Google Family Link
Google Family Link is free parental controls built into Android. Set screen time limits, approve or block app downloads, see app activity reports, manage content filters, and track location. Works on Android phones, tablets, and Chromebooks. Parents can manage from iOS or Android. The baseline option every Android family should set up - limited but free and already on your kid's device.
If your kid has an Android phone or Chromebook, set up Family Link before you hand it over. It's free, it's from Google, and it takes 10 minutes.
What it does: screen time limits (daily cap, bedtime schedule, app-specific timers), app management (approve or block downloads before they happen), content filters for Google Search, Chrome, and YouTube, activity reports showing which apps and how long, and location tracking via Google Maps.
What it doesn't do: monitor texts, scan social media, detect cyberbullying, filter content from third-party apps, or work on iPhones. It manages the device. It doesn't monitor what happens on it.
That's the key distinction. Bark ($14/mo) monitors content across 30+ platforms and alerts you to dangerous conversations. Family Link controls screen time and app access. Different problems. Many families use both.
Compared to Aura ($10/mo) and FamiSafe, Family Link is much more basic. No AI analysis, no social media scanning, no gaming monitoring. But it's free and native to Android - no extra app to install, no subscription to manage.
For Apple families: Apple has Screen Time built into iOS, which is the equivalent. Family Link is Google's answer. Neither is as powerful as dedicated parental control apps, but both are the sensible free starting point.
Parent app works on both iOS and Android - you don't need an Android phone to manage your kid's Android device.
Set it up. It's free. Then decide if you need more.
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