Google Family Link vs Vigil
Google Family Link
families.google.comVigil
vigil-1.comSide by side
| Figure | Google Family Link | Vigil |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 0 |
| Spec score · Parental control apps | 8.7 (#10) | 7.4 (#76) |
| Activity reports | Yes | Yes |
| Alerts | Family Link can notify parents when a child arrives at or leaves a location, ring devices, and show remaining battery life. | The terms say Vigil may provide SOS, geofence, device-offline, low-battery, and emergency notifications. |
| Content filtering | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | Family Link controls settings for Google services including Chrome, Google Play, YouTube, YouTube Kids, and Search. | The terms name Google Maps, Apple Maps, Firebase, Google Play Services, Apple Push Notification Service, and payment providers as possible third-party services. |
| Location | 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. | Vigil offers live GPS tracking and safe-zone alerts; its terms say location features require GPS permission and internet connectivity. |
| Location tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Purpose | Family Link helps parents guide their child’s online experience and build digital habits. | Vigil is designed to help parents and legal guardians monitor children’s digital activities and promote online safety. |
| Screen-time schedules | Yes | Yes |
| Support | Google directs parents to its Help Center and offers feedback through the Family Link app, email, or phone. | The terms provide [email protected] for questions. |
Plans
In their own words
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.