Parental Control Software Market – Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Operating System (Windows, Android, iOS, Cross Platform/Multiplatform), By Deployment (On-premises, On-cloud), By Application (Residential, Educational Institutes), By Region & Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 1.68 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	13.23%
Fastest Growing Segment	Residential
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 3.54 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Parental Control Software Market will grow from USD 1.68 Billion in 2025 to USD 3.54 Billion by 2031 at a 13.23% CAGR. Parental control software is defined as a specialized suite of digital applications designed to empower guardians to monitor, filter, and restrict the internet usage and device screen time of minors. The primary drivers supporting this market’s growth include the ubiquitous proliferation of affordable smart devices and the decreasing age at which children gain unsupervised access to the internet. Furthermore, heightened parental anxiety regarding online threats, such as cyberbullying, predatory behavior, and exposure to age-inappropriate content, acts as a substantial catalyst for the widespread adoption of these monitoring solutions.

Despite this upward trajectory, the industry faces notable hurdles regarding utilization. According to the Family Online Safety Institute, in 2025, adoption rates for these controls stood at 51% for tablets and 47% for smartphones, indicating that a significant portion of devices remain unprotected. This usage gap is often exacerbated by a significant challenge: the technical proficiency of digital-native children who can skillfully employ workarounds, such as virtual private networks or proxy servers, to bypass established restrictions, thereby undermining the perceived efficacy of the software.

Key Market Drivers

Escalating concerns regarding cyberbullying and online predators constitute a primary force propelling the Global Parental Control Software Market. As digital interactions become integral to socialization, guardians are increasingly seeking sophisticated tools to detect and prevent online harassment and predatory advances. This anxiety is well-founded, as malicious actors and peer-to-peer hostility create unsafe virtual environments for minors, driving demand for applications capable of scanning private messages and social platforms for dangerous patterns. According to McAfee, September 2025, in their research on children's online safety, cyberbullying and harassment were reported by 43 percent of parents whose children had been targeted, highlighting the critical need for robust monitoring mechanisms. Consequently, vendors are rapidly integrating real-time alert systems to mitigate these severe psychological and physical risks.

Simultaneously, the rising proliferation of smart devices among children has necessitated stricter screen time management and digital wellbeing protocols. The ubiquitous ownership of smartphones and tablets allows minors to access vast digital ecosystems, often leading to excessive usage that negatively impacts physical health and academic performance. According to Qustodio, January 2025, in 'The Digital Dilemma: Childhood at a Crossroads' report, global Instagram use among children rose by 25%, with kids spending an average of 79 minutes per day on the platform. To restrict such immersion, parents are turning to software that enforces time boundaries and balances digital consumption. According to Norton, in 2025, 85% of parents in the UK actively manage screen time, reinforcing the market’s pivot towards solutions that promote healthy digital habits alongside basic content filtering.

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Key Market Challenges

The advanced technical literacy of digital natives presents a significant restraint to the Global Parental Control Software Market. Children today increasingly possess the skills to circumvent monitoring applications using tools like virtual private networks or proxy servers. This capability directly undermines the perceived value of these software solutions, as parents become reluctant to invest in products that they believe their children can easily disable or bypass. Consequently, this lack of confidence results in higher customer churn and hesitancy among potential buyers, effectively stalling market expansion.

The impact of this challenge is particularly evident in complex digital environments where user proficiency is typically high. According to the Family Online Safety Institute, in 2025, the adoption rate for parental controls on video game consoles was just 35%. This statistic highlights the industry's struggle to provide convincing security in sectors where the technical gap between parents and children is most pronounced. When guardians perceive that their authority can be technically overridden, they are less likely to adopt or renew subscription services, thereby dampening overall revenue growth.

Key Market Trends

The Global Parental Control Software Market is currently witnessing a significant Expansion of Cross-Platform Compatibility Across Smart Home and IoT Devices. As internet connectivity extends beyond personal mobiles to shared household interfaces, vendors are rapidly re-engineering solutions to secure the entire domestic ecosystem, including smart televisions. This shift is critical to closing the security gap in communal living areas where minors often access unmonitored streaming content, effectively widening the digital safety perimeter. Highlighting this growing adoption in non-traditional devices, according to the Family Online Safety Institute, May 2025, in the 'Parental Controls for Online Safety are Underutilized' study, the utilization rate of parental controls on Smart TVs reached 38%, signaling a tangible market pivot toward comprehensive whole-home digital oversight.

