Screenable vs Parental Control
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Screenable
This app offers modern parental controls to make any iPhone or iPad suitable for children. It features customizable modes like 'Dumb Phone' and 'Screen Trainer' to manage device usage and promote self-control, with guided setup and remote management.
- Dumb Phone mode
- Screen Trainer mode
- One-tap focus features
- Guided setup
- Remote settings updates
- Transforms existing devices
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Screenable makes any iPhone or iPad kid-ready. The app is designed with simple modes to lock down devices for each stage as kids grow, from shared iPads to a kid’s first phone. Research-backed and family-tested, Screenable’s modern parental controls make it easy for parents to follow all major screen time advisories, such as from the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr Becky (Good Inside), and Jonathan Haidt (The Anxious Generation). ▶ Feature highlight: DUMB PHONE mode ◀ The anti-smartphone. Convert any iPhone into a classic “flip phone” with nothing more than Phone, FaceTime, Messages, location sharing, and any other apps you choose. A great alternative to an Apple Watch. ▶ Feature highlight: SCREEN TRAINER mode ◀ The new, collaborative approach to parental controls that helps build kids’ self-control. Best for kids starting the transition to independent use of an iPhone or iPad (usually ages 9-14, but you know your kids best!). ▶ Feature highlight: ONE-TAP FOCUS ◀ With a tap, remove the App Store, the camera, Safari, or any other internet browsers from your kids’ devices. Take away distractions until kids are ready for them. ▶ Feature highlight: GUIDED SETUP ◀ Get guidance and parental advice at every step. Read best practices and learn what’s worked for other families so that you feel confident things are set up just right. HOW IT WORKS ▶ 1. Create an account. ◆ Install the parent app, and set up your family profile. ▶ 2. Sync kids’ devices. ◆ Install the kid app on each kid's iPhone or iPad (2014+). ▶ 3. Choose a mode. ◆ Instantly convert each to a Dumb Phone or Screen Trainer (Media Player and Social Trainer coming soon). ▶ 4. Stay in the know. ◆ Get notifications and reports. Update settings remotely. WHY SCREENABLE ◆ No new devices or data plans required. ◆ Don’t get a new Apple Watch or phone – just add Screenable to any ol’ iPhone or iPad. Whether on WiFi only or added to your existing family plan, setup is easy peasy. ◆ All things Apple, for you and the kids. ◆ Use FaceTime, message them with blue bubbles, and see their location in Find My. Share family services like iCloud storage or Apple Music. You and the kids stay within Apple. ◆ Dummy-proof and one-tap easy. ◆ In just a tap, fully convert a device to a dumb phone, media player, and more. Fully guided setup, easy to change as kids grow. Fantastic customer service if things go sideways. ◆ Pro tip... ◆ Screenable is built on the same technology as Apple’s Screen Time, but without the annoyances & instability – and instead providing a bunch of new and easier-to-use features! :) A NOTE FROM US Hello parents! We’re a family business (two techie brothers, our wives, and 6 kids) and just getting started. We welcome your feedback, truly! Please let us know what you think at getscreenable.com/contact. ~The team at Screenable //// ▶ SUPPORTED KIDS’ DEVICES ◆ iPhone 7 or later (with iOS 15+) ◆ iPads from 2014 or later (with iPadOS 15+) ◆ Compatible with certain other parent apps like Bark and Life360. Details at help.getscreenable.com. ▶ SOME LINKS We are sensitive to your privacy and that of your kids, and we only collect and retain data needed to provide the Screenable service. Privacy Policy ◆ https://getscreenable.com/legal/privacy Terms of Service ◆ https://getscreenable.com/legal/terms ▶ VERY LASTLY If you are a parent and still reading this, bravo! You have self-qualified as PERFECT for Screenable. :) No seriously, if you still have hesitations, please reach out to our CEO (Tom) personally, at tom@getscreenable.com – he’d love to hear from you.
Parental Control
Instantly manage your child's device usage from anywhere with real-time control. Easily lock or unlock apps with a single tap, and receive unlock requests for quick approval. Setup is fast and straightforward, providing a seamless parental control experience.
- Instant device control
- Real-time app locking/unlocking
- One-tap unlock requests
- Fast and simple setup
- Background enforcement of restrictions
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Screenlox gives parents instant, real-time control over their child's device — from anywhere, in one tap. Set up takes under three minutes: scan a QR code to pair devices, approve Apple Screen Time, and you're done. Lock or unlock your child's apps instantly from your parent dashboard; your child sees the updated state in real time. When locked, they can send an unlock request with a single tap — parents approve or decline immediately. Background enforcement means restrictions stay active even if the child app is closed. Whether you're at work or in the next room, Screenlox gives you the fastest, cleanest parental control experience on iOS — one-tap locking, real-time sync, and no complicated setup.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Parental Control at none against Screenable's 4. Screenable's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (37 vs 1). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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
Both are free to download. Screenable sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Parental Control asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Screenable against 5.0 for Parental Control. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Screenable has 37 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
Screenable ships an update fortnightly, Parental Control every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Screenable | Parental Control |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (37 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 37 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 67 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | SCREENABLE LLC | MagicHabits Labs Limited |
Customer experience
Screenable
Parental Control
In-app purchases
Screenable
- Screenable Plus - Launch Promo1 Month trial$4.991 Month
- Screenable Plus1 Month trial$5.991 Month
- Screenable Plus - Launch Promo1 Month trial$47.901 Year
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- Screenable Plus1 Month trial$54.991 Year
Parental Control
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Screenable free?
Is Parental Control free?
Which has better reviews, Screenable or Parental Control?
Do Screenable or Parental Control have ads?
Which is updated more often, Screenable or Parental Control?
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