Best Parental Control Software for your PC

Posted by Evan Murray on February 26th, 2026

It's just as important to monitor your child's computer activity as their phone activity. It's on desktop PCs and laptops that children are likely to encounter most of the internet's problems. And it's on the computer that children often waste time playing games or aimlessly browsing social media. A selection of the best parental control programs for PCs will help prevent potential problems and keep track of what your child is doing online. Some apps on this list also work with smartphones, but they are most effective on a computer.

K9 WEB PROTECTION

As its name suggests, the app is primarily designed to monitor and limit children's internet activity. K9 Web Protection will help you understand what content your young user prefers and block inappropriate categories of internet resources. The program's built-in category detection algorithm allows it to easily identify the type of resource in real time, even if it's a completely new site. The app can limit internet access based on time without affecting other programs and apps.

K9 Web Protection is completely free for home use. Unfortunately, technical support for the app ended on June 30, 2019, so no further updates will be available. K9 Web Protection's advantage is that it's extremely difficult to uninstall: it embeds a hidden driver in the Device Manager that prevents essential files from being uninstalled or disabled. So, a child is unlikely to be able to unblock the app, especially if their account has restricted access to drivers and files.

KIDLOGGER

A computer application designed specifically for comprehensive logging of a child's PC activity. It provides access to all the necessary data: device startup and shutdown times, applications running, text typed in all programs, third-party storage devices connected, and more. The application is password-protected, so it can't even be opened. All data is transmitted directly to a server, where it can be downloaded by a parent, and isn't stored on the computer, so even a savvy child can't delete it.

KidLogger collects detailed information about a child's computer activity. The program can even log which folders the user has accessed. It can also record sounds around the computer using the microphone, depending on their volume. It also takes screenshots at set intervals or after the user enters preset stop words. Conveniently, the program can capture the person who turned on the computer immediately after starting it. All you need is a webcam. This allows you to always know who turned on the computer, what time they were using it, and what they were doing at that moment, and match the activity to the person.

MSPY

According to thousands of reviews from satisfied parents, this is one of the best computer apps designed to limit a child's online activity. The program is designed to track activity, monitor search queries, block individual programs or the entire computer, and control installed apps and the child's email. mSpy also tracks the amount of time spent on specific programs, allowing you to get a picture of how your child is using the computer: playing, studying, or slacking off. Essentially, the app gives you complete access to everything your child does online.

Conveniently, mSpy can access your child's browsing history and search queries even if they use the "incognito" feature. This means you'll be aware of all their activity, even if they've tried to hide it using popular browsers. If you're truly dedicated, you can install a host of additional tools that will allow you to track literally every sneeze your child makes online, but even the basic set is enough to get a complete picture.