Apart from the current location, you can also configure your kid’s favorite places and get notifications whenever they enter their favorite area. The additional feature of showcasing directions towards their current location allows you to quickly reach the area through automatically projected routes.
This app can also be useful if, for any reason, you need to spy on somebody in your vicinity. This can be due to possible trouble they may cause, suspicious locations they may be frequenting, or any other reasons. Along with this app, we recommend you check other ones that deal with this utility on bestcellphonespyapps.com for best spy apps.
The free version provides only two favorite places, but the paid one has unlimited locations. Speaking of, the premium plan allows you to have 30 days of location history which is huge compared to free plans 2 days of location history. On top of it, all subscribing to a paid plan gives you priority customer support for maximum reliability.
4. SecureTeen
Another among available monitoring apps is SecureTeen. This is a paid service that allows you to choose between two paid plans, allowing more customizability of pricing. More importantly, it affords you a slew of options that help you track your kid’s location and phone activity. The simple internet filtering capability allows you to exclude inappropriate content they may happen upon. The parental control capabilities of SecureTeen are very powerful and it’s regarded as one of the best software in this category. You can put up a time management system on your kid’s phone as well if you think they are spending too much time on the screen. There are a lot of customization options that allow you to make minute adjustments from daily device usage hours to mandatory phone breaks. The standard surveillance of incoming and outgoing texts as well as calls will keep you wary of any suspicious interactions the kid may happen upon. These features combined allow you to have peace of mind and keep up with your kid’s activity.
Of course, standard location tracking is included, along with the basic features that always come in handy. No matter how safe our children are online, it’s very important to constantly maintain that safety when they go outside as well.
5. Auto Forward Spy
This app is rather popular with parents who want a full spread of options. It is very simple and easy to use, which is always welcome for people who aren’t too tech-savvy. The app allows the user to check any activity from the targeted device. You can easily check information with any of your own devices.
The stretch of options encompasses social media messages, location tracking, texts, and calls. You can check if your kid is getting any kind of suspicious phone calls from unknown numbers or concerning texts with just a click of a button. Possible rude texts on social media or crude language can easily be detected too.
Conclusion
Your choice of apps will highly depend on your needs. The extra safety cannot hurt, but some of these tools can be a bit too unapproachable for your wallet. Consider the area you are in and possible dangers before doing a proper pick out of these choices.
