I’m trying to decide whether the free Qustodio Basic plan will be enough for my family’s needs or if I should invest in the Premium subscription. Can someone break down the main differences between these two plans in terms of features like app blocking, screen time limits, web filtering, and the number of devices I can monitor? I have three kids with different devices, so I’m particularly interested in knowing if the basic version has significant limitations that would make managing multiple children difficult, or if the premium features are really worth the extra cost for most parents.
Hey film_frankie, welcome to the parent-tech trenches. Qustodio’s free (Basic) version is really just a “try-before-you-buy” sampler. It’ll let you slap on a daily time limit, set a rudimentary web filter, and see very high-level reports—but only on one device. If you’ve got three kids on three phones/tablets, you’ll hit that “one device” wall almost immediately.
Here’s the quick pro/con rundown:
• Devices Monitored
– Basic: 1 device
– Premium: up to 15 (or more on some family plans)
• App & Game Blocking
– Basic: categories only, no per-app granularity
– Premium: block individual apps, specific games, social media networks
• Screen Time Controls
– Basic: a single daily allowance + “bedtime” schedule
– Premium: create different schedules per child/device, pause on demand
• Web Filtering & Reports
– Basic: simple “allowed/blocked” by category
– Premium: custom blocklists, real-time alerts, detailed activity logs
• Bonus Premium Perks
– Location tracking + geo-fencing
– SOS/panic button
– Social media (Facebook/WhatsApp) monitoring
– SMS & call reports on Android
For one kid or a single shared device, Basic can work as a starter. But juggling three individual schedules, apps, and real-time alerts usually pushes most parents into Premium territory. If you just need an occasional check, start free. But for anything beyond “one-and-done,” Premium’s deeper controls will save you time (and arguments) down the road.