Are you seeking the top computer monitoring software for parents in 2025? These days, parents are concerned about the online and offline safety of their children, and they are rightfully so, given today’s circumstances. About that, each kid now has access to a computer, laptop, or phone for studying.
However, children are becoming increasingly smarter and can do almost anything on it to satisfy their curiosity. Moreover, kids may be too smart to understand that they can easily get into trouble. Since children can easily lie out of privacy concerns, we need a smarter solution to monitor their phones and computers.
Rest assured, there is a limit to how much we can track our children’s computers and smartphones. So, we need to search for a non-intrusive computer monitoring software for parents. Thus, in today’s blog, we have you covered with the top 10 options to choose from.
In today’s post, we will cover what it is, concerns that led to its use, its must-have features for parents, and of course, the top 10 parental control software. Plus, we will also provide you with the perfect solution to keep your kids safe, online and offline, without going too far:
What is Computer Monitoring Software in 2025?
The Primary use of computer tracking software is to track the online and offline activities of employees. This is to check and improve their work-time utilization and performance levels to meet organizational expectations. However, innovatively and flexibly enough, parents can also use this software solution to keep a check on what their kids are doing on the computer device.
Additionally, parents can also use it to track their kids’ locations and/or virtually restrict where they are going. Utilizing computer monitoring software for parents ensures that:
- Children are safe online
- Kids don’t go to places they aren’t supposed to
- Children don’t engage in too much screen time
- Kids study during study hours and have fun during fun time only. Whether it’s online or offline.
- Children don’t watch inappropriate content or too many videos of any other category, for that matter.
Read Also: Top 10 Project Management Software for Mac in 2025
Top 6 Reasons Parents Turned to Computer Monitoring Software in 2025
Computer tracking software for parents is relevant. However, why do parents need to use it? We discussed the various concerns parents had and then recommended to them the most cost-effective software solution regarding the same:
1. Internet Safety
The first reason concerning the use of computer monitoring software for parents is internet safety. Unknowingly, children can wander off into unsafe territory online. From cyberbullying and security risks to watching inappropriate or violent content, there are no restrictions on what children can access, which is alarming.
2. Children Pretending to Study
Another reason you need to use parental control software is that kids these days are smart. They can easily pretend to study when you check in their rooms by switching to the right tab. At other times, they can be simply playing games or browsing social media. You never know.
3. Children Not Studying for Enough Hours
Okay, so let’s presume that you have good children who study. However, for how long? Your kid might study for, let’s say, only 10 minutes and possibly lie to you about grasping the topic for an hour straight. It’s a big concern, which has led to the use of computer monitoring software for parents.
4. Screen Time Concerns
Guardians are also concerned about how much time their children spend on screens. You will never know unless you have proof of it, and you can’t spy on them either. Thus, your better alternative is to use the right computer tracking software for parents, which compiles the screen usage time reports for you to review.
5. Children Wandering Off
Okay, so you are saying that you know full well what your kids are doing at home. However, what about them getting lost on the way home from school or voluntarily visiting a place they are not allowed to go to? The best and safest option for you is to use computer monitoring software for parents.
6. Call & Messaging Concern
If your children have phones, it is most likely that they will get calls and texts from unknown numbers and vice versa. However, which ones are new numbers of friends and which ones are fraud? You need to be aware of your children’s contacts, and only the best parental device usage monitoring software can help you with that.
What Features of Computer Monitoring Software Do Parents Need?
You are not concerned with the integrated project management feature of computer monitoring software for parents. All you want to do is keep track of the online and offline activities and the location of your kid. For that, you need these features.
1. App & URL Tracking
This is the most important feature you need your computer tracking software for parents to have. This feature will give you an idea of which websites and apps your children are using in real-time. With advanced software, you will also get the feature to block certain websites, so that your kids are safe online.
2. Time Tracking
Time tracking is the obvious add-on of the said software solution. Usually, the report is detailed. However, you can also view it to check the total screen duration of your kids.
3. Login/Logout Tracker
Computer monitoring software for parents also provides you with the login/logout tracker feature. It’s another way to track the total screen time of children without the details. Simply put, what this does is log the switch-on and switch-off time of the device, which you can use to calculate the total screen time.
4. App & URL Usage Control
Don’t want to block certain apps and URLs? You can also use your parental control software to send you a notification when the time on a particular website exceeds. Overall, it will let you restrict overall internet usage.
5. Screenshot Monitoring
Want more proof regarding the apps and websites your kid is browsing? The screenshot monitoring feature is a useful one here. What this does is provide you with a periodic view of your child’s screen, helping you sort out what your child does and doesn’t do online.
