FamilyKeeper Review 2025: Is the App Enough To Protect Your Kids?

FamilyKeeper isn't the most comprehensive parental control app, but we do think it provides a great foundation. It offers features like site blocking, screen time management, and location tracking, but it falls short in delivering some of the more advanced tools that top-tier apps provide.

After testing FamilyKeeper, we found that the app is straightforward and user-friendly, but its social media monitoring leaves much to be desired. It works best for those who only need minimal monitoring.

Learn more about our experience with Family Keeper and how it compares to the best parental control apps.

At a glance

Price	$9.99-$28.99/mo
Free trial	Yes (7 days(
Number of kids supported	Unlimited
Content filtering	Yes
Conversation monitoring	Yes, but only with content filtering
Screen time management	Yes, on a by-app basis
Location tracking	Yes
Activity reports	Yes
Remote lock	No
Supported devices	iPhone, Android
Learn more	Get FamilyKeeper

We last tested FamilyKeeper on February 26, 2025.

Our experience

Our overall experience with FamilyKeeper was a mixed bag. The setup was simple, and it took about 10 minutes to install both the parent and child apps. However, we found it lacked some features and functionality.

Syncing the child’s phone data to the parent app took a couple of hours, but the dashboard was actively updated as time went on.

Pairing the devices was easy. Once the parent app is downloaded, Android users have the option to scan a QR code or enter a unique six-digit code. iOS users have a similar setup with a code, or they can send a download link to the target device. Then, you input your child’s name and birth year, allow permissions, and that’s it.

Once set, we were able to set up screen time limits and block apps. However, we couldn’t get some of the features to function properly, such as text message monitoring and real-time social media monitoring.

We tested these features by sending phrases we’d flagged as prohibited in the Offensive Language screen, and none of our phrases were flagged when sent through Discord, Messenger, or iMessages.

Also, after we’d allowed the device to sync, the information in the parent app was available on iOS and displayed in tandem with the Android parent app.

We were unable to access or change anything from iOS, but it was interesting to note that the apps did sync.

The Screen Time tab showed all of the apps installed on our test phone, but it didn’t provide the detailed monitoring we expected — just how much time was spent using each. FamilyKeeper did send alerts when apps we had flagged were accessed.

Other than that, screen time management worked reliably, allowing us to set specific limits for different apps and block access once time had run out.

If we were looking for a basic app to complement the parental controls preinstalled on our Android device, we would recommend this software, even with the limitations.

Who is FamilyKeeper best for?

• Recommended for basic, no-frills parental controls

FamilyKeeper's straightforward interface and ease of use make it a good fit for parents who want to quickly set limits on screen time and keep track of their child’s location. The app is especially useful for families with younger children who are just starting to use mobile devices and don’t need more complex monitoring.

For parents who only need to manage mobile devices, FamilyKeeper’s simple setup and core features like keyword monitoring and app blocking provide enough protection. 

However, if your children are more tech savvy or use multiple types of devices, you might find FamilyKeeper lacking in the advanced tools necessary for older kids.

FamilyKeeper prices and subscriptions

FamilyKeeper ranges from $2.49-$9.99/mo. Your plan price is determined by the plan tier you select whether you go for a monthly or annual subscription length. 

Compared to other parental control apps like Bark, FamilyKeeper’s pricing is reasonable. However, some apps that are priced slightly higher offer significantly more features, such as cross-platform monitoring, more in-depth reporting, and customizable filtering options.

If you’re looking for the most value, it might make sense to pay a little more for a service that provides a wider range of tools and better flexibility.

See how much you can save purchasing an annual FamilyKeeper plan versus a monthly plan below. 

Plan	1-month cost	1-year cost
Individual	$15.99/mo	$9.99/mo (billed annually)
Ultimate	$28.99/mo	$17.99/mo (billed annually)

Plan comparison 

FamilyKeeper comes with two subscription tiers, Individual and Ultimate. The Individual plan includes basic parental control features like safe browsing, plus several identity theft protection features. These include identity monitoring, credit monitoring, online privacy protection, data breach notifications, and identity theft insurance. 

The Ultimate plan is more of a cybersecurity suite. You'll get everything in the Individual plan plus an antivirus, virtual private network (VPN), and ad blocking.

Features	Individual	Ultimate
Number of devices	Unlimited	Unlimited
Website filtering
Social media monitoring
Text message monitoring
Email monitoring
Internet search monitoring
Screen time management
Cyberbullying and online predator alerts
Location tracking
Antivirus
VPN
Ad blocker
Learn more	View plan	View plan

FamilyKeeper features

FamilyKeeper provides a set of core features designed to help parents manage their children’s online activity. While the app lacks some of the bells and whistles found in higher-end parental control apps, it performs fairly with what it offers.

