# Verizon Family — user reviews > 368 indexed App Store user reviews of Verizon Family by Verizon Wireless, rated 4.30/5 from 37,178 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/verizon-family/id923408272/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/verizon-family/id923408272.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 26,227 · 4★ 4,377 · 3★ 1,930 · 2★ 822 · 1★ 3,822 ## What do users think of Verizon Family? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 🔒 Robust security features - 👍 Helpful for monitoring and tracking suspected cheating - 👍 Able to see location, messages, and social media activity **Cons** - 🐛 Inconsistent and unreliable location tracking - 🐛 Glitchy and buggy app with many issues - 🔒 Concerns about privacy and invasion of child's privacy - 🔒 Easy for child to bypass or disable the app - 🔋 Drains battery and slows down device performance **Commonly reported bugs** - Frequent app crashes and login issues - Time restrictions not working as expected - Inaccurate reporting of app usage and web activity - Unable to modify or remove restrictions on parent's own device **Most requested features** - Allow more granular control over time restrictions and content filtering - Improve accuracy and reliability of location tracking - Provide more detailed activity logs and reports - Integrate with more messaging/social apps beyond just SMS/call logs - Require password or parental approval to disable the app ## Newest reviews (19 of 368) ### 3/5 — Needs work *2026-09-01, version 3.101.33* The workflow has the looking feel of designed by the engineers who wrote the code. Probably makes sense from the backend, but not very intuitive on the front end. Initial use of the application, was able to edit the profile. An apparent database corruption deleted access to all the profiles, and now profile edit function to rename a selected profile does not work anymore. To change profile role requires deleting the profile and re-adding. Access to the phone – local contacts does not have a back or cancel option in the 1st screen that lists all contacts. In order to get out of this, one must select a contact, continue and then select cancel. Application design limits creation of only one emergency contact. One or two alternate emergency contacts would be desirable. ### 2/5 — Terrible migration from gizmo hub *2026-08-28, version 3.101.33* The app looks decent but it looks like they didn’t do much testing around migrating families from the Gizmo app. Suddenly we have two families, and not easy to resolve. Garbage. Makes me want leave Verizon. ### 2/5 — All the kids messages are gone, not transferred over *2026-08-27, version 3.101.33* All the messages from the gizmo app were not transferred over to the Verizon Family app. all the cute kids messages I saved are gone forever. ### 1/5 — Hate it! *2026-08-26, version 3.101.33* Was forced to get this app because of our child’s gizmo watch, the gizmo app was simple and easy to use, this app sucks in every way possible! Can’t even put it on my wife’s phone, says it’s not compatible! The gizmo watch app was and worked great. More often then not, when an app is updated or upgraded in some way, its user friendliness is worse! ### 1/5 — Hard to navigate *2026-08-26, version 3.101.33* This app is not at all intuitive. Difficult to access and create chats with the gizmo watches. Difficult to locate features and settings. The gizmo app was far better. ### 1/5 — Genuinely hated it, it reset my phone and blocked some of my apps and it won’t let me delete it!😡 *2026-08-25, version 3.101.33* 0/10 don’t recommend ### 3/5 — More Apple Watch app options, please! *2026-08-24, version 3.101.33* The app is pretty limited on the phone, but basically useless on a watch. I have the cellular version of an Apple Watch, so I don’t always have my phone on me. I would like to be able to send and receive messages to my son from my watch. Currently, I can just see that he sent a message, but I can’t read it or listen to it, which kind of defeats the purpose. ### 1/5 — Bug when Logging in *2026-08-24, version 3.101.33* The mobile verification code input field is not functional. Upon clicking the field, it immediately kicks back out to the phone number field. Absolutely broken function. ### 2/5 — New permission tier needed *2026-08-23, version 3.101.33* Approved contacts should be able to send and receive texts from a Gizmo Watch user without being able to see their location. Please add a permission tier between Calling Contact and Caregiver! ### 2/5 — Location *2026-08-23, version 3.101.33* Takes forever!! Setting certain location limit?? Why, it should be checked anytime of the day on child device. ### 1/5 — Needs Improvement *2026-08-23, version 3.101.33* We were just forced to download Verizon family, due to Verizon doing away with the Gizmo app. They removed something so user friendly, and replaced it with an app that requires searching for what you need in order to contact or monitor your child. No matter the settings, I get zero icon notifications when my daughter messages me, and the videos she sends have been silent since the switch . It’s not user friendly whatsoever, and doesn’t work for our family. Now I regret getting a gizmo, because of this change. PLEASE make intentional updates to this platform. I don’t think we will continue this our service otherwise. ### 2/5 — Hoping for better *2026-08-21, version 3.101.33* I’m hoping this app gets better over time. I had to download this app due to the GizmoHub app being discontinued. Main reason I got my son the gizmo watch is to see his location. Well he’s at home right now but his location on the app says a couple miles away. That’s not good at all. Scares me actually. ### 1/5 — Needs work *2026-08-20, version 3.101.33* My son has a gizmo watch through Verizon. We use it to communicate and track his location to and from school as he rides the bus. The old app to control the watch was a gizmo app. We now have to use the Verizon family app and I have so many issues daily. Issues updating his location constantly, every afternoon. Issues with location/ times alerts. Issues with who it will alert for these set locations. And the app is not very user friendly. It’s hard to find certain things because it’s trying to have everyone connected and tracking like life 360. When all I need is a connection to the gizmo watch. Never should have cancelled the gizmo app, and made us switch to this as the only way to control the gizmo. ### 1/5 — Terrible for use with Gizmo watch *2026-08-20, version 3.101.33* We got this app to manage our child’s Gizmo watch, and it is really terrible for that. The old app (that is now disabled) was so much better. School mode randomly turns on, the “school schedule” option is only in EST, and it is generally hard to find options and manage the device ### 1/5 — Garbage!!!!!! *2026-08-20, version 3.101.33* This app replaces this gizmo hub app. What a nightmare. They make the chat hidden and it’s not easy to show you exactly what new message you have. They have me as the parents location on and I don’t need to know where I am. I only want to see my child’s location but even with it off it has a circle for where I am which takes away from being able to focus on his location. Zero stars, this is garbage. ### 1/5 — Don’t even bother with this app! Terrible! *2026-08-19, version 3.101.33* Our kids have the gizmo watch, and the gizmo app we had been using was awesome and super user friendly. We were required to switch to the Verizon family app (due to Verizon merging everything on one app) and it has been a nightmare since! The Verizon Family app continuously gives us error messages “something went wrong”, we also are not even getting notified if one of our children sends us a message through the app. My 6 year old just does voice recordings to send and those sometime won’t even play for me… it is beyond frustrating and completely disappointing. We are definitely looking into other options and providers now as this app just sucks. ### 1/5 — Flawed *2026-08-19, version 3.101.33* We had to switch from the gizmo app and the Verizon Family app has caused nothing but issues. Notifications don’t go through, tracking doesn’t work, it makes the gizmo watch almost unusable. ### 1/5 — Oh Verizon… *2026-08-19, version 3.101.33* As long as I don’t need to interact with Verizon I am a happy customer. Billing challenges can be so painful. It’s like talking to an ivory tower. And now the Gizmo app is being replaced by a bloated “My Verizon Family” app. A Norman Rockwell name for a Frankenstein app. Not only does it miss the mark for usefulness, but I am plagued with the message “Oops something went wrong. Try again later”. Try again later?!?!? P O S. Oh Verizon ### 2/5 — Something went wrong try again *2026-08-19, version 3.101.33* Really frustrating when you’re trying to find your children or get a hold of them and the app cannot seem to find them or call them or text them. Amazing you took a crummy app and made it way worse. Not really sure what you’re doing, but you’re making me want to leave Verizon after a decade. