Apple Screen Time

Free parental controls and usage limits built into iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch.

FreeParental control apps

Updated Nov 7, 2026 · AppBreakup editorial · iOS, macOS

Visit Apple Screen Time See 5 alternatives

Is Apple Screen Time free?

Yes, free to use

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All 5

Verified facts: 5 of 5
Alternatives ranked: 5
Approved reviews: 0
Visits sent from here: 0

About Apple Screen Time

Screen Time is Apple's built-in set of usage reports and parental controls for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Vision Pro. Through Family Sharing, a parent or guardian manages each child's Apple Account from their own device: Time Allowances set daily budgets across categories like games and social media, Screen Time Schedules decide which apps are available before, during and after school, and Content & Privacy Restrictions cap age ratings for apps, music, films and books. Ask to Buy and Ask to Browse send purchase and new-website requests to a parent for approval, and Allowed Contacts lets parents decide who a child can message, call or FaceTime, with new contacts held until a parent approves. Communication Safety blurs images detected as containing nudity on the device itself. There is nothing to buy or install, but it only works on Apple hardware, so a child with an Android phone or a Windows PC needs a different tool. Each child needs their own Child Account inside a Family Sharing group, and the newest controls require every device in the family to run the latest software.

Best for: All-Apple families who want free parental controls without installing a third-party app..

What works

Free and built into iOS, iPadOS and macOS with nothing to install
Parents approve new contacts in Messages, FaceTime and Phone
Ask to Buy and Ask to Browse route requests to a parent's device
Schedules can differ for school days and weekends

Why people leave

Works only on Apple devices, not Android phones or Windows PCs
Requires Family Sharing and a separate Child Account for each child
Newest controls need every family device on the latest OS version
No web dashboard; rules are managed only from an Apple device

Apple Screen Time vs Google Family Link, Microsoft Family Safety and Norton Family

From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.

Attribute	Apple Screen Time	Google Family Link	Microsoft Family Safety	Norton Family
Pricing	Free	Free	Free	Paid
Verified price	—	—	—	—
Free plan	Free app	Free app	Free app	No
Open source	No	No	No	No
Self-hostable	No	No	No	No
Platforms	iOS, macOS	Android, iOS, Web	Windows, Android, iOS, Web	Windows, iOS, Android, Web

Top Apple Screen Time alternatives

See all 5

1
Google Family Link
The free equivalent for Android phones and Chromebooks, for families whose kids aren't on Apple devices.
68.8
2
Microsoft Family Safety
Free controls for Windows PCs and Xbox, covering the gaming and PC time that Screen Time can't reach.
64.8
3
Norton Family
Works across Windows, iOS and Android and adds a 30-day location history and search-term reports.
61.8
4Ka
Kaspersky Safe Kids
Cross-platform controls with GPS geofencing, for families mixing Apple and Android devices.
59.4
5
Aura
Adds identity theft protection and online gaming alerts on top of screen time limits and site blocking.
50.0

Why people left Apple Screen Time

In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.

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Apple Screen Time: common questions

What is Apple Screen Time?

Apple Screen Time: Free parental controls and usage limits built into iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch. Best for all-Apple families who want free parental controls without installing a third-party app. Available for iOS and macOS.

Is Apple Screen Time free?

Yes, Apple Screen Time is free to use.

Is Apple Screen Time open source?

No, Apple Screen Time is not open source.

What platforms does Apple Screen Time run on?

Apple Screen Time is available for iOS and macOS.

What are the best alternatives to Apple Screen Time?

The highest-ranked Apple Screen Time alternatives right now are Google Family Link, Microsoft Family Safety and Norton Family. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

Apple Screen Time vs Google Family Link: what's the difference?

Both Apple Screen Time and Google Family Link are free to use. Only Apple Screen Time runs on macOS. Only Google Family Link runs on Android and Web.

See all 5 Apple Screen Time alternatives

Apple Screen Time facts

5 of 5 verified

Requires: Family Sharing and a Child Account; Checked Nov 8, 2026support.apple.com(opens source in a new tab); “make sure you have Family Sharing set up and that each family member has their own Apple Account.”
Platforms: iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS; Checked Nov 8, 2026support.apple.com(opens source in a new tab); “In iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27, Screen Time introduces new parental controls”
Web filter default: Ask to Browse on for under 13s; Checked Nov 8, 2026support.apple.com(opens source in a new tab); “Ask to Browse is on by default for children under 13 and Limit Adult Websites is on by default for children under 18.”
Contact approval: Yes; Checked Nov 8, 2026support.apple.com(opens source in a new tab); “requiring permission before they connect with anyone new.”
Purchase approval: Ask to Buy; Checked Nov 8, 2026support.apple.com(opens source in a new tab); “Tap Ask to Buy, then turn on Require Purchase Approval.”