About Qustodio
In the age of the internet, reducing screen time can be a real challenge. Not to mention that children who grow up with screens and devices can become dependent on technology, which can have negative health and social consequences. However, screens cannot be avoided entirely. So what is the next best solution?
Qustodio fills this gap by offering parents and caregivers a way to control their children’s screen time. The company aims to provide parents with a way to teach their children healthy digital habits while monitoring their usage and protecting them from inappropriate content and cyberbullying.
This innovative company has attracted the attention of media outlets such as the Chicago Tribune, Mashable, and Business Insider. Qustodio has also gained public recognition, receiving 11,000 likes on Facebook.
Have you noticed that your child’s digital usage is getting out of hand, and would you like to help them develop a positive relationship with technology? Stay tuned for this Qustodio review, where I’ll take a look at the brand’s features, how it works, and customer reviews.
Overview of Qustodio
Eduardo Cruz, Josh Gabel, and Josep Gaspar, three colleagues in the cybersecurity industry, were concerned about the use of digital devices when the new iPhone 4 was launched in 2010. The trio knew that the technology would offer people many opportunities, but would also pose risks. Man, they were on the right track.
While they recognized the potential problems that devices could pose for families, they were also interested in analytics tools and data tracking. After thinking about this dilemma, they came up with the idea of helping families manage their screen time using visual data.
They developed their prototype in 2011, and in 2012, the Qustodio brand was launched. Qustodio started out helping parents gain insight into their children’s activities on Windows devices before expanding to various other devices over the years. Numerous new features were also added.
Today, Qustodio has more than 4 million users worldwide. Throughout the brand’s growth, its driving force has remained the same: “Our mission is to provide every child with a safe digital experience.” After all, the brand name is derived from the Latin term for “guardian.”
Before we dive into the brand’s impressive features and parental controls in this Quostodio review, I’d like to highlight some of the brand’s key characteristics:
Highlights
- Numerous features that allow parents to monitor and protect their children
- Available in over 180 countries and 8 different languages
- Available for download on many devices
- Easy-to-use platform
- Countless positive customer reviews
- 100% satisfaction guarantee
- Free trial period
The Qustodio download is available for Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Android, iPhone, iPad, and Kindle. Since the app is available on so many platforms, parents can monitor virtually any device their child uses. In the rest of this Qustodio review, I will go into detail about this sophisticated app and explain exactly how it works.
Qustodio Review
Let’s not get it twisted: screen time isn’t inherently bad. There are lots of ways in which having easy access to devices and the internet can help us connect with others and learn even more. We have all the information in the world at our fingertips, which is both scary and liberating.
Qustodio doesn’t want parents to eliminate their child’s use of technology but empower them to have a healthy association with it. Through the Qustodio family portal, you can supervise your child’s use of screens and keep them safe by filtering websites, setting time limits, and blocking apps.
Studies show that many mental health conditions are exacerbated, or even caused, by social media. Susceptible and vulnerable children can develop poor self-esteem, depression, and anxiety by being passive users of apps like Instagram and TikTok.
In addition, social media often puts a lot of pressure on young people to look and behave in a certain way, as they compare themselves to the people they follow.
The Qustodio app provides you with tools to help your child avoid cyberbullying and online predators by monitoring social media posts and intercepting negative or mean comments before your child sees them.
Not only can Qustodio prevent potential mental health issues related to technology use, but its control features can also help improve children’s physical health. Parents can set time limits to encourage children to engage in other activities that don’t require devices, such as playing outside with friends, reading, or doing crafts.
How exactly does Qustodio do all this? In the next section of this Qustodio review, I’ll discuss the app’s specific features and control options for parents.
How Does Qustodio Work?
Building a positive relationship with digital devices is very important. If you communicate with your children early on and set boundaries for their use of technology, they are more likely to continue this behavior in the future.
Below are some of the key features of Qustodio parental control and how they work:
- Filter Apps and Content: As a parent, you can block inappropriate websites and provide access to child-friendly sites only. This feature will help protect your child from accessing potentially harmful media.
- Monitor Use: Concerned about what your child is getting up to when they’re online? The monitoring feature can give you your child’s browsing history so that you know exactly what they’re spending their time on. This feature will also come in handy if you find out your child has been using their tech time unwisely.
- Set Boundaries and Time Limits: Giving your child a set amount of tech time each day will encourage healthy behavior and engagement in other activities. Not only will it promote better sleep, but you can also prioritize family time by setting up consistent screen-time schedules.
- Track Phone Calls and Text Messages: This feature allows you to check who your child is messaging and calling, block numbers, and see what they are texting if you want.
- Track Location: Wondering the whereabouts of your child? Now, there are no excuses for arriving home past curfew. You can simply use the Qustodio family app to find out the location of your child.
- Set up Reports, Alerts, and Emergency Signals: If you’re a data-driven person, you can set up monthly reports of your child’s screen-time use and online activity. You can be alerted when your child tries to access prohibited websites or they’re in trouble. As well, the SOS feature can be used for emergencies when your child needs to get in touch with you ASAP.
As you can see, Qustodio offers lots of ways to ensure the safety of your child when it comes to using their phone, laptop, or any other device.
While writing this Qustodio review, I discovered that you can add Care Plus to your Premium package to get even more support from professionals in installing the app and personalized advice on setting guidelines for your children’s use of technology.
