• Best Mac Home Internet Child Control Software 2017
• Best Mac Home Internet Child Control Software Download
• Best Mac Home Internet Child Control Software Free
• Best Mac Home Internet Child Control Software Reviews

Kaspersky was and continues to be one of the best antivirus software providers on the internet today, and despite any troublesome news you might have heard a few years ago about the CEO and his ties to the Kremlin’s cybersecurity unit, they’re still a top pick for us in contention for the best parental control software of 2019.

What is an Internet Filter?

Internet filter is a software that can sort online content depending on the age and needs of a user. For children and adolescents, filters can sift through websites that may negatively impact the psyche or behavior of a young. Each parent decides individually which web resources to restrict, but in general, pornographic sites, gambling, forums, and websites promoting violence, drugs, alcohol, and cults, must all fall under a ban.

10 Best Internet Filters of 2020

Parents should always talk with their children about online security and the impermissibility of viewing certain types of content. However, children tend to ignore the voice of reason and they often neglect the danger. Therefore, parents ought to monitor how well kids understood the instructions and whether they follow. As they say, trust but verify. Internet filters and content monitoring apps provide an excellent opportunity to find out which sites your children visit and block those that you consider suspicious and unsafe. If you are not sure what apps may be handy, we have prepared these internet filter reviews for you.

1. FamiSafe - Internet Filters & Explicit Content Detection

FamiSafe is a relatively new product on the market but it has gained a reputation as one of the best monitoring solutions for caring parents. The app can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play with 3 free days trial.

FamiSafe comes with a great web filtering feature allowing parents to easily block any inappropriate content. Also, they can see deleted or private browse history on kids' Android devices. Don't have a clue of what sites to block? Just use a built-in filter and mark any category that you deem as potentially harmful. On top of that, you can add URLs of sites that slip through filtering or if they don't fit into any category. Alternatively, you can create a whitelist, add sites that you approve, and block everything else. If your kid tries to access any blacklisted site, you will get notifications on your device. Besides the content blocking function, you can examine a web history and find out what sites your kids tend to visit and at what time.

What's more, Explicit Content & Suspicious Photos Detection helps parents detect dangerous information of kids' SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook, Messenger, Messenger Lite, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, KiK, Gmail on Android devices and detect Youtube suspicious content on iOS devices. Parents can also add inappropriate or offensive words to the word list, getting real-time automatic alerts.

A Reliable and Handy Parental Control App

• Web Filtering & Browse History
• Location Tracking & Geo-fencing
• App Blocker & App Activity Report
• Screen Time Limit & Schedule
• Explicit Content & Suspicious Photos Detection

FamiSafe boasts other useful functions as well. You will definitely appreciate the app blocker, location tracker, geo-fencing, and screen limits features. If that's not enough, the app comes with a 3-day free trial period, you can run a test before you decide whether to purchase or not. All in all, FamiSafe is a versatile tracking and controlling tool for modern families.

2. Norton Family parental control

You have probably heard of Norton Security, a popular antivirus brand. The same developer strives to make your kids' lives more secure by offering their Norton Family parental control software. The app is available on Google Play and App Store for Android and iOS devices respectively.

Norton Family parental control automatically installs a secure Norton browser and blocks all other browsers found on a child's device before. The app supplies a search supervision feature allowing parents to monitor the search queries. Web filtering makes it possible to set up rules of access to web resources. Blacklisted sites won't be seen in the Norton browsers search lists. Whenever a child wants to open banned sites, the app will send a notification. Norton Family also comes with activity monitors and instant lock function to control app usage. The paid version additionally allows geo-tracking and video supervision. Please note that the app requires an account with Norton Family portal.

3. ESET Parental Control

The app is available for Android-powered devices and can be found on Google Play. ESET Parental Control strives to teach kids Internet security in a friendly way. The app is convenient and user-friendly for parents as well. It comes with multiple settings and features but the developers offer some pre-set configurations to make your life even easier. For instance, you can specify a child's age and the Web Guard function will block all the age-inappropriate sites. Web monitoring feature also includes lists of the most frequently visited sites. A kid can send requests to unblock particular websites, which a parent can approve or reject. All the notifications will be instantly accessible on a parent's device.

In addition to the internet filtering, ESET Parental Control can monitor app usage, block specific apps, and indicate the current location of your child.

4. Qustodio Parental Control

The app is available on both Google Play and App Store, however, its functionality is much more robust on Android devices. Moreover, Qustodio can help to secure PCs and laptops running Mac and Windows.

The app offers free and paid versions. With a free subscription, you can monitor only 1 child's device while Premium plans allow using Qustodio on up to 15 devices at once.

