TeenSafe Reviews and Everything You Need to Know: Is TeenSafe the Best Parental Control App for iPhone & Android?
There’s no doubt about it—today’s teens are more connected than ever. For many parents, properly monitoring phone usage between the ages of 7-17 is a slippery slope. While the combination of teens and phones is largely unavoidable, technology also opens doors to bullying and online predators, leaving many parents searching for apps to monitor a child’s phone.
One such app is TeenSafe, a phone monitoring software designed to act as spy software for iPhones and Androids, offering parents a window to ensure that their teens are safe and secure.
This AdvisoryHQ News TeenSafe review will provide a comprehensive overview of this popular phone monitoring software, answering common consumer questions like:
- What is TeenSafe?
- How does TeenSafe work?
- How much does TeenSafe cost?
- Is TeenSafe really the best teen monitoring app to use?
Most importantly, we’ll also provide an in-depth look at TeenSafe reviews from parents that have actually used the Android and iPhone parental monitoring app to help you determine whether TeenSafe is the best spy software for iPhone and Android.
Android & iPhone Parental Monitoring
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TeenSafe Reviews | What is TeenSafe? How Does TeenSafe Work?
TeenSafe is a subscription service that gives parents access to iPhone monitoring software. Creating a TeenSafe account allows for teen phone monitoring from a web browser on either your phone or desktop.
With the Android and iPhone monitoring software, parents can view:
- Sent, received, and deleted SMS and iMessages
- Call logs of sent and received phone calls
- Device location and location history
- Web browsing history, bookmarks, and contacts
- Messages sent through WhatsApp and Kik Messenger (iPhone only)
- A list of all installed apps (Android only)
There are a few limitations of this parental monitoring app for parents to consider. First, while TeenSafe will display simple notifications when pictures are sent or received, it will not show the actual image.
Second, although the website advertises the ability to monitor social media activity, TeenSafe reviews report being unable to access popular apps like Instagram and Snapchat, leaving opportunities for private messages and ultimately defeating the purpose.
Third, many TeenSafe reviewers mention that if your teen is not connected to Wi-Fi or changes their passwords, TeenSafe will not be able to record their activity, effectively bypassing apps to monitor a child’s phone.
Top iPhone Monitoring Apps
AdvisoryHQ TeenSafe Review: How Does TeenSafe Work?
Understanding how TeenSafe works can be challenging. In fact, our TeenSafe review found that the website does not dive into the technical specifics of how the software works other than to state what parents can view
As far as how setting up the TeenSafe monitoring app, however, parents will first have to sign up and create an account online through the TeenSafe website. To connect your TeenSafe dashboard with your child’s phone for teen phone monitoring, there are different requirements and procedures for iPhone and Android devices.
iPhone Parental Monitoring
To set up the iPhone parental monitoring app, you will need your child’s Apple ID, iCloud ID, and password.
Because many parents struggle with frequent iCloud lockouts, TeenSafe Desktop is a new feature that uses your home’s local network to download backup data and upload to TeenSafe servers.
Note: Although the website states that you will not need to have your child’s iPhone in front of you, our TeenSafe review found that this is not entirely true, as you will have to change specific security settings to allow TeenSafe access.
Android Parental Monitoring
As of July 1, 2018, TeenSafe has discontinued the Android monitoring service. TeenSafe is transitioning their monitoring service to provide notifications to the devices that TeenSafe is monitoring at the direction of parents and guardians. Because of the technical implementation required to provide these notifications, they have discontinued the Android monitoring service.
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TeenSafe Reviews | How Much Does TeenSafe Cost?
When it comes to long-term iPhone monitoring apps, affordability is a key consideration for parents to take.
TeenSafe costs $14.95 per month for teen phone monitoring, meaning that parents can expect to pay approximately $180 per year for iPhone monitoring software.
If you wish you stop using the teen monitoring app, your TeenSafe subscription can be cancelled at any time by either visiting your online account or emailing customer support.
Our TeenSafe review also found that the company offers a 7-day free trial to help parents decide whether the software is the best spy software for iPhone.
