Aura Parental Controls vs. Qustodio 2024: Qustodio Provides a Proactive Approach
We tested Aura Parental Controls and Qustodio to see which parental control app is better at keeping your children safe online.
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Last updated Sep 26, 2024
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Best for identity theft protection
/images/2023/05/25/logo-aura.png){kind=logo}
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Aura Parental Controls's website
Aura Parental Controls
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Blocks harmful content on mobile devices
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Robust screen time management tools
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Unlimited devices
- No location tracking
Blocks harmful content on mobile devices
Best for day-to-day parental controls
/images/2023/11/16/qustodio_logo_regular_green_rgb.png){kind=logo}
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Qustodio's website
Qustodio
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Parental control app with lots of features
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User-friendly, clean interface
- Reads text messages but doesn't send alerts for harmful content
Overall, Qustodio is a better parental control app than Aura, which acts more as an ID theft add-on than its own standalone product.
Aura is good for what it is, but if your main focus is parental controls, then it's a no brainer that Qustodio is the better option. But if you already have Aura's ID theft product, then this add-on is an easy way to extend your digital protection even further.
We’ll compare Aura Parental Controls and Qustodio so you can learn which one is the best parental control app for your needs.
In this article
At a glancePrices
Monitoring and alerts
Compatibility and customer support
FAQs
Which is better?
Aura Parental Controls vs. Qustodio review at a glance
Qustodio is a better parental control app than Aura simply because it's more of a focused product.
While Aura has plenty of features that can help your child maintain a healthy digital balance, like screen time management features and web filtering, Qustodio brings even more to the table with features like location tracking and text monitoring.
- Aura Parental Controls: Best for identity theft protection
- Qustodio: Best for day-to-day parental controls
Aura Parental Controls vs. Qustodio compared
 |
 Our Pick |
|
| Star rating | ||
| Price | $8.25-$32.00/mo | Free-$8.33/mo (billed annually) |
| Free trial | Yes — 14 days | Yes — 31 days |
| Max number of protected devices | Unlimited | 1, 5, or unlimited |
| Web filtering | ||
| Conversation monitoring | Text only | |
| Screen time management | ||
| Location tracking | ||
| Activity reports | ||
| Remote lock | ||
| Supported devices | iOS and Android devices | Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone, iPad, Chromebook, Kindle |
| Learn more | Get Aura Parental Controls | Get Qustodio |
How we test and rate parental control apps
We put every parental control app through vigorous hands-on testing by downloading the software to our own devices. We test how the product works from both the parent's and child's perspectives, evaluating how well we're able to monitor device usage and deliberately attempting to sneak around the limitations.
By taking a fine-tooth comb through all available features and settings, we carefully compare each product using our proprietary grading rubric. The star ratings take into account price, screen time management, content filters, location tracking, monitoring, alerts, and ease of use.
To learn more about how we test, check out our full testing methodology here.
Aura Parental Controls pros and cons
Aura Parental Controls is available as a standalone app or bundled in with your Aura Family plan, which comes with a full suite of ID theft protection features (it's actually one of the best ID theft protection options you can get).
When we tested the parental controls, we were pleased with the easy-to-use interface and simple screen time management features. We were able to easily monitor and limit device screen time and force safe search.
The main downsides we found during our testing were that it was easy to delete the app from our Samsung phone, and our parent dashboard didn't even update to let us know we were disconnected. It's also missing location tracking features, which could be a deal breaker for you.
So overall, we think it's a smart add-on to Aura's standard features, but it does fall a bit short compared to other parental control products on the market.
Pros
- Robust screen time monitoring and content filtering
- Includes VPN, password manager, and ID theft protection
- Auto settings for kids based on age
Cons
- No location tracking
- No monitoring for texts, emails, or social media
- Kids can delete the app from their phone
Qustodio pros and cons
Qustodio is one of the best parental control apps you can get, giving you almost all the features you can imagine when it comes to keeping your children's device time healthy and safe.
Our testing found everything worked as advertised with little drain on our device. We were able to block or set time limits for each app on the phone, monitor searches and text conversations, and block unsafe web content by category.