6. Alerts & Notifications
Another safety-related feature of computer monitoring software for parents is alerts and notifications. Parents can configure this to send them instant alerts when their child is browsing a website she or he is not supposed to.
7. Idle Time Tracking
A smart way children use these days is to keep a study website open while not doing anything on it. Parents think that their kids are studying, but it’s otherwise. However, with your computer tracking software for parents, you will know the truth because the easy-to-understand report will show it as idle time.
8. Remote Computer Monitoring
Want to monitor your children from afar? The correct remote computer monitoring software for parents makes it possible. Simply put, you will know what your children are doing and where they are, from anywhere.
9. Real-Time GPS Location Tracking
Keeping curious or naughty children safe from the outside world is difficult. You will never know that they have wandered off to somewhere dangerous. That is, unless you are monitoring their real-time location with GPS. This helps you protect them at all times.
10. Detailed Analytics & Reporting
The detailed analytics part of computer monitoring software for parents is of no concern to you. However, the reporting part is. For instance, advanced reports can tell you which websites your child visited and how much time she or he spent on them.
11. Call & Message Tracking
Other than just apps and URLs, your computer tracking software for parents can also assist you in keeping a check on who your children are calling or texting, and vice versa. You will have useful details, including the caller’s name, number, and location, to differentiate the safe ones from the unsafe ones.
12. Geofencing
Another big concern parents have is running off to unsafe places. However, not anymore, as with your computer monitoring software for parents, you can set virtual boundaries around the rooms of your house (mark them safe with green). If at any time, your child goes outside (marked with red) on her or his own, you will get a notification.
And so, that’s how your computer tracking software for parents keeps your kids safe online, offline, inside, and outside.
Read Also: Top 8 GPS Employee Tracking Apps for Work in 2025
Top 10 Computer Monitoring Software for Parents in 2025
Make your workday more productive
Time tracking and work management can help you reach your goals
faster.
Your busy work schedules don’t leave you with enough time to choose the best computer monitoring software for parents. Thus, we did that part for you. Below, we have shortlisted the top 10 options with their most affordable paid plans, key features, and overviews to ensure that you make a wise choice.
- DeskTrack
- FamiSafe
- Screen Time
- Family Time
- Windows Live Family Safety
- Norton Online Family
- Net Nanny
- KidLogger
- Kaspersky Safe Kids
- mSpy Parental Control
1. DeskTrack
DeskTrack is the ultimate computer tracking software for parents. Whether your children are at home or somewhere else, the application will tell where they are and what they are doing on their devices. With its multi-usage features, such as geofencing and screenshot monitoring, you will know whether they are at their friend’s house, studying, or somewhere else.
Key Features for Parents:
- App and URL tracking
- Time tracking
- Login/logout tracker
- App and URL usage control
- Screenshot monitoring
- Alerts and notifications
- Idle time tracking
- Remote computer monitoring
- Real-time GPS location tracking
- Detailed analytics and reporting
- Call and message tracking
- Geofencing
| Most Affordable Paid Plan |
| $5.99/user/month |
2. FamiSafe
FamiSafe is one of the top computer monitoring software solutions for parents. It helps you monitor the various activities on your child’s laptop. From tracking the browsing history and online/offline activities to blocking apps and filtering websites, it gives you complete control to keep your kids safe.
Key Features for Parents:
- Scheduled or real-time screenshot monitoring
- Computer activity reports
- PC activity and screen time monitoring
| Most Affordable Paid Plan |
| $4.99/month |
3. Screen Time
Screen Time is a parental control software solution that’s primarily about managing the screen limits of your child. However, it can also be used from anywhere, and it also lets you block social URLs and apps to prevent your kid from getting into trouble.
Key Features for Parents:
- Screen time settings
- Remote message access
- Block social URLs and apps
| Most Affordable Paid Plan |
| $6.99/month |
4. Family Time
Family Time is yet another decent computer monitoring software for parents on our list. It claims to promote healthy communication and interaction between families by helping you monitor your child’s computer activities. Other than that, it also provides you with GPS and geofencing tracking features to ensure that she or he doesn’t go somewhere unsafe.
Key Features for Parents:
- Real-time GPS location tracking
- Geofencing
- Block social apps and URLs
| Most Affordable Paid Plan |
| $2.41/user/month |
5. Windows Live Family Safety
This PC monitoring software for parents from Microsoft is integrated with and supports Windows, Xbox, Android, and iOS. Some of its useful features include screen time settings, real-time GPS location tracking, and online activity access.