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Sure hope they fix it…. *2026-09-01, version 3.101.33* They obviously did no UI/UX testing before replacing the gizmo app. This has to be one of the least functional pieces of SW ever released and it’s not user friendly at all. We were forced to switch to this after gizmo was decommissioned, but there are no notifications when our son texts us, so the one thing it’s supposed to do, it doesn’t………… ### 1/5 — thanks Verizon for making this impossible to use. *2026-08-30, version 3.101.33* Apparently, I can no longer use this gizmo app to contact my child watch. Verizon made me download a new app, and now it cannot connect me to her watch.. I suspect we will end up getting rid of the gizmo and buying an Apple Watch because of this. I hate Verizon. ### 1/5 — Inconvenient to message my daughter’s Gizmo watch *2026-08-29, version 3.101.33* We now have to log into the app with a password, then receive a code by text, then log in. Lots of hassle just to send a text to my kid. ### 1/5 — Too many notifications *2026-08-29, version 3.101.33* The app sends way too many notifications for useless things. For example, when my daughter reaches her step count. The Gizmo app let me set it to receive way fewer pointless push notifications. I’ve tried to limit these notifications, but to no avail in this bloated app. ### 1/5 — Bring back GizmoHub *2026-08-29, version 3.101.33* The prompt we needed to move off Verizon to another network + an Apple Watch. Location services are not functionally useful. Add contacts has less granular controls. ### 1/5 — Overly Complicated and Poor Customer Support *2026-08-29, version 3.101.33* This app stinks. First, it was extremely hard to get it on my phone. Second, getting it on my wife’s phone was nearly impossible and it took hours with customer service. All we want is to text with our kids gizmo watches which should be easy but turned out incredibly hard. If you’re not yet a Verizon customer, I recommend you going to another carrier. They must have better customer service and user experience than Verizon. This has been a nightmare. ### 1/5 — Not an improvement! *2026-08-28, version 3.101.33* The GizmoHub was a great app and convenient and easy to use….this Verizon Family app is NOT an improvement. It’s clunky to navigate, not at all intuitive, and we can’t seem to get our school mode out of east coast time, and we’re on the west coast. Please bring back the Hub or use what was working great there and bring that to the Verizon Family. Very frustrating! ### 1/5 — Difficult to get to work *2026-08-28, version 3.101.33* Downloaded the App. Won’t let me add name and won’t let me continue. Spoke with Verizon suggested reloading the app no help ### 1/5 — Very glitchy, Gizmo app is better *2026-08-26, version 3.101.33* They made me download this for Gizmo watch instead of the Gizmo app which worked great. This app is very annoying to navigate, finicky, and won’t update locations even when I click to reload or do real time tracking location. It constantly pops up “something went wrong, try again”. I really hate it. It fails to send text messages. ### 1/5 — Horrible App! *2026-08-26, version 3.101.33* Just buy an Apple Watch! This is a horrible app it was so much better with the gizmo I’m so disappointed they changed ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Software *2026-08-25, version 3.101.33* Great application. I see you are constantly improving location precision. Please try to work on the “freezing of the app” and speed. Thank you ### 5/5 — Gizmopal is awesome! *2026-07-06, version 3.100.34* We love Gizmopal with Verizon! It’s reliable and helps me feel good while my kids are away from home! ❤️ They won’t have a phone until they start driving so this is the next best thing to keep them safe! ### 5/5 — Good *2026-01-05, version 3.92.10* Very nice ### 5/5 — Parents *2025-12-26, version 3.92.10* I was hesitant to get my child a phone mostly because of the risks of a phone. But between Verizon and iPhone options the phone is so locked down I can see everything and keep my child safe while having a way to contact her. ### 5/5 — Nina Blackburn *2025-09-19, version 3.85.20* Omg ! THIS IS PERFECT ‼️ ### 5/5 — Good app *2025-09-01, version 3.83.17* You should add a button to press if your not the one driving ### 5/5 — I love the driving score! *2025-07-11, version 3.80.8* I'm only monitoring myself at the moment, and I love the driving score. It also works when you are the passenger, so you can see how the driver scores, too. It's interesting data! ### 5/5 — Great app *2025-06-30, version 3.80.8* Love the app! Very helpful features and very pin point accurate. ### 5/5 — Amazing feature for parents *2025-04-19, version 3.76.6* Amazing app for parents to track their kids for safety ### 5/5 — Great App for Tracking Our Children *2025-04-02, version 3.76.5* We love using this app to keep track of our children’s whereabouts. It’s great to see and know where they are when they are not able to answer their phone. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-04.*