The main downside to Qustodio is that it was named in a scathing review of parental control apps by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) published in 2020. Though it wasn't the only app named in this study, we're hesitant to recommend Qustodio without confirmation that the security flaws named in this study have been fixed.
Pros
- Lots of features
- User-friendly, clean interface
- Real-time notifications and alerts
Cons
- Concerns surrounding data privacy
- No alerts for text messages
Which parental control app is the better value?
When it comes to sheer value of the amount of features you can receive with each product, Aura is the winner thanks for the ability to bundle your parental controls with some of the best ID theft protection on the market.
Our Pick |
|
|
| Price range | $8.25-$32.00/mo | Free-$8.33/mo (billed annually) |
| Best value plan | Aura Family for $25.00/mo (billed annually) | Qustodio Complete for $8.33/mo (billed annually) |
| Free trial | Yes — 14 days | Yes — 31 days |
| Money-back guarantee | Yes — 60 days on annual plans | Yes — 30 days |
| Learn more | Get Aura Parental Controls | Get Qustodio |
Aura Parental Controls plans
Aura offers two different plans for parental controls: Aura Kids and Aura Family. Both plans offer the full suite of parental control features, but the Family plan also includes Aura's full ID theft protection plan.
- Kids: For $8.25/mo (billed annually), you can get all parental control features for an unlimited number of kids and devices.
- Family: Stepping it up to $25.00/mo (billed annually), the Family plan allows you to protect up to five adults and unlimited children from identity theft and includes credit monitoring, reports, and scores. Parental controls don’t change with this plan, but it does add Social Security monitoring for children and the ability to freeze children’s credit with all three credit bureaus.
Qustodio plans
Qustodio also offers two different plans with varying monitoring levels and parental controls, plus a free plan if you just want the basics.
- Free: Allows you to force safe search and filter web content, as well as pause the internet and set daily time limits.
- Basic: For $4.58/mo (billed annually), this plan comes with the above, plus games and app blocking, a panic button, location monitoring, and schedules to automate screen time management. It provides coverage for up to five devices.
- Complete: For $8.33/mo (billed annually), you get all the features of the Basic plan plus custom alerts, calls and text monitoring, device blocking routines, and app and web rule routines. It provides unlimited device coverage.
Winner: Aura is the winner here when you consider the sheer amount of value you get out of the Family plan.
Which app has the better monitoring and alerts?
When it comes to monitoring, Qustodio offers many more of the core features parents are looking for.
|
Our Pick |
|
| Website filtering | ||
| App filtering | ||
| Social media monitoring | ||
| Text message monitoring | ||
| Email monitoring | ||
| Internet search monitoring | ||
| Screen time limits | ||
| Remote lock | ||
| Cyberbullying and online predator alerts | ||
| Location tracking | ||
| Geo-fencing | ||
| Activity reports | ||
| Learn more | Get Aura Parental Controls | Get Qustodio |
Aura Parental Controls and Qustodio both offer the basics. If you want to manage screen time, filter inappropriate content, and pause internet access, either Aura or Qustodio can help.
/images/2024/01/26/aura-parentalcontrol-review_03.png)
We also like that Aura offers features to ensure a safe gaming environment for your child. It provides 24/7 monitoring for in-game voice and texts and it provides alerts for cyberbullying and predators online.
Qustodio’s Complete plan offers a few standout features that make monitoring your children’s activity a little easier. You can set up alerts to help keep parents informed in real time about what their kids are doing online. Some alerts include web activity, blocked websites, app downloads, and saved places. Qustodio offers a robust dashboard so that parents can easily access information.
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Qustodio also provides location tracking so parents can always know where their children are — as long as they have their devices with them. You can also receive alerts when your child’s device arrives or leaves locations of your choosing, to help better monitor their location.
If you’re looking to monitor text messages and calls from your child’s device, you can do so with Qustodio. However, there are a few hoops to jump through if you want to monitor texts on an iOS device. You’ll just need to set it up on a Mac computer to get started.
