Best Family Tracking App — Free & Paid Recommendations

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Today’s age of constant internet and social media access is undoubtedly incredible. But it can also be incredibly scary if you’re a parent, particularly to a teenager. That’s why we thank our lucky stars when it comes to a family tracking app free on the market.

A family tracking app’s job is similar to that of an undercover bodyguard. Simply put, it is parental control software that gives you full remote access to your child’s phone or tablet, letting you see where they are, who they’re talking to, what they’re saying, and what they’re seeing.

There are many family tracking apps available, some free and some overpriced. So we decided to do some digging to find out which are the best family tracking apps in 2024. Ready to find out more? Read on to find out what we discovered and why these apps made it onto our list.

Best Family Tracking Apps — The Shortlist

After much research and definitely too much coffee, we’ve narrowed down the list of the best family tracking apps to our top eight.

1. mSpy — Best Family Tracking App in 2024 With The Most Features
2. Spynger — Top Family Tracking app in 2024 For Catching Cheating Partners
3. uMobix — Top Family App In 2024 For Tracking Android With Remote Camera Access
4. GEOfinder — Best Family Tracking App In 2024 With A VPN Checker
5. Scannero — Outstanding Family Tracking App in 2024 For Fast Real-time Location, Anywhere In The World
6. Phonsee — Best Family Tracking App in 2024 With A Strong Keylogger
7. SpyBubble Pro — Great Family Tracking app in 2024 For Complete Device Control
8. Eyezy — Leading Budget-friendly Tracking App In 2024

The Top 8 Family Tracking Apps — Expert Take

The wonderful wide web is part of our everyday lives. But a world of content at our fingertips can cause sleepless nights for parents whose children also have online access.

Unfortunately, the great expanse of all things online holds potential dangers for younger users, making them vulnerable to all kinds of threats — from seeing inappropriate content, such as pornography and violence, to cyberbullying and sexual predators.

Scary? Absolutely. But that’s where a parental control and locator app can make a big difference. It’s a great way to discreetly monitor your child’s device and keep track of what they’re doing online and on social media platforms, what they’re seeing, and who they’re interacting with.

Some family trackers can also pinpoint their physical location, while others allow you to restrict access to sites and platforms that you want them to avoid.

It’s little wonder that the parental control app market is expected to grow from $1.40 billion in 2024 to $3.54 billion by 2032. However, as there are so many family tracking apps to choose from, making the right choice can be tricky.

That’s why we’ve done our research, compiled a list of the best 360 family tracking apps, free or otherwise, and tested them. Read on to find out which ones have made the grade.

1. mSpy — Best Family Tracking App in 2024 With The Most Features

mSpy is at the top of our list of parental control apps for good reason — it packs a punch with its comprehensive features offering, with a clean interface as the cherry on top. It works well across both Android and iOS phones and tablets.

With full stealth mode, it will enable you to discreetly monitor your child’s online activities across a range of social media platforms, from WhatsApp and Tinder to Snapchat and Instagram Messenger, among others.

‘But wait, there’s more,’ as they say in the classics. mSpy also brings screen recording and keylogging to the table, so you can see exactly what they’re saying on their phone across all of the messaging apps that they use.

Geofencing and GPS location are also standout features as a teen locator that lets you know the exact whereabouts of your little darling and if they’ve been somewhere they shouldn’t have been.

A mSpy subscription also includes the usual suspects—access to the browser history and the option to block specific websites and apps, among others. And, as a spy app—which all parental control software is—security is important, too, considering the sensitive data that it has access to.

mSpy handles this with bank-grade encryption, keeping the information you have access to on your child’s phone safe while it travels to and between the mSpy server and your dashboard and out of the hands of prying third parties.

Pricing

Whether for Android or iOS, mSpy has three subscription options — monthly, quarterly, and annual — with the latter being the gentlest on the pocket.

At $48.99 for a one-month subscription, mSpy is not the most competitively priced parental control app. There are cheaper options, as we’ll cover in this review. However, mSpy has a lot of features to offer, which we reckon takes the sting out of that price burn.

Take a look at our comprehensive review of mSpy to find out more about it.

2. Spynger — Top Family Tracking App In 2024 For Catching Cheating Partners

Spynger is marketed as a cheating tracker app, meaning it is designed to help users find out if their partner is being unfaithful. That’s not to say it can’t be used as a parental control app—it shares similar features with mSpy and some of the other apps on our list of the best family tracking apps.

Installing Spynger on your partner’s phone gives you full access to all activity on the tracked device — their call logs, contact lists, social media and messaging platforms, calendar, browsing history, bookmarks, and emails.

We really like the Spynger feature that enables remote screenshots of the tracked phone, and the keylogger is pretty impressive, too.

