Comparison

Circle 1st generation vs Qustodio Parental Control App

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Circle 1st generation

Manage your family's online time and filter content with this app, designed to work with the Circle 1st gen device and select NETGEAR routers. It helps balance internet usage for connected devices on your home network.

Highlights
  • Content filtering
  • Online time management
  • Device management
  • Customizable settings
  • Works with Circle 1st gen
  • Supports NETGEAR routers
Features
Read full description

Works with the Circle with Disney device and supported NETGEAR routers (Nighthawk and Orbi). Not compatible with the 2nd generation Circle Home Plus device. ABOUT CIRCLE: Circle products help families better manage time spent online. Filtering content and balancing online usage has never been easier. From devices on your home network, both wireless and wired to connected devices, Circle has you covered. Customizing Circle for your unique family is quick and easy. Circle’s mission is to improve families’ lives, online and off. Don’t have a Circle with Disney device or a supported NETGEAR router? Please visit www.meetcircle.com to learn more about our products. NEED HELP? If you have any questions, need help with Circle, or want to provide feedback, you can contact our Support Team at help@meetcircle.com or go to support.meetcircle.com NETGEAR OPTIONAL IN APP SUBSCRIPTION - Pricing & Terms Circle Premium (for supported NETGEAR routers) is an optional automatic renewing subscription. Your subscription will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase and will automatically renew unless auto-renewing is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of your current period. Current subscribers can manage subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal by visiting iTunes Account Settings after purchase. Privacy policy: https://meetcircle.com/privacy/ Terms of use: https://meetcircle.com/license/

About

Qustodio Parental Control App

This app helps parents manage their children's digital lives by setting screen time limits, blocking apps and websites, and monitoring online activity. It also offers location tracking and alerts for searches and messages to ensure online safety and encourage healthy digital habits.

Highlights
  • Screen time limits
  • App and website blocking
  • Web content filtering
  • GPS location tracking
  • Search and message alerts
  • Social media monitoring
  • Co-parenting feature
Features
Read full description

Awarded PC Mag’s Editors’ Choice, Qustodio Parental Control App makes parenting easier with daily screen time limits, app blocking, kid tracking, AI powered search and message alerts, social media monitoring, porn blocking and more. Start by downloading this Qustodio Parental Control App onto your device. Then download the Kids App Qustodio companion app onto your child’s device or devices. Our two monitoring apps work together to give parents all the tools they need to protect their kids online and encourage a healthy, balanced digital presence. Parents, with Qustodio Parental Control App you can: Protect your child’s online safety • Filter web (block games, porn, gambling and block all unwanted content) • Receive alerts about web activity and blocked websites • Block games & apps • Enforce safe search (filter out inappropriate results in search engines such as Google, Bing, YouTube) • App insights Nurture healthy habits • Set daily screen time limits • Schedule restricted times • Pause the internet at the click of a button • Set limits on games & apps • Custom routines for apps and websites Have full visibility • Receive search alerts • Receive SMS message alerts. • Receive social monitoring alerts. (available WhatsApp, Instagram, and Line) • 30-day online activity reports • App download alerts • Monitor Youtube activity • Track calls • Supervise together: Invite another parent/guardian to monitor and set rules for your child (co-parent) Locate family • GPS location monitoring (geolocation kid tracker) • Find your child’s phone • Locate kids on the move • Share your location • Save your favorite places Choose Qustodio’s basic parental control plan to access some of these features, or upgrade to the premium plan for full access to all features Qustodio Premium family parental control & screen time app is available with an annual subscription. Your payment will be charged to your iTunes account upon purchase confirmation and any unused portion of your free trial period will be ended. Your subscription will renew automatically and at the same cost unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. To avoid being billed for an additional period, subscriptions must be canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage your subscription and set auto-renewal to off by going to “Settings” on your iPhone or iPad. If you have any questions or need help, contact us at info@qustodio.com We take privacy and the protection of your family and children’s data extremely seriously. We do not and will not sell data to third-parties. Your child’s screen time activity is for your eyes only. Our Terms of Use are available here: https://www.qustodio.com/family/terms/ The Qustodio family parental control & screen time app is available in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese, Japanese Dutch & Brazilian Portuguese.