Some of the features FamilyKeeper offers are:

• Content monitoring
• Content filtering
• Screen time management
• Location tracking and geo-fencing
• Activity reports with screen time breakdown

Content monitoring

FamilyKeeper advertises that it offers content monitoring for social media platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, and Snapchat. 

However, during testing, we couldn’t replicate full social media monitoring. The app flagged keywords through content filtering but only in Google Chrome searches. 

It also doesn’t scan offline apps, and the alerts are generally based on keyword lists rather than actual in-depth monitoring of social media activity.

Social media and phone apps

For parents hoping to keep an eye on social media interactions, FamilyKeeper might not provide enough detail. It works for basic keyword tracking but doesn’t give parents a comprehensive view of what their children are doing on these platforms.

FamilyKeeper does address some of these concerns by scanning for harmful keywords and flagging terms related to bullying, profanity, and other potential dangers. When these keywords appear in your child’s activity, the app sends an alert, giving parents a chance to intervene before the situation escalates.

We couldn’t get the app to flag messages sent through social media apps, which made us feel that FamilyKeeper’s social media monitoring was merely a screen time monitor. There is also no way to whitelist apps or block them before they are downloaded.

Text messages

FamilyKeeper claims to monitor text messages, but in our experience, this feature didn’t work as advertised. Despite multiple attempts to sync and test it, we couldn’t get the app to monitor text messages.

Web browsers

In our testing, we found that FamilyKeeper’s web browser monitoring is limited to Chrome. It effectively blocks harmful content and sends alerts when inappropriate websites are visited. 

Content filtering

FamilyKeeper offers content filtering that allows parents to block access to specific websites and apps. We found that once a site is blocked and we try to access it from the child’s device, we get a message that the site has been blocked by FamilyKeeper.

The filtering system works well for basic protection and blocks adult content, gambling sites, and other flagged categories. However, the filtering options are limited to what the parent inputs.

This means that if a parent hasn’t set up monitoring for a certain phrase or hasn’t downloaded and blocked an app, the child can download or access that information.

Screen time management

Screen time management is one of FamilyKeeper’s stronger features. It allows parents to set daily or weekly limits on how much time their child can spend on specific apps. We were able to block apps and set limits in increments as short as one minute.

The app also notifies both the parent and child when screen time runs out and automatically closes the app once the limit is reached. While FamilyKeeper doesn’t allow children to request more screen time, parents can quickly adjust the limit for the day from within the app.

Location tracking and geo-fencing

FamilyKeeper’s location tracking feature is one of its strongest tools. With this feature, you can easily see where your child is at any moment, which is particularly useful for ensuring they’ve arrived safely at school or at a friend’s house. In our experience, tracking was generally accurate to within about 150 feet.

We were able to set up geo-fences for school and friend’s houses, and we received alerts (almost immediately) when our test phone entered and left our geo-fences.

Along with tracking, the app allows you to view location history, so you can check where your child has been throughout the day.

The app doesn't have the option to send check-in requests. But you can tap on the live map within the app to open your default Maps application and provide you directions to the child’s current location.

Activity reports

FamilyKeeper provides basic activity reports, showing screen time usage and app activity. The reports update every few minutes but aren’t as detailed as other apps.

While not incredibly in-depth, we feel that the data provided is enough to give parents a general sense of their child’s activity.

The app gives individual reports on:

• Screen time
• Location
• Offensive language
• Web monitoring

FamilyKeeper customer support

Email or live chat	support@familykeeper.com
Phone	No
Online guides or forums	No

FamilyKeeper’s customer support is limited. Its support teams are available via email and a contact form. There's no offer 24/7 customer support or live chat, and the FAQ section leaves a lot to be desired.

When accessing the Help & Support tab from the app, we were directed to the contact form. For an app dealing with sensitive monitoring features, FamilyKeeper could benefit from more readily available customer support options.

Top alternatives

If you’re feeling that FamilyKeeper might not be the right parental control app for you and are looking for more advanced alternatives, here are some to consider:

FAQs

Bottom line: Is FamilyKeeper good?

FamilyKeeper is a decent option for parents seeking basic parental controls. We found it easy to set up and intuitive to use, plus the core features worked reliably.

Yes, the app can track a child’s location and block inappropriate content. However, its limited monitoring capabilities and lack of support for more complex features, like scanning direct messages or media, leave gaps in online protection.

For families with younger children or those needing simple controls to manage screen time and internet usage, FamilyKeeper offers a straightforward solution. For parents who want deeper insights into their child's social media activity or more flexible monitoring options, apps like Bark or Aura Monitoring provide far more comprehensive tools.

Ultimately, FamilyKeeper is a decent starting point for basic protection. Parents looking for a more inclusive solution may benefit from one of the other best parental control apps, like Bark.