Google Family Link

Overview

Google Family Link is a free parental-supervision service for guiding children’s online habits and managing aspects of their Google accounts. It suits families whose children use supported Android devices or Chromebooks, especially when their activity runs through Google services. Its mix of time, app and content controls is broad for a free tool, but it cannot supervise every device in a household.

Key features

Parents can set daily screen-time limits as well as School Time and Downtime schedules. Individual app limits, unlimited-time exceptions and app blocking add useful flexibility: families can restrict distracting apps without imposing the same rule on every app. Activity reports provide an additional view of device use.

Controls extend across Chrome, Google Play, YouTube, YouTube Kids and Search, including site blocking and app approval. That makes Family Link most useful when a child’s online life is concentrated in Google services. Purchase approvals have a narrower reach: they apply only to purchases made through Google Play’s billing system, not purchases in other stores.

Location tools can show a child on a map, send arrival or departure alerts, ring a device and show its remaining battery. The map depends on the child carrying a powered-on, recently active device with an internet connection, so it is not a dependable view when those conditions are absent. Parents can also help change or reset a child’s password, edit personal information or delete the child’s account.

Google says personalized advertising is prohibited for minors, though children may still see contextual ads and ads from non-Google providers. Parents can turn to Google’s Help Center or send feedback through the app, email or phone.

Pricing

Family Link costs free. Its free plan includes the Family Link app and parental-supervision tools, with some features requiring a compatible device. There is no free trial because the service is free; there are no paid tiers or per-device prices to weigh.

Platforms

Parents can use the app on Android or iOS, and manage some settings on the web. Child supervision supports Android 6.0 or later, Chromebooks running Chrome OS 71 or later, and compatible Fitbit devices. It does not supervise iPhones, iPads or computers other than Chromebooks, and it cannot manage Google Workspace for Education accounts. This parent-versus-child distinction matters: installing the parent app on an iPhone does not make an iPhone a supported supervised device.

Who it's for

Family Link is a strong fit for parents seeking no-cost screen-time schedules, app-level rules and Google-service controls for a child’s supported Android device or Chromebook. It is less suitable when children use iPhones, iPads, ordinary computers, or school-managed Google Workspace for Education accounts, or when purchase approvals need to cover stores beyond Google Play.

Pros and cons

Pros

• No subscription cost: the parental-supervision tools are available on a free plan.
• Flexible time rules: daily limits and schedules work alongside individual app limits, exceptions and blocks.
• Useful Google coverage: controls span Chrome, Play, YouTube, YouTube Kids and Search.
• Practical location tools: arrival and departure alerts, device ringing and battery status complement the map view.

Cons

• Child-device compatibility is limited: iPhones, iPads and computers other than Chromebooks cannot be supervised.
• Location is conditional: the child’s device must be powered on, recently active and connected to the internet.
• Purchase approvals are confined to Google Play billing: families using other stores do not get a general approval control.
• Education accounts are excluded: Google Workspace for Education accounts cannot be managed.

Alternatives

For a broader shortlist, browse parental control apps.

Choose Qustodio if you need coverage across Android, iOS, macOS and Windows and want a paid plan for multiple devices: Basic costs $72.94 a year for 5 devices, while Complete costs $104.95 a year for unlimited family devices. Its free plan is also an option.

Kaspersky Safe Kids is worth considering if you want a free plan with unlimited use or a free trial of its paid tier; it supports Android, iOS, macOS, web and Windows.

Pick OurPact for Android or iOS households that can work within its free plan’s limit of 1 child device, 5 manual blocks per month and 1 automated block schedule, or want its $69.99 a year Premium plan. A free trial is offered.

Apple Screen Time is the more natural choice for a family managing Apple devices: it is free and built into Apple devices, but managing a child’s controls across a family group requires Family Sharing and individual Apple Accounts.

For Android-only web filtering, Safe Lagoon has a free web-filtering plan; its Premium plan costs $6.99 a month and includes 5 profiles.

KidSafe360 has a free Android and web plan capped at 1 device, with the latest 20 records per data type, sync intervals of 2+ hours, 10 photos per day and email support.

Kids Dashboard may suit Android families who need a simple device-count choice: its free plan covers 3 devices, while Premium costs £5 a year for 10 devices.

Kroha is another option for Android, iOS and web, with plans for 5 devices.

Verdict

Choose Google Family Link if your child uses a supported Android device or Chromebook and you want free, adjustable screen-time and Google-service controls. Its strongest case is the breadth of those tools at no cost; look elsewhere if you need child-device supervision across iPhones, iPads or non-Chromebook computers, or purchase approvals beyond Google Play.