Key Features for Parents:
- Screen time settings
- Real-time GPS location tracking
- Online activity access
| Most Affordable Paid Plan |
| $9.49/month |
6. Norton Online Family
From the same developers who brought you the antivirus comes another computer monitoring software for parents. Norton Online Family, the family monitoring software, solely focuses on the online safety of children. It’s successful in doing so because of useful features like social activity monitoring, real-time GPS location monitoring, and call and message tracking.
Key Features for Parents:
- Monitor social activity
- Real-time GPS location tracking
- Call and message tracking
| Most Affordable Paid Plan |
| $20.27/year |
7. Net Nanny
Net Nanny is a parental control software solution. Designed to help parents manage and protect their kids’ activities on the internet, its features assist you in creating a safe digital atmosphere for your children.
Key Features for Parents:
- Block social apps and URLs
- Monitor online activities
- Screen time management
| Most Affordable Paid Plan |
| $54.99 flat rate |
8. KidLogger
KidLogger is a computer monitoring software for parents that’s concerned with the online safety of kids. Useful features, including time tracking, history, and social app access, and call, message, and chat monitoring, help you ensure that your kid’s safe online. KidLogger supports iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows.
Key Features for Parents:
- History and social app access
- Time tracking
- Call, message, and chat monitoring
| Most Affordable Paid Plan |
| $29/year |
9. Kaspersky Safe Kids
Safe Kids is an application developed by Kaspersky, which is a well-known cybersecurity development organization. This computer tracking software for parents prevents your children from cyber threats with features like real-time GPS location tracking, screen time monitoring, and the capability to let you block specific URLs.
Key Features for Parents:
- Real-time GPS location tracking
- Block Specific URLs
- Screen time monitoring
| Most Affordable Paid Plan |
| $22.99/year |
10. mSpy Parental Control
mSpy Parental Control is primarily about keeping your children safe from unwanted calls and ensuring that they don’t wander off on their own. Plus, this computer monitoring software for parents is easy to download and install, and even provides you with the feature to view their device activities.
Key Features for Parents:
- Call history and contact details access
- View text messages
- Geofencing
| Most Affordable Paid Plan |
| $4.54/month |
Balancing Trust & Monitoring: Your Perfect Solution to Child Safety
Now, we hope that you are clear about the top 10 computer monitoring software for parents. Now, if you are a sensible parent, you must be wondering. Isn’t that spying?
It can be if you don’t set limits on how much you track your child. The bottomline here is to balance trust and monitoring. The idea is to sit with your child and explain to them first what you are going to do.
Thus, if they are uncomfortable with it, you need to address this issue first before continuing. All in all, balancing trust and monitoring is the best way to ensure that your child understands your concerns and tries to be careful.
That was for children. However, let’s take a moment to address employee efficiency and productivity concerns. Here, you need to implement full-fledged employee monitoring with all the features of DeskTrack.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What is Computer Monitoring Software for Parents?
Ans. The Primary use of computer tracking software is to track the online and offline activities of employees. This is to check and improve their work-time utilization and performance levels to meet organizational expectations. However, innovatively and flexibly enough, parents can also use this software solution to keep a check on what their kids are doing on the computer device.
Additionally, parents can also use it to track their kids’ locations and/or virtually restrict where they are going.
Q. What Issues Does Computer Monitoring Software for Parents Resolve?
Ans. Here’s what the said software solution prevents.
- Internet Safety
- Children Pretending to Study
- Children Not Studying for Enough Hours
- Screen Time Concerns
- Children Wandering Off
- Call & Messaging Concern
Q. Which Features of Computer Monitoring Software Do Parents Need to Use?
Ans. Parents only need to use limited features of computer tracking software, such as:
- App & URL Tracking
- Time Tracking
- Login/Logout Tracker
- App & URL Usage Control
- Screenshot Monitoring
- Alerts & Notifications
- Idle Time Tracking
- Remote Computer Monitoring
- Real-Time GPS Location Tracking
- Detailed Analytics & Reporting
- Call & Message Tracking
- Geofencing
Q. What are the Benefits of Using PC Monitoring Software for Parents?
Ans. Using PC monitoring software has many benefits for parents, including:
- Improved online safety for children
- Less screen time
- Children remain safe both inside and outside due to location tracking
Q. Which are the Best Computer Monitoring Software Solutions for Parents?
Ans. Here are the top 10 computer tracking software for parents.
- DeskTrack
- FamiSafe
- Screen Time
- Family Time
- Windows Live Family Safety
- Norton Online Family
- Net Nanny
- KidLogger
- Kaspersky Safe Kids
- mSpy Parental Control
