Here at MMGuardian, we believe our app is by far the best parental control app available to parents who want to protect their children and have peace of mind. In this review, we will provide you with an honest comparison of the features available between MMGuardian and Kaspersky Safe Kids for Androids and iPhones.
Note: The features available depend on the child’s device. The parent’s device makes no difference.
Android– MMGuardian allows parents to view all of their child’s SMS text messages, as well as chat messages from popular social media messaging apps such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and more. Kaspersky Safe Kids does not offer message monitoring of any kind.
iPhone– MMGuardian allows parents to view all of their child’s SMS and iMessage text messages, as well as chat messages from popular social media messaging apps such as Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. Kaspersky Safe Kids does not offer message monitoring of any kind.
Android– MMGuardian provides AI-powered alerts about concerning topics detected in the child’s messages and internet browsing such as contact with predators, cyberbullying, suicidal thoughts, inappropriate pictures, and much more. MMGuardian also provides alerts for other activities like downloading apps, adding new contacts, contacts being changed, the device being powered off, etc. Kaspersky Safe Kids does not utilize artificial intelligence and offers basic alerts such as the child’s phone battery being low and attempts to visit blocked websites.
iPhone– MMGuardian provides AI-powered alerts about concerning topics detected in the child’s messages and internet browsing such as contact with predators, cyberbullying, suicidal thoughts, inappropriate pictures, and much more. Kaspersky Safe Kids does not utilize artificial intelligence and offers basic alerts such as the child’s phone battery being low and attempts to visit blocked websites.
Android– MMGuardian has patented anti-tamper technology to prevent children from bypassing it. The developers frequently release updates to address any new loopholes that are introduced from phone updates. Parents can also download a version of MMGuardian directly from the company instead of the Play Store which can even block the child from using safe mode to bypass or remove the app (click here to watch an instructional video). Kaspersky Safe Kids has basic removal prevention such as blocking settings, but parents will have to keep a careful eye out for more advanced methods of tampering.
iPhone– Due to Apple’s restrictions, parents will need to use the iPhone’s native Screen Time controls (found in the child’s phone’s Settings) to prevent the child from uninstalling both MMGuardian and Kaspersky Safe Kids.
Android– Both apps allow parents to view their child’s browsing history and block or allow websites based on categories or specific URLs.
iPhone– MMGuardian requires the parent to install the app which will act as a web browser. Parents will need to be sure no other browsers are installed and can disable disable the App Store and Safari on the child’s device to ensure they do not have access to another browser. Kapersky Safe Kids is able to filter Safari. Both apps also allow parents to view browsing history and to block websites based on categories or specific URLs.
Android– Both apps allow parents to retrieve their child’s location on demand and allows parents view their child’s current and past locations on a map. MMGuardian will let parents create schedules during which their child’s location will be retrieved automatically. Kaspersky Safe Kids also features a geofencing function that will let parents know if the child’s device leaves a designated area. MMGuardian used to have a geofencing feature, but it was removed due to the imprecise nature of GPS hardware on phones rendering it not very effective from our experiences.
iPhone– Both apps provide on demand location retrieval for parents and allows parents to view their child’s location history. Kaspersky Safe Kids also features a geofencing function that will let parents know if the child’s device leaves a designated area. MMGuardian used to have a geofencing feature, but it was removed due to the imprecise nature of GPS hardware on phones rendering it not very effective from our experiences.
Android– Both apps allow parents to block or allow specific apps and view their child’s app usage statistics. MMGuardian will alert parents to new app downloads and allow parents to view the install/uninstall history of apps. MMGuardian also allows parents to create groups of apps that they can assign daily time limits or block schedules, offering a lot of flexibility. For additional security, MMGuardian provides parents with the ability to set any apps that are downloaded to be blocked automatically so that their child can’t use them until the parent manually unblocks them. Kaspersky Safe Kids lets parents set daily limits for apps individually.
iPhone– MMGuardian allows parents to disable all downloaded apps, either according to a schedule or on demand. You are not able to disable apps individually. You can also set restrictions on apps based on age. Kaspersky Safe Kids allows parents to disable internet access to apps and set daily limits or restrict by age categorization, but children will still be able to open and use them without internet.
Android– MMGuardian allows parents to lock the phone completely, only allowing the child to contact the admins or emergency contacts. This can be done manually for a set amount of time or according to schedules. Kaspersky Safe Kids allows parents to lock the device manually, according to time limits, or according to schedules (note: you cannot use both time limits and schedules at the same time).
iPhone– Neither app offers a way to completely lock the phone down due to Apple’s restrictions. Kaspersky Safe Kids will notify the child when any set time limits have been reached but will not block them.
Android– MMGuardian allows parents to control who their child is able to communicate with. Parents can create a list of contacts to either allow (and all others will be blocked) or block (and all others will be allowed). All texts to and from blocked contacts will be blocked. Kaspersky Safe Kids allows parents to block specific numbers.
iPhone– Due to Apple’s restrictions, neither app offers contact blocking features.
MMGuardian offers a 14 day free trial for both Android and iPhone, and Kaspersky Safe Kids offers a 7 day free trial if purchased through Norton 360.
