Google Family Link vs Microsoft Family Safety
Updated November 2026 · AppBreakup editorial
Google Family Link
Google's free parental control app for supervising a child's Android phone, Chromebook and Google account.
Microsoft Family Safety
Microsoft's free family app for screen time limits and web filters on Windows, Xbox and Android.
The short answer
Both are free parental controls from the company that makes your child's devices, so the choice mostly follows the hardware. Google Family Link fits children on Android phones and Chromebooks, and adds location alerts. Microsoft Family Safety fits children on Windows PCs and Xbox consoles, with time requests and activity summaries. Neither gives much control over a child's iPhone.
Google Family Link or Microsoft Family Safety: our take
Google Family Link supervises a child's Google account and their Android 7.0+ phone or Chromebook. Parents set daily limits and downtime, give extra time to chosen apps, approve or block new Google Play installs, and apply filters in Chrome, YouTube and Google Search. It also shows the device's location and sends arrive and leave notifications. Microsoft Family Safety works through a Microsoft family group: parents set screen time limits for whole Windows PCs and Xbox consoles, or for individual apps and games on Windows, Xbox and Android, and children can ask for more time from their own device.
The filtering approach differs. Family Link's web filters mainly apply in Chrome and Google services. Family Safety filters sites and search in Microsoft Edge only and blocks other browsers so the filter can't be bypassed, which is stricter but means the child has to use Edge. Family Safety gives parents activity summaries for each child; Family Link puts more weight on app approvals and location.
Both are free, and parents can manage either one from an Android or iOS phone or from a web browser. The weak spot is shared: a child using an iPhone gets only Google account-level settings in Family Link and little control in Family Safety, so iPhone households need something else.
Pick Family Link if your child's main device is an Android phone or a Chromebook, especially if you want location alerts. Pick Family Safety if the screen time you care about happens on a Windows PC or an Xbox. Households with an Android phone and a gaming PC can reasonably run both, since each covers the devices the other doesn't.
Which should you pick?
Choose Google Family Link if…
- Families whose children use Android phones or Chromebooks with Google accounts
- Free with no subscription
- Screen time limits, app approvals and per-app time limits
Choose Microsoft Family Safety if…
- Families whose kids use Windows PCs and Xbox consoles
- You need Windows, which Google Family Link doesn't list
- Free with a Microsoft account
- Screen time limits for Windows, Xbox and Android
About each app
What is Google Family Link?
Google Family Link lets parents supervise a child's Google account and their Android or ChromeOS device. Parents can set daily screen time limits and downtime, give extra time to apps like educational ones, block apps or require approval for new installs from Google Play, and apply filters in Chrome, YouTube and Google Search. It also shows the device's location, sends alerts when a child arrives at or leaves a place, and lets parents reset the child's password or manage their account data. Parents can use the app on Android or iPhone, or manage most settings in a web browser. It is free. The main limitation is coverage: full supervision only works on Android and Chromebooks, so a child using an iPhone or another browser only gets Google account-level settings. It is a natural first choice for families already using Android phones and Google accounts.
What is Microsoft Family Safety?
Microsoft Family Safety lets parents in a Microsoft family group set screen time limits and content filters for their children. Limits can apply to whole Windows PCs and Xbox consoles or to individual apps and games on Windows, Xbox and Android, and kids can send requests for more time that parents approve from the app. Web and search filters block mature sites and results in Microsoft Edge, and other browsers are blocked so the filter can't be bypassed. Parents get activity summaries and manage everything from the Family Safety app on Android or iOS, or from a browser. The app is free to use with a Microsoft account. It fits families centred on Windows and Xbox; it has little control over iPhones, and filtering depends on children using Edge.
Side by side
| Attribute | Google Family Link | Microsoft Family Safety |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Open source | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No |
| Platforms | Android, iOS, Web | Windows, Android, iOS, Web |
| Best for | Families whose children use Android phones or Chromebooks with Google accounts | Families whose kids use Windows PCs and Xbox consoles |
| Status | Active | Active |
Google Family Link vs Microsoft Family Safety pricing
Google Family Link: free
We couldn't verify Google Family Link's plan details on its own site yet, so we don't list them.