GPS functionality also shows you where the device is in real-time, and you can set up geofences on the device, which will notify you if the device—and your partner—are somewhere they shouldn’t be. For instance, you’ll know that your girlfriend is actually at her ex’s house when she tells you she is at her book club.

Spynger also lets you see the Wi-Fi networks that the phone is connected to, with the added ability to block those networks. You can also block access to specific apps — Tinder, for example — and websites on the device.

Spynger runs in stealth mode, meaning that it is undetectable on the tracked device. That said, you’ll need access to Android phones to install Spynger, and rooting is required. Also, bear in mind that there are ethical—and potentially legal—issues associated with using a cheater app to access sensitive data without consent.

Pricing

Three plans are on offer for the Spynger app — monthly, quarterly, and annual.

Compared to the other family tracking apps on our list, Spynger has a good price point, particularly for the annual subscription.

Find out more about the Spynger app in our full review here.

3. uMobix — Top Family App In 2024 For Tracking Android With Remote Camera Access

With uMobix, you’re firmly back on the terrain of feature-packed software to monitor every little move your child makes on their monitored phone or tablet. Like mSpy, it gives you a bird’s-eye view of their online behavior across a host of messaging social media apps and browsing activity.

uMobix is available for both Android and iOS, but the Android version is much more powerful, backed by additional features, such as a location tracker and keylogger. The Android version also monitors 15 messaging and social media networks, whereas the iOS app tracks only six.

Another special trick that uMobix has up its sleeve is the ability to turn on the tracked phone’s camera and audio stream at any time (Android only. Sorry, iOS users). Plus, you have full access to deleted calls, messages, and contacts.

uMobix gives you, as the parent or guardian, a good degree of control over the device itself. You can restrict calls, block certain apps and websites, and disable messages from the uMobix dashboard.

There’s more to uMobix, which we certainly consider a family 360-degree app. Read all about it in our full uMobix review. And while you’re at it, take a look at the other top apps we think are the best for Android.

Pricing

uMobix has three plans available, with the annual option being the best value for money.

Those prices are for both the Android and iOS versions, and they come in slightly higher than mSpy’s. But you still get a lot of bang for your buck, albeit more so if you’re tracking an Android device.

4. GEOfinder — Best Family Tracking App In 2024 With A VPN Checker

Like Scannero, GEOfinder is also designed primarily for location tracking. So, if you’re looking for an app that can also monitor online activity, calls, and text messages, this is not for you. However, if a clutter-free and easy-to-use location tracker ticks your box, then read on.

GEOfinder’s features include GPS and Wi-Fi trackers, SMS location, and a cell phone carrier lookup option. But what makes It unique is that it also has a VPN checker.

A VPN server encrypts and hides your IP address when you’re online, giving you privacy and anonymity. That’s a good thing, but it can be a real pain if the device you want to track is using a VPN.

However, that VPN is no match for GEOfinder, which will detect if the tracked device is using one and then show you the device’s real location. That’s great news if the location you’re searching is of your 15-year-old IT prodigy with a penchant for smoke and mirrors.

Pricing

GEOfinder offers a one-month plan, and crypto—including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Doge—is among the payment options.

When doing our research for this review, we found widespread mention of a 24-hour subscription option in addition to a monthly plan. But with no sign of it on the plan option webpage, it appeared this no longer existed.

However, a quick conversation with Joe the Chatbot resulted in being sent a link to a one-day trial for $1. But you have to ask for it—the trial is not readily available on the GEOfinder payment options. Be sure to keep an eye on the automatic renewal toggle when signing up and paying for the trial.

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5. Scannero — Outstand Family Tracking App in 2024 For Fast Real-time Location, Anywhere In The World

If you’re wondering if your underage daughter really is at a friend’s house for a sleepover and not at the club or if your spouse is at the regional office and not on a beach in Barbados, Scannero is well worth considering.

Unlike many family control software, Scannero isn’t a downloadable app and doesn’t come packed with features. But it is excellent for tracking a device, wherever it might be—two blocks away or on the other side of the world.

Scannero is extremely straightforward to use. Once you’ve entered the phone number of the device that you want to locate, Scannero will generate and send a message, after which you will be notified and sent their location on a map via email.

You decide whether the message is sent via messenger, SMS, email, or anonymously. Whichever one you choose, you’ll always be in stealth mode, so the recipient won’t know you’re monitoring their whereabouts.

Scannero is primarily a location tracker, and while its features are limited, those it does have are pretty cool. Apart from tracking down your lost phone, Scannero can track a GPS/IP address. So, if, for example, your kid is being cyberbullied, this is a great way to find out who’s behind it.

There’s also data breach functionality, in addition to true caller ID (including their spam score), as well as Reverse Username Lookup, which is essentially a social media username finder.

