Qustodio Review 2024: Is This Parental Control App Right for Your Family?

Qustodio is parental control app that offers screen time monitoring, content filtering, search and text monitoring, location tracking, and more. In our testing, we found it to do all of this well with no real hiccups along the way.

While it has a great deal of functionality, Qustodio should improve on its data privacy and address some security risks. The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) published a report in 2020 on the risks of parental control software and Qustodio was one of the main products they tested. Researchers found that they could extract private keys and Facebook credentials, weak password policies, and other privacy and security concerns.[1]

If you want to give Qustodio a shot, here's how we found it compared to other top parental control apps on the market.

Qustodio review at a glance

Price	Free-$8.33/mo (billed annually)
Free trial	Yes
Number of kids supported	Free: 1 device Basic: 5 devices Premium: Unlimited devices
Content filtering	Yes
Conversation monitoring	Yes — text messages only
Screen time management	Yes
Location tracking	Yes
Activity reports	Yes
Remote lock	Yes
Supported devices	Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone, iPad, Chromebook, Kindle
Learn more	Get Qustodio

Our experience testing Qustodio

Overall, our experience testing Qustodio was pleasant. We had no issues downloading and installing the app on our computer, and the interface was easy to navigate. Alerts updated in real time as well, just as advertised.

We installed the app to our Samsung Galaxy S10 and had no issues tracking use and limiting screen time. Unlike our experience with other parental control apps, Qustodio didn't rapidly drain our battery too bad — it went down about 10% in 4 hours. Once installed, it sat quietly in our notification bar to show that it was active.

We were unable to uninstall the app without first signing in to our Qustodio account, which will make it hard for your child to uninstall it without you knowing. We were also able to password lock the phone's settings entirely, which would make it so your child can't do anything to get around the parental controls in place.

Here's how our experience went as we hands-on testing Qustodio on our own device.

Qustodio setup

Qustodio's set up was easy and only required we create an account, input our child's name and year of birth, then download the app on each device. You're able to download the app directly from the Google Play Store or App Store, which is nice.

Downloading the app on our Android did require quite a few permission to be given, which comes with the territory. This means we needed to give Qustodio full control of our device through accessibility settings, notification access, device admin, location tracking, and more. This is a LOT to give up to an app, so make sure you're comfortable before moving forward.

Once that was all set up, we quickly started receiving alerts and reports about our child's device activity. These reports included information on the apps and websites the child accessed, the amount of time spent on different activities, and even the option to track their location if enabled.

The only real surprise we had when using Qustodio is that we had to sideload an update to the app if we wanted to be able to monitor text messages and calls coming in. This required us to download an APK file straight from Qustodio's site, which meant we had to tell our phone it was okay multiple times throughout it (phones really don't like you downloading apps from places other than the app store).

This can be an unnerving experience, especially when you feel like you just signed your life away with all the notification access, but we did come out the other side with accurate text monitoring.

Qustodio monitoring in action

Once everything was set up, we started playing around with all the tracking and monitoring options we had.

We found that Qustodio was able to successfully block inappropriate websites by trying to access OnlyFans.com. It successfully blocked us from accessing the site and sent an alert to our dashboard.

All web searches we made and YouTube videos we watched or searched for were accurately tracked on our dashboard, and we also received an alert when we tried searching for inappropriate or dangerous content.

Screen time monitoring was also accurately displayed and updated impressively quickly. We were also able to set time limits for each individual app by going into the Rules tab, which was nice.

Blocking apps also worked instantaneously and we were also able to lock the entire device with a click of a button by going into the Daily Time Limits rules and clicking "Block."

On the child's device, we were unable to open any apps and a page popped up notifying us that our screen time was up.

Text messages and calls were tracked and noted in our "Timeline" on the dashboard, displaying the exact message contents. We were disappointed to see that Qustodio doesn't flag text conversations when inappropriate language was used, which could lead to suspicious activity slipping through the cracks. 

We were able to block numbers from calling us or being called, which is nice if you're trying to keep your child away from a specific person.

Overall, all the activity tracked on the dashboard updated very quickly and seemed extremely accurate. It was all easy to use with lots of customization options available, including different routines you can set up and modify. 

Who is Qustodio good for?

• Recommended for parents who want to set screen time limits per app and to monitor texts or block calls

Qustodio offers most of the main features you're likely looking for from a parental control app, which makes it a good candidate for pretty much anyone in the market. You can keep an eye on your child's web use, screen time, and location easily and with high accuracy.

The only thing missing is the ability to monitor their social media accounts. You can only track how much time they spend in the apps, but nothing that's going on within them. 

Qustodio prices and subscriptions

Qustodio has a free plan and two paid plans: Basic for $4.58/mo (billed annually) and Complete for $8.33/mo (billed annually).