MMGuardian
Kaspersky Safe Kids
Note: The features available depend on the child’s device. The parent’s device makes no difference.
Message monitoring
Android– MMGuardian allows parents to view all of their child’s SMS text messages, as well as chat messages from popular social media messaging apps such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and more. Kaspersky Safe Kids does not offer message monitoring of any kind.
iPhone– MMGuardian allows parents to view all of their child’s SMS and iMessage text messages, as well as chat messages from popular social media messaging apps such as Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. Kaspersky Safe Kids does not offer message monitoring of any kind.
Alerts
Android– MMGuardian provides AI-powered alerts about concerning topics detected in the child’s messages and internet browsing such as contact with predators, cyberbullying, suicidal thoughts, inappropriate pictures, and much more. MMGuardian also provides alerts for other activities like downloading apps, adding new contacts, contacts being changed, the device being powered off, etc. Kaspersky Safe Kids does not utilize artificial intelligence and offers basic alerts such as the child’s phone battery being low and attempts to visit blocked websites.
iPhone– MMGuardian provides AI-powered alerts about concerning topics detected in the child’s messages and internet browsing such as contact with predators, cyberbullying, suicidal thoughts, inappropriate pictures, and much more. Kaspersky Safe Kids does not utilize artificial intelligence and offers basic alerts such as the child’s phone battery being low and attempts to visit blocked websites.
Anti-tamper
Android– MMGuardian has patented anti-tamper technology to prevent children from bypassing it. The developers frequently release updates to address any new loopholes that are introduced from phone updates. Parents can also download a version of MMGuardian directly from the company instead of the Play Store which can even block the child from using safe mode to bypass or remove the app (click here to watch an instructional video). Kaspersky Safe Kids has basic removal prevention such as blocking settings, but parents will have to keep a careful eye out for more advanced methods of tampering.
iPhone– Due to Apple’s restrictions, parents will need to use the iPhone’s native Screen Time controls (found in the child’s phone’s Settings) to prevent the child from uninstalling both MMGuardian and Kaspersky Safe Kids.
Web Filter
Android– Both apps allow parents to view their child’s browsing history and block or allow websites based on categories or specific URLs.
iPhone– MMGuardian requires the parent to install the app which will act as a web browser. Parents will need to be sure no other browsers are installed and can disable disable the App Store and Safari on the child’s device to ensure they do not have access to another browser. Kapersky Safe Kids is able to filter Safari. Both apps also allow parents to view browsing history and to block websites based on categories or specific URLs.
Location
Android– Both apps allow parents to retrieve their child’s location on demand and allows parents view their child’s current and past locations on a map. MMGuardian will let parents create schedules during which their child’s location will be retrieved automatically. Kaspersky Safe Kids also features a geofencing function that will let parents know if the child’s device leaves a designated area. MMGuardian used to have a geofencing feature, but it was removed due to the imprecise nature of GPS hardware on phones rendering it not very effective from our experiences.
iPhone– Both apps provide on demand location retrieval for parents and allows parents to view their child’s location history. Kaspersky Safe Kids also features a geofencing function that will let parents know if the child’s device leaves a designated area. MMGuardian used to have a geofencing feature, but it was removed due to the imprecise nature of GPS hardware on phones rendering it not very effective from our experiences.
App Blocking
Android– Both apps allow parents to block or allow specific apps and view their child’s app usage statistics. MMGuardian will alert parents to new app downloads and allow parents to view the install/uninstall history of apps. MMGuardian also allows parents to create groups of apps that they can assign daily time limits or block schedules, offering a lot of flexibility. For additional security, MMGuardian provides parents with the ability to set any apps that are downloaded to be blocked automatically so that their child can’t use them until the parent manually unblocks them. Kaspersky Safe Kids lets parents set daily limits for apps individually.
iPhone– MMGuardian allows parents to disable all downloaded apps, either according to a schedule or on demand. You are not able to disable apps individually. You can also set restrictions on apps based on age. Kaspersky Safe Kids allows parents to disable internet access to apps and set daily limits or restrict by age categorization, but children will still be able to open and use them without internet.
Phone locking
Android– MMGuardian allows parents to lock the phone completely, only allowing the child to contact the admins or emergency contacts. This can be done manually for a set amount of time or according to schedules. Kaspersky Safe Kids allows parents to lock the device manually, according to time limits, or according to schedules (note: you cannot use both time limits and schedules at the same time).
iPhone– Neither app offers a way to completely lock the phone down due to Apple’s restrictions. Kaspersky Safe Kids will notify the child when any set time limits have been reached but will not block them.
Contact blocking
Android– MMGuardian allows parents to control who their child is able to communicate with. Parents can create a list of contacts to either allow (and all others will be blocked) or block (and all others will be allowed). All texts to and from blocked contacts will be blocked. Kaspersky Safe Kids allows parents to block specific numbers.
iPhone– Due to Apple’s restrictions, neither app offers contact blocking features.
Pricing
MMGuardian offers a 14 day free trial for both Android and iPhone, and Kaspersky Safe Kids offers a 7 day free trial if purchased through Norton 360.
MMGuardian
Kaspersky Safe Kids