Pricing

While Scannero is not free, the option to use it for 24 hours at a cost of just $0.89 means it’s close to free and by far one of the cheaper options on the market.

The only alternative to the short 24-hour tracking spree is a monthly plan, and it’s fairly pricey. So, unless you have a partner who returns from far-too-regular ‘business trips’ with a suspiciously golden beach tan, we suggest trying out the 24-hour option.

6. Phonsee — Best Family Tracking App in 2024 With A Strong Keylogger

A good family tracking app will give you full access to your loved one’s device, and that’s exactly what Phonsee does. It’s geared towards ensuring the safety of your child, with a host of features ranging from being a real-time location tracking app for parents to online monitoring.

It works across all Android and iOS devices and gives you full insight into all online activities, calls, and text messages. We particularly like Phonsee’s user-friendly interface. It’s clean and easy to navigate and sends instant notifications when a preset rule is breached.

Phonsee includes the standard features—social media monitoring, call logs and history tracking, browser and app activity monitoring, GPS tracking, geofencing, and real-time location. The remote screenshot ticks an important box, too.

The keylogger, meanwhile, will show you exactly what your child is typing. And if your kid types a word you’ve included in the ‘naughty list’, you’ll be notified right away.

Pricing

The plans are offered by Phonsee — monthly, quarterly, and annual — and all at competitive price points.

As expected, the annual plan is the most cost-effective option and one of the lower price points in our review of the best family tracking apps in 2024. Compared with mSpy’s $11.67 per month on an annual plan, Phonsee’s $8.85 is well-priced.

Discover more about what Phonsee has to offer in our comprehensive Phonsee review.

7. SpyBubble Pro — Great Family Tracking App In 2024 For Complete Device Control

SpyBubble Pro is yet another cheater app that’s made it onto our list of the best family tracking apps. Like Scannero, it’s packed with features that will give you complete control of the tracked device.

We were impressed by the SpyBubble Pro dashboard, which includes more features than your average tracker and provides coverage across 22 social apps.

A unique feature is that SpyBubble Pro has a SIM card replacement alert, in addition to a (somewhat ironic) spyware scanner, and the dashboard receives updated tracked data every five minutes.

Keylogger, access to audio and video — even deleted files — are accessible through the user-friendly dashboard, enabling you to keep a close eye on your partner’s online activity at all times. And if they’re up to no good, you will know about it.

SpyBubble Pro also works well as a parental control app. It’s a great way to keep track of the kids, literally (through the location feature), and see what they’re up to online.

Pricing

Three decently priced plans are available on a monthly, three-month, or annual basis.

Compared to Spynger, SpyBubble Pro is more expensive on an annual plan but lower on its one-month option. It’s still cheaper than mSpy and uMobix, although it doesn’t offer the same degree of parental control as those family-tracking apps.

8. Eyezy — Leading Budget-friendly Family Tracking App In 2024

Last but certainly not least on our list of the best family tracking apps is Eyezy. This app packs all the features expected from a good parental control app at a very attractive price point, making it worthwhile to consider.

Keylogging, screen recording, keyword tracking, and geofencing are standout features that make Ezezy good at its job—which is to give you complete insight into your child’s online activity and physical location and to keep them safe.

The Eyezy dashboard gives you easy access to what your kid is browsing, who they’re in contact with, what they’re saying, and what they’re receiving across various social platforms, email, and the internet.

You can also block specific URLs and sites that you don’t want them to access, and the keyword tracking lets you define words or phrases that, if they use them, you’ll be notified about via email.

And while not all family tracking apps have a geofencing feature, Eyezy does. This means you can set physical parameters for them, and you’ll be alerted if they breach them. So if little Tommy tells you he’s doing homework at his friend’s house, but instead, he heads off to the other side of town to watch a movie, you’ll know.

Pricing

At under $8 a month on the annual plan, Eyezy offers great value for money.

Eyezy offers three plans, and even the monthly plan is the lowest on our list, below the $40 mark. But as usual, the annual subscription is the cheapest monthly subscription, and Eyezy’s price will suit most pockets.

Discover the nitty gritty in our full Eyezy review here.

How We Test Family Tracking Apps For Our Reviews

We’ve given the family tracker apps on the list a lot of consideration—and by consideration, we mean research. Sherlock Holmes has nothing on us when it comes to investigating every aspect of these apps.

We looked far beyond the marketing speak and hype to find out if each app lived up to its big promises. Extensive testing and scrutiny are the nature of our game. Those that didn’t meet our expectations didn’t make the list.

These are some of the key tests we performed on each app in this review.

In our research, we also looked at user experiences, heading to TrustPilot, Reddit, G2, and other reputable sites to see what they had to say.

