Boomerang Parental Control

Most kids these days use phones or tablets, so you need parental control software that can monitor your child's web browsing history, device usage, and location on mobile platforms. Boomerang establishes screen time and boundaries for your child’s Android device. It also helps you start conversations with your child about their device usage, good apps, bad apps, web browsing, video viewing and more. Control your kids Android devices easily from your Android or iOS parent device. 

It is noted that due to certain limitations on the iOS platform this review has been undertaken on an android device. This is due to Apple implementing their own screen time features.

It is noted that the company also provides access to its sister product the ‘SPIN Safe Web Browser’ which is a web filtering service that blocks inappropriate content for children and adults. The website says that “Parents using Boomerang on their child devices can also review web history, blocked websites and customise the content categories you wish to allow or block via the web dashboard feature”, this is an online platform that provides support for the application.

Once an account has been set up the user has access to a wide range of powerful features. These include:

Location Tracking – This feature will track your child and their GPS position. The parent can receive alerts and updates of their child’s whereabouts. We found this very easy to set up and pair with the child’s mobile via a simple email. The location is extremely accurate and the map displayed is easy to navigate and decipher. The child dashboard also includes “stats” so the child can see their own app usage and app limits. This is an ideal feature for a generation that continues to spend too much time of their mobile devices.

Text Messaging Monitoring – We love the fact that inappropriate keywords can be customised and monitored throughout your child text messages. This powerful software also allows who had texted as well as detecting unknown numbers.

Call Block feature – This allows parents to set up who can call their child’s device as well as who they can call too. Parents can also review calling logs. Once again this is very easy to set up customise using the simple navigation features.

Surfing the internet – This application has a number of options for internet restrictions and monitoring. This can be used in conjunction with the company´s SPIN safe browser.

This is extremely useful for application such as YouTube where parents can view reports showing what subjects have been watched and searched for within this video website. The application blocks other web browsers when used with an Android device (including Chrome) but it is noted that the application does not filter other browsers that are viewed within Android and iOS browsers. The developers have released a Chrome Extension on Mac OS, Windows and Chromebooks so users can experience the same filtering services as their mobile phone devices.

App Discovery and Approval – With a vast array of applications available on both the App Store and Google Play parents can monitor and approve apps that are downloaded by the child. This can be blocked or unblocked at the push of a button. Users will need to make sure that the appropriate blocking features are initiated for both the parents and child devices accordingly.

Mobile phone usage – This is where we feel the application really comes into its own. This wonderful feature enables parents to establish good screen time routines. This is a constant worry for parents as children are exposed to a huge amount of online social media and online content. Parents can schedule shut downs of their child’s device establishing good bedtime routines. Parents can set time limits for their child device but still allow accessibility for emergencies. Parents can also set time limits and schedules for certain applications or provide time-out and time extensions. We feel that this also could be used as a reward for good behaviour or completing homework. The developers may consider introducing screen time tokens that could be won by the child.

This application is free for a 14-day trial period. Once the trial period has ended the user can subscribe to one of the following packages: Family Pack – up to 10 family devices, Single Device License – provides one child Mode license. Please refer to the company’s website for the latest pricing. 

There are many parental control applications for a child’s device on the market. Boomerang Parental Control is by far one of the best. The interface and set up is flawless and the features the software offers is excellent and good value for money. We were impressed by the applications customisation and how seamlessly the devices were connected. If you need a single parental control app that covers all your devices (including Macs and PCs) via a single subscription, consider Qustodio or Kaspersky Safe Kids, our Editors' Choice.

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You can download Boomerang Parental Control on your iOS or Android devices from the app stores. Download the Boomerang Parental Control app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.