Software · head to head
OurFamilyWizard 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: OurFamilyWizard each co-parent needs a separate paid subscription, so a two parent household pays twice; Apple Screen Time parental controls require setting up Family Sharing and a Child Account rather than working standalone
- They diverge on capability: OurFamilyWizard covers Shared parenting calendar, Apple Screen Time covers Screen time tracking.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which OurFamilyWizard and Apple Screen Time actually diverge.
| Attribute | OurFamilyWizard | Apple Screen Time |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $12.99/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Ios, Android, Web | Ios, Ipados, Macos |
| Founded | 2001 | 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 OurFamilyWizard
- Shared parenting calendar
- Secure messaging
- Expense tracking
- Payment requests
- Info bank
- Journal entries
- ToneMeter
- Court-admissible records
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.
OurFamilyWizard
- Documenting communication between separated or divorced co-parentsnot Apple Screen Time
- Sharing a custody schedule, expenses and child information in one recordnot Apple Screen Time
- Producing court admissible records of messages and parenting timenot Apple Screen Time
Apple Screen Time
- Screen time managementnot OurFamilyWizard
- Content filteringnot OurFamilyWizard
- Device controlnot OurFamilyWizard
- Family safetynot OurFamilyWizard
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
OurFamilyWizard
- Each co-parent needs a separate paid subscription, so a two parent household pays twice
- Subscriptions are sold in one year and two year terms rather than month to month
- The Basic plan at $110 a year is receive only for calls and includes just 1 GB of storage
- Essentials caps calling at 45 minutes a month and expense payments at 24
- Call recording and transcription require the Max plan at $299.88 a year
- Unlimited storage and unlimited certified records require the Premium plan or higher
Apple Screen Time
- Parental controls require setting up Family Sharing and a Child Account rather than working standalone
Pricing, plan by plan
OurFamilyWizard
$12.99/month- Monthly$12.99/month
- Shared calendar
- Secure messaging
- Expense log
- Annual$99/year
- All Monthly features
- 2 months free
- Priority support
Apple Screen Time
Free- Included with iOS/macOSFree
- Screen time limits
- App restrictions
- Content filtering
Which should you pick?
Choose OurFamilyWizard if
- You need shared parenting calendar.
- You work on Ios, Android, Web.
- You also want secure messaging.
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 OurFamilyWizard or Apple Screen Time better?
- Neither clearly leads. OurFamilyWizard starts at $12.99/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, OurFamilyWizard or Apple Screen Time?
- Apple Screen Time has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $12.99/month for OurFamilyWizard and Free for Apple Screen Time.
- Does OurFamilyWizard or Apple Screen Time run on more platforms?
- OurFamilyWizard runs on Ios, Android, Web. 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. OurFamilyWizard starts at $12.99/month.
- What is OurFamilyWizard best used for?
- OurFamilyWizard is most often used for documenting communication between separated or divorced co-parents, sharing a custody schedule, expenses and child information in one record, producing court admissible records of messages and parenting time. Of those, documenting communication between separated or divorced co-parents and sharing a custody schedule, expenses and child information in one record are not what Apple Screen Time is typically brought in for.
- What can OurFamilyWizard do that Apple Screen Time cannot?
- OurFamilyWizard covers Shared parenting calendar, Secure messaging, Expense tracking, Payment requests. 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.