Software · head to head
HiMama vs Apple Screen Time
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: 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.; Apple Screen Time parental controls require setting up Family Sharing and a Child Account rather than working standalone
- They diverge on capability: HiMama covers Daily activity updates, Apple Screen Time covers Screen time tracking.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which HiMama and Apple Screen Time actually diverge.
| Attribute | HiMama | Apple Screen Time |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $2/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android | Ios, Ipados, Macos |
| Founded | 2012 | 2016 |
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 HiMama
- Daily activity updates
- Photo and video sharing
- Parent messaging
- Attendance tracking
- Curriculum planning
- Developmental assessments
- Digital check-in
- Progress reports
Only in Apple Screen Time
- Screen time tracking
- App limits
- Downtime scheduling
- Content filtering
- App restrictions
- Communication limits
- Purchase controls
- Family Sharing management
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.
HiMama
- Parent engagementnot Apple Screen Time
- Daily documentationnot Apple Screen Time
- Curriculum trackingnot Apple Screen Time
- Staff managementnot Apple Screen Time
Apple Screen Time
- Screen time managementnot HiMama
- Content filteringnot HiMama
- Device controlnot HiMama
- Family safetynot HiMama
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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.
Apple Screen Time
- Parental controls require setting up Family Sharing and a Child Account rather than working standalone
Pricing, plan by plan
HiMama
$2/month- Basic$2/month
- Daily reports
- Photo sharing
- Messaging
- Plus$4/month
- All Basic features
- Curriculum planning
- Assessments
Apple Screen Time
Free- Included with iOS/macOSFree
- Screen time limits
- App restrictions
- Content filtering
Which should you pick?
Choose HiMama if
- You need daily activity updates.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want photo and video sharing.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is HiMama or Apple Screen Time better?
- Neither clearly leads. HiMama starts at $2/month and Apple Screen Time at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, HiMama or Apple Screen Time?
- Apple Screen Time has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $2/month for HiMama and Free for Apple Screen Time.
- Does HiMama or Apple Screen Time run on more platforms?
- HiMama runs on Web, Ios, Android. Apple Screen Time runs on Ios, Ipados, Macos.
- 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 HiMama best used for?
- HiMama is most often used for parent engagement, daily documentation, curriculum tracking, staff management. Of those, parent engagement and daily documentation are not what Apple Screen Time is typically brought in for.
- What can HiMama do that Apple Screen Time cannot?
- HiMama covers Daily activity updates, Photo and video sharing, Parent messaging, Attendance tracking. Apple Screen Time covers Screen time tracking, App limits, Downtime scheduling, Content filtering. Both handle Cloud deployment, Ios support, English language support, Spanish language support.