Parental control alternatives
3 Best Microsoft Family Safety Alternatives in 2026
Quick answer Microsoft Family Safety is free, but it's designed for the Microsoft world. The web filter only works in the Edge browser, and unused screen time doesn't carry over. Here are three alternatives that fix those things.
This page compares three alternatives on a selection of key features, platforms and pricing.
Overview
Three alternatives at a glance
Top pick
Starting at $19.95
12-month or 24-month license. No subscription. No auto-renewal.
Shared screen time across devices
Bonus time codes
Weekly + monthly limits
Made in Germany
From $59.95/year
Basic plan, 5 devices. $109.95/year Complete (unlimited).
iOS + macOS + Chromebook
YouTube monitoring
Calls & SMS monitoring
Per-app limits: Higher-priced plan only
$99/year or $14/month
Bark Premium. Unlimited devices.
AI content alerts
30+ social media apps
45 content categories
US, AU, ZA only
Top pick
Salfeld Child Control: advanced time management for Windows and Android families
Salfeld Child Control is made in Germany by Salfeld Computer GmbH. It runs on Windows and Android using a fixed-term license (12 or 24 months) with no automatic renewal. All features are included in every license. Prices start at $19.95.
✓
Per-app time limits for full control
Set individual daily, weekly and monthly time limits for each app or group of apps. Gaming, social media, homework apps: each one can have its own schedule.
✓
Limit audio apps too, not just visual ones
Salfeld can also limit time spent on audio-only apps like Spotify, podcasts or YouTube Music. Kids sometimes use audio to “step away” from screens without truly disconnecting. With Salfeld, audio counts toward the daily limit too, so when time is up, they actually switch off.
✓
Readable YouTube history for real conversations
See the actual video titles your child watched, not cryptic URLs. Makes it much easier to talk about what they are watching instead of guessing.
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Works everywhere, no country restrictions
Salfeld is available worldwide. Whether you live in Europe, North America, Asia, Oceania or Latin America, you can use it without any regional limitation.
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One shared screen time budget across devices
Your child's Windows PC, tablet and Android phone share the same daily time budget. Switch devices, the timer keeps running. No more arguments about which device counts.
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Reward good behaviour with bonus time
Bonus Time Codes: 6-digit codes your child enters to unlock extra minutes. You can also auto-generate bonus time for educational apps, so learning earns screen time.
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Made in Germany, no data sharing
Developed by Salfeld Computer GmbH, a German software company. We do not share or sell your family's data to third parties. Salfeld operates under German data protection law, widely regarded as one of the strictest in the world: on top of GDPR, Germany enforces its own additional regulations (BDSG) and applies them rigorously.
Free 30-Day Trial
Full features for 30 days. 30-day money-back guarantee if you buy.
Download Salfeld Plans & PricingFeatures
Full feature comparison
| Feature | Salfeld | MS Family Safety | Qustodio | Bark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time controls | ||||
| Daily screen time limit | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Weekly or monthly screen time limit | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Daily time limit per app (e.g. 30 min of TikTok a day) | Highly Customizable | ✓ | ✓ Higher-priced plan only | Bark Phone only |
| Weekly or monthly time limit per app | Highly Customizable | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Block an app at set times (e.g. no games during homework) | Highly Customizable | ✓ per day of week | ✓ | ✓ day-of-week routines |
| Time limit on music & podcasts | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Shared limit for a group of apps (e.g. all social media together) | Customizable create your own groups | ✗ per-app only, no groups | Standard predefined categories | Standard predefined categories |
| One screen time limit across all devices (phone + tablet + PC combined) | ✓ | ✓ via "one schedule for all devices" | ✓ within one child profile | ✗ |
| Reward extra time with a code | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Blocked hours (e.g. bedtime, school hours) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Content filtering | ||||
| Block websites by category (adult, gambling, etc.) | ✓ | ✓ Edge only | ✓ | ✓ |
| Block specific apps | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| AI alerts on risky messages & posts | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ Higher-priced plan only | ✓ |
| See what your child watches on YouTube | Advanced | ✗ | ✓ Higher-priced plan only | Alerts only content scans, not a view history |
| See screenshots of your child's activity | ✓ Windows | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Location & communication | ||||
| See where your child is | ✓ Android | ✗ removed Nov 2024 | ✓ | ✓ |
| Read your child's calls & texts | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ Higher-priced plan only | ✓ |
| Platforms | ||||
| Windows | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ Edge browser monitoring |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Xbox | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| iOS | ✗ | ✓ Parent app only | ✓ | ✓ |
| macOS | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ Edge browser / iOS relay only |
| Chromebook | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pricing & availability | ||||
| Free plan | 30-day trial | ✓ Core features free | 30 days | 7 days |
| No subscription required | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Available worldwide | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | US, AU, ZA |
Try Salfeld on your own family’s devices
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What you actually pay over 2 years
For a family protecting 5 devices over 2 years. USD amounts shown first for easier scanning. Salfeld's official price is in EUR.
About these prices: Prices are published on each vendor's website and can change. Promotions, regional pricing and currency conversion may give you a different total. Always check the official website for the current price in your country before buying. Salfeld's official price is in euros; USD amounts are approximate. Salfeld's 24-month license covers the full 2-year period in a single one-time payment. Qustodio Basic 2-year total reflects Qustodio's published year-1 price ($59.95) plus its published renewal price ($72.94), as shown on Qustodio's pricing page.
FAQ
Microsoft Family Safety Alternatives: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best alternative to Microsoft Family Safety in 2026?
It depends on your devices and priorities. Salfeld Child Control is the strongest choice for Windows and Android families who want web filtering beyond Edge, weekly and monthly screen time allowances, and bonus time codes with a fixed-term license. Qustodio suits families who need iOS, macOS, Chromebook coverage. Bark is best for AI content monitoring across 30+ social media apps.
Why would I pay for a parental control when Microsoft Family Safety is free?
Microsoft Family Safety is a good starting point, but it has significant limitations: web filtering only works in Edge (other browsers are blocked entirely), no weekly or monthly screen time allowances, no bonus time code system, no customizable app groups, and no category-based web filter independent of the Microsoft ecosystem. If your child uses Chrome for school, the web filter cannot protect them. A paid solution like Salfeld starts at $19.95 for 12 months and removes these limitations.
Does Microsoft Family Safety filter Chrome or Firefox?
No. Web and search filters only work in Microsoft Edge. The official documentation states that other browsers are blocked for the filter to work. If your child needs Chrome (for example, for Google Classroom), the web filter will not protect them on that browser. Salfeld filters Chrome, Edge and Firefox at the network level on Windows.
Does Salfeld support iOS or macOS?
No. Salfeld runs on Windows and Android only. The parent portal works from any browser, including iPhone, iPad and Mac, but child-side software requires Windows or Android. If your children use iOS devices, Qustodio is a better choice.
Does Microsoft Family Safety have per-app time limits?
Yes. You can set time limits for individual apps and games on Windows, Xbox, and Android. You choose how much time per day and can set different allowances for each day of the week. However, there is no weekly or monthly allowance, no app group limits, and no bonus time code system. Salfeld offers all of these features.
Does Microsoft Family Safety work on macOS or Chromebook?
No. Microsoft Family Safety supports Windows 10/11, Xbox, and Android for child devices. The parent app works on Android and iOS. There is no support for macOS or Chromebook. If your child uses a Mac or Chromebook, Qustodio is a better option as it covers both platforms.
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All trademarks, product names, logos, and brands referenced on this page are the property of their respective owners. Their use here is for identification and comparison purposes only and does not imply any affiliation, endorsement, or sponsorship by or with Salfeld Computer GmbH. Microsoft and Microsoft Family Safety are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All third-party product information is sourced from publicly available official websites and is provided in good faith. Prices and features are subject to change: verify on official websites before purchasing. Salfeld Computer GmbH is not responsible for the accuracy of third-party information shown above. Please check official websites yourself to ensure the most accurate and up-to-date information.