Updated on: September 16, 2024
Short on time? Here’s the best parental control app for Snapchat in 2024:
- 🥇 Bark : Monitors your kid’s Snapchat in real time and sends you snippets of any disappearing messages on Snapchat containing inappropriate, suspicious, or concerning content. It also lets you set a customized schedule for your child’s Snapchat use. You can test Bark risk-free via its 7-day free trial.
The best parental controls for Snapchat can monitor your kid’s Snaps and disappearing messages they send and receive in-app. They also let you limit how much time your child spends on Snapchat and block access to the app and site entirely.
This is a lot more than what Snapchat’s basic built-in parental controls offer. Snapchat only lets you see your kid’s friend list, check who they’ve chatted with (but not view their conversations), and report any Snapchat friend your kid has.
To find the best parental app for Snapchat, I tested 30+ parental apps. My personal favorite is Bark — it uses AI to scan and alert you about inappropriate and concerning content on your child’s Snapchat account and lets you limit your kid’s access to the app.
Quick summary of the best parental controls for Snapchat:
- 🥇 1. Bark — Best parental control app to monitor your kid on Snapchat (flags concerning messages).
- 🥈 2. Mobicip — Great parental control app with easy-to-use Snapchat monitoring + a scheduling feature.
- 🥉 3. mSpy — Excellent for monitoring Snapchat on Android (access your kid’s disappearing snaps).
- 4. Eyezy — Good parental control app for tracking your child’s snaps & messages on iOS.
- 5. Qustodio — Good parental controls for Snapchat (set daily app time limits + get alerts).
🥇1. Bark — Best Overall Parental Control for Snapchat
Bark is the best parental control app for Snapchat in 2024. Unlike Snapchat’s built-in parental controls, Bark monitors your child’s disappearing direct messages, searches (even if they delete them in the app), and the AI chat in real time. This lets you catch and address issues like cyberbullying or exposure to inappropriate content as soon as they happen.
Bark monitoring works by scanning all content against 15+ categories, like violence and bullying, and sends you a snippet of the Snapchat content that triggered one of its filters. This lets you instantly determine whether it’s worth interfering, so you won’t have to scroll through every one of your child’s conversations to find something potentially inappropriate.
I also think it’s great that Bark includes a tip on how to deal with the issue, depending on the type of content it detects, which is useful if you’re not sure what steps to take. The only downside is that this feature is only available on Android.
I also like that it’s customizable. You can choose which categories to turn on and off, meaning you won’t have to deal with alerts you don’t need, which is great if you want to set more lenient rules for your older children. Plus, you can control the sensitivity level for each category to match your child’s maturity level.
Bark also lets you block the app if you don’t want your kid to use it at all or set a screen time schedule for Snapchat to make sure that your kid isn’t spending too much time on the app. This is something you don’t get as an option with Snapchat’s built-in parental controls. For example, you can block Snapchat during nighttime to ensure your child gets uninterrupted sleep and isn’t distracted by the app, while allowing access during the day for safe social interactions.
If you’re worried that your kid will try to get around your restrictions, Bark’s web filter feature allows you to block the browser-based Snapchat version, too. Plus, it has uninstall protection to prevent your child from removing the app from their device. Even if they do, Bark will still monitor Snapchat and send you alerts about inappropriate content, as the monitoring happens on an account level.
Bark’s Premium plan, which costs $5.00 / month, has all the features to monitor Snapchat. Although there’s no money-back guarantee, Bark offers a generous 7-day free trial, which is plenty to try out all of its features.
Bottom Line:
Bark is the best parental control app for Snapchat. It monitors your child’s disappearing messages, searches, and AI chats, and lets you read snippets of inappropriate or concerning content (Snapchat’s built-in parental controls don’t). Bark even provides recommended actions when it detects suspicious content, and it allows you to set time limits and block the app completely. You can test the app using its 7-day free trial.
🥈2. Mobicip — Beginner-Friendly Monitoring Feature for Snapchat
Mobicip comes with a simple Snapchat monitoring feature that’s great for beginners — it’s super easy to find in the app (under Social Media) and takes just 1 tap to enable it. This makes it perfect for parents who need to quickly start monitoring Snapchat without any hassle.
Like Bark, Mobicip scans for inappropriate or concerning language on your child’s Snapchat account in private and group messages and sends you a screenshot of the disappearing message, regardless of whether it’s incoming or outgoing. This is very useful considering Snapchat’s built-in parental controls don’t let you check any of your kid’s messages.
Mobicip lets you choose which content categories you want to be alerted to and how often you receive notifications about them. However, it only scans Snapchat for content against 5+ categories, which is fewer than Bark’s 15+ content categories, so it’s slightly less comprehensive (but still useful for keeping tabs on key risks like bullying and explicit content).