In terms of cost, the brand offers several options:
- Small package: $55 per year or $5 per month for 5 devices
- Medium package: $97 per year or $8 per month for 10 devices
- Large package: $138 per year or $12 per month for 15 devices
To use the brand’s features, I recommend creating an account on the brand’s website. You can try the app for free at first and then sign up for a premium plan later if you want access to more features and find that the app is beneficial for you and your family.
Who Is Qustodio For?
Qustodio is ideal for parents or guardians who have young children and/or teenagers and want to help their children develop a balanced relationship with technology. The brand’s features can be used by all parents, especially in today’s world where the internet plays such an important role in our society.
If you notice that your child is withdrawing from social activities, spending more time online or gaming, or may be addicted to digital devices, then the features and parental controls mentioned here from Qustodio are incredibly useful.
One important point to mention in this Qustodio review is that you can slowly introduce screen time limits and ensure that your child is not inundated with inappropriate content or media.
Qustodio Reviews: What Do Customers Think?
So, do you think Qustodio could be useful for your children? Before you download the app, I recommend reading the rest of this Qustodio review, where we gather insights from customers of the brand.
Overall, the brand has a fairly high rating on Trustpilot, Google Play, and the App Store. Before I dive into some detailed customer responses, let’s first take a look at the ratings I found:
- Trustpilot: 3.9/5 stars from 241 reviews
- Google Play: 4.6/5 stars from 8.86k reviews
- App Store: 4/5 stars from 1.8k reviews
As you can see, Qustodio is one of the highest-rated brands on multiple platforms. I found many enthusiastic comments about the brand’s security features and functionality.
A 5-star reviewer on Trustpilot said, “We’ve been using this app for several years on our daughter’s Samsung phone, and it meets our expectations perfectly. I can see where she is when she forgets to tell me her plans! The best part is that access is automatically blocked at bedtime.”
Another reviewer shared a personal anecdote about how the Qustodio app helped protect his computer from viruses:
“This app was recommended to me by our local computer technician after I visited him for the fourth time. It turned out that my child had been visiting websites they shouldn’t have been visiting and had infected our computer with malware… They offered to install Qustodio for me, and we haven’t had a single problem since!”
On Google Play, many parents expressed their gratitude for the app’s features. Some said that their children didn’t like the app, but in terms of safety and teaching healthy long-term behavior, Qustodio made it easy for them.
One reviewer wrote: “Just what we needed. We had used another app before, but one of our kids was able to bypass it. With this app, we can block inappropriate content, set rules for each of our kids, see which apps/websites they’ve visited, set time limits… the list goes on. I’m very happy with the options this app offers parents.”
Parents on the App Store once again raved about the app’s user-friendly interface and ease of use. One 4-star reviewer wrote:
“We’ve been using Q for several years now on our two teenagers’ phones (ages 13 and 15). My husband and I both have the parent version of the app installed on our phones. It’s great that we can both monitor our kids’ activities and set up controls when needed.“
They continued: “Overall, we are very happy with the ability to monitor, guide, and hold our kids accountable, which would otherwise be nearly impossible.”
While researching for this Qustodio review, I was surprised by the number of customer reviews online. I noticed a few minor complaints, mainly from parents who said their children were able to bypass some of the features, which is obviously not ideal. Overall, however, many reviewers were very satisfied with the Qustodio app, especially when it came to younger children.
Is Qustodio Worth It?
Qustodio offers a variety of incredible analytics tools that allow parents to monitor and control their children’s device usage. Many customers have said that they feel more relaxed since using the app, as they now have more control over what their children see online and how they spend their screen time.
Although the app is a bit pricey, Qustodio offers a free version that parents can use. Parents will also find numerous resources on the website to help them talk to their children about digital wellbeing and appropriate use of technology. Screen time is increasing astronomically. To conclude this Qustodio review, I would like to highly recommend the brand to parents and guardians.
Where to Buy Qustodio
Are you satisfied with the free version of the app, or would you like to upgrade? You can purchase one of Qustodio’s three premium plans on the provider’s website or via Google Play or the App Store.
FAQ
Who owns Qustodio?
Qustodio was recently acquired by Family Zone. The brand’s headquarters are located in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
What is YouTube monitoring and what does it do?
YouTube monitoring is a premium feature of Qustodio that allows you to see what videos your child is watching. Mac and Windows users can use this feature to get detailed information about their child’s YouTube search history.
This feature also allows you to set time limits for YouTube usage and block videos you don’t want your child to see. This is an incredibly helpful tool for preventing children from accessing age-inappropriate content.
What do “Block Browsing” and “Lock Device” mean for time limits on each platform?
“Block Browsing” prevents your child from accessing the internet via web browsers or smartphone apps. “Lock Device,” on the other hand, prevents your child from logging into their user account and using their device at all.
You can manage the daily time limits for your children’s screen time and, once your child has reached the set limit, activate “Block browsing” or “Block device” at your discretion.
You also have the option to be notified when your child reaches the maximum time you have set. Be warned: you may hear groans and moans from your child once they reach their limit.
How to contact Qustodio
Are you motivated to control your screen time and that of your child? If you still have questions about the app after reading this Qustodio review, I strongly recommend contacting the company. You can get in touch in the following ways:
- Help Center: Here
- Email: info@qustodio.com
- Mailing Address: 2110 Artesia Blvd, Suite 713, Redondo Beach, CA 90278