Winner: Qustodio takes the prize when it comes to features. Parental controls are just a nice-to-have for Aura, whereas Qustodio makes parental controls the foundation of what they do.
Which parental control app has the better support and compatibility?
Though Aura offers a better customer service experience, Qustodio is available on a wider amount of devices, making it a better option overall.
|
Our Pick |
|
| Windows app | ||
| macOS app | ||
| Android | ||
| iOS | ||
| Other devices | iPad, Chromebook, Kindle | |
| 24/7 customer support | ||
| Customer support options | Chat, phone, email, guides | Guides, email, phone |
| Learn more | Get Aura Parental Controls | Get Qustodio |
One big difference between Aura and Qustodio is that Aura doesn’t have an app for Mac or Windows computers. However, you can access Aura Parental Controls from any browser.
Unfortunately, we had a lot of trouble accessing the portal on Safari and signing in on our iPad. While we waited for a response from customer support, we couldn’t set any controls other than the default.
Alternatively, Qustodio was easy to download and install. We also found the interface to be user friendly and we received alerts in real time.
Both of the services have ample customer support options. Aura’s support options include chat, email, and phone support that’s available 24/7. Qustodio is limited to phone and email support, but you can also purchase Care Plus to receive priority expert help.
Winner: Qustodio is the winner for us when it comes to compatibility since it's available on more devices and we had issues getting Aura set up.
FAQs
+
Is Aura a good parental controls app?
Aura is a good, but not great, parental control app. Aura’s parental controls are a part of its identity theft protection services, so parental controls are not the main focus of what Aura provides.
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What are Qustodio’s disadvantages?
Overall, Qustodio is a good parental control app. However, some disadvantages include the inability to geo-fence your children’s devices for added security and its lack of email monitoring. For some features, like text message monitoring, you’ll need to purchase the premium plan.
+
Which app is better, Aura or Bark?
Bark is a better app than Aura because Bark is solely focused on parental controls. It offers a more tailored experience for parents. You can learn more about how these two compare in our Aura Parental Controls vs. Bark review.
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What are Qustodio’s flaws?
Some flaws with Qustodio are you can’t monitor email activity for your kids and you must have a Mac computer in order to set up text message monitoring for iPhones.
Aura Parental Controls vs. Qustodio: Which is better?
We feel Qustodio is the clear winner for parental controls. Aura Parental Controls are an added benefit if you’re purchasing its identity theft protection. But if you’re just looking for a parental control solution, go with Qustodio.
Qustodio was easy for us to set up and install on our child’s phone. Within just a couple of minutes, you’ll have full insight into your child’s devices and online activity.
| Category | |
Our Pick |
| Value | ||
| Features | ||
| Compatibility & customer support | ||
| Learn more | Get Aura Parental Controls | Get Qustodio |
Top alternatives
If neither of these provides the features you are looking for, there are several other options available. Find out more about each of these in our list of the best parental control apps:
| Service | 
|
|
|
| Star rating | |||
| Price | Starts at $5.00/mo | Starts at $4.16/mo (billed annually) | Starts at $3.33/mo (billed annually) |
| # of people covered | Unlimited | Up to 15 kids | 1 - 20 devices |
| Screen time management | |||
| Content filtering | |||
| Conversation monitoring | Yes, on social media, texts, and email | Yes, on social media | |
| Location tracking | |||
| Details | Get Bark | Get Norton Family | Get Net Nanny |
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Aura Parental Controls
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Blocks harmful content on mobile devices
-
Robust screen time management tools
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Unlimited devices
- No location tracking
Author Details
/authors/andrew-adams-allaboutcookies-author.jpg)
Andrew Strom Adams is a freelance writer focused on online privacy and digital security. He writes on various topics to help individuals protect themselves on the internet. Andrew has worked in legal marketing, technology, and startups. He has more than 12 years of experience in marketing and communications. He holds an M.B.A. from Westminster College and a B.A. in journalism from Oklahoma Baptist University.
When he’s not writing, he’s playing with his two kids or watching reality TV.
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