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Parenting & Family · head to head

FamilyWall vs Google Family Link

FamilyWall logo

FamilyWall

Parenting & Family

Private family network for organizing and sharing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Google Family Link logo

Google Family Link

Parenting & Family

Google's free family device management and controls

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: FamilyWall budget tracking, meal planning, family document storage and schedule management are Premium only; Google Family Link google documents that iPhones, iPads and computers other than Chromebooks cannot be supervised with Family Link
  • They diverge on capability: FamilyWall covers Private family network, Google Family Link covers Screen time management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which FamilyWall and Google Family Link actually diverge.

Attributes where FamilyWall and Google Family Link differ
AttributeFamilyWallGoogle Family Link
Pricing modelfreemiumfree
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidAndroid, Web
Founded20122019

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Parenting & Family).

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 FamilyWall

  • Private family network
  • Shared calendar
  • Real-time location sharing
  • Location history
  • Family messaging
  • Photo sharing
  • Shopping lists
  • Chore assignment

Only in Google Family Link

  • Screen time management
  • App approval system
  • Device locking
  • Location tracking
  • Settings management
  • Password controls
  • Google Play filtering
  • Account monitoring

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • Android support
  • English language support
  • French language support

What people use each for

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

FamilyWall

  • Running a shared colour-coded family calendar across phones and the webnot Google Family Link
  • Keeping shared shopping, chore and to-do lists for a householdnot Google Family Link
  • Planning meals and tracking family expenses on the Premium plannot Google Family Link

Google Family Link

  • Setting screen time limits and app approvals on a child's Android devicenot FamilyWall
  • Creating and managing a Google Account for a child under 13not FamilyWall
  • Seeing which apps a child uses and where their device isnot FamilyWall

Where each one falls short

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

FamilyWall

  • Budget tracking, meal planning, family document storage and schedule management are Premium only
  • Google and Outlook calendar sync and subscribing to a calendar by URL are Premium only
  • Locating family members and arrival or departure notifications are Premium only
  • Premium storage is capped at 25 GB
  • Premium costs 4.99 USD per month or 44.99 USD per year in the US and Canada, with other countries priced only in-app
  • Premium features apply only to the first 5 circles created
  • The Premium subscription renews automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the period ends
  • Any unused part of the 30-day free trial is forfeited when a subscription is purchased

Google Family Link

  • Google documents that iPhones, iPads and computers other than Chromebooks cannot be supervised with Family Link
  • Supervision is built around a Google Account, so activity outside Google accounts and Android devices is not covered
  • Parent controlled account creation applies to children under 13 or the applicable age in the country

Pricing, plan by plan

FamilyWall

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Shared calendar
    • Location sharing
    • Family messaging
  • Premium$4.99/month
    • Everything in Free
    • Unlimited members
    • Location history

Google Family Link

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Screen time limits
    • App approval
    • Device locking

Which should you pick?

Choose FamilyWall if

  • You need private family network.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want shared calendar.
FamilyWall review

Choose Google Family Link if

  • You need screen time management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Android, Web.
  • You also want app approval system.
Google Family Link review

Questions people ask

Is FamilyWall or Google Family Link better?
Neither clearly leads. FamilyWall starts at Free and Google Family Link at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, FamilyWall or Google Family Link?
FamilyWall starts at Free and Google Family Link at Free.
Does FamilyWall or Google Family Link run on more platforms?
FamilyWall runs on Web, Ios, Android. Google Family Link runs on Android, Web.
Can I use FamilyWall for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is FamilyWall best used for?
FamilyWall is most often used for running a shared colour-coded family calendar across phones and the web, keeping shared shopping, chore and to-do lists for a household, planning meals and tracking family expenses on the premium plan. Of those, running a shared colour-coded family calendar across phones and the web and keeping shared shopping, chore and to-do lists for a household are not what Google Family Link is typically brought in for.
What can FamilyWall do that Google Family Link cannot?
FamilyWall covers Private family network, Shared calendar, Real-time location sharing, Location history. Google Family Link covers Screen time management, App approval system, Device locking, Location tracking. Both handle Cloud deployment, Web support, Android support, English language support.
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Related pages

More on FamilyWall

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