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Parenting · head to head

Google Family Link vs Securly

Google Family Link logo

Google Family Link

Parenting

Google's free family device management and controls

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Securly logo

Securly

Education

Web filtering, student safety monitoring and device management for K-12 schools

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Google Family Link has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Google Family Link google documents that iPhones, iPads and computers other than Chromebooks cannot be supervised with Family Link; Securly pricing stacks by module and only Filter has rates that surface publicly, so the quoted total for Filter plus Aware plus On-Call is routinely several times the number a district budgeted from the filtering line alone.
  • They diverge on capability: Google Family Link covers Screen time management, Securly covers Filter.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Google Family Link and Securly differ
AttributeGoogle Family LinkSecurly
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreePer student per year by module
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsAndroid, WebWeb, iOS, Android, Chrome OS, Windows
CategoryParentingEducation
Founded2019Unknown

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

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 Google Family Link

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

Only in Securly

  • Filter
  • Aware
  • On-Call
  • Classroom
  • MDM
  • Pass
  • Home
  • Delegated admin

What people use each for

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

Google Family Link

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

Securly

  • A district that must show CIPA compliance for take-home Chromebooks used on home broadband, where network-level filtering does nothingnot Google Family Link
  • A district whose safeguarding policy requires that a human being reads a self-harm alert within minutes at any hour, including school holidaysnot Google Family Link
  • A one-to-one iPad programme needing Apple device enrolment, filtering and classroom control from a single agent rather than threenot Google Family Link
  • A district under pressure from parents who want visibility of what their child does on the school device at home, without the school having to field each request by handnot Google Family Link

Where each one falls short

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

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

Securly

  • Pricing stacks by module and only Filter has rates that surface publicly, so the quoted total for Filter plus Aware plus On-Call is routinely several times the number a district budgeted from the filtering line alone.
  • The safety scanning generates false positives at volume, including song lyrics, creative writing and health-class assignments, and each one consumes counsellor or administrator time that the vendor does not pay for.
  • Alerting on student writing is a surveillance decision with real community consequences, and districts that deploy it without an explicit board policy and parent notification have faced local objections after the fact.
  • Coverage is strongest on managed Chromebooks; personal devices, non-Chrome browsers and encrypted apps outside the agent leave gaps that the compliance story quietly depends on nobody testing.
  • Per-student pricing is charged on enrolment rather than on devices, so a district that issues devices to only some year groups still pays for every student on the roll.

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Family Link

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

Securly

On request
  • Filter$undefined/year
    • Web filtering on and off network
    • Tiered per-student rates that fall as enrolment rises
    • Published in some purchasing co-operative catalogues, not on the vendor site
  • Aware$undefined/year
    • Automated scanning of email, documents and search for safety risk
    • Quoted per student, no public rate
  • On-Call$undefined/year
    • 24/7 human review and escalation of serious alerts
    • Quoted per student, priced on top of Aware
  • Classroom, MDM and Pass$undefined/year
    • Sold as separate per-student modules
    • Quoted

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Securly if

  • You need filter.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Chrome OS, Windows.
  • You also want aware.
Securly review

Questions people ask

Is Google Family Link or Securly better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Family Link starts at Free and Securly at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Family Link or Securly?
Google Family Link has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Google Family Link and On request for Securly.
Does Google Family Link or Securly run on more platforms?
Google Family Link runs on Android, Web. Securly runs on Web, iOS, Android, Chrome OS, Windows.
Can I use Google Family Link for free?
Yes. Google Family Link has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Securly starts at On request.
What is Google Family Link best used for?
Google Family Link is most often used for setting screen time limits and app approvals on a child's android device, creating and managing a google account for a child under 13, seeing which apps a child uses and where their device is. Of those, setting screen time limits and app approvals on a child's android device and creating and managing a google account for a child under 13 are not what Securly is typically brought in for.
What can Google Family Link do that Securly cannot?
Google Family Link covers Screen time management, App approval system, Device locking, Location tracking. Securly covers Filter, Aware, On-Call, Classroom.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Google Family Link: Is Google Family Link free?

Yes, Google Family Link is completely free. Creating or joining a family group does not require any paid membership or subscription.

Source
Securly: Does Securly publish pricing?

Not on its own site. Tiered per-student rates for Filter appear in some US purchasing co-operative catalogues, falling as enrolment rises, but Aware, On-Call, Classroom, MDM and Pass are quoted.

Google Family Link: Do any Family Link features require payment?

Family Link itself is free, but some Google products that integrate with it like YouTube Premium for families or Google One require separate paid subscriptions if you want premium features.

Source
Securly: What is the difference between Aware and On-Call?

Aware is the automated detection that produces alerts. On-Call is the staffed service that reads the serious ones out of hours and phones your escalation contacts. Buying Aware alone leaves the triage with your own staff.

Securly: Does it filter on home internet?

Yes, filtering follows the managed device rather than the network, which is the point for take-home Chromebook programmes.

Securly: Is student data used for anything else?

Securly signs the US Student Privacy Pledge and district data processing agreements; check the specific DPA rather than the marketing page, since scanning scope and retention are negotiated terms.

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