Simultaneously, the industry is experiencing a marked Evolution of Social Media Monitoring for Short-Form Video Platforms. Traditional text-based filtering methods are proving insufficient for the rapid, algorithmic nature of modern video feeds, compelling developers to innovate with specialized tracking capabilities for high-engagement apps like TikTok. This trend is driven by the sheer dominance of video-first content in children's daily routines, which necessitates more granular management tools than simple time limits. According to Qustodio, January 2025, in 'The Digital Dilemma: Childhood at a Crossroads' report, children spent a global average of 2 hours per day on TikTok, underscoring the urgent demand for software capable of navigating and monitoring this immersive, video-centric environment.

Segmental Insights

The Residential segment is anticipated to witness the fastest growth within the global parental control software market due to the increasing proliferation of smart devices among children. This expansion is largely fueled by parental concerns regarding exposure to harmful online content and the prevalence of cyberbullying on social media platforms. Furthermore, the integration of e-learning into standard education has necessitated robust home monitoring solutions to manage screen time effectively. Consequently, families are actively deploying these applications to ensure digital safety and restrict access to inappropriate websites, thereby securing the domestic internet environment.

Regional Insights

North America holds the leading position in the Global Parental Control Software Market, primarily driven by the widespread adoption of digital devices among minors and extensive internet connectivity. This dominance is reinforced by stringent regulatory frameworks designed to protect young users. For instance, the Federal Trade Commission’s enforcement of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act establishes high standards for digital safety, encouraging households and schools to invest in monitoring solutions. Furthermore, the region hosts numerous established software vendors, ensuring the availability of effective tools that mitigate risks such as cyberbullying and exposure to inappropriate content.

Recent Developments

• In April 2025, Bark Technologies established a strategic partnership with Talkspace, a leading online behavioral health company, to address the mental health needs of digital natives. This collaboration integrated professional mental health resources directly into the Bark Phone and the company's accompanying application. Through this initiative, the company aimed to provide teenagers and their guardians with immediate connections to therapeutic support and licensed therapists when needed. The partnership was designed to complement the software's existing content monitoring capabilities by offering proactive emotional support mechanisms alongside digital safety alerts, recognizing the critical link between online activities and mental well-being.
• In February 2025, Google updated its parental control application, Family Link, to include new supervision tools for Android devices. The update introduced a "School time" feature, previously available only on smartwatches, allowing parents to limit device functionality and distractions during educational hours. Additionally, the company redesigned the application interface to consolidate screen time management, location tracking, and content controls into three dedicated tabs for improved usability. The release also enabled parents to manage and approve their children's contact lists directly from their own devices, enhancing communication safety by ensuring guardians could oversee who their children interacted with via calls and texts.
• In November 2024, Qustodio announced a strategic partnership with BBSS Corporation, a subsidiary of the SoftBank Group, to expand its digital safety footprint in the Japanese market. This collaboration was formed to distribute the company's parental control solutions through major Japanese telecommunication providers and internet service providers. The alliance aimed to address growing concerns regarding internet addiction and safe smartphone usage among children in the region. By leveraging the local partner's extensive distribution network, the software provider sought to deliver its cross-platform monitoring and screen time management tools to a broader Asian demographic and provide families with robust digital wellbeing resources.
• In June 2024, Aura expanded its suite of family online safety tools by launching several new features designed to manage screen time and content exposure efficiently. The company introduced a "Bedtime" function that automatically blocks internet access on children's devices during designated sleep hours to promote healthier rest habits. Additionally, the update included "Focus Time," a tool allowing guardians to create customized schedules that restrict digital distractions during homework or family activities. Alongside these software enhancements, the company unveiled a free community platform to support parents in navigating the complexities of raising connected children and fostering safer online environments.

Key Market Players

• SENTINELONE, INC
• NortonLifeLock Inc
• McAfee, LLC
• Qustodio Technologies S.L
• FamilyTime
• Circle Media Labs, Inc
• Open Text Corporation
• Safe Lagoon Software Incorporated
• Wondershare Technology Group Co., Ltd
• ESET, spol. s r. o.

By Operating System	By Deployment	By Application	By Region
Windows Android iOS Cross Platform/Multiplatform	On-premises On-cloud	Residential Educational Institutes	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Parental Control Software Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Parental Control Software Market, By Operating System:

• Windows
• Android
• iOS
• Cross Platform/Multiplatform

• Parental Control Software Market, By Deployment:

• On-premises
• On-cloud

• Parental Control Software Market, By Application:

• Residential
• Educational Institutes

• Parental Control Software Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE