FamilyKeeper Review 2024: Enough To Protect Your Kids?

FamilyKeeper is a great, basic parental control app. It offers features like 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 while the app is straightforward and user friendly, its social media monitoring leaves much to be desired. Based on our experience, we wouldn’t fully recommend FamilyKeeper for parents looking for comprehensive protection. It could be suitable for those who only need minimal monitoring.

While its core features like location tracking and screen time management work well enough, the app lacks the depth and flexibility that we’ve come to expect of the best parental control apps.

FamilyKeeper review at a glance

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.

One intriguing bug we experienced was that, 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.

Screen Time showed all of the apps that were installed on the child’s phone, but it didn’t provide the detailed monitoring we expected — just how long we’d spent in each. FamilyKeeper did send alerts when apps we had flagged were accessed.

The screen time management feature worked reliably, allowing us to set specific limits for different apps and block access once time had run out. Location tracking was generally accurate, though the geo-fencing alerted us to events occurring when the phone hadn’t moved.

While FamilyKeeper offers a basic suite of features, the app’s limitations were hard to ignore. The inability to monitor social media content effectively and the lack of cross-platform compatibility made it feel incomplete compared to other parental control apps.

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?

FamilyKeeper is ideal for parents who are looking for basic, no-frills parental controls. It’s especially useful for families with younger children who are just starting to use mobile devices and don’t need more complex monitoring.

The app’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.

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 offers two subscription plans: a monthly plan for $9.99 and a yearly plan for $59.99. Both plans include the same set of features, but the yearly plan provides better value for long-term use.

While FamilyKeeper doesn’t offer a money-back guarantee, there is a 7-day free trial available.

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.

The monthly and yearly plans have the same features, so your choice depends on how long you use the app.

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.

Email

FamilyKeeper doesn’t offer email monitoring.

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. However, the lack of support for other browsers limits its coverage.

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 1 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 the child's device entered and left our geo-fences.

We did receive a few false alerts telling us the child's device had left or arrived at a geo-fenced area — when the phone was in fact sitting on our desk.

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 does not allow parents to send ‘check-in’ requests, but if you tap on the live map within the app, it will 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

FamilyKeeper’s customer support is limited. They are available via email and a contact form. They do not 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:

Service
Star rating	4.4 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	4.4 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	3.7 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
Price	Starts at $5.00/mo	Starts at $4.16/mo (billed annually)	Starts at $8.25/mo (billed annually)
# of people covered	Unlimited	Up to 15 kids	Unlimited
Screen time management
Content filtering
Conversation monitoring	Yes, on social media, texts, and email
Location tracking
Details	Get Bark	Get Norton Family	Get Aura

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. It provides core features that work reliably for mobile devices.

It does lack the advanced functionality found in other parental control apps. This is especially true when it comes to social media monitoring and cross-platform compatibility.

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.

4.2

AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Editorial Rating

Learn More

On FamilyKeeper's website

Parental Controls

FamilyKeeper

• Easy to set up and use
• Effective screen time management tools
• Accurate and real-time location tracking
• Limited social media monitoring capabilities
• Lacks advanced features like in-depth content monitoring

Author Details

Ryan L. Clancy

About the Author

Ryan Clancy is a freelance writer and blogger. With 5+ years of mechanical engineering experience, he's passionate about all things engineering and tech. He loves bringing engineering (especially mechanical) down to a level that everyone can understand.