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Parenting · head to head

Qustodio vs Securly

Qustodio logo

Qustodio

Parenting

The best parental control app for families

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 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; 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: Qustodio covers Web filtering & blocking, Securly covers Filter.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Qustodio and Securly actually diverge.

Attributes where Qustodio and Securly differ
AttributeQustodioSecurly
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer student per year by module
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac, Chromebook, KindleWeb, iOS, Android, Chrome OS, Windows
CategoryParentingEducation
Founded2012Unknown

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 Qustodio

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

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.

Qustodio

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

Securly

  • A district that must show CIPA compliance for take-home Chromebooks used on home broadband, where network-level filtering does nothingnot Qustodio
  • A district whose safeguarding policy requires that a human being reads a self-harm alert within minutes at any hour, including school holidaysnot Qustodio
  • A one-to-one iPad programme needing Apple device enrolment, filtering and classroom control from a single agent rather than threenot Qustodio
  • 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 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

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

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

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 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 Securly if

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

Questions people ask

Is Qustodio or Securly better?
Neither clearly leads. Qustodio 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, Qustodio or Securly?
Qustodio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Qustodio and On request for Securly.
Does Qustodio or Securly run on more platforms?
Qustodio runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Kindle. Securly runs on Web, iOS, Android, Chrome OS, Windows.
Can I use Qustodio for free?
Yes. Qustodio has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Securly starts at On request.
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 Securly is typically brought in for.
What can Qustodio do that Securly cannot?
Qustodio covers Web filtering & blocking, Screen time limits, App blocking & control, Location tracking. Securly covers Filter, Aware, On-Call, Classroom.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Qustodio: How much does Qustodio cost?

Qustodio Basic Plan costs $59.95/year (approximately $5/month) for up to 5 devices. Complete Plan costs $104.95/year (approximately $8.75/month) for unlimited devices.

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.

Qustodio: Does Qustodio offer a free version?

Yes, Qustodio offers a free version that protects a single device with basic protection features. A free trial of premium features is also available with no credit card required.

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.

Qustodio: What is the difference between Qustodio Basic and Complete plans?

Basic plan ($59.95/year) protects up to 5 devices with core features like blocking, time limits, and monitoring. Complete plan ($104.95/year) adds unlimited devices, YouTube monitoring, and custom rules. Both include 30-day money-back guarantee.

Source
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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