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Apple Screen Time vs Canopy

Apple Screen Time logo

Apple Screen Time

Software

Apple's built-in parental controls for iOS and Mac

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Canopy logo

Canopy

Software

Router-based parental control for whole home protection

From
$99.99/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Apple Screen Time has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Apple Screen Time parental controls require setting up Family Sharing and a Child Account rather than working standalone; Canopy device counts gate the tiers, at 1 on Essential, 3 on Plus and up to 10 on Premium
  • They diverge on capability: Apple Screen Time covers Screen time tracking, Canopy covers WiFi-level filtering.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apple Screen Time and Canopy actually diverge.

Attributes where Apple Screen Time and Canopy differ
AttributeApple Screen TimeCanopy
Starting priceFree$99.99/year
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsIos, Ipados, MacosWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20162019

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Apple Screen Time

  • Screen time tracking
  • App limits
  • Downtime scheduling
  • Content filtering
  • App restrictions
  • Communication limits
  • Purchase controls
  • Family Sharing management

Only in Canopy

  • WiFi-level filtering
  • Content blocking
  • Screen time limits
  • Real-time notifications
  • Usage tracking
  • Custom categories
  • Schedule management
  • Device management

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment
  • Ios support
  • English language support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Apple Screen Time

  • Screen time managementnot Canopy
  • Content filteringnot Canopy
  • Device controlnot Canopy
  • Family safetynot Canopy

Canopy

  • Filtering explicit content across a child's devicesnot Apple Screen Time
  • Sexting prevention and image screeningnot Apple Screen Time
  • Screen time limits and schedulesnot Apple Screen Time
  • Location alerts for a child's phonenot Apple Screen Time
  • Accountability partner arrangements for adultsnot Apple Screen Time

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Apple Screen Time

  • Parental controls require setting up Family Sharing and a Child Account rather than working standalone

Canopy

  • Device counts gate the tiers, at 1 on Essential, 3 on Plus and up to 10 on Premium
  • AI chatbot filtering and lingerie or swimwear filtering require the Plus tier
  • Phone and chat support are Premium only
  • Requires Android 9, iOS 12, macOS 10.13, Windows 10 or ChromeOS, so older devices are unsupported
  • The trial is one week

Pricing, plan by plan

Apple Screen Time

Free
  • Included with iOS/macOSFree
    • Screen time limits
    • App restrictions
    • Content filtering

Canopy

$99.99/year
  • Standard$99.99/year
    • WiFi filtering
    • Content blocking
    • Screen time controls

Which should you pick?

Choose Apple Screen Time if

  • You need screen time tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Ipados, Macos.
  • You also want app limits.
Apple Screen Time review

Choose Canopy if

  • You need wifi-level filtering.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want content blocking.
Canopy review

Questions people ask

Is Apple Screen Time or Canopy better?
Neither clearly leads. Apple Screen Time starts at Free and Canopy at $99.99/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apple Screen Time or Canopy?
Apple Screen Time has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Apple Screen Time and $99.99/year for Canopy.
Does Apple Screen Time or Canopy run on more platforms?
Apple Screen Time runs on Ios, Ipados, Macos. Canopy runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Apple Screen Time for free?
Yes. Apple Screen Time has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Canopy starts at $99.99/year.
What is Apple Screen Time best used for?
Apple Screen Time is most often used for screen time management, content filtering, device control, family safety. Of those, screen time management and content filtering are not what Canopy is typically brought in for.
What can Apple Screen Time do that Canopy cannot?
Apple Screen Time covers Screen time tracking, App limits, Downtime scheduling, Content filtering. Canopy covers WiFi-level filtering, Content blocking, Screen time limits, Real-time notifications. Both handle Cloud deployment, Ios support, English language support.
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