Software · head to head
Apple Screen Time vs HiMama
Apple Screen Time
Software
Apple's built-in parental controls for iOS and Mac
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
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; HiMama the Internet Archive's capture of HiMama's homepage on 23 December 2020 named four feature bundles (Contactless Check-in, Parent Communication, Cashless Payments, Remote Learning) sold via 'Get a Quote' with no price figure published; the product later rebranded to Lillio.
- They diverge on capability: Apple Screen Time covers Screen time tracking, HiMama covers Daily activity updates.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Apple Screen Time and HiMama actually diverge.
| Attribute | Apple Screen Time | HiMama |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $2/month |
| Pricing model | free | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Ios, Ipados, Macos | Web, Ios, Android |
| Founded | 2016 | 2012 |
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 HiMama
- Daily activity updates
- Photo and video sharing
- Parent messaging
- Attendance tracking
- Curriculum planning
- Developmental assessments
- Digital check-in
- Progress reports
Both cover
- Cloud deployment
- Ios support
- English language support
- Spanish language support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Apple Screen Time
- Screen time managementnot HiMama
- Content filteringnot HiMama
- Device controlnot HiMama
- Family safetynot HiMama
HiMama
- Parent engagementnot Apple Screen Time
- Daily documentationnot Apple Screen Time
- Curriculum trackingnot Apple Screen Time
- Staff managementnot 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
HiMama
- The Internet Archive's capture of HiMama's homepage on 23 December 2020 named four feature bundles (Contactless Check-in, Parent Communication, Cashless Payments, Remote Learning) sold via 'Get a Quote' with no price figure published; the product later rebranded to Lillio.
Pricing, plan by plan
Apple Screen Time
Free- Included with iOS/macOSFree
- Screen time limits
- App restrictions
- Content filtering
HiMama
$2/month- Basic$2/month
- Daily reports
- Photo sharing
- Messaging
- Plus$4/month
- All Basic features
- Curriculum planning
- Assessments
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.
Choose HiMama if
- You need daily activity updates.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want photo and video sharing.
Questions people ask
- Is Apple Screen Time or HiMama better?
- Neither clearly leads. Apple Screen Time starts at Free and HiMama at $2/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Apple Screen Time or HiMama?
- Apple Screen Time has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Apple Screen Time and $2/month for HiMama.
- Does Apple Screen Time or HiMama run on more platforms?
- Apple Screen Time runs on Ios, Ipados, Macos. HiMama 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. HiMama starts at $2/month.
- 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 HiMama is typically brought in for.
- What can Apple Screen Time do that HiMama cannot?
- Apple Screen Time covers Screen time tracking, App limits, Downtime scheduling, Content filtering. HiMama covers Daily activity updates, Photo and video sharing, Parent messaging, Attendance tracking. Both handle Cloud deployment, Ios support, English language support, Spanish language support.