Circle Parental Controls vs Google Family Link
Circle Parental Controls
meetcircle.com
Google Family Link
families.google.comSide by side
| Figure | Circle Parental Controls | Google Family Link |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $7.49/mo | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 1 |
| Spec score · Parental control apps | 8.7 (#13) | 8.7 (#10) |
| Activity reports | Yes | Yes |
| App blocking | Yes | Yes |
| Content filtering | Yes | Yes |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Location | Circle says the app can help track family members’ mobile devices. | Parents can see a child’s location on a map when the child is carrying a powered-on, recently active device connected to the internet. |
| Location tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Purpose | Circle describes its app as a parental control tool for families to reduce screen time and create healthy online habits. | Family Link helps parents guide their child’s online experience and build digital habits. |
| Screen time | Time Limits can be set per profile for individual apps, website categories, and total daily use. | Parents can set daily screen time limits and School Time or Downtime schedules. |
| Screen-time schedules | Yes | Yes |
Plans
Circle Parental Controls
- Circle Parental Controls App$9.99 a month
- Circle Parental Controls App$7.49 a month
- Circle Home Plus Device + App$69, paid once
In their own words
Circle Parental Controls
Circle Parental Controls has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
Google Family Link
Google Family Link helps parents guide a child’s online experience and build digital habits. Parents can set daily screen-time limits and School Time or Downtime schedules, set individual app limits, allow unlimited time for selected apps, or block apps. Controls cover Chrome, Google Play, YouTube, and Search, including site blocking and app approval. Activity reports and location tools add visibility: a child’s location appears when the device is powered on, recently active, and connected to the internet. Family Link can alert parents when a child arrives at or leaves a location, ring devices, and show remaining battery life. Parents can install the app on Android or iOS, and some settings are available on the web. Child supervision supports Android 6.0 or later, Chromebook with Chrome OS 71 or later, and compatible Fitbit devices. It cannot supervise iPhones, iPads, or computers other than Chromebooks, and it cannot manage Google Workspace for Education accounts. Purchase approvals apply only to purchases through Google Play billing. The service is free; some features require a compatible device.