Qustodio is a popular parental control app based in Barcelona, Spain. During this Qustodio review, we discovered that the app helps keep children safe online by allowing parents to monitor and restrict the content that kids view online, gives them detailed information on how long their children use their devices, etc.
Qustodio has been around for over a decade and offers a comprehensive set of features across platforms. Some of the essential features it offers include social media monitoring, games and app restrictions, time limits, a panic button, and location tracking.
But is Qustodio the best parental control software you can get for your money? We compiled a comprehensive Qustodio review to tell you everything you need to know about this software. Keep reading to find out more.
Qustodio: Short Review
Pros
- Comprehensive features
- Works on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Amazon Kindle, and Chromebook
- User-friendly
- Has a free version
- Available in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, Japanese, and Chinese
Cons
- Expensive
- Set-up of some features can be a bit time-consuming
- Limited features on iOS
Qustodio provides a range of parental control features that are helpful and easy to use, such as web and app filtering, location tracking, time limits, and activity reports.
It works across a range of platforms, namely Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Kindle, and Chromebook. So you can ensure children’s safety on all their devices.
It offers a free plan along with two premium subscriptions that include extra safety features. However, the premium subscription plans may be a bit on the expensive side, especially the Basic plan, which does not provide some essential options like YouTube monitoring and app filtering.
Click the button below to check out Qustodio now, or keep reading our Qustodio review to discover what this parental control app has to offer.
Qustodio’s Specifications
When you sign up, Qustodio provides you with access to a free three-day trial of its premium subscription without needing any credit card details. After the expiration of the free trial, you get access to Qustodio’s free plan, which provides screen time monitoring, daily time limits, restricted time periods, and web filtering. However, the free plan only includes one device and daily and weekly activity reports, and it doesn’t offer you access to the customer support ticketing system.
The premium subscriptions are somewhat pricey, starting at $54.95 per year for five devices for the Basic plan and $99.95 per year for unlimited devices for the Complete plan. There is no monthly payment option, so this may be a deal breaker for some users. However, if you are looking for a cheaper parental control app with similar features, Kaspersky Safe Kids is worth checking out, as it only costs $14.99 per year.
You can pay with credit or debit cards, wire transfers, and PayPal if you want to subscribe to a Qustodio plan. All purchases come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can cancel within 30 days if you’re not satisfied with the product.
In the table below, we include more information about the features offered in each subscription package.
| Specifications | Qustodio Free | Qustodio Basic | Qustodio Complete |
|---|---|---|---|
| Download link | Get Qustodio Free | Get Qustodio Basic | Get Qustodio Complete |
| Pricing | Free | $54.95 per year | $99.95 per year |
| Number of devices | 1 | Up to 5 | Unlimited |
| Screen time monitoring | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Daily time limits | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Restricted time periods | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Web filtering | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| App filtering | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ |
| YouTube monitoring | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ |
| Location tracking | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Panic button | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Calls & SMS monitoring | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ |
| Customer support tickets | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ |
Features and Effectiveness: How Well Does Qustodio Perform?
Qustodio is one of the best parental control software apps. We gave it a 9/10 for performance as it is packed with a range of features that make it easier to ensure children’s online safety. Below we list our findings after testing the app for this Qustodio review:
- The web and app filtering worked well and included several options.
- Games and apps that contained inappropriate content for kids were effectively blocked.
- The daily time limits and restricted times features were intuitive, and their setup was simple.
- Location tracking provided us with frequent location updates.
- The calls and messages option worked well but had a complex setup.
- The panic button allowed us to add multiple contacts.
- Through the YouTube monitoring feature, we could either block the app or add time limits.
Below is further information about each of these features.
Web filtering
As the name suggests, Qustodio’s web filtering allows you to select the websites your children are allowed to access. It has over 25 predefined web categories (such as Games, Profanity, Gambling, Mature Content, Pornography, etc.) that you can control. Or, you can even set your own rules about specific sites. There’s also the option to receive an alert when your child connects to a certain website.
Our tests revealed that Qustodio’s web filtering works very effectively. Once the rules are set, your child will not be able to access websites you’ve restricted. The great thing is that this feature also works when browsers are used in Incognito mode.
However, the only compatible browsers are Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Safari, and Amazon Silk Browser. So, kids could use browsers like Tor, Brave, or Opera to bypass website restrictions.
On the plus side, Qustodio has an option that blocks unsupported browsers, and this, too, works effectively. This is great because other parental control apps, such as Bark, don’t have the option to block unsupported browsers.
And what about when using a VPN? Sometimes, it’s possible to circumvent web filtering when using a premium VPN like NordVPN or ExpressVPN. However, we were happy to find that Qustodio’s web filtering works perfectly even when using a VPN.
