

Create Custom Screen Time Limits for Each Profile If that’s tedious, there’s the option of putting general restrictions based on the app category. I get to see the entire list of downloaded apps on the parental dashboard, and then I can either complete or set time limits for each one. For example, if I block the YouTube website, it will block the app as well, and vice versa. This feature works together with the web filter. Manage App UseĬircle gives me complete control over the apps that are installed on the tablets and smartphones. One cool feature is that in addition to setting a website or web category to Allowed or Blocked, you can also set it to “Unmanaged.” This means that category or site won’t have any restrictions or time limits applied to it. Then, simply click on the Custom Sites, and you can add the URL and assign it a permission. From the app, open the user profile and go to the Filter Settings. All I need to do is assign it to a profile, and any time that friend comes over, Circle will recognize their device and enforce my rules.Ĭircle gives parents the control to allow or deny access to any website, regardless of the filter settings. When my kids’ friends come over, Circle recognizes the devices as an Unmanaged Guest Device. With Circle, I was able to create user profiles for each device, including Smart TVs and game consoles, and set rules for each. My biggest concern with using a Wi-Fi router is applying the same rules to all connected devices. They discovered that with a VPN they could bypass all restrictions, but I quickly shut that down with Circle’s VPN blocker. I tested these features and challenged my kids to see if they could get around the restrictions and limitations. Circle claims that this combination allows me to manage their device usage, check in on their real-time location, create custom filters, and reward the kids when they do their chores and homework. I was excited to test out the combination of router restrictions and the app that I installed on my kids’ phones. But regardless of the shape, it looks good, and I don’t feel the need to hide it behind flowers or books on my bookcase. The router has a nice modern design, although I was a bit surprised, it’s shaped more like a cube than a circle.
#QUSTODIO VS CIRCLE FREE#
It came with free two-day shipping (in the US and Canada) and a 30-day money-back guarantee. I ordered my router directly from the official Circle website. I am very happy with the convenience it even lets me make changes to the rules or check in on the kids remotely. With Circle, I could track which websites the kids visit, manage their screen time, and even check in on their real-time location. After connecting the box (it’s not actually a circle) to my router, and downloading the parent control app, I was able to set up the monitoring features quickly.

I decided to give it a second chance and ordered a new Circle device. However, after doing some research, I saw that Circle has made significant upgrades and improvements, both from a security standpoint and with improved parental control features. I had tried Circle by Disney a few years ago and wasn’t impressed. I’ve tested over 30 parental control apps, and while some of them did a great job, I started looking for a monitoring tool that works at the router level.

With so many different types of devices and different operating systems, i t’s a challenge to find one parental control app that is compatible with them all and doesn’t cost too much money. The three older children have phones and laptops, and the younger children have access to our tablet and the computer. Protecting my five children, aged 3 to 17, from the dangers of the internet feels like a full-time job.
