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Comparison

Family Link vs mSpy

Family Link and mSpy both land on Depends.

mSpy

mspy.com

Depends
Confidence: Medium

Buy only if you're a parent who needs deep text, social media, and GPS monitoring of a minor's device you control, at $28-48/month.

Read the full report

Family Link versus mSpy
CompareFamily LinkmSpy
VerdictDependsDepends
Best forParents of young Android kidsParents of minors needing deep app monitoring
Who it's not foriPhone-centric households . iOS support is the weak sideAnyone tracking a partner or spouse . consent and legal risk
PrivacyKnown abuse vector: attackers have exploited Family Link to hijack or permanently lock Google accounts; kids also share bypasses.⁶No known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.14
Support qualityRecovery threads report blocked account recoveryNo reliable user evidence found
Public sentimentPolarizing: most of 5.4M Play ratings are positive, but Reddit's loudest voices report bugs, bypasses, and lockout headaches.¹Forum users describe mSpy as a simple, well-known pick for basic phone tracking, though Reddit debates its legitimacy.16
Biggest gotchaSecure your own Google account first . attackers have abused Family Link for account takeovers⁶Advertised monthly rate is steep; ~$28/mo requires committing to 3 months upfront13

Pick Family Link when

  • Parents of young Android kids
  • Families already in Google's ecosystem
  • Zero-budget screen-time basics
  • Simple location checks

When Family Link is not a fit

  • iPhone-centric households . iOS support is the weak side
  • Parents of motivated teens . bypass guides circulate openly
  • Anyone needing granular web filtering . paid rivals do it better
  • Non-Google households wanting device-agnostic controls

Pick mSpy when

  • Parents of minors needing deep app monitoring
  • Monitoring a child's device you own
  • Social media plus GPS oversight of teens

When mSpy is not a fit

  • Anyone tracking a partner or spouse . consent and legal risk
  • Casual location check-ins . free tools suffice
  • Employers monitoring staff . use MDM instead
  • Budget buyers . $48/month dwarfs rivals

Sources

  1. Google Family Link - Apps on Google Playplay.google.com
    review
  2. Google Family Link - App Storeapps.apple.com
    official
  3. Family Link from Google - official sitefamilies.google
    official
  4. Google Family Link Review 2026: It's Free, but Is It Good?safetydetectives.com
    review
  5. The Best Parental-Control Apps to Manage Screen Time (Wirecutter)nytimes.com
    review
  6. Hackers abuse parental controls to hijack Google accountsreversinglabs.com
    security
  7. Google Family Link exploit that locks out victims permanentlytechwolf12.nl
    security
  8. How Kids Try to Bypass Google Family Link on Androidbitdefender.com
    security
  9. r/familylinkreddit.com
    review
  10. Family link is absolute garbage and should be redonereddit.com
    review
  11. mSpy official sitemspy.com
    official
  12. mSpy security page (not found)mspy.com
    security
  13. mSpy pricing 2025 . LinkedIn postlinkedin.com
    news
  14. Gridinsoft scan of mspy.com (79/100)gridinsoft.com
    security
  15. Gridinsoft scan of mspyonline.com (low trust)gridinsoft.com
    security
  16. mSpy vs uMobix . Pumpic forumcommunity.pumpic.com
    review