15 Best Phone Monitoring Apps (Android & iOS)

Smartphones have become integral to our lives, and their impact is no joke. Therefore, when you give a smartphone to your kid or an employee, you may have concerns over what is being done with those devices. As a parent, you may want to keep your kid safe from digital threats. As an employer, you may want to ensure that data stays secure.

Here are the 15 best phone monitoring apps for Android and iOS.

A Note on the Legality and Ethics of Phone Monitoring

Monitoring a smartphone is entirely legal as long as you are the sole owner of the device. If the device is registered to you, you can track the information and use phone monitoring software. So, if you have given your kid a smartphone, this is entirely legal, but your privacy conventions may differ.

Similarly, you can track your partner’s phone, but there is a problem of ethics as well.

So, all the information I have provided here is for educational purposes, and you must use your discretion to decide whether your actions are correct.

15 Best Phone Monitoring Apps for Android and iOS

In this list, you can find a variety of phone monitoring apps. While some are fully-fledged phone tracking apps, others are made for specific purposes, such as parental control. This way, you can pick one based on the features and control you need.

#1 Find My

The Find My module of iOS is an excellent way to monitor the multiple devices you own and some location-based activities. So, you do not need a phone monitoring app if you already have devices within the Apple ecosystem.

Instead, you can set up Find My to synthesize location information from all your devices and provide them in an intuitive interface. There are obvious benefits, such as accuracy and system-wide integration. The geo-fencing options may not be accurate, but you still will know where your kids or partners are.

The parental restrictions options in Find My are also great, and you can track everything from iCloud.com. This is an excellent option if you already have enabled parental control on your kid’s smartphone or iPad. It is also appealing in terms of pricing: you do not have to pay.

#2 Life360

Life360 is an innovative phone tracking app that is made for partners. It can help you cut down the time you would otherwise spend manually updating your partner. It also packs some features like car crash detection and location history.

Because it’s a whole consensual thing, you don’t come across any privacy issues. Any participants can get out of tracking anytime, ensuring their privacy and autonomy are respected. Both participants will have access to system-level privacy settings as well.

I recommend Life360 if you want a tracking app for this specific purpose. Depending on your desired features, you can choose between free, Gold, and Platinum membership plans. The only issue I have heard about Life360 is its instability in accuracy.

#3 mSpy

mSpy, unlike the other options I have mentioned, is a fully-fledged parental control and mobile tracking system. It is widely used by parents who want to ensure that their children use their devices in the best way possible.

Some features include social media monitoring, screen recording, keyword alerts, and remote blocking. It is also one of the market’s most feature-rich phone monitoring apps. For instance, the key logger and keyword alerts can help you thwart instances before your kids encounter some threats.

mSpy is a premium service, but at $11 per month, I’ve found it well worth the investment. You can even check out the demo to see how mSpy can help you keep a close eye on your kids’ devices with ease. I love that you don’t have to worry about rooting or jailbreaking their devices to get them set up.

#4 SpyX

SpyX is another iPhone and Android spying app that lets you keep track of your devices provided for your employees or kids. You can use SpyX to track various apps and respective data sources. The best part is that there is no need to install any application on the target phone.

Once done, you can use SpyX to check out various details such as geofencing, FaceTime monitoring, Instagram monitoring, permission checks, and live audio monitoring. It does not require jailbreaking iPhone or rooting Android devices, either.

As you can see from the demo page, SpyX has a pretty intuitive user interface, giving you a clear overview of what’s happening on the device. This is particularly great when you want to ensure your kids are safe without making them feel like they’re being tracked.

#5 iSharing

iSharing is a family-focused phone tracking app that packs a lot of additional features. So, if you want a phone tracking app that kind of gamifies the tracking process, you might want to check out iSharing for your smartphones. You get basic features like geofencing and automated notifications.

Similarly, another feature that stands out is the walkie-talkie feature, which lets you instantly message your kids or partner on the same platform. This makes communication easy and efficient without needing to switch apps. The walkie-talkie feature can be convenient for quick check-ins or updates.

While many of these features are behind a premium paywall, I found that the upgrade could be well worth the investment, given all the functionalities it offers. Plus, since it’s a legitimately notarized app, I never had any issues with GPS location accuracy.

#6 Cocospy

Cocospy is another no-brainer phone tracking app that enables parental control, tracking, and remote surveillance. Depending on your purpose, you can use it to keep your kids safe or prevent corporate espionage. The best part about Cocospy is that the whole process is discreet.