• Qustodio Free is limited to one device and allows for web filtering, screen time management, and provides seven-day activity reports.
• Qustodio Basic is $4.58/mo (billed annually) and covers up to five devices. It comes with everything in the free plan plus the ability to block games and apps, create device blocking routines, and monitor location. You'll also get 30-day activity reports on top of the seven-day reports.
• Finally, Qustodio Complete costs $8.33/mo (billed annually) and allows you to protect unlimited devices. It has everything in Basic, plus custom alerts, time limits for games and apps, the ability to monitor calls and messages, and much more. 

Both paid plans come with premium email support and offer compatibility on a variety of devices, including Windows and Mac computers, Android devices, Kindle devices using Amazon Silk browser, iOS devices (including Google Chrome and Safari), and Chromebook devices with Google Chrome.

Here's how the different plans compare:

Features	Qustodio Free	Qustodio Basic	Qustodio Complete
Price	Free	$4.58/mo (billed annually)	$8.33/mo (billed annually)
Number of devices	1	5	Unlimited
Activity reports	Every seven days	Every seven and 30 days	Every seven and 30 days
Website filtering
Screen time limits
App blocking
Location monitoring
Premium email support
Panic button
Web activity alerts
App time limits
Calls & messages monitoring
YouTube monitoring

When comparing Qustodio's Basic and Complete plans, we recommend the Complete plan as the best value for your family, despite its higher monthly cost. Here's why:

• Allows you to monitor an unlimited number of devices, making it ideal for larger families or those with multiple devices
• Includes text message monitoring, which is crucial for keeping an eye on your child's communication
• Provides custom alerts, so you can tailor notifications to specific situations or concerns
• Provides alerts for cyberbullying and online predator activities
• Allows you to set time limits for games and apps

Qustodio is definitely more affordable than some of its competitors, especially with its Complete plan. Aura Parental Controls is around the same price, coming in at $8.25/mo (billed annually), while Bark Premium goes for a much higher $14.00/mo. 

Apps like Norton Family may be cheaper, coming in at $4.16/mo (billed annually), but it doesn't offer text message monitoring, which may be a deal breaker for you.

Qustodio features

Qustodio offers a lot of the core features we're looking for in parental control apps, like content monitoring, screen time management, location tracking and geofencing, as well as activity reports.

Content monitoring

Qustodio functions primarily as a screen time tracking app, but does monitor web searches and website visits for harmful content. We were able to filter websites by category or by blocking specific URLs, but weren't able to adjust what triggers search alerts.

To test this function, we were able to trigger alerts while searching for inappropriate content, including the word "suicide" and "alcohol."

It's important to note that the app doesn't monitor conversations or activity that occur on apps. The only thing it tracks is when they're opened and how much time was spent.

Phone apps

The app blocker is a valuable tool, as it provides a comprehensive list of the apps your child uses across all devices. This allows parents to individually block apps they deem unsafe, distracting, or age inappropriate.

Qustodio also allows you to whitelist specific apps. You can set restrictions based on your child's usage patterns, deciding whether to block, allow, or set time limits for each app. 

This flexibility empowers parents to tailor their child's digital experience on social media, ensuring a safer and more controlled environment while respecting age-appropriate app usage.

Calls and text messages

Qustodio monitors calls and texts, letting you see who your child is calling or messaging, the duration of the calls, and whether the messages are incoming or outgoing. You can also choose to see the full content of text messages.

Android users have extra features for blocking incoming and outgoing calls. They can also set customized rules for specific phone numbers, allowing or blocking calls from them. We found the blocking worked well and were unable to call or be called by the blocked number.

During our testing, no alerts were sent when the text content was inappropriate. We were not able to trigger an alert when texting similar inappropriate language that had garnered a Google search alert.

Qustodio also didn't mention that we received a picture over text, which is a glaring blind spot in our opinion.

Web browsers

Qustodio supports browser extensions for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Safari, and Amazon Silk browser. The app ensures that the search settings on Google, Bing, and YouTube are safe and blocks any inappropriate content based on the search site.

The app is also very flexible, so you can block entire website categories or specific websites. It even sends real-time alerts so you can keep track of what your kids are doing online.

Screen time management

With Qustodio, you can establish time allowances and usage schedules, tailoring screen time limits for weekdays and weekends.

You can also use routines to automatically change app allowance and screen time limits based on the date and time. Qustodio comes pre-loaded with four routines, and you can modify them or create your own from scratch.

Time limits for games and apps

With Qustodio, you can control and manage specific games and apps on your child’s devices. Once enabled, you can set individual restrictions for each app or game and choose to allow, block, or set time limits for these apps.

This helps ensure your child uses age-appropriate and safe applications, while promoting responsible and balanced device usage.

Pause Internet

The Pause Internet feature empowers you to block internet access temporarily, even if you have existing scheduled time limits in place.

After pausing the internet, you can adjust its duration or resume immediately. Note that the pause feature always takes precedence over your established time limit rules. If your child’s devices are locked due to hitting their daily time limit or restricted hours, the option to pause won't be visible.

