Parenting & Family · head to head
Norton Family vs Brightwheel
Norton Family
Parenting & Family
Comprehensive parental control from Norton Security
- From
- $49.99/year
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Brightwheel has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Norton Family norton Family can only be installed on a child's Windows PC, iOS or Android device, with no macOS support; Brightwheel pricing is quote-only, driven by enrolment capacity and number of locations, and requires filling in a multi-step form to obtain
- They diverge on capability: Norton Family covers Antivirus protection, Brightwheel covers Daily activity reports.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Norton Family and Brightwheel actually diverge.
| Attribute | Norton Family | Brightwheel |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $49.99/year | Free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac | Web, Ios, Android |
| Founded | 1991 | 2015 |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Norton Family
- Antivirus protection
- Web monitoring
- App blocking
- Screen time management
- Location tracking
- Activity reports
- Social media monitoring
- Custom alerts
Only in Brightwheel
- Daily activity reports
- Parent messaging
- Photo and video sharing
- Attendance tracking
- Billing & invoicing
- Staff time tracking
- Learning assessments
- Check-in/check-out
Both cover
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
- English language support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Norton Family
- Blocking unsuitable websites and reporting which sites a child visitsnot Brightwheel
- Scheduling screen time limits and a School Time focus modenot Brightwheel
- Tracking a child's device location with arrival and departure alertsnot Brightwheel
Brightwheel
- Childcare centre attendance and check-innot Norton Family
- Parent communication with photos and daily reportsnot Norton Family
- Billing and tuition collection from familiesnot Norton Family
- Staff scheduling and ratio trackingnot Norton Family
- Learning assessments and developmental recordsnot Norton Family
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Norton Family
- Norton Family can only be installed on a child's Windows PC, iOS or Android device, with no macOS support
- Windows 10 in S mode is explicitly excluded
- Not all features are available on all supported platforms
- Location Supervision is not available in all countries and must be activated before use
- Video Supervision covers only videos watched on YouTube.com and does not track YouTube videos embedded in other sites or blogs
- Mobile App Supervision shows and controls apps only on Android devices
- The Android app relies on the AccessibilityService API to see websites viewed and to stop the child removing permissions
- Features require the child's device to have an internet or data plan and to be turned on
Brightwheel
- Pricing is quote-only, driven by enrolment capacity and number of locations, and requires filling in a multi-step form to obtain
- No transaction or payment processing fees are disclosed anywhere on the pricing page
Pricing, plan by plan
Norton Family
$49.99/year- Norton 360 Deluxe$49.99/year
- Antivirus protection
- Parental controls
- Screen time limits
- Norton 360 Premium$99.99/year
- Everything in Deluxe
- Location tracking
- Advanced monitoring
Brightwheel
Free- FreeFree
- Messaging
- Daily reports
- Photo sharing
- Plus$100/month
- All Free features
- Billing & payments
- Staff management
Which should you pick?
Choose Norton Family if
- You need antivirus protection.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac.
- You also want web monitoring.
Choose Brightwheel if
- You need daily activity reports.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want parent messaging.
Questions people ask
- Is Norton Family or Brightwheel better?
- Neither clearly leads. Norton Family starts at $49.99/year and Brightwheel at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Norton Family or Brightwheel?
- Brightwheel has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $49.99/year for Norton Family and Free for Brightwheel.
- Does Norton Family or Brightwheel run on more platforms?
- Norton Family runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac. Brightwheel runs on Web, Ios, Android.
- Can I use Brightwheel for free?
- Yes. Brightwheel has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Norton Family starts at $49.99/year.
- What is Norton Family best used for?
- Norton Family is most often used for blocking unsuitable websites and reporting which sites a child visits, scheduling screen time limits and a school time focus mode, tracking a child's device location with arrival and departure alerts. Of those, blocking unsuitable websites and reporting which sites a child visits and scheduling screen time limits and a school time focus mode are not what Brightwheel is typically brought in for.
- What can Norton Family do that Brightwheel cannot?
- Norton Family covers Antivirus protection, Web monitoring, App blocking, Screen time management. Brightwheel covers Daily activity reports, Parent messaging, Photo and video sharing, Attendance tracking. Both handle Cloud deployment, Web support, Ios support, Android support.