Mobicip is a great option for scheduling your child’s Snapchat screen time, too, as it lets you block Snapchat during specific times, like during school hours, homework time, or late at night, in 5-minute increments. For example, I was able to restrict access to Snapchat and other platforms during school hours.
I was also impressed to find that Mobicip can prevent my child from downloading Snapchat from the app store altogether, so if you decide to remove the app from their phone they won’t be able to reinstall it.
Plus, Mobicip’s web filtering feature lets you block Snapchat’s web version, so your kid can’t bypass your restrictions by using Snapchat in a browser. There’s also uninstall protection to stop your kid from deleting the Mobicip app and keep your time-related restrictions in place.
I like that Mobicip offers a Vacation Mode, which overrides your usual schedule. This feature lets you set more lenient app filtering rules for a set period, like a few days or a week, making it easy to relax restrictions on your kid’s Snapchat use during special times without messing with your regular settings.
You get all monitoring features with Mobicip’s Premium plan, which costs $2.99 / month and is backed by a 7-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Mobicip is great for beginners who want to monitor their kid’s Snapchat account. The feature is easy to use and scans Snapchat’s disappearing messages against 5+ categories. You get other perks that Snapchat’s built-in parental controls lack, like deciding how often you want to receive notifications, blocking Snapchat’s web version, and choosing when your kid can access Snapchat. Mobicip’s Premium plan comes with a 7-day money-back guarantee.
🥉3. mSpy — Good For Viewing Your Child’s Snaps on Android
mSpy lets you see all of your child’s disappearing snaps and messaging on Android, giving you a complete view of everything happening on Snapchat if you have serious concerns. Plus, you can monitor your kid’s Snapchat without them knowing — it doesn’t leave any trace on their device and they won’t be able to see it even if they’re tech-savvy.
mSpy sends you alerts about inappropriate text, too, via its keylogger feature, which tracks everything your child types on Snapchat, including private messages, groups, and searches. This is convenient since you don’t have to comb through every conversation yourself. However, unlike with Bark, you’ll need to manually enter the specific words and phrases you want to be alerted about.
mSpy includes a screen recorder that captures screenshots of Snapchat conversations, including text, snaps, and videos. It automatically takes a screenshot whenever there’s a change in the app, such as when a snap is sent or received, allowing you to monitor your child’s Snapchat without skipping anything important.
mSpy blocks the Snapchat app and the web version if you don’t want your kid accessing it. However, it doesn’t come with screen time limits or a scheduling feature, so you can’t manage Snapchat screen time like with Mobicip.
What I really didn’t like about mSpy is that you have to root or jailbreak your kid’s phone if you want to be able to see their messages and use the screen recorder and keylogger feature. The process is not only technical, but it can also compromise the security of your kid’s device.
mSpy offers 4 plans that give you access to features that monitor your child’s Snapchat: Premium ($11.67 / month), Family Kit ($34.00 / month), iOS Ultimate Kit ($40.83 / month), and Android Extreme ($33.99 / month). mSpy doesn’t provide a free plan, a trial period, or a money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
mSpy is a great choice for getting full access to every bit of Snapchat content on your kid’s Android without them knowing about it. It lets you see all disappearing Snaps and messages, read your kid’s entire conversations, and get alerts when your kid uses certain words and phrases. The downside is you’ll need to root/jailbreak your kid’s device to use all of these features. Also, you don’t get any free trial or a money-back guarantee.
4. Eyezy — Good For Checking Snaps on iOS
Eyezy lets you see all of your kid’s disappearing snaps on iOS. Its Social Spotlight feature allows you to read all of their disappearing text messages and see every image they’ve sent and received — most parental apps can’t monitor Snapchat on iOS, and the built-in parental controls don’t track conversations at all. Plus, like mSpy, you can keep track of your kid’s Snapchat activities without their knowledge.
Eyezy shows you your kid’s entire conversations on Snapchat, including text, snaps, and videos via its screen recorder feature, allowing you to follow every conversation they have in the app. There’s also a keylogger that sends alerts when your child types certain words on Snapchat, but it’s not as intuitive as Bark’s, as you have to manually enter every word and phrase. Again, Eyezy is one of the few parental apps that let you do this on iOS.
If you don’t want your kid to access Snapchat at all, you can block the app and web version. However, keep in mind that there may be a delay of up to 15 minutes before the block is applied on your child’s device. Also, there are no screen time limits or scheduling options like with Bark and Mobicip.
Setting up Eyezy requires you to root or jailbreak your child’s device, which isn’t ideal. It took me quite some time to do it, and I don’t recommend it unless you’re tech-savvy and are willing to compromise your child’s device security.
Eyezy’s desktop plan costs $6.99 / month. However, there’s no free plan, trial period, or money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Eyezy allows you to see all of your kid’s Snapchat activity on iOS, which is great, considering that not a lot of apps give you this kind of control over an Apple product. You also get a keylogger and screen recorder feature, as well as the option to block both the Snapchat app and the web version. Unfortunately, setting up Eyezy requires rooting or jailbreaking, which comes with security risks. In addition, there’s no free plan or trial period.