Location tracking and geofencing

Qustodio's Family Locator offers valuable location-tracking capabilities to help keep an eye on your child's whereabouts. The key features of this service include:

• Real-time tracking: Monitor your child's real-time locations and receive immediate notifications.
• Location history: Family Locator maintains a history of your child's locations, allowing you to review where they've been.
  

We weren't able to set up saved locations in order to use the geofencing functionality, which would alert us when the device left a saved location, but the overall location tracking worked very accurately by displaying new locations in our timeline.

Panic Button

The Panic Button feature can be immensely useful when immediate assistance or communication is needed. It allows your child to send an immediate alert to your associated email that they're in danger and sends you their location, which updates automatically every 90 seconds.

Note that the Panic Button is available only for Android users.

Activity reports

After installing Qustodio on a device that’s linked to your account, you’ll begin to receive daily reports for each child. These reports summarize the activities on all devices associated with your child's device and profile.

There are different kinds of reports, starting with location activity reporting. Every time your child’s device changes location, an entry will appear in the Activity Timeline tab. 

If the device hasn't changed its location since Qustodio checked it the last time, you won't see any updates in the activity timeline until the device moves to a new location. You can find all activity alerts in the Activity Timeline tab in your Family Portal.

Other updates will include things like app usage and text messages received. All updates will appear in your timeline decently quickly so you have everything in one place, almost in real time.

Does Qustodio collect your data?

Qustodio's privacy policy states that it processes two types of personal data:

• Your account and contact data: Used for managing the user relationship
• Your user data from monitored devices: Collected for parental control and monitoring services

It also states that it doesn’t participate in third-party data sales. Unfortunately, Qustodio's privacy policy doesn’t mention regular security audits.

Lastly, Qustodio’s privacy policy is governed by Spanish law. This raises further privacy concerns, considering Spain is part of the 14 Eyes alliance. You should be aware of these practices and governance when weighing the risks involved in using Qustodio.

Qustodio security

We also found something problematic in terms of privacy and security risks using Qustodio. In 2020, the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) published a report that uncovered several security and privacy concerns related to parental control solutions, including Qustodio. These findings include:

• Extraction of private keys: The report notes that Qustodio uses its encrypted certificate store, and the researchers were able to extract the associated TLS proxy private key by dumping the process memory. This raises concerns about the security of data transmission and encryption.
• TLS configuration: Qustodio's server was found to have an intermediate certificate signed with SHA 1, even though there was an enhanced collision attack on SHA 1, which might not provide the best security. Also, using the RSA key exchange protocol without forward secrecy can be a security risk.
• Leakage of session authentication cookies: Qustodio leaks session authentication cookies via HTTP. These cookies can give attackers access to sensitive information about your child, their location, and even remote control functions on their device.
• Extraction of Facebook credentials: Researchers could extract a child's Facebook credentials provided by parents while configuring the monitoring component. This raises concerns about data security and privacy.
• Weak password policies: The report also highlights issues related to password security. Some solutions, including network devices, Android apps, and Windows applications, enforce weak password policies with passwords shorter than four characters. Also, some do not report suspicious activities on the parent's account, which could indicate a security breach.^[1]

Based on this information, we’d like to see Qustodio take action to patch these vulnerabilities, increase accountability for its technology through independent auditing, and be transparent about this process. Since the report came out in 2020, not a peep has been heard from Qustodio addressing these very real concerns.

Qustodio customer support

Support type	Qustodio
Email or live chat	Only email — support@qustodio.com
Phone
Online guides or forums

We were disappointed by Qustodio’s lackluster customer service. There are only three ways to ask for help: by combing through its help center, emailing directly, or sending a support ticket via its website. The catch is that you can only send a help desk ticket if you have a Premium account.

There’s also no phone or live chat support, and its website discloses it can take upward of 48 hours to get a response.

Top alternatives

If you’re looking for a different parental control app, we highly recommend Bark, or these other two vetted alternatives, which also have quality parental control features.

Qustodio FAQs

Bottom line: Is Qustodio a good program?

Qustodio offers several benefits for parents aiming to ensure their child's safety online, including a user-friendly interface, extensive device compatibility, and features for monitoring and controlling screen time, app usage, and web access. It allows parents to receive timely alerts and detailed reports about their child's digital activities, enabling informed decision-making.

However, there are significant drawbacks to consider, primarily concerning security and privacy concerns. Given these concerns, we advise exploring alternative parental control solutions that prioritize security and privacy, like Bark, for your peace of mind.

Want to see how Qustodio stands up against other top parental control apps? Check out our in-depth comparisons:

• Qustodio vs. Bark
• Qustodio vs. Aura
• Qustodio vs. Norton Family
• Qustodio vs. Net Nanny
• Qustodio vs. mSpy