Software & Services

I tested out Sim Local, what you get, and how the provider compares to rivals. Personally, I’d shortlist Sim Local, especially when one country isn’t the plan.

Bark provides via its smartphone apps the ability to set limits on what a child is doing online, with custom settings for your child, and also monitoring of online activities.

HeyPolo is a simple, affordable location tracker that lets families stay connected without constant surveillance, but it's more limited than traditional parental control apps.

Bitdefender's Family security packages combine powerful parental controls with other protection tools, such as an antivirus, password manager, identity theft insurance, and more.

Parentaler is a reliable parental monitoring app with extensive features and control options, but its pricing could put off larger families.

mSpy provides excellent monitoring but you'll likely find a cheaper solution with more features elsewhere.