Net Nanny

As children spend more and more time on devices for school, entertainment and communication, parents rightly worry about managing screentime and exposure to inappropriate content. That’s where a parental control app like Net Nanny aims to help. In this updated review, I’ll share everything parents should know about Net Nanny’s capabilities, pricing, and how it compares to alternatives.

What Devices and Platforms Work With Net Nanny?

The first question for any parental control software is what devices and operating systems it supports. After all, comprehensive coverage across all your child’s devices is key for full visibility.

The good news is Net Nanny offers clients for Windows, MacOS and iOS platforms. So you can monitor and manage Windows PCs, Mac computers, iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch devices all within a single interface.

It does not currently support Chromebooks, Android tablets or Linux environments however. So full visibility stops at Apple devices, missing coverage over any Android or niche devices your child may own.

Key Supported Platforms

• Windows PCs
• Mac Computers
• iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch)

With robust Apple ecosystem support, Net Nanny fills a big need for many households. But lack of Android does limit its usefulness in some situations.

Net Nanny Pricing and Subscription Plans

Net Nanny uses a subscription-based pricing model with discounts provided on annual commitments. Here are the three pricing tiers available:

• 1 Desktop – $39.99/Year (Windows and Mac)
• 5 Devices – $54.99/Year, $11/device/Year (Windows, Mac, iOS)
• 20 Devices – $89.99/Year, $5/device/Year (Windows, Mac, iOS)

The 20 device plan especially provides good value if your family has lots of iOS products. At only around $5 per device per year, it can provide cost-effective oversight.

One definite plus is that Net Nanny offers a 14-day money back guarantee. So if you find it doesn’t meet needs after purchase, you can request a full refund within the first month.

Compared to competitors, Net Nanny’s pricing remains very competitive. And the generous return policy makes it lower risk to at least try out.

Key Net Nanny Features and Capabilities

Now that we’ve covered platform support and pricing, what can Net Nanny actually help parents monitor or control? Here are some of the core features:

Parental Controls with Content Filtering

At the heart of any parental control app is content filtering and activity blocking capabilities tailored to your comfort levels as a parent.

Net Nanny enables whitelisting specific sites and apps children can access while blocking entire categories like pornography, violence, gambling and more. Filters apply across devices for consistent policies on Windows PCs and any iOS devices.

You also get Safe Search enforcement when using major search engines like Google and Bing. And the ability to block access to file sharing apps or anonymizing tools aiming to bypass tracking.

Screen Time Management

Another common need is limiting overall time spent on devices or certain applications. Excessive screentime is a growing issue parents combat.

Net Nanny provides both daily and weekly allotments that cap device usage at fixed thresholds per child. Time limits apply across all configured platforms too for complete visibility of usage.

Parents can also set age-specific schedules restricting device access during certain times of day such as school nights or after bedtimes. Different schedules can apply depending on the day of week as needed.

Understand Social Media Activity

Social platforms present unique risks around bullying, oversharing and communication with unknown parties.

To tackle this, Net Nanny enables monitoring major platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Tumblr. Parents gain visibility into content being posted, connections and messages sent and received.

While automated analysis aims to identify high-risk communication, there is no current ability to outright block social media access. But insight alone is crucial for discussions around responsible, safe usage.

Track Mobile Locations

Finally, for parents of younger children, location tracking brings peace of mind when kids have their own device.

Net Nanny shows real-time locations of iOS devices on a map so parents know current positions. Useful features like geo-fencing and location history reveal typical patterns as well as alerting to unexpected deviations.

So parents could define a geo-fence around the neighborhood or school with alerts when children leave or enter the area. Bringing visibility when kids come and go from expected locations.

How Does Net Nanny Compare to Key Alternatives?

Given the breadth of parental control apps available now, how does Net Nanny stack up against the competition? Here is a look at how it compares to leading alternatives:

• Qustodio – Offers the deepest featureset competing closely with Net Nanny. Qustodio adds options like panic button alerts and text message monitoring. But at a higher price point and still lacking MacOS support.
• Bark – Specializes in social media monitoring which sets it apart. Uses AI to detect warning signs in texts and emails also. But has major gaps around content filters, screen time limits and location tracking found in Net Nanny.
• Boomerang – Delivers well-rounded capabilities for Android and iOS but limited support for Windows/MacOS environments. Excels at context aware controls tied to location, WiFi networks or time of day. But short on content filtering and visibility.
• Microsoft Family Safety – A freemium offering with solid capabilities but light reporting and alerts when kids violate rules. Good basic option but lacks breadth compared to Net Nanny’s more extensive parental oversight.

Overall Net Nanny remains a very strong solution based on platform support, features, pricing and reliability. It genuinely competes with offerings costing far more by delivering on must-have parental controls.

How to Setup Net Nanny

Net Nanny aims to make installation straightforward for parents. Setup is done through small desktop or mobile apps depending on device type:

• For Windows computers, download and install the Windows Net Nanny client app to handle configuration.
• For Mac computers, install the MacOS monitoring app again to configure policies.
• For iOS devices, download the Net Nanny parental control app from the App Store. This will connect to your Net Nanny account.

Once installed on childrens’ devices, parents access the centralized Net Nanny dashboard through any web browser for control. The dashboard is used to fine tune settings, enable/disable filters, set time limits or track locations across covered devices.

So setup boils down to:

1. Create Net Nanny parent account
2. Install tiny desktop/mobile apps on child device(s)
3. Use web dashboard for centralized control and visibility

Conclusion: Net Nanny is a Capable Parental Control Choice

To wrap up, Net Nanny continues to evolve as a leading parental control platform now covering Windows, MacOS and all iOS devices. It enables parents to filter inappropriate content, understand social activity, limit screen access and track locations all through one unified dashboard.

Setup aims to be simple enough for parents of varying technical comfort levels to muddle through. Controls like time limits, location tracking and website blocking provide flexibility based on age-appropriateness per child. Ongoing activity visibility surfaces risks to inform the conversations and guidance children truly need around digital safety.

No software replaces involved parenting and communication around device usage. But Net Nanny covers key areas of visibility to help kids more safely explore, learn and grow in the digital world. Compared favorably to more costly apps, it delivers on core parental control requirements at affordable device pricing.

If your family relies on Windows, Macs and iOS devices, Net Nanny warrants consideration as a cross-platform digital safety net. The 14-day refund policy makes it easy to try out with confidence as well. Sign up via the links above or at NetNanny.com to evaluate if it can rein in the digital lives of your children.