Internet filtering feature will help you to blacklist adult content and other websites you disapprove of. You can also check search queries and browser history. Among other useful functions, you will find the ability to record a child's activity, monitor his/her calls and text messages, track a device's location, and apply limits for app usage.

5. Net Nanny

UNet Nanny is a dedicated web filtering app meaning it is focused on Internet protection, yet it also provided features like app blocker to help parents monitor their children's device usage.

The app boasts ample and flexible web filtering features. It enables parents to ban unsuitable websites or set up warnings when a child tries to access the content you frown upon. Pre-defined settings that use a child's age as a base significantly facilitate setting up of configurations. You are able to apply your own custom settings if you prefer.

Net Nanny installs its browser on a child's device that will be used by default. It offers 18 filtering categories to sift out content not intended for children's eyes. Custom categories are allowed as well. Any particular site can be blacklisted, whitelisted, or overridden on a device.

The app comes with a very useful profanity masking feature that replaces swear words with symbols on web pages. Net Nanny supplies web activity reports and a time control function to set up hours allowed and forbidden for web surfing. Currently, it supports Android, iOS, Kindle Fire, Mac, and Windows.

6. Kaspersky SafeKids

Internet filter reviews wouldn't be complete without this parental control app. You can protect not only mobile devices (both Android and iOS ones) but also desktop computers. To start working with the app, you need to create an account at My Kaspersky platform. You can configure the app right from the web console. Alternatively, you are able to install a Parent-end app on a parent's device.

Website monitoring is one of the main functions of Kaspersky SafeKids. The app distinguishes 14 categories of content. Depending on the child's age, the app applies the recommended settings.

The software displays warnings for sites related to other potentially unwanted categories. When a child tries to access such a web resource, SafeKids displays an alert and tells parents if an appropriate site was visited after all.

Among other useful features, you can find an app access blocker, time usage limits, and geo-location.

7. Boomerang - Parental and Screen Time Controls

The app is suitable for Android and iOS devices. This monitoring software can support up to 10 child's devices at one time. After installation, Boomerang will replace all other browsers with its own trademark safeguard SPIN browser. The app generates reports on the search history and provides information about all the videos viewed on a kid's phone or tablet. Boomerang makes videos safer thanks to the Restricted Mode feature for YouTube. SPIN is complemented with Google SafeSearch to help you filter out inappropriate content.

Besides web filtering instruments, Boomerang allows setting up screen times to control the device usage and block distractive apps.

8. Locategy

Locategy is similar to other parental controlling apps. As it is clear from its name, the app emphasizes the location function (it tracks current and past locations and enables parents to create safe geo-fenced zones). However, it offers other helpful features as well – app blocking, call reports, time control, and even remote wipe. As for web monitoring features, Locategy blocks 9 categories with harsh content by default (pornography, drugs, gambling, filter get-around, and others). Additionally, you can enable filtering on 30 more categories. If there is a site that wasn't banned somehow, you can manually blacklist its URL. Please note that web filtering works only with the Chrome browser, therefore you need to disable all other browsers with its app blocking function.

The app is available through Google Play and the App Store.

9. Bitdefender Parental Control

This app can be installed on PCs and Android-powered devices. Its interface is a bit complicated yet very functional. A free version provides only monitoring functions (device usage tracking, reports on incoming and outcoming calls and SMS, web history). All the restrictive functions are concentrated in the Premium subscription plan, including web filters and app blockers. Like many similar programs, Bitdefender Parental Control has the ability to block content by specific categories. You can also blacklist certain keywords and the app will exclude them from the search. If you want to restrict Internet access when a child is at school you are able to set up time limits.

10. SafeKiddo Parental Control

The app thrives on its internet filtering functions but the developers tried to make everything as simple as possible. The easiest way to employ the app is by choosing a child's age and letting SafeKiddo adjust web content appropriately. You can customize these settings if you wish. The Safe Search feature is designed to protect your little ones from harmful content while they are using popular browsers. If any potentially dangerous site skirts around its filtering, you are able to manually block it by adding the offending URL to a blacklist. There is also an option to create whitelists thereby blocking every resource except the ones on that list. SafeKiddo supplies informative reports on your children's online activity (what sites were used, search words, surf times, etc.). Besides this, the app offers several functions to monitor and control app usage.

SafeKiddo is available on Google Play and App Store.

Protecting your kids on the internet can be exhausting. Here are some easy-to-install parental control routers and other devices to put your worries at ease.

