How to Monitor Snapchat on iPhone & Android in 2024

I find it nerve-wracking when I see my kids snapping and chatting with unknown people on Snapchat. While it has some built-in parental control features, they aren’t very good. As a parent, all I can do is set an account to private and enable some basic filters. However, the child can simply change the settings or delete and reinstall the app under a new account.

The most dependable solution I came across involved the installation of a parental control application on their mobile device. Following thorough testing of several prominent parental control apps, I determined that Bark emerged as the top choice for effectively monitoring Snapchat.

Bark connects to the Snapchat account and uses advanced AI to monitor and filter all Snaps and chats. It gave me the peace of mind I needed and allowed me to recognize if my child is involved in activities I prefer them to stay away from. You don’t have to take my word for it when you can try Bark for yourself with their 7-day free trial that lets you fully monitor your child’s account

Monitor Snapchat with Bark!

Quick Guide: Monitor Snapchat in 3 Easy Steps in 2024

How a good Parental Control App Can Monitor Snapchat

Having a reliable parental control application is an invaluable asset for understanding your child’s activities on their Android or iPhone devices. This app features a web filter capable of detecting harmful or unsuitable keywords and images transmitted through the application. Consequently, it promptly sends notifications to the parental dashboard, ensuring you stay informed. Furthermore, it actively tracks the duration of your child’s engagement on Snapchat daily, granting you the ability to establish screen time restrictions or block the application if it proves problematic.

Out of all the premium and free parental control apps that I checked, Bark was the best for monitoring Snapchat (and most other social media networks). It connects directly with the Snapchat account and detects cyberbullying, sexual content, online predators, and more. It monitors both public and private Stories, alerting me to any potentially risky behaviors. Try Bark free for 7 days and see for yourself how valuable the insights are that you’ll get.

The Best Parental Control Apps to Monitor Snapchat on Android and iPhone in 2024

1. Bark: Monitors Chat Threads For Dangerous or Inappropriate Texts and Pictures

Bark specializes in monitoring social media apps and networks. After installing Bark on my son’s phone, I had to log in to his Snapchat account and connect it with Bark. Once connected, Bark can constantly scan the content on his account, even if he logs in on a different phone.

The web filter uses advanced AI to detect harmful or inappropriate content in 17 categories. It has an extensive list of keywords, slang, and abbreviations used by cyber bullies and conversations about drugs, sex, violence, depression, suicidal thoughts, body image issues, and more.

When the Bark filter is triggered, it sends an alert to the parental dashboard, so I don’t have to take my son’s phone and scroll through his account. If I see a conversation that worries me, Bark has a feature that allows me to block the Snapchat app from opening.

Use  Bark to block Snapchat

In addition to the content, Bark monitors how much time per day Snapchat is open on my son’s phone. If I see that he’s spending too much time snapping and publishing stories, I can create a screen time schedule that lets me add rules to each segment. For example, I can allow phone access in the afternoon so he can make calls or use the calculator when doing his homework, but still block Snapchat and other social media apps. Then, allocate an hour in the evening when he has access to all his apps.

One of the fears with Snapchat is that online predators might try and contact my kids. I like that Bark has a geofence and live Check-In feature so I can monitor where they’re going and ensure that they aren’t sneaking out to meet strangers.

While Bark has two subscription options, only Bark Premium includes features for monitoring Snapchat and sending alerts for cyberbullying, online predators, depression, and other potentially dangerous conversations and pictures. Try Bark Premium free for 7 days and see how powerful the Snapchat monitoring features are for your family.

2. Qustodio: Monitor How Much Time Your Child Spends on Snapchat

While Qustodio can’t see text messages that are sent through Snapchat, it’s an excellent tool for monitoring Snapchat usage. Each time my son opened Snapchat, it was added to the daily Activity Timeline, so I could see when he started snapping and when he finished. The dashboard also tracks how long the app is in use throughout the day.

See how long Snapchat is open in the Activity Timeline

I monitored his Snapchat usage for a week, and then when I had an idea of how much time he was spending every day on the app, I used Qustodio to create screen time rules. It has a special section for Games and Apps so that I can tailor the screen time rules to all games and social media apps or create time limits that will only be applied to Snapchat.

Set Snapchat time limits

I like that Qustodio has 24/7 live tracking to go along with a geofence feature. I can view my child’s location and ensure that he isn’t sneaking out to go meet with other Snapchatters that he interacts with on the app. Just in case he does go, Qustodio has an SOS or Panic button that he can press in case he’s ever in danger. When he pushes the SOS, it sends an automatic push alert and SMS message to all his emergency contacts, with a message requesting help and a link to his live location.

In addition to monitoring and limiting Snapchat, Qustodio has powerful features for monitoring other activities on Android and iPhones. The web filter has 29 categories and it sends me an alert each time my son attempts to access a site that was blocked. I can view detailed reports of what apps he is using, the YouTube video he watches, and total screen time usage every day.

All three of the Qustodio Premium plans include the features for monitoring when your child is on Snapchat and the option to limit or block the app. They only differ in terms of how many devices you can monitor. But before selecting a plan, try it completely free for 30 days – no credit card is needed – and make sure that it gives you the information you need about your child’s activity on Snapchat.

3. Mobicip: Scans Snapchat Account for Inappropriate Content

Mobicip automatically scans my child’s Snapchat account for inappropriate pictures, phrases, slang, and keywords. If it finds content that is related to cyberbullying, sex, violence, drugs, self-harm, or suicide, it adds an alert and a copy of the offending post on the parental dashboard.

