Google Family Link vs OurPact

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.

OurPact is a parental-control app for managing children’s iPhones, iPads, Android phones, and Android tablets. It provides daily screen-time limits, schedules, and instant blocking or unblocking. Location features include live location, location history, and alerts for designated places. Content monitoring uses screenshots, OCR, AI flagging, and custom detection for harmful content. A child profile can pair with multiple devices, including a mix of iOS and Android. Paid plans cover up to 20 child devices and include device safeguards. On iOS 18 or older, tamperproofing can prevent removal without parent approval. OurPact says data is encrypted, personal information is not sold or shared, and screenshots are stored in an encrypted gallery. The Free plan is free and lists one child device, five manual blocks per month, and one automated block schedule. Premium is $6.99 per month or $69.99 billed annually; Premium+ is $9.99 per month or $99.99 billed annually. A 14-day free trial is listed.