Why choose
Qustodio over Aura?
Why choose Qustodio over Aura?
Putting parental control solutions to the test
With everything that’s available in today’s market, it’s not always easy to know which parental control app is the best fit for you and your family. We want to help give you one less thing to worry about – today, we compare Qustodio vs Aura so you will know which is the right fit for you and your family.
Qustodio vs Aura
Qustodio
Aura
Time limits
Both Qustodio and Aura allow you to set time limits on multiple devices. Qustodio however, provides more flexibility with this feature by allowing parents to use both preset and custom routines. The bedtime preset can block devices which encourage healthy sleep patterns. While the custom option gives you more freedom with scheduling, so you can better meet your family’s personal needs. All this helps prevent screen addiction for your child and promotes digital wellbeing.
Filter and block content and apps
Qustodio filters and blocks inappropriate apps, games and websites. This allows your kids to view child-friendly sites while automatically blocking potentially harmful ones and preventing exposure to mature content and other threats. Qustodio and Aura allow parents to block any apps they feel are not suitable for their child. However Qustodio takes safety one step further by also sending real-time alerts, so you know if your child tries to access blocked content.
Social media monitoring
Qustodio’s social monitoring feature flags any of your child’ s concerning messages with you. You will receive a push notification and email informing you so you are aware if your child needs your help. The alert shows a snippet of the conversation which gives an understanding of the context of the message. This feature is available on WhatsApp, Instagram messages (Android only), and Line. Aura does not offer social media monitoring.
Monitor activity
Both Qustodio and Aura provide online history and usage reports which allow you to review your child’s internet usage. However, Qustodio also has a real-time dashboard giving access to your child’s digital activity which can be monitored at any time. This makes it much easier to view their activity timeline, browsing history, YouTube views, screen time and more as well as adjust their limits if needed.
Locate family
Using geolocation, Qustodio can help you easily locate your child on the map, where they are and have been. You can also save most visited places such as school or home, and get peace of mind by receiving notifications once they arrive or leave those locations. With Qustodio’s geofencing feature, you will receive an alert if your child strays out of parent-defined safe locations. Aura on the other hand, does not have any location tracking capabilities.
Pause internet access
Both Qustodio and Aura provide a “pause internet access” feature, meaning at the touch of a button you can stop access to the internet on your child’s devices.
Calls and text monitoring
Qustodio can detect suspicious contacts by seeing who your child exchanges calls and messages with. Read the messages they send and receive, plus set a list of blocked phone numbers. Aura does not provide any calls or text monitoring features similar to this.
YouTube monitoring
YouTube monitoring is a feature that is available only with Qustodio. It is a specialised feature which allows you to view exactly what videos your child watches, as well as monitor what they search for on YouTube. You can also block certain content and set time limits. This feature is available through Qustodio on all iOS and Android devices meaning you can both monitor what they do on the YouTube app as well as the YouTube webpage. Aura does not have a similar feature yet.
Supported devices
Both Qustodio and Aura have an unlimited number of devices that can be monitored at once. Qustodio however supports multiple device types (Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Android, iPhone/iPad and Kindle), allowing you easy monitoring across your child’s multiple different devices. Aura is available on iPhone, iPad and Android mobile devices only.
Activity reports and alerts
Qustodio sends daily, weekly, and monthly reports of your child’s online activity straight to your inbox. Although Aura does provide a weekly report of your child’s online activity, Qustodio provides the most frequent and detailed reporting, as well as real-time alerts, meaning you’ll know as soon as they try to access blocked websites or are in trouble.
Free trial
Qustodio provides a free 3-day trial of all premium features with no credit card details required. Meaning you can trial premium for free without having to worry about any card details until you are sure it is the right service for you. Aura provides a 14-day free trial however card details are required to activate this service.
Create routines
Qustodio’s custom routines feature and Aura’s focus time feature are both designed to help manage screen time. Qustodios custom routines allow you to create and schedule routines for specific moments of the day- like study time and bedtime, by either picking from suggested screen-free times or creating your own custom rules, easily editing or switching when plans change. Aura’s “focus time” feature lets users block distracting apps and websites during focused time periods. Both Qustodio and Aura’s features aim to promote healthier digital habits.
AI-powered alerts
Qustodio’s AI-powered alerts flag any of your child’ s concerning SMS/ Whatsapp conversations, or searches to you. You will receive a push notification and email informing you so you are aware if your child needs your help. Aura does not provide this feature.
App insights
Qustodio offers App insights which is designed to provide you with information about the apps your child is using. It shows: the app’s age rating, a description, age appropriate alternatives, and any potential risks. It also shows psychologist-approved conversation starters to help your child discuss their online experiences. This feature is unique to Qustodio. Aura does not provide a feature similar to this.