Additionally, Qustodio has options to:
- Block unknown websites that are not included in Qustodio’s website categories
- Automatically enable safe search on Google, Bing, or YouTube
- Send you alerts if your child tries to access blocked websites
So, on the whole, Qustodio’s web filtering works very well and comes with extra options for comprehensive control.
Games and apps
Similar to web filtering, Qustodio lets you block apps or set time limits for specific games and apps. This feature works on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Kindle, and Chromebook. This is an especially attractive feature for iOS apps because most parental control software cannot block iOS apps. Qustodio claims to be compatible with over 9,000 iOS apps.
You can configure Qustodio to alert you when your child accesses specific apps. You can either block access or set a daily time limit. This is handy for games, social media apps such as Instagram and TikTok, or entertainment apps like Netflix and YouTube, which can be addictive. During this Qustodio review, we discovered that the feature works well to seamlessly block and restrict games and apps.
Unfortunately, Qustodio does not currently offer social media monitoring. So, you cannot keep an eye on your kids’ social accounts like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, etc. If that’s a feature you’d like to have, Bark is a good alternative.
Daily time limits
You can use Qustodio to set daily time limits too. This way, you can limit how much time your child can spend using their iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Chromebook, or Kindle device for each day of the week. A vital aspect is that you can block access to your kid’s device but still let them make emergency calls or use the panic button.
While conducting this Qustodio review, we found that this feature is really intuitive to use and easy to set up, as shown in the screenshot below:
On the right of the screen, you can also choose what happens when the screen time limit is reached by using two features:
- Lock navigation: This prevents web browsing and internet access. It works differently on different operating systems:
- On Android, Chromebook, and Kindle, it blocks all apps apart from the calendar and the calculator
- On iOS, it stops internet access on the entire device
- On Windows and macOS, it restricts internet access on all web browsers
- Lock device: This blocks access to the device as follows:
- On Chromebook and Kindle, it restricts access to the whole device
- On Android, it prevents access to the whole device and only allows emergency calls and the use of the panic button in the Qustodio app
- On iOS, it hides any app that is rated age 4+ by the app store
- On Windows and macOS, it logs out the user completely
You can also choose to receive alerts when your kid reaches their screen time limit.
One way that this feature could be improved is by allowing kids an in-app method of requesting more screen time when needed. This would ensure that they don’t run out of screen time at an inopportune time.
But on the whole, Qustodio’s time limits work pretty well and are easy to use for both parents and children across multiple devices.
Restricted times
In addition to daily time limits, the Restricted Times feature is also quite useful. Through this function, you can block off specific time periods, such as bedtime or homework hours. So, for instance, instead of just limiting your kids to two hours of screen time on weekdays, you can prevent them from accessing the web between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. when they should be sleeping.
Setting the restricted times is quite straightforward. Qustodio divides the day into morning, afternoon, and night, and you can simply highlight the restricted time periods in red. You can only restrict time to hour-long chunks.
Location
The Location feature lets you monitor your child’s current location and where they have been. To enable the feature, you need to turn on location tracking on the parental app and grant location permissions on the child’s devices. Then, you can view where they are at any time and also receive frequent updates every five to 10 minutes. Further, on Android devices, you can even get directions to the child’s location via Google Maps.
Additionally, there’s also a location timeline, which is a list of your child’s previous whereabouts. Although this feature seems a bit invasive of a child’s privacy, it is still useful to have in case of emergencies. We’re pleased to see this feature because it’s not available on some other parental control apps like Bark.
Calls and messages
Qustodio allows you to monitor your calls and text messages on your kid’s device so that you can either whitelist or block the communication they receive. However, it’s quite an invasive feature that requires a somewhat complicated manual setup. So we recommend only using this if you have good reason to and to be open with your child about it.
While compiling this Qustodio review, we found that this feature is available on both the Android app and the iOS app. To set it up, you need to download the app directly from Qustodio’s website rather than the App Store or Play Store. There are stepwise instructions for this on the Qustodio website, but it can still be a bit tricky.
As for effectiveness, once set up, the feature works very well. It correctly blocks or allows calls according to the rules you set and displays the contents of text messages which you can monitor in Qustodio’s activity reports. However, do bear in mind that this will not work to monitor messages or calls on third-party apps like WhatsApp, Facebook, or Instagram.
So, the Qustodio app is helpful if you want to monitor who your child communicates with and block certain people, like bullies, from reaching them. However, we feel it may be better to teach your child to communicate with you when they face uncomfortable calls or messages rather than using a surveillance technique that can make them feel a lack of privacy.
