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Head-to-head · Parental Control Apps

Microsoft Family Safety vs Kidslox

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 6 checks side by side
Higher score Microsoft Family Safety #5 in Parental Control Apps 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Microsoft
Kidslox #27 in Parental Control Apps 6.4/10 Free plan · 3-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Kidslox

Microsoft Family Safety leads on 0 checks, Kidslox on 0, and 6 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreMicrosoft Family Safety · 8.7/10
  • Free planboth
  • Free trialonly Kidslox

Microsoft Family Safety scores higher on our rubric for parental control apps: 8.7 against 6.4 out of 10; our editors rank them #5 and #27.

Microsoft Family Safety is the better fit for microsoft households using Edge and Xbox. Kidslox is the better fit for families wanting affordable broad controls.

  • Microsoft Family Safety fits best

    Microsoft households using Edge and Xbox

  • Kidslox fits best

    Families wanting affordable broad controls

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Side by side

Feature Microsoft Family Safety 8.7/10 Visit ↗ Kidslox 6.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.7 6.4
Ranking #5 in Parental Control Apps #27 in Parental Control Apps
Best for Microsoft households using Edge and Xbox Families wanting affordable broad controls
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free plan + paid
Starting price $129.99/yr $49.99/yr
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — 3 days
Deployment Cloud, Mobile Cloud, Desktop, Mobile
Platforms Web, Windows, iOS, Android Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Support Docs Email, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business Solo, Small business
Features Microsoft Family Safety 5/5 · Kidslox 5/5
Content filtering ✓ ✓
Screen-time schedules ✓ ✓
App blocking ✓ ✓
Activity reports ✓ ✓
Location tracking ✓ ✓
Specs
Device platforms Not checked yet Not checked yet
Device limit Not checked yet 1 devices
Our review
Pros
  • Free plan includes schedules, filters, app controls, and activity reports
  • Connects with Edge, Bing, Xbox, Microsoft accounts, and Microsoft 365
  • Supports purchase approvals, allowances, and mobile location alerts
  • Free plan supervises one child device
  • Screen-time schedules, filtering, blocking and reports in paid tiers
  • Supports iOS, Android, Windows and macOS
Cons
  • Web filtering requires Microsoft Edge and a signed-in Microsoft account
  • Location and driving safety features are going away
  • Some premium location features require Microsoft 365 Family
  • Free plan limits manual mode switching to five times daily
  • Basic supports only one device
  • Some monitoring and advanced controls vary by platform
Our verdict

Microsoft Family Safety helps parents manage children’s digital activity across Windows, Xbox, Android, iOS, and the web. It is designed for households that already use Microsoft accounts, Edge, Xbox, Bing, or Microsoft 365. Core controls…

Read the review →

Kidslox is a parental control service for parents and legal guardians managing children’s iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows and Mac devices. Its feature set covers daily screen-time limits, recurring schedules, individual app blocking,…

Read the review →
  1. Microsoft Family SafetyParental Control Apps 8.7Free plan
  2. KidsloxParental Control Apps 6.4Free plan · 3-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Microsoft Family Safety — where it wins

    • Free plan includes schedules, filters, app controls, and activity reports
    • Connects with Edge, Bing, Xbox, Microsoft accounts, and Microsoft 365
    • Supports purchase approvals, allowances, and mobile location alerts

    Where it doesn't

    • Web filtering requires Microsoft Edge and a signed-in Microsoft account
    • Location and driving safety features are going away
    • Some premium location features require Microsoft 365 Family
  • Kidslox — where it wins

    • Free plan supervises one child device
    • Screen-time schedules, filtering, blocking and reports in paid tiers
    • Supports iOS, Android, Windows and macOS

    Where it doesn't

    • Free plan limits manual mode switching to five times daily
    • Basic supports only one device
    • Some monitoring and advanced controls vary by platform
  • Microsoft Family Safety8.7/10 · Free plan

    A capable free option for families using Windows, Edge, Xbox, and Microsoft accounts.

    Visit MicrosoftFull verdict →
  • Kidslox6.4/10 · Free plan · 3-day trial

    Kidslox combines free basic controls with broad monitoring and scheduling across four platforms.

    Visit KidsloxFull verdict →

More comparisons

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update