Even if you have given your kids an iPad for educational purposes, you can still utilize all the benefits Cocospy offers, such as geofencing, browser history tracking, stealth mode, and call logs. The installation process is simple, and the interface is unique and user-friendly. This allows you to monitor the current status of the device without spending a lot of time or needing extensive technical knowledge.

Some additional features of Cocospy include SIM card alerts and SIM card location tracking. These features provide an added layer of security and monitoring. Overall, Cocospy offers a robust and discreet solution for monitoring and ensuring the safety of your loved ones or protecting against corporate threats.

#7 Familonet

Familonet is another option if you want a neat way to keep track of your kids. This fully-fledged app allows you to create multiple groups and set up emergency communication options. For instance, you can set up a panic button that your kids can use whenever they run into something they cannot handle themselves.

Rest assured, you get the standard features like geofencing, notifications, and locating with Familonet. So, even if you have a lost or stolen device, you can use the built-in permissions to wipe the data or find the phone. The overall accuracy that Familonet offers for its features is impressive as well.

The best part is that Familonet is free to use, even though some features are behind a paywall. Even without the premium features, I found it effective for keeping tabs on my kids’ devices. It’s been an excellent tool for our family.

#8 GEOFinder

Now, let’s talk about GEOFinder, which stands out from the other phone monitoring apps we’ve discussed. GEOFinder claims to be a highly effective phone tracker that allows you to track the location of a phone number without needing remote access to the device. You must enter the phone number and the international code, and GEOFinder takes care of the rest.

In addition to this, you can get features like a Wi-Fi tracker, an IP logger, and remote monitoring support. The free trial options are also available, and the premium plan offers unlimited geolocation requests. So, if you plan to keep track of a phone’s location without worrying about installing things, you might want to check out this service.

It also claims to be pretty quick and can use some strategic ways to extract the recipient’s location quickly. You should check out GEOFinder if you need multiple ways to monitor a device or a phone number. Of course, you should consider the legality of everything before you proceed.

#9 Hoverwatch

Hoverwatch is a free mobile tracker that you can use to track your Android smartphone. While exclusively available to Android, it lets you access features such as call history, audio, camera, Facebook, Skype, internet activity, calendar, and contacts.

You have to spend quite a few minutes setting up Hoverwatch on your device and the target device. Once you’re done, the tracking app remains in stealth mode, and the features will be available.

While some features of this phone tracking app are free, you need the premium version to get the fully-fledged experience. For instance, if you want complete control over what your kid does on the smartphone, you need the premium version of Hoverwatch.

#10 Find My Phone Whistle

Find My Phone Whistle is an interesting Android app that lets you locate your Android smartphone by whistling for it. Of course, this is not designed to enable long-distance phone tracking. Instead, if you usually forget your phone somewhere and can’t find it, you can simply whistle for it.

The working principle behind the app is pretty simple. It will keep listening for the sound, and you don’t have to worry about GPS or internet connectivity. It is a handy option if you do not want to get dedicated trackers for your Android device.

However, a potential problem here is that Find My Phone Whistle can often take up a lot of system resources because it has to be active in the background. The app is primarily free to use, but you may be annoyed by the advertisements on the app.

Other 5 Options You Can Consider

Here are some other great options you can try.

#11 Scannero.io

Scannero.io also lets you find the location of a smartphone by providing the number. Of course, the options will vary based on the premium plan, but you do not need to jailbreak your iPhone to use the feature.

#12 EyeZy

EyeZy is also another enterprise-level phone tracking app that you can use to prevent corporate espionage or data leaks. It gives you access to phone data as well as real-time location.

#13 FamiSafe

FamiSafe is a fully-fledged parental control app developed by Wondershare. You can use this app to monitor your kids’ smartphones and control them directly.

#14 uMobix

uMobix calls itself a phone tracker for modern parents and does justice to the description. You can set this up on your kids’ phones for peace of mind and standard control.

#15 Glympse

Glympse is another location-sharing app available for Android and iOS. You can use the app to set up options for geo-fencing and notifications. Thus, it’s a good option for families.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

I have only covered the best spying and phone monitoring apps in which I have complete confidence. You do not want your kid’s information leaked to fraudulent websites or enterprises.

Therefore, it is important to understand the data security measures and a company’s overall reputation before I recommend something to you.

This list, however, consists of well-researched and backed phone monitoring and tracking apps that you can use without privacy concerns.