Giving a smartphone to your child is a modern-day rite of passage. You might trust them enough to use their phone only for games and emergency phone calls, but you can't guarantee that they're always using their phone for the right reasons.

Turning to surveillance apps can put your mind at ease. These apps can keep track of your kid's smartphone usage, and some can even monitor their current location. This way, you'll never have to worry about your child's safety both on the web and out in the real world.

So, here are the best spy apps for Android and iPhone that you can use to keep a check on your child.

Note: The spy phone apps mentioned below are made for parental control in mind and this is the only legit use of these apps.

1. MMGuardian

MMGuardian gives you total control over your child's web access, messages, app use, and contacts. To get started, you have to download the parent version of the app on your phone, register for an account, and then download the child version on your kid's phone.

Once you download both apps, you can enable all of MMGuardian's features. Not only does it come with a map to visually see your child's location, but it also comes with a feature that lets you input schedules and tracks your kid at specific times of the day.

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MMGuardian also allows you to block specific contacts and unsafe websites. If you're suspicious that your child uses their phone too much, you can set time limits that will lock your child's phone at certain times.

If you are worried about who your child is messaging and what they're saying, you can use MMGuardian to manage that. This feature makes it a very versatile cell phone surveillance and parental control app for both Android and iOS.

Download: MMGuardian for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

When you want to keep track of your child's internet usage as well as their location, use Google Family Link to protect your child. Like most phone surveillance apps, you have to download the parent version of the app on your phone and the child version of the app on your kid's.

Once you get everything set up, you can view your child's web activity in an easy-to-read chart. It shows you each app your child has recently used, along with the amount of time spent on the apps.

When your child wants to download a new app, you'll receive a notification that lets you approve or disapprove the download. This makes it easier to encourage your child to use educational apps for kids instead.

When your child is out with friends or at school, you can see their location on a map. You can also opt to lock your kid's device when you don't want them to use their phone.

Download: Google Family Link for Android | iOS (Free)

3. Kidslox

Kidslox is another parental control system that offers tons of features on Android and iPhone. It is also available for desktops for your convenience.

This app allows you to easily lock the apps that you don't want your child to use. You can also set a particular screen time for your kids and block inappropriate websites on their phone.

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As a parent, you can also set the daily limit of data and device usage for the kids, or block apps during their study or sleeping time.

Kidslox has cross-platform support that allows you to manage all the devices that your child uses. Moreover, you can also set up a fingerprint ID to make the apps on your kid's phone password protected.

Other than that, Kidslox has a solid location tracking feature as well. You can view your child's location history for a whole week and can set up notifications for when they are in different locations.

Download: Kidslox for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

4. KidsControl

KidsControl offers a less invasive approach to child surveillance apps. Instead of functioning as a remote listening app, or an app that monitors your child's internet use, it works as a way to monitor your kid's location.

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Upon opening the app, you'll see a map with your child's location marked on it. The icon will show the battery percentage of your kid's phone and if the phone is on vibrate. When your child's phone reaches a battery level of 15%, a notification gets sent to your phone.

Clicking on the infobox gives you more detailed information regarding your child's location history. You can also set locations as "dangerous" and get notified when your child enters them. KidsControl lets you connect the app to your child's smartwatch for even more convenience.

Download: KidsControl for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

5. Find My Kids

Find My Kids lets you view your child's location on a map and even listen in to the teacher, babysitter, or the friends that talk to your child. If you try to get in touch with your child, but they don't answer, you can sound an alarm on their phone. This makes it very useful for those moments when your child's phone is on vibrate.

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You can also use the app to chat with your child—open the built-in messaging system to send texts and stickers to check in with your kid.

To ensure that your child doesn't spend too much time playing games, you can keep track of which apps they use throughout the day. Like the KidsControl app, this surveillance app for Android and iPhone also allows you to view the battery level of your kid's phone.

If you want to ensure that your son or daughter gets to school on time, enable notifications for when they get to school and arrive home. Use Find My Kids to take note of your child's location history and make sure they're not visiting any sketchy parts of town.

Download: Find My Kids for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

Surveillance Apps Keep Your Child Secure

Some might view surveillance of your child as a breach of privacy, but it's really in their best interest. Audio surveillance apps and GPS trackers exist for your child's safety—they help you ensure your child isn't frequenting any dangerous locations or getting bullied.

You might always worry about your child's safety without thinking about your own. When visiting unsafe areas, you still need to protect yourself. Fortunately, these self-defense apps for personal safety can keep you and your family safe.