Panic button
Qustodio’s panic button is an emergency SOS feature that allows your child to send a direct alert using their smartphone to trusted contacts via text or email messages. It’s designed to keep kids safe when out and about.
The setup process is straightforward. As shown in the screenshot below, you can add multiple trusted contacts that will be alerted when your child uses the panic button on their device.
To use the button, the child needs to tap it at the bottom of the app on their phone and then confirm the activation. To turn off the feature, they just need to tap the button again and confirm their choice.
The trusted contact receives an email about the alert and when it is turned off.
We’re quite pleased with this feature because many other parental control apps, such as Norton Family, don’t currently have an SOS feature. Unfortunately, the panic button feature is only available on Android devices at the moment.
Parents should note that Qustodio won’t contact any emergency services, such as the police, fire department, ambulance, etc., on your behalf. So, if you think your child is in danger, you need to contact the relevant authorities on your own.
YouTube monitoring
YouTube is a pretty popular platform that many kids watch. That’s why this parental control software includes a dedicated YouTube monitoring feature that lets you see what your kids are watching and searching for on YouTube. It also allows you to block both the YouTube app and website or set time limits for the YouTube app.
Further, if you enable the “Enforce safe search” option in Qustodio’s web filtering feature, it will force YouTube to filter all content that’s flagged as inappropriate. This way, your child doesn’t risk accidentally coming across harmful YouTube videos.
Overall, this is a great feature that elevates Qustodio as one of the best parental control apps to keep kids safe online.
Ease of Use: How User-Friendly Is Qustodio?
Qustodio is considered to have a user-friendly interface, as it is pretty easy to install and use. However, some aspects can be complicated, such as the calls and SMS monitoring feature. Overall, we give it a rating of 8/10 on ease of use.
Here’s a quick summary of what we discovered during this Qustodio review:
- Qustodio’s website was easy to navigate.
- The installation process took a while, but it was straightforward to follow the steps involved.
- The app was simple to use and intuitive.
- The customer support was helpful, but there was no live chat feature.
Qustodio’s website and installation process
The Qustodio website is well laid out and has plenty of information about the app. There’s a call-to-action button to “Get started for free,” which gives you access to a three-day trial of Qustodio Premium. However, three days are not really enough to test the features of an app. Norton Family, for example, offers a 30-day free trial which gives parents plenty of time to explore what the service provider has to offer.
How to install Qustodio
The Qustodio installation process is a bit time-consuming but pretty straightforward. It consists of two parts, namely, setting up the parent account and then setting up the app on kids’ devices. Below, you will find the step-by-step guide on how to install Qustodio.
- On the Qustodio homepage, click the “Sign Up” button or “Get Started for Free.”
- Enter your name, email address, and password of your choice and Click “Create an account.”
- Once your account is successfully created, you can log in to Qustodio and begin adding your children by clicking “Add child.”
- Enter your child’s details and click “Next.”
- On your child’s device, navigate to the Qustodio downloads webpage to get the Qustodio child app.
- The download process differs according to the device you select. For instance, for Android devices, you will be redirected to the Google Play Store to download the Qustodio Kids App.
- After downloading, open the Qustodio app on your child’s device and tap “Get Started.”
- Click “Protect this device” and then enter a name for the device.
- Select your child’s name to confirm who uses the device. You can even add another user if you haven’t yet added your child to your account.
- Click “Let’s do it” to begin and to give certain permissions to Qustodio for it to function properly.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to allow accessibility, usage tracking, notification access, permissions, and device admin.
- Tap “Finish” when done. Qustodio will now start monitoring your child’s device and usage. You will need to repeat this process on all your children’s devices.
- On the parent version of the app, you can click “Supervise activity” to see what your child does on their device.
Using Qustodio
Qustodio is very intuitive to use and easy to understand. On the parent app, you can click on “My Family” to see an overview of the users added to your Qustodio account. You can also add a user by clicking on “Add a child” to monitor the activity of different kids.
Click on a user to see details of their activity on the “Dashboard.” This will give you information on how much time your kids spend using a device, and more specifically, it will give you a detailed report throughout the day to indicate at which specific times your kids were online.
You can scroll down to see the app and web activity, web searches, and calls and messages. This is a handy way to get an overview of your child’s activity and see which app or website they spent the most time on, who they called or messaged, and how many times they looked for a specific topic online.
Navigate to the “Timeline” to see a chronological overview of your child’s online activities. This feature will give you the location of your child at a specific time and what they searched for during the day and at certain times.