For children today, the Internet has always existed. To them, it’s second nature to pop online and watch a funny video, find a fact, take a class, or chat with a friend. But, of course, the Internet is also filled with a lot of dark corners. And, as the YouTube Kids controversy and other such instances highlighted, even sites built as safe havens for young children can easily be corrupted by anyone with an Internet connection and nefarious intentions. Parents, then, are presented with the daunting task of not only explaining the Internet to children but also monitoring what sites children visit and their screen time consumption. Thankfully, there are a number of excellent parental control apps and devices that allow parents to do just this, from the Gryphon Smart Mesh Router to the Circle Home Plus to the Amazon eero Pro mesh network.

The best parental control apps and devices, be they hardware or software, put parents in command the content their children can view and the amount of time they can spend online, sure. But they also help restore a parent’s sense of control. With a proper device, parents, from can restrict access to only specific sites and apps, filter dangerous or explicit web-content, manage time, and even track their location.

The programs, routers, and other devices below are some of the best parental control apps and software we’ve found. They’re easy to set up, work on a variety of devices for a number of family members, and inform — but not bombard — parents with necessary updates. Of course, it’s also important to have regular discussions with kids about online safety. An open dialogue is often the best defense.

The Best Overall Parental Control Apps and Devices

The sleek, simple-to-connect router (plug it in, download the app, and you’re set) offers everything we want in parental control software and more. Thanks to six internal tri-band antennas and 3Gbps, it blankets an area of up to 3,000 square feet in a powerful mesh network and offers congestion-free browsing. It offers screen time management by device, browsing history, bedtime/homework time parameters, safe search, and YouTube filtering, as well as a nifty crowd-ranking system, which allows on-the-fence parents to tap into the wealth of experience of others that have gone down the same path and then make a decision. The Gryphon app also makes things easy. With it, parents can immediately pause internet access, set up multiple users, and give approval to website or bedtime extension requests from anywhere, in real time. While certainly pricey, it provides parents with excellent peace of mind.

The Syfer system is powered by AI, so it automatically detects potential security threats and protects your family from malware, ransomware, and phishing. Data is encrypted, and Syfer does not log or track your activity. The system provides parents all the standard parental control options and also provides safe search and safe YouTube access. Purchasing it comes with a one-year subscription to the service, but after that it costs $10 per month.

The Best Parental Control Apps and Devices for Large Homes and Multiple Rooms

Best Mac Home Internet Child Control Software 2017

In addition to providing a mesh network of speedy WiFi that coats all corners of a home, eero’s parental controls let you to filter adult, illegal, and violent content for specific profiles that you set up on your network. Best of all, eero Secure filters new content in real-time. eero Secure also works for every device connected to your network. You do, however, have to play for the eero Secure plan to get the full parental control benefits of this router system. But the $10 a month is, in our opinion, very much worth it. It should however be noted that eero also doesn't have a URL-blacklisting feature.

Best Mac Home Internet Child Control Software Download

The Best Parental Control Apps and Devices for Setting Specific Time Limits

Best Mac Home Internet Child Control Software Free

This router is great for parents who, above all else, want to control how much time each of their kids spend on their devices and even sends notifications when there's a sudden upsurge in usage. The router itself is incredibly fast and also lets you set robust parameters (times and accessibility for each person in your family, etc.) The partner app lets you determine precisely what each child can (and can’t do) for when and how long. It also has handy buttons to either stop the internet or extend the time allowed online. The app is very intuitive and easy to use.

The Best for Parental Control Apps and Devices That Work with an Existing Router

This simple box from Circle Media Labs plugs right into your home router. Through an app, it grants you God-like control over your kids' mobile devices even when they're out and about. The app is well-designed and easy to use. It's also powerful, with the ability to block specific platforms and track and limit the time spent in specific apps. Just note that, after a year, you'll have to pay $10 per month for premium features like rewarding extra time for good behavior and location tracking. One year free of premium Circle service is included.

Best Mac Home Internet Child Control Software Reviews

Router Limits is another white box that plugs into your router with an ethernet cable and allows parents to limit what children can do online. Once plugged in, it automatically discovers all of the devices on your network. It’s device-by-device browsing history includes every site your children visit, as well as blocked ones they try to visit. There's also a long list of filters that are both category-based —games, social media, etc —and pegged to specific websites and apps (Snapchat, Netflix, Facebook). Router Limits can also filter search results in Google, Bing, and YouTube to ensure your children don't stumble across something questionable in a search. A mobile companion app, which costs an additional $10 per month, can be installed on devices to duplicate the protection that's in place on the home network on mobile connections or other Wi-Fi networks. If you share your Wi-Fi information with guests, you'll have to tell them you can monitor their traffic (well, you really should), which is kind of awkward.

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