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Qustodio vs BusyKid

Qustodio logo

Qustodio

Software

The best parental control app for families

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
BusyKid logo

BusyKid

Software

Teach kids to earn, save, share, and invest

From
$4/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Qustodio has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Qustodio monitoring requires installing a separate Kids App on each child device in addition to the parent app; BusyKid card balance capped at USD 2,000 maximum
  • They diverge on capability: Qustodio covers Web filtering & blocking, BusyKid covers Chore assignment.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Qustodio and BusyKid actually diverge.

Attributes where Qustodio and BusyKid differ
AttributeQustodioBusyKid
Starting priceFree$4/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac, Chromebook, KindleiOS, Android, Web
Founded20122010

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 Qustodio

  • Web filtering & blocking
  • Screen time limits
  • App blocking & control
  • Location tracking
  • Calls & SMS monitoring
  • Social media monitoring
  • YouTube monitoring
  • Panic button

Only in BusyKid

  • Chore assignment
  • Allowance automation
  • Prepaid Visa card
  • Stock investing
  • Savings jars
  • Charity donations
  • Parent controls
  • Spending reports

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Qustodio

  • Blocking apps and inappropriate web content on a child's devicenot BusyKid
  • Setting screen time limits and screen-free periods for childrennot BusyKid
  • Tracking a child's location and getting arrival and departure alertsnot BusyKid

BusyKid

  • Teaching choresnot Qustodio
  • Allowance managementnot Qustodio
  • Kids investingnot Qustodio
  • Financial educationnot Qustodio

Where each one falls short

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

Qustodio

  • Monitoring requires installing a separate Kids App on each child device in addition to the parent app
  • The Android kids app requires Device Administrator, Accessibility and VPN permissions to filter content and prevent uninstall
  • Web content filtering works by running a VPN service on the child's device
  • On Huawei devices battery-saving mode must be disabled for Qustodio to work
  • The product is available in only eight languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, Japanese and Chinese
  • Coverage is limited to Windows, Mac, iOS, Kindle and Android devices

BusyKid

  • Card balance capped at USD 2,000 maximum
  • Chores must be added individually per child, requiring significant setup time for families with multiple children
  • Card replacement fee of USD 5 charged for lost or stolen cards
  • No rewards or cash back on card purchases
  • Deposit limits restrict funding to USD 50 at a time with 24-hour waits between deposits

Pricing, plan by plan

Qustodio

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 device
    • Basic web filtering
    • Daily activity reports
  • Small Plan$54.95/year
    • 5 devices
    • Advanced web filtering
    • App controls
  • Medium Plan$96.95/year
    • 10 devices
    • All Small features
    • Family locator
  • Large Plan$137.95/year
    • 15 devices
    • All Medium features
    • Priority support

BusyKid

$4/month
  • Monthly Subscription$4/month
    • Up to 5 Visa Prepaid Cards
    • Chore tracking and automatic allowance payments
    • Stock and ETF investing with no commissions
  • Annual Subscription$48/year
    • Up to 5 Visa Prepaid Cards
    • Chore tracking and automatic allowance payments
    • Stock and ETF investing with no commissions

Which should you pick?

Choose Qustodio if

  • You need web filtering & blocking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Kindle.
  • You also want screen time limits.
Qustodio review

Choose BusyKid if

  • You need chore assignment.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want allowance automation.
BusyKid review

Questions people ask

Is Qustodio or BusyKid better?
Neither clearly leads. Qustodio starts at Free and BusyKid at $4/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Qustodio or BusyKid?
Qustodio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Qustodio and $4/month for BusyKid.
Does Qustodio or BusyKid run on more platforms?
Qustodio runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Kindle. BusyKid runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Qustodio for free?
Yes. Qustodio has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. BusyKid starts at $4/month.
What is Qustodio best used for?
Qustodio is most often used for blocking apps and inappropriate web content on a child's device, setting screen time limits and screen-free periods for children, tracking a child's location and getting arrival and departure alerts. Of those, blocking apps and inappropriate web content on a child's device and setting screen time limits and screen-free periods for children are not what BusyKid is typically brought in for.
What can Qustodio do that BusyKid cannot?
Qustodio covers Web filtering & blocking, Screen time limits, App blocking & control, Location tracking. BusyKid covers Chore assignment, Allowance automation, Prepaid Visa card, Stock investing. Both handle Cloud deployment, Web support, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

BusyKid: Does BusyKid offer a free trial?

Yes, BusyKid offers a 30-day free trial with no payment required during the trial period. Full subscription is USD 4/month (USD 48/year) after trial.

Source
BusyKid: Can parents track spending in real-time?

Yes. Parents see every transaction made with the BusyKid Visa Prepaid Card in real-time through the app, and can set spending limits and receive notifications.

Source
BusyKid: Can kids invest in stocks?

Yes. BusyKid's investment feature allows kids to own actual stocks and ETFs with no commission fees. Investment purchases require minimum USD 10 and parental approval.

Source
BusyKid: How long does it take to receive the prepaid card?

BusyKid Visa Prepaid Cards typically arrive within 12 business days of account setup. Cards can be used anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted.

Source
BusyKid: What is the maximum card balance?

The BusyKid Visa Prepaid Card has a maximum balance limit of USD 2,000.

Source
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