Panic button
Qustodio’s panic button lets a child quickly alert their parent or guardian in an emergency situation. Qustodio currently offers this feature to all Android users, while Aura does not have a feature similar to this yet.
Additional parent
Both Qustodio and Aura have the option to add another parent or guardian to your account, meaning both guardians can monitor the child together.
Qustodio’s full service is a total of $99.95 per year, equivalent to $8.33 per month, making this feature the more economical option of the two. Aura’s full service is a total of $384 per year, equivalent to $32 per month.
Support Care Plus
Qustodio offers an exclusive support service called Care Plus. Care Plus is unique to Qustodio and is designed to elevate your user experience. You will receive priority help through telephone support at each stage of your Qustodio journey. From personalized guidance on installing Qustodio and setting up rules or custom routines, to remote technical support and regular check-ins, Qustodio’s experts will be there for you every step of the way. Aura does not provide a service similar to this yet.
Qustodio is available in 8 languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese and Japanese. Aura is available in English only.
Qustodio vs Aura
Qustodio
Aura
Time limits
Filter and block content and apps
Qustodio filters and blocks inappropriate apps, games and websites. This allows your kids to view child-friendly sites while automatically blocking potentially harmful ones and preventing exposure to mature content and other threats. Qustodio and Aura allow parents to block any apps they feel are not suitable for their child. However Qustodio takes safety one step further by also sending real-time alerts, so you know if your child tries to access blocked content.
Social media monitoring
Qustodio’s social monitoring feature flags any of your child’ s concerning messages with you. You will receive a push notification and email informing you so you are aware if your child needs your help. The alert shows a snippet of the conversation which gives an understanding of the context of the message. This feature is available on WhatsApp, Instagram messages (Android only), and Line. Aura does not offer social media monitoring.
Monitor activity
Both Qustodio and Aura provide online history and usage reports which allow you to review your child’s internet usage. However, Qustodio also has a real-time dashboard giving access to your child’s digital activity which can be monitored at any time. This makes it much easier to view their activity timeline, browsing history, YouTube views, screen time and more as well as adjust their limits if needed.
Locate family
Using geolocation, Qustodio can help you easily locate your child on the map, where they are and have been. You can also save most visited places such as school or home, and get peace of mind by receiving notifications once they arrive or leave those locations. With Qustodio’s geofencing feature, you will receive an alert if your child strays out of parent-defined safe locations. Aura on the other hand, does not have any location tracking capabilities.
Pause internet access
Both Qustodio and Aura provide a “pause internet access” feature, meaning at the touch of a button you can stop access to the internet on your child’s devices.
Calls and text monitoring
Qustodio can detect suspicious contacts by seeing who your child exchanges calls, and messages with. Read the messages they send and receive, plus set a list of blocked phone numbers. Aura does not provide any calls or text monitoring features similar to this.
YouTube monitoring
YouTube monitoring is a feature that is available only with Qustodio. It is a specialised feature which allows you to view exactly what videos your child watches, as well as monitor what they search for on YouTube. You can also block certain content and set time limits. This feature is available through Qustodio on all iOS and Android devices meaning you can both monitor what they do on the YouTube app as well as the YouTube webpage. Aura does not have a similar feature yet.
Supported devices (Cross-platform solution)
Both Qustodio and Aura have an unlimited number of devices that can be monitored at once. Qustodio however supports multiple device types (Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Android, iPhone/iPad and Kindle), allowing you easy monitoring across your child’s multiple different devices. Aura is available on iPhone, iPad and Android mobile devices only.
Note: This table has been prepared on the basis of public information available as of 10th Feb 2025, using information from Aura websites and product testing under similar conditions. No claims, representations or warranties, whether express or implied, are made as to the quality, reliability and performance of any of the referenced products. All third-party trademarks are property of the respective owners and Qustodio’s use of these trademarks and brand names does not indicate any sponsorship, promotion, or endorsement between Qustodio and the owners of these brands. Reference to the trademarks is merely to identify the corresponding third-party products and services and shall be considered nominative fair and legitimate use under trademark and advertising laws. For any queries, or if you believe any of the information is inaccurate, please contact info@qustodio.com
What makes Qustodio the better option for you?
Both Qustodio and Aura have key parental control features that will help protect your child online. It is clear however that Qustodio has both the best parental control features and extensive reporting for parents who want to monitor across multiple devices from one easy-to-use app. Qustodio’s Care Plus support, and features such as location tracking, search alerts, social monitoring, and calls and text monitoring, are exclusive to Qustodio. This, along with Qustodio being the more economical of the two, provide a seamless user experience so you can start protecting your child online today.
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