5. Qustodio — Best for Setting Time Limits on Your Kid’s Snapchat
Qustodio is excellent for setting daily time limits on Snapchat, and it’s perfect if you’re content with Snapchat’s built-in parental controls and are only interested in controlling screen time without needing to review snaps, messages, or get alerts about inappropriate content.
The best part about Qustodio is that it lets you decide how long your kid can spend on Snapchat each day, which is great for teaching your kids boundaries.
You can also block the app on your child’s device and restrict access to the web version, just like with Bark. Alternatively, you can allow your kid unrestricted access to Snapchat but receive alerts whenever your child opens it or visits the web version. This gives you insight into their Snapchat screen time but also provides them with some freedom, which is great for older kids.
Qustodio’s activity timeline is very helpful for monitoring your child’s Snapchat usage. It shows the amount of time spent on the app each day and keeps a record of usage history for the past 30 days.
Qustodio’s Complete plan is priced at $4.58 / month, lets you set app time limits, and is backed by a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Qustodio helps you control your child’s Snapchat screen time with daily time limits, which is perfect for setting boundaries without being invasive. I really like that its activity timeline tracks your child’s Snapchat usage and that there’s an option to allow your children unrestricted access to Snapchat but get notified when they use it. It’s also great that you can try Qustodio’s plan risk-free, thanks to the 30-day money-back guarantee.
Quick Comparison Table
Testing Methodology: Comparison & Ranking Criteria
I used our proven testing methodology to identify and rank the top parental controls for Snapchat in 2024. I tested each using real-life scenarios, focusing on performance and ease of use. Here’s a breakdown of the factors I used to decide which parental control apps made the cut and how they were ranked:
- I chose parental control apps that monitor Snapchat. Not many parental control apps can monitor Snapchat, but all my top picks keep track of inappropriate content in Snapchat’s disappearing messages or let you see your kid’s snaps and videos on the app, providing comprehensive monitoring for parents.
- I tested performance to ensure each app runs smoothly. It’s important that your parental control app doesn’t slow down your device or drain its battery. I tested all the apps on my list and found that they run efficiently without impacting device speed or battery life.
- I checked for essential parental control features. Every app I recommend allows you to block both the Snapchat app and web version. Most also allow you to set time limits for Snapchat, giving you granular control over your child’s Snapchat usage.
- I tested user-friendliness. Both the parent and child apps of the parental control apps I recommend here are very easy to navigate, and most are pretty simple to set up.
- I ensured each app provides good value. The top choices on my list offer excellent features for monitoring your kid’s Snapchat — way more than what Snapchat’s built-in parental controls offer. They also either offer a free trial or a money-back guarantee and affordable plans, making sure you get great value for your investment.
Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut
- Norton Family. Comes with excellent screen time and scheduling features. However, it lacks support for setting time limits on specific apps and doesn’t offer monitoring for Snapchat.
- Kaspersky Safe Kids. Although it allows social media monitoring, it only works with the Russian social media site, VK.
- Net Nanny. Offers a flexible screen time feature but doesn’t come with the option to set time limits specifically for Snapchat. It also doesn’t include any social media monitoring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use parental controls on Snapchat?
Yes. Snapchat has built-in parental controls that give you some options. At the moment, they only let you see who your kid has talked to in the last 7 days. You can also limit your teen’s access to the AI chatbot and hide sensitive content in Stories and Spotlight.
However, these controls can easily be bypassed. Plus, you can’t see or get alerts about conversations, snaps or videos, and you don’t get to decide how much time your kid spends on Snapchat.
For more control, it’s best to get a parental control app like Bark, which scans your kid’s messages, searches, and AI chats and sends you a snippet when it detects content that’s suspicious, dangerous, or concerning.
What is the best parental control app for Snapchat?
The best parental control app for Snapchat is Bark. It uses AI to detect inappropriate or concerning content on your child’s Snapchat account in disappearing private and group messages and the AI chats. Whenever it detects such content, it sends you an alert with a snippet of the message. In addition, Bark also allows you to set time limits for Snapchat.
Can parental control apps completely block Snapchat usage?
Yes, top parental control apps allow you to completely block Snapchat — both the app and the web version. Mobicip even allows you to block Snapchat from the app store to prevent your kids from downloading it.
Is there a free app available for monitoring Snapchat?
Unfortunately, no. Most free parental control apps often have limited functionality and rarely have any features that can help you see or restrict their Snapchat activities. Plus, free parental control apps don’t have the necessary tools to ensure that your kid won’t bypass your rules.
That’s why I recommend investing in a good parental control app that actually works. My top recommendation is Bark, as it works with Snapchat and provides real-time alerts whenever it detects an inappropriate or concerning message.