On a final note, this isn’t our first rodeo when it comes to family tracking apps. With many comprehensive software reviews under our collective belt, we know what to look for — the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Step-By-Step Guide — How to Use a Family Tracking App

You may be wondering how to install and use a family tracking app. It’s quite simple, actually. Let’s go through the process step by step, using mSpy on Android as an example.

Step 1 — Sign up for the app

Head to the family tracker’s website and select the plan you want to purchase. In this instance, we went to the mSpy website and selected Try Now.

After entering an email address, mSpy will ask if you want to monitor an Android or iOS, with the option to choose later.

Next, you’ll be prompted to choose a plan — one month, three months, or annual. Make your selection, and enter your payment details.

Shortly thereafter, you will receive an email with a username and password, an installation link and detailed instructions, including on how to jailbreak or root the device you want to track. If it’s a device with iOS 11 and above, you can install mSpy via iCloud.

Step 2 — Install the app on the target phone

mSpy recommends disabling Play Protect on an Android phone before installation. That has the potential to compromise the device’s security, but the mSpy features you want won’t work unless Play Protect is disabled.

You also need to disable notifications; otherwise, your child will receive notifications from the mSpy app, which you don’t necessarily want. You can do that under the phone’s Settings.

Next, open Google and enter the URL sent in the mSpy email you received to download, install, and open mSpy on the device. Pop-ups will prompt you to allow access to the phone’s data. Finally, you’ll be asked to enter the registration code.

Step 3 — Starting monitoring

Once mSpy is installed on your kid’s Android phone, it’s time to start watching. Log into your mSpy account from any browser. On the dashboard, you’ll see the phone on which you installed the mSpy software.

You’ll notice that the interface is pretty straightforward and packed with features. Most of them are purely for monitoring your kid’s device, but some allow you to restrict certain actions on their phone, and you can also set up geofencing.

Let’s take a quick look at all the features.

Select the General drop-down menu to see all contacts, text messages, call history, events, photos, videos, W-Fi networks, keyloggers, and installed apps on your child’s phone. This is also where you can set up keyword tracking.

Enter words or phrases that you don’t want your kid using, receiving, or looking for online. Then, select the apps you want the keyword tracker to cover. Once you’re done, mSpy will email you as soon as little Timmy pops that word or phrase into a browser or if it crops up in one of his chats.

Next is Locations, where you can see exactly where your kid is—and has been—with GPS coordinates, a map view, and a timestamp.

You can also set up geofences under Locations. Configure zones where your kid should be (for instance, their school), as well as areas you don’t want your kid to go, and you will receive alerts. So, for example, you’ll be notified when the school bus delivers your 14-year-old safely to school, and you’ll know if she’s trying to sneak into the local nightclub.

Of course, what would a family tracker — or a teen, for that matter — be without social apps? mSpy has all the popular apps covered, giving you complete access to messages sent and received.

Another great feature is the screen recorder, which gives you a virtual screenshot of their social media activity.

The chances are good that your kid spends a lot of time on the internet. How can you be sure they’re not accessing violence, porn, and other inappropriate content? mSpy’s internet usage feature will reveal all.

Not only are you able to access all emails sent and received, but you can also see exactly which websites your child has visited, as well as any bookmarks they’ve created. A full browser history means more piece of mind for you.

We mentioned earlier that mSpy gives you the option to restrict access on your child’s phone to certain things. You’ll find those under Restricted.

Here, you can block a Wi-Fi network, as well as specific apps and websites. For instance, you might want to restrict app access to Facebook at certain times. Simply block it on the dashboard and unblock it again when you want to.

As for restricted websites, the same applies, although you’re more likely to want porn and other dodgy sites to remain blocked. Add the URLs of sites you don’t want your kid to visit. They’ll be blocked from accessing them, but you’ll still be notified if they try to.

mSpy’s features are easy to use and offer powerful protection to keep your loved one safe. If you encounter any stumbling blocks while using it and need assistance, a friendly chatbot is a mouse click away.

Final Thoughts

There you have it, the top eight family tracking apps that we believe are the best. Most have a similar core set of features, but each has a unique offering that makes it stand out.

Ultimately, each of the family tracking apps on our list is designed to ensure safety through discreet monitoring. That, of course, leads to questions on the ethics and legalities of monitoring another person’s device without their permission.

Using a family tracking app means you’ll be privy to sensitive information and invading on the privacy of the device’s owner.

Honesty is the best policy, so we recommend having a conversation with your child before installing the software on their device. Explain your reasoning behind doing so, and that it’s in their best interests.

Hopefully, our review of the top eight family tracking apps has given you a good idea of which one would best suit your needs. But if you’re still unsure, we recommend mSpy simply because it’s the best overall package. You don’t need to take our word for it, though. Go ahead and try it for yourself today.

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