Microsoft Family Safety: free
We couldn't verify Microsoft Family Safety's plan details on its own site yet, so we don't list them.
Platforms
| Platform | Google Family Link | Microsoft Family Safety |
|---|---|---|
| Web | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android |
Google Family Link facts
4 of 4 verified- Parent platforms
- Android, iOS and web
- Checked Nov 8, 2026families.google(opens source in a new tab)
- “Parents can run Family Link on iPhones running iOS 11 and higher.”
- Child devices
- Android 7.0+ and Chromebooks
- Checked Nov 8, 2026families.google(opens source in a new tab)
- “Family Link supervision can run on Android devices with version 7.0 (Nougat) and higher.”
- App approvals
- Yes
- Checked Nov 8, 2026families.google(opens source in a new tab)
- “Family Link allows you to block inappropriate sites, require approval for new apps, and manage permissions.”
- Location alerts
- Arrive and leave notifications
- Checked Nov 8, 2026families.google(opens source in a new tab)
- “when your child arrives or leaves a certain location.”
Microsoft Family Safety facts
3 of 3 verified- Parent app
- Android and iOS
- Checked Nov 8, 2026microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “They can be managed using the Microsoft Family Safety app on Android and iOS.”
- Web filtering
- Microsoft Edge only
- Checked Nov 8, 2026microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Other commonly used browsers will be blocked for this to work.”
- Screen time limits
- Windows, Xbox and Android
- Checked Nov 8, 2026microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “App and game screen time limits (Windows, Xbox, Android)”
Pros and cons of Google Family Link
- Free with no subscription
- Screen time limits, app approvals and per-app time limits
- Location sharing with arrive and leave alerts
- Manage from Android, iPhone or a web browser
- Full supervision only on Android and ChromeOS devices
- Children on iPhones get only Google account-level settings
- Web filtering mainly applies in Chrome and Google services
Pros and cons of Microsoft Family Safety
- Free with a Microsoft account
- Screen time limits for Windows, Xbox and Android
- Children can request more time and parents approve it
- Activity summaries for each child
- Web filtering only works in Microsoft Edge, and other browsers get blocked
- Little control over a child's iPhone
- Device-wide screen time limits cover only Windows and Xbox
Other apps to consider
Net NannyInstead of Google Family Link
Paid, with stronger real-time web filtering that also covers Windows PCs and Macs.
- KaKaspersky Safe Kids
Instead of Google Family Link
Works on iPhones, Android, Windows and Mac with one set of rules and stronger web filters.
Apple Screen TimeInstead of Google Family Link
Built into iPhone, iPad and Mac with Family Sharing, so families on Apple devices get limits and Ask to Buy free.
Norton FamilyInstead of Microsoft Family Safety
Dedicated parental-control service with web supervision and location history for Windows, Android and iOS kids.
AuraInstead of Microsoft Family Safety
Adds screen-time scheduling and content filtering to an identity and device protection plan for the whole family.
Google Family Link vs Microsoft Family Safety: common questions
Is Google Family Link better than Microsoft Family Safety?
Both are free parental controls from the company that makes your child's devices, so the choice mostly follows the hardware. Google Family Link fits children on Android phones and Chromebooks, and adds location alerts. Microsoft Family Safety fits children on Windows PCs and Xbox consoles, with time requests and activity summaries. Neither gives much control over a child's iPhone.
Is Google Family Link free?
Yes, Google Family Link is free.
Is Microsoft Family Safety free?
Yes, Microsoft Family Safety is free.
Is Google Family Link or Microsoft Family Safety open source?
Neither is open source.
Which platforms do Google Family Link and Microsoft Family Safety support?
Google Family Link: Android, iOS and Web. Microsoft Family Safety: Windows, Android, iOS and Web.