Screenshots

Circle 1st generation4 screens
Qustodio Parental Control App4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Circle 1st generation at 4.6 against Qustodio Parental Control App's 4.2. Circle 1st generation also leads on review sentiment (25% vs 15%) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.0). Qustodio Parental Control App's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and chart position (#54 vs unranked). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Circle 1st generation sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Qustodio Parental Control App sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $54.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Circle 1st generation holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 28K and 9.5K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 25% of Circle 1st generation's written reviews are positive against 15% of Qustodio Parental Control App's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Circle 1st generation ships an update every 3 months, Qustodio Parental Control App monthly. Both last shipped on October 20, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Circle 1st generation versus Qustodio Parental Control App: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCircle 1st generationQustodio Parental Control App
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (28K ratings) — better4.2 (9.5K ratings)
Positive reviews25.2% of reviews — better15.4% of reviews
Number of ratings28K — better9.5K
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#54 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS10.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size56 MB152 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCircle Media IncorporatedQustodio

Customer experience

Circle 1st generation

All ratings28,383 ratings
Positive92.9%
Neutral3.6%
Negative3.5%
Written reviews341 reviews
Positive25.2%
Neutral6.2%
Negative68.6%

Qustodio Parental Control App

All ratings9,454 ratings
Positive80.3%
Neutral3.8%
Negative15.8%
Written reviews700 reviews
Positive15.4%
Neutral8.3%
Negative76.3%

User reviews

Circle 1st generation

From 28K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Works great
  • 🔒 Helpful for internet safety
  • 👍 Customizable and flexible
  • 💡 Allows controlling devices

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy and unreliable
  • 🔍 Difficult to set up and use
  • 💰 Expensive subscription
  • 🔍 Lacks important features
  • 🔽 Slows down internet speed

Qustodio Parental Control App

From 9.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Helpful for monitoring family
  • 🔒 Provides parental control and tracking
  • 👍 Comprehensive features
  • 👍 Useful for protecting children

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Glitchy and unreliable
  • 🔒 Easy for kids to bypass
  • 🔒 Lacks password protection
  • 👎 Difficult to use and set up
  • 🔋 Drains device battery

Bugs and requests

Circle 1st generation

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Incompatible with certain routers
  • Devices not detected properly
  • Time limits not working as expected
  • App crashes after iOS updates

Requested features

4 requests
  • Better device identification
  • Easier profile management
  • More granular time controls
  • Remote access from anywhere

Qustodio Parental Control App

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Settings and restrictions randomly reset
  • Inability to block certain apps and websites
  • Inconsistent tracking of device usage

Requested features

4 requests
  • More customizable time and app restrictions
  • Ability to block specific websites/content
  • Improved compatibility with iOS and MacOS
  • Better monitoring of calls, texts, and location

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Circle 1st generation

Subscriptions3
  • Circle Premium NETGEAR monthly1 Month trial$4.991 Month
  • Circle Premium NETGEAR yearly1 Month trial$49.991 Year
  • Circle Premium NETGEAR yearly$49.991 Year
14 purchases

Qustodio Parental Control App

Subscriptions14
  • Qustodio 5 devices 1-year$54.991 Year
  • Qustodio Premium Basic 1y$59.991 Year
  • Qustodio Premium Basic ADV$69.991 Year
Show 11 more
  • Qustodio Premium Basic PLS$69.991 Year
  • Qustodio Premium Basic+Care 1y$72.991 Year
  • Qustodio Premium Basic PLS + Care$82.991 Year
  • Qustodio 10 devices 1-year$94.991 Year
  • Qustodio Premium Complete 1y$99.991 Year
  • Qustodio Complete+Care 1y$99.991 Year
  • Qustodio Premium Complete ADV$119.991 Year
  • Qustodio Premium Complete ADV+Care$119.991 Year
  • Qustodio Premium Complete PLS$124.991 Year
  • Qustodio Premium Complete PLS+Care$124.991 Year
  • Qustodio 15 devices 1-year$159.991 Year

Questions

Is Circle 1st generation free?
Circle 1st generation is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Qustodio Parental Control App free?
Qustodio Parental Control App is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Circle 1st generation or Qustodio Parental Control App?
Circle 1st generation is rated higher. Circle 1st generation averages 4.6 out of 5 from 28K ratings, while Qustodio Parental Control App averages 4.2 from 9.5K ratings.
Do Circle 1st generation or Qustodio Parental Control App have ads?
Neither Circle 1st generation nor Qustodio Parental Control App shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Circle 1st generation or Qustodio Parental Control App?
Circle 1st generation ships an update every 3 months, and Qustodio Parental Control App monthly. Most recently, Circle 1st generation was updated on October 20, 2026 and Qustodio Parental Control App on October 20, 2026.

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