Mobicip monitors how long my son spends Snapping every day. It has a feature that groups all apps into one of three categories: Social Media, Entertainment, and Games. I can then set rules for each category, such as limiting Social Media to just an hour a day, or I can just block Snapchat if I see that he’s spending too much time using the one app.

The dashboard has a modern design that should make it easy to monitor Snapchat. My only complaint is that it’s not easy to see the data for individual apps. Instead, everything is grouped by category. I had to scroll through the All Activity Timeline to see specifics for when my son is using Snapchat.

The Mobicip dashboard has general data – but its harder to find app specific data

If I see on the Activity Timeline that my son is using Snapchat late at night, I can add rules for specific times that will block access to social media apps. Mobicip is good at blocking apps or locking the phone. It places a lock screen on the device, and my son couldn’t find a way to bypass it and use the Snapchat app.

Mobicip has a 7-day free trial that gives access to all the premium features. You can connect it with your children’s Snapchat account and see how it performs in a real-life situation.

4. mSpy: Keylogger and Screenshots Record Snapchat Activity

If any activity occurs on Snapchat, mSpy has the ability to capture and upload it to a secure parental dashboard. This powerful tool records all incoming and outgoing messages, even those that have been deleted. Furthermore, mSpy automatically takes screenshots at regular intervals or whenever a new action takes place on the screen. This ensures that you can monitor the pictures being sent and received on the platform.

The keylogger is another way to monitor the Snaps that your child is sending. It records every keystroke, so you can read all outgoing messages, even if they were deleted before being sent.

mSpy organizes all the messages, screen recordings, and key logs for Snapchat in a dedicated Snapchat Monitoring section. All the data is time-stamped, so you’ll know exactly when the chats or pictures were sent.

Read Snapchat transcripts on the dashboard

The biggest disadvantage of mSpy is that it doesn’t flag any content or create alerts for inappropriate or harmful content. I had to scroll through hundreds of screenshots and read a lot of innocent text messages to see if there was anything problematic. It also lacks a web filter and screen time limits that I could use with Bark or Qustodio to create rules for using Snapchat.

You can choose between a 1 month, 3 month, or annual subscription. While there is no free trial, mSpy has a 14-day money-back guarantee, although you need to provide a reason for canceling the account to qualify for the refund.

5. Norton Family: Monitor How Often Your Child Uses Snapchat

According to my experience with Norton Family, while it doesn’t offer a specific Snapchat monitoring feature, it does track the usage duration of each app, including Snapchat. This data is conveniently accessible on the dashboard, allowing me to keep an eye on my kids’ Snapchat usage. Should I notice excessive snapping, I have the option to block the Snapchat app temporarily, encouraging them to take a break and steer clear of potential addiction.

Block access to Snapchat with Norton Family

There is also the option to create rules that limit the Snapchat usage. This includes Norton Family’s Remote Learning feature, which promotes using educational apps while blocking distracting apps like Snapchat and other social media and streaming apps.

I appreciate that Norton Family features a real-time location tracker, which allows me to consistently monitor my children’s whereabouts. Moreover, it retains their location history for a month. This feature holds significance due to Snapchat’s tendency to connect users who are physically near each other. As a concerned parent, I want to ensure my son doesn’t attempt to meet up with individuals he has connected with through the app without my knowledge.

Norton has one subscription plan and no limit to the number of child profiles I could monitor. Before purchasing the plan, I opted for the 30-day free trial to see how well Norton Family worked and if I wanted to continue using it.

Why You Need to Monitor Snapchat

For many kids, Snapchat is a fun app that has cool filters and effects that you can add to pictures. However, with its disappearing pictures and messages, kids can have a false sense of security when snapping. Some of the common issues are:

Sexting: Sending nude or suggestive pictures and sexually explicit text messages is very popular on Snapchat since everything automatically deletes after being viewed. However, Snapchat no longer blocks screenshots, so these images can live on the internet forever.

Cyberbullying: This isn’t unique to Snapchat but any online forum where pictures or stories can be viewed publicly. Whether it’s random online trolls or kids from school, mean comments on pictures can have a major impact on self-esteem, trigger depression, eating disorders, or ruin someone’s day.

Online predators: This is the opposite of cyberbullying. An online predator can post very complimentary comments to build a relationship and connect with your child. Some predators attempt to meet up in real life, while others request pictures. Whatever the case is, it’s crucial that you know who your child interacts with to prevent a tragedy from occurring.

Snap Map: Snapchat has a feature where you can click anywhere on a map and see what pictures are being shared publicly. When a picture is shared to the Snap Map includes the exact location, including the street name and which building they’re in. This can be dangerous whether your child shares Stories on the map, showing their live location, or they see something on the Map that looks cool and goes to check it out in person.

For all these reasons and more, it’s essential that you have the proper tools to monitor how your children use Snapchat. My top choice is Bark because it has the necessary monitoring tools to keep your child safe. You can use Bark free for 7 days for a short-term look at how your child uses Snapchat, who they’re interacting with, and whether the conversations are inappropriate or mean-spirited.

FAQ

Only a Premium Parental Control App Can Fully Monitor Snapchat

As a parent, having the right tools to monitor my kids interactions can make a huge difference. The problem is that hundreds of parental control apps claim to monitor Snapchat, but the reality is that most are either very basic or don’t do anything.

Throughout my testing, Bark consistently stood out as the best option for monitoring Snapchat. For starters, it connects to the child’s Snapchat account and scans all DMs and Stories for any conversations, comments, or images that are harmful, dangerous, or inappropriate. It then sends me an alert, and I can block the app or set time restrictions to limit the amount of time my child can use Snapchat. You can try bark free for 7 days to test its Snapchat monitoring capabilities, and see if it’s a good fit for your family.