How to Monitor Text Messages on Android?

Technology and digitalization have undoubtedly opened new avenues for the growth and development of your kids, but on the flip side, they have their share of limitations as well. With mobile phones becoming a necessity for kids in this era, being responsible guardians, we have to keep a check on the content and messages shared on smartphones by our kids.

So if you, too, are figuring out on issues of how to monitor text messages android devices of your kid, you are at the right place. In the following part, we discuss various text message monitoring apps for Android. ( For iPhone devices, check this iPhone text messages monitoring guide )

How can parents monitor the child's text messages on Android?

Social networking and messaging apps have become the major mode of communication these days. With easy availability and all-time access, the messaging apps connect your child to the whole wide world- known as well as the unknown. So to ensure that your growing teenagers do not get involved in unwanted trap or abuse, it is important to keep monitoring their text messages. This way, you will know to whom and what your child is talking about and stop them if you sense anything wrong or suspicious. When you monitor text messages on your kid's Android phone, they are also cautious as they know that they are being monitored.

9 Best Parental Control Tools to Monitor Android Text messages

There are a number of text messages monitoring apps for Android available with various features and functions. To help you choose the one that best suits your requirements, below enlisted are the top 9 apps.

1. mSpy

This is another name in the list of top parental control apps that facilitate tracking messages on Android phones. Compatible with Android and iOS devices, the app offers 24/7 supports and also to track all types of messaging apps including Tinder, Snapchat, WhatsApp, FB messenger, and others.

Key Features:

• The app allows to read all the messages on your kids' device including sent, received, as well as deleted ones
• You can monitor the sent as well as received texts on your kids' social media account like WhatsApp, Facebook, Snapchat, and others
• GPS tracking is also enabled
• Allows checking the chronological log of all the calls on your kids phone
• Allows checking the URLs visited by your kid
• All photos and videos can also be monitored

2. FamiSafe

FamiSafe is a great parental control app to monitor your kid's Android device. Using the app you can perform an array of functions like monitoring your device, filter internet, control applications, and block inappropriate YouTube videos. You can review the instant alerts when the app detects text messages containing risky keywords on kids' Android devices.

3. PhoneSherrif

Compatible with Android smartphones and tablets, PhoneSherrif is a decent app to keep a check on your kid's phone and its messages. Using the app you can monitor all types of text messages as well as get the alerts for custom activities.

Key Features:

• Allows to monitor all the sent and received messages on your kids phone
• Allows setting time limits for the data usage on the phone
• Facilitates blocking phone number and apps which seems unsafe for your kids
• Allows locking the device for the certain time of the day like bedtime or study time
• Allows to check your kids real-time location

4. Qustodio

The app is designed with features to ensure your kids' safety from various online issues. Using the app you can monitor the calls as well as text messages of your kid's device. The app is compatible with working with Android, Windows, iOS, Kindle, and Nook.

Key Features:

• It allows you to check who your kid is calling or texting the most. Facilitates reading all the text messages on his phone. You can even create a list of contacts to be blocked.
• Allows setting time for which games and apps can be accessed. You can even block the apps if needed
• Facilitates tracking the location of your child. A panic button is also present in case of emergencies
• Allows blocking inappropriate content even in the private browsing mode
• Set schedule and time limit for which internet can be accessed

5. Family Time

This is a decent parental control app that allows managing the activities of your kid's phone including text messages, phone logs, apps, and others. The app works on Android devices, iPhone, and iPad.

Key Features:

• The app allows monitoring the text messages on the kid's phone. With the app, you get the complete report of sent and received messages including name, number, time, and date.
• Facilitates setting time limits for which you child can access the phone
• The Bedtime control helps to restrict the screen time during the sleeping time
• Allows setting Geo-fences where you will get alert when your kid enters or leave those places
• Live location tracking
• Allows to block games and apps

6. WebWatcher

Another name in the list of popularly used text message monitoring app for android is WebWatcher. Available for Android, iPhone, PC, and Mac systems, the app allows to monitoring phone through SMS, MMS, photos, call logs, social networking apps, and others.

Key Features:

• The app allows keeping track of SMS, MMS as well as deleted texts of your kids phone
• Allows keeping tab on camera photos
• Monitor the call log history as well as the website history
• Live tracking through GPS location
• Allows monitoring social networking accounts like WhatsApp, Viber, Snapchat, Facebook Messenger, and others

7. Auto Forward Spy

Compatible with Android as well as iOS devices, is a decent cell phone tracking app. The app allows you to check the SMS text messages including the deleted ones, calls, social media sites, and other applications of your kid's phone.

Key features:

• Allows to check the SMS received on your kids phone including the ones deleted
• Monitor Whatsapp messages received and sent
• Allows monitoring incoming and outgoing calls
• Monitor social media posts from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other accounts
• Allows checking photo and video logs
• Keep track of the websites visited and other URLs
• Free lifetime upgrades

8. MMGuardian

This is an advanced parental control app that is available for Android and iOS devices and allows monitoring your kids' phone through comprehensive reports, call and SMS blocking, web filtering, text monitoring, and other functions.

Key Features:

• Allows monitoring the texts received on your kid's phone. A detailed SMS report can also be generated. There is also a feature where you can set keywords which when received in a message will send you an alert
• Allows blocking apps and limiting their usage and access time
• Facilitates blocking calls and SMS from specific numbers as listed
• The app generates complete and comprehensive reports that allows checking all the areas of your kids' activities on the phone
• Allows to filter the websites and URL to block unsafe and adult content

9. Mobile Spy

Using this app, you can monitor the phone or your kids and others in a safe and advanced manner. It is a reliable app with all the needed features to keep track of the apps, messages, and social networking sites on your kid's phone.

Key Features:

• Allows monitoring sent as well as received text messages on your kids phone
• Installed apps can be tracked using the app
• Live location tracking through GPS
• Get the logs of the activities from social networking sites like Facebook, WhatsApp, and others
• Get alerts for Geofencing, intrusion, and custom alerts
• Photolog and call logs can also be accessed