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TeenSafe Review | TeenSafe Reviews from Parents
For concerned parents, Android and iPhone parental monitoring apps like TeenSafe can sound like the perfect solution. But how do you know if TeenSafe is really one of the best apps to monitor a child’s phone?
If you’re on the fence over whether monitoring apps are worth it, looking at TeenSafe reviews from parents is a great way to determine whether this is the right app for you.
TeenSafe Reviews | Highya
There are nearly 100 TeenSafe reviews on Highya, giving the teen phone monitoring app a total review of 2.5 stars out of 5.
Many positive TeenSafe reviews state that, while the setup process took some time, it was well worth the effort for them, as they could identify whether their teen was being bullied by their classmates. Satisfied parents express appreciation for added peace of mind, and even praise customer support for quickly addressing their concerns.
Others even state that installing the teen monitoring app created a greater level of transparency within the child/parent relationship, saying:
We decided to talk to our daughter and she agreed to it… If she makes any [password] changes, then she should let us know. This system not only keeps us informed but has kept us closer to our daughter and strengthen our relationship.
TeenSafe Reviews from Parents
Conversely, critical TeenSafe reviews point to a myriad of issues, including difficulty setting up the software, lack of monitoring all social media channels, unreliable location tracking, and frustration with getting consistent passwords from their teens, among others.
For example, one negative TeenSafe reviewer points out that, while Facebook monitoring is supported through the dashboard, “since you need all of the passwords for each of these accounts anyway, you’d be better off simply logging into the various accounts as them to see what they’re up to.”
Interestingly, the majority of negative TeenSafe reviews on Highya come from Apple users, detailing issues with connectivity to iCloud backups, device compatibility, and general effectiveness. For example, one TeenSafe reviewer says:
As soon as I entered my child’s Apple ID and password, she received a notification, and she changed it, and this makes this account ineffective. It also does not show the history of text messages, it only goes back a very limited time and does not show messages which have been deleted.
Ongoing issues with parents attempting to use TeenSafe as one of the best apps to monitor a child’s phone can perhaps be best summed up by an April 2018 response from TeenSafe customer service, pictured below.
Is TeenSafe Really the Best iPhone Parental Monitoring App?
TeenSafe reviews from other sources across the web are also largely critical, with 114 reviews and a 2-star rating on SiteJabber, with many TeenSafe reviewers echoing similar concerns and difficulties.
TeenSafe Reviews | Overview
While the iPhone parental monitoring app does generate positive reviews, there are a few critical flaws seen in TeenSafe reviews.
Despite the availability of TeenSafe Desktop to minimize iCloud lockouts, there are a significant number of TeenSafe reviews that complain about recurring difficulties, meaning that iPhone users are likely to experience frequent connection issues.
Relatedly, although TeenSafe provides step-by-step instructions, there is some technical know-how that is required to successfully connect your teen’s phone, which can certainly be problematic for parents that have never used spy software for iPhone or Android.
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AdvisoryHQ Conclusion: Should You Use the TeenSafe Teen Monitoring App?
The decision to install Android or iPhone monitoring apps is not one to be taken lightly, particularly when striking a balance between maintaining a teen’s personal privacy and the harsh reality of online predators.
While TeenSafe seems like a comprehensive solution, it’s worth noting that there are many opportunities for online conversations to slip through the cracks, so to speak. Many critical TeenSafe reviews point to distinct issues with installing and maintaining the spy software for iPhone, often defeating the purpose entirely.
Given the nature of this teen phone monitoring software and feedback from positive TeenSafe reviews, the best results come when parents and teens establish transparency and trust—teens should be aware of the software and agree to its installation.
While parents can certainly use the app to transparently let their teen or child know that they are watching, they should be prepared to encounter a fair number of obstacles and glitches along the way. Ultimately, the high number of negative TeenSafe reviews and repeated instance of user difficulties earn TeenSafe an overall 2-star rating as a teen monitoring app.
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Image sources:
- https://pixabay.com/en/smartphone-woman-girl-iphone-569076/
- https://www.teensafe.com/monitor/
- https://www.highya.com/teensafe-reviews#reviews
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