Last, click on “Rules” to configure the various features offered by the app, such as Web Filtering, Panic Button, Restricted Times, etc., as discussed in the previous section of this article.
On the whole, Qustodio offers a range of convenient features that can help promote children’s online safety. However, it’s important not to rely overly on parental control software. You should also communicate openly with your kids about why you use this software and how it helps protect them. This can ensure that kids trust you and don’t feel like their privacy is being invaded. This is especially crucial for older kids and teens who may want some privacy from their parents.
Kids should never feel like you’re spying on them because this might push them into trying to keep things from you. And if they get into risky situations, they might not come to you out of fear. So, over-surveillance can end up doing more harm than good. That’s why it’s important to pair the use of Qustodio with healthy communication with your family.
Customer service
Qustodio provides good customer support for premium users. Although it’s missing a live chat feature, you can use the ticketing system to get email support. In our experience, customer support responded promptly within 24 hours, providing detailed information and solutions. This ensures that they’ll be able to help you sort out any issues you face.
Qustodio also offers a feature called Care Plus which comes with an extra charge for the Basic plan subscription but is free with the Complete plan. Through this feature, users can arrange a call with a customer representative at a time that suits them to discuss any issues they have with the app.
Moreover, the Qustodio website has a very in-depth and helpful support library that consists of frequently asked questions (FAQs), tutorials, and some troubleshooting tips. This detailed information means you probably won’t have to contact the support team at all.
Data Privacy: How Does Qustodio Use Your Data?
Qustodio cares about the privacy of its users. The multiple features this parental control software offers can help protect kids online by blocking inappropriate content. We gave Qustodio an 8/10 for data privacy, and here’s why:
- Qustodio does not share personal data with third parties.
- Some information may be provided to other service providers to enhance Qustodio’s performance.
- By contacting Qustodio, you can ask for your data to be deleted.
Privacy policy
We looked into Qustodio’s privacy policy to see how they handle user data. On the whole, it seems pretty standard, and the company assures that it treats:
“personal data with strict confidentiality in accordance with applicable law. Unless otherwise indicated, your personal data will not be provided to third parties. We do not sell or assign to third parties lists with personal data, nor of any other type.”
Moreover, in its privacy policy, Qustodio mentions that it processes data “as defined under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR),” which indicates that the service provider follows the regulations set by this auditing body.
However, it may share information when deemed necessary with specific third-party service providers. This will only be done for performance requirements regarding the Qustodio app.
After a detailed review of Qustodio’s privacy policy, we conclude that the company takes great care to protect your child’s data. Information stored on their secure servers is separated from any identifiable user information. So, even if the server is hacked, there’s no way to connect the information with a specific child.
Further, no matter where you are located, you can contact Qustodio at any time to request access to the data they have about you and ask them to delete it if you want.
Conclusion: Keeping Kids Safe Online With Qustodio
Our detailed Qustodio review reveals that Qustodio has all the essential parental control software features, like web and app filtering, time limits, location tracking, scheduling, and activity reports. Both the parent and child versions of the app are really easy to install and set up on multiple devices, including Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Kindle, or Chromebook.
However, on the downside, it lacks some features like social media monitoring, email monitoring, and text and push alerts for parents. If these are features you’d like to have, Kaspersky is a good alternative to Qustodio.
Further, Qustodio can be considered quite invasive because it takes away almost all control from the child about what is shared with their parents. So, it is more suitable for young kids and not teenagers who might value privacy from their parents. In contrast, Bark works better for teenagers because it only alerts parents when the app detects something suspicious about the child’s online activities.
All in all, Qustodio is the best parental control app in 2023, as it provides excellent monitoring and filtering features. It also has tons of other helpful functions, like a panic button, and is really user-friendly. It has feature-rich free and paid plans along with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Click the button below to check out Qustodio and find out more about what this app has to offer.
For more information on ensuring kids’ online safety, have a look at the following articles:
- Bark Review (2023): Is This Parental Control App Any Good?
- Norton Family Review: Will It Keep Your Family Safe?
- Kaspersky Safe Kids Review: Affordable Parental Control
Got a question about the Qustodio app? We’ve got you covered in the FAQ section below. Click or tap on a question to see the answer.
Qustodio is one of the best parental control apps and helps parents monitor and limit their children’s online activity. It includes features like web and app filtering, YouTube monitoring, location monitoring, and more.
Yes, Qustodio is reliable. We tested Qustodio and found that it is a highly effective app that lets parents control what their kids can view online and how much time they spend on the internet. You can read all the details in our full Qustodio app review.
To disable Qustodio, your child will need to enter the password for the parent account. So, as long as your child does not know the password, they cannot disable or delete Qustodio from their device.
