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Parental Control Software: Ratings of Sources
Total of 12 Sources

For an explanation of how we rank reviews, see our ratings criteria page.

1. PCMag.com
March 1, 2010
Keep Your Child Safe Online
by Neil J. Rubenking
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentPCMag.com's latest multireview roundup compares 14 separate parental control programs, with links to individual reviews that are thorough and informative in their own right. All software gets an editor's rating, and those are varied enough so that you can see at a glance which products do better or worse. The best of all are further recognized with an Editors' Choice award.
2. Download.com
As of April 2010
Parental Control Software
by Editors of and contributors to Download.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentDownload.com, a subsidiary of CNET, lists both editorial and user reviews and ratings of parental control software. Most of the programs are lesser known, and the short, non-comparative editorial reviews all result in ratings ranging from 2 to 5 stars. Editors fairly consistently rate programs higher than readers do. Few programs receive high user ratings, and even fewer are reviewed by Download.com's editors. Monitoring software and keyloggers are mixed in, too.
3. TopTenReviews.com
Not Dated
Internet Filter Software Review 2010
by Editors of TopTenReviews.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentTen parental control programs are reviewed, rated and ranked. Net Nanny wins the Gold Award, Safe Eyes the Silver and CyberSitter the Bronze. Program testing is believable and consistent with other sources, even though it is unclear as to which versions are being evaluated despite the reviews' 2010 date. Software is given an overall score, which is broken down into relevant categories such as effectiveness, ease of use, and feature sets.
4. TopSoftwareReviews.net
As of April 2010
Best Computer Monitoring Software 2010
by Editors of TopSoftwareReviews.net
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentTopSoftwareReviews.net ranks seven monitoring programs, including a number of parental control programs. Percentage scores and pro and con lists are given for each product. Again, despite the 2010 date, the last update appears to have been in 2009 (version numbers are, by and large, not mentioned).
5. Computer Shopper
As of April 2010
Reviewed: Parental-Control Programs to Keep Kids Safe Online
by Sarah E. Anderson
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentComputerShopper.com provides a brief roundup of parental control software, with links to full reviews of three products. Programs have pros and cons listed, and are scored out of 10, with the top one (Net Nanny) getting an Editors' Choice designation. The roundup itself is undated, though the most recent review dates from June 2009.
6. MacLife.com
Oct. 16, 2009
ContentWatch Net Nanny for Mac
by Jen Hughes
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThis short review looks specifically at the Mac version of Net Nanny. The program works on both Power PC and Intel Macs, and has comprehensive site blockers, says reviewer Jan Hughes. Email controls and uninstallation troubles are cited as drawbacks.
7. Choice magazine
January 2008
Test: Net Filtering Software
by Editors of Choice magazine
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentAustralia's Choice magazine, similar to ConsumerReports.org in the U.S., has a comprehensive, comparative review of many leading Internet filtering programs, including several free ones. Each program is analyzed in detail, with the review looking at how they handle each of 11 content categories, as well as ease of use, flexibility and performance. However, the roundup hasn't been updated in some time, and some versions reviewed have gone through significant upgrades. Choice finds that the main difference between freeware and commercial programs is that the freeware versions generally have fewer features.
8. Child-Internet-Safety.com
Not Dated
2010 Parental Control & Internet Filtering Guide
by Editors of Child-Internet-Safety.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThis site has almost the same site design as TopTenReviews.com, and the ratings of parental control software are very similar. Here, Net Nanny gets the highest rating as well, but CyberPatrol is ranked second and Safe Eyes is ranked third. Users can also post their own opinions and ratings.
9. CNET
March 2007
Parental Controls That Keep Tabs on Young Web Surfers
by Elsa Wenzel and Robert Vamosi
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThough old, this article is a good overview of parental controls in general, including ISP, router and software filtering. No specific parental control software is reviewed, but authors criticize such software for either being ineffective or not "appropriately selective" (for example, filtering out legitimate medical information).
10. ConsumerReports.org
August 2007
Who's Talking To Your Kids Online?
by Donna Tapellini
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThis older article (available to non-subscribers as well as subscribers) focuses on the risks children encounter online, especially on social networking sites. A survey also finds that not enough parents are talking to their kids about Internet safety. However, the site does not currently rate or review any parental control software.
11. About.com
Not Dated
Going Beyond Filter Software to Remain Safe Online
by Christy Matte
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThis article lists several ways parents can protect their children from dangers on the Internet, from inappropriate content to online predators. The author encourages parents to talk to their children and to monitor their activities just by paying attention. She also recommends setting guidelines for children's Internet usage. Learning about and making use of a parental control program is one of the recommended tips, but specific programs are not discussed. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
12. About.com
Not Dated
Parent's Guide to MySpace Safety: Parenting in a MySpace World
by Christy Matte
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThis article suggests steps parents can take to help protect their children from inappropriate contacts and content on social networking sites. Though much of the advice is specific to MySpace.com, some helpful general tips are provided as well. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
     
 

This is our assessment of the review’s relevance, clarity of testing and thoroughness.

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