Aura Parental Controls vs mSpy: Which Monitoring App is Best for Your Family in 2024?
As a cyber security expert specializing in data protection, I know how crucial it is for parents to have robust tools to safeguard their children‘s online activities. Two leading options, Aura Parental Controls and mSpy, each bring a lot to the table – but which one is the optimal choice for your family‘s unique needs in 2024? In this comprehensive comparison, I‘ll dive deep into the features, pricing, security, and more to help you make an informed decision.
Aura vs mSpy: An Overview
While both Aura and mSpy provide parental control capabilities, they cater to slightly different audiences. Aura positions itself as the go-to solution for protecting children‘s online safety, with a strong emphasis on web filtering and identity theft protection. It aims to give parents peace of mind that their kids are shielded from inappropriate content and risks like phishing when browsing the web or using apps.
On the other hand, mSpy markets itself as a comprehensive monitoring tool for keeping tabs on tweens‘ and teens‘ device activity. Its feature set focuses heavily on tracking location, messaging, and social media usage. mSpy appeals to parents who want detailed insights into what their children are doing and saying on their mobile devices.
In-Depth Feature Comparison
Web Filtering & App Blocking:
Aura shines in this department with its advanced web filtering powered by Webroot. Parents can easily block access to entire categories of websites (like mature content, gambling, weapons) or specific domains. The app blocking extends to an impressive range of popular apps kids use, including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp, YouTube, and more. You can block apps entirely or set daily time limits.
mSpy‘s web filtering is less robust – while you can block sites by category, there isn‘t an option to allowlist or blocklist specific URLs. The app blocking covers major social media apps but isn‘t as extensive as Aura‘s.
Screen Time Management:
Both Aura and mSpy allow you to set daily screen time limits or schedules for your child‘s device usage. You can set overall limits as well as caps for individual apps. Both send you violation alerts if your child tries to access their device outside the allowed times.
Aura has a slight edge with its instant pause feature, which lets you immediately block access to your child‘s devices for a set period of time (like during dinner or homework). mSpy requires you to change the schedule to block access.
Location Tracking & Geofencing:
This is one area where mSpy clearly outperforms Aura. mSpy offers real-time location tracking and geofencing capabilities, so you can see your child‘s current whereabouts at any time and get alerts if they enter or leave a designated area (like school or home).
Aura, on the other hand, does not have any location tracking features. If keeping tabs on your child‘s physical location is a top priority for you, mSpy is the stronger choice.
Social Media & Messaging App Monitoring:
mSpy goes above and beyond in this realm, allowing you to read your child‘s text messages, WhatsApp chats, and private messages on social media apps like Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Tinder, and more. You can even see deleted messages. mSpy also lets you monitor call logs to see who your child is talking to.
Aura takes a less invasive approach – while you can block access to social media and messaging apps, you can‘t actually read your child‘s private conversations. Aura does scan public social media posts and images for signs of cyberbullying, suicidal ideation, guns/weapons, or sexual content and alert you of any potential issues.
Additional Features:
One key factor that sets Aura apart is its bundling of top-notch identity theft protection powered by Experian. With a deluge of data breaches in recent years, children‘s information is a prime target for identity thieves since the crime often goes undetected for years. Aura monitors your child‘s SSN and accounts for any signs of fraud. The service also includes $1M identity theft insurance for your whole family.
mSpy has some unique (and controversial) features like remote access to your child‘s phone‘s microphone and camera, so you can essentially see and hear what‘s going on around them. While intended for "emergency" situations, many consider this a step too far in violating privacy. mSpy also lets you remotely lock your child‘s device or wipe data if it‘s lost or stolen.
Pricing & Value:
Aura offers two plans: Aura Parental Controls ($10/month) which covers web filtering, screen time, and location services for unlimited devices, and Aura Ultimate Family ($20/month) which adds on identity theft and financial fraud protection. Both are billed yearly. There‘s a 14-day free trial to test out the service.
mSpy has a more complex pricing structure based on the features you need and number of devices you want to monitor, ranging from the basic 1-month subscription for 1 device ($48.99) to the 12-month Family plan for up to 3 devices ($167.88). You can add on specific features like social media monitoring as needed. There‘s no free trial, but there is a 14-day money-back guarantee.
In terms of pure value for money, Aura comes out ahead with its generous unlimited device coverage and bundling of parental controls with identity theft protection – especially key for large families. However, if you only need to monitor 1 or 2 devices and want maximum insight into your teen‘s mobile activity, mSpy‘s granular plan options may make more sense.
Compatibility & Customer Support:
Both Aura and mSpy work on iOS and Android, as well as Windows. Aura also provides browser extensions for Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. Neither have native apps for Mac. One important note: iPhones must be jailbroken for mSpy to work, which can open up security risks.
Aura provides 24/7 phone support and email tickets, as well as a comprehensive online knowledge base with setup guides and troubleshooting tips. mSpy offers 24/7 live chat and multi-language phone support.
Data Security & Privacy:
Any time you‘re using a parental control app, it‘s critical to make sure your family‘s sensitive data is protected. Aura is very transparent that it does not sell user data to third parties, and all data is encrypted in transit and at rest. Aura also undergoes regular third-party security audits and provides a bug bounty program for white-hat hackers to identify any vulnerabilities. The company is based in the U.S. and complies with COPPA and other data privacy laws.
mSpy states that it doesn‘t collect data from a child‘s device, but rather the data is collected by the parent and stored on mSpy‘s servers with "bank-grade" encryption. The company does not specify its data retention policies. mSpy is based in the UK and complies with GDPR.
Potential Drawbacks:
No parental control tool is perfect. Some potential issues to be aware of:
- Aura does not allow you to fully turn off the VPN on a child‘s device, which can interfere with some apps/services and drain the battery faster. The lack of location tracking may be a dealbreaker for some.
- mSpy requires you to jailbreak iPhones for full functionality, which can void the warranty and make the device less secure. Some features like remote listening/viewing are extremely invasive and potentially illegal in some jurisdictions. Tread carefully.
- Both rely on the child‘s device being connected to WiFi or data to work consistently. A tech-savvy teen could try to disable WiFi or uninstall the app to get around controls.
Making Your Decision:
Ultimately, the choice between Aura and mSpy (or any other parental control app) comes down to your family‘s specific needs and priorities. If your primary concern is making sure your young kids are shielded from inappropriate websites and apps, Aura‘s powerful filtering and identity protection are a winning combo. The unlimited device coverage is also a big plus for families with multiple children.
However, if you‘re dealing with teens who have more independence and you need to keep closer tabs on their whereabouts and communications, mSpy‘s robust location tracking and messaging/social media monitoring may be a better fit, as long as you‘re comfortable with the privacy implications.
Regardless of which one you choose, open communication with your children about online safety and responsibility is key. No app can replace parental involvement and guidance. But with the right tool acting as backup, you can rest a little easier knowing you‘re doing all you can to protect your kids in an increasingly digital world.
