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PhoneSheriff Review

April 22, 2015 | Leave a Comment

PhoneSheriff ReviewAre you looking for a way to monitor your children’s cellphone and tablet activity without constantly hovering over their shoulders?

While technology has made things like learning and entertainment cheaper and easier it’s also posed a problem for parents. With a phone or tablet kids now have access to almost anything they can dream up.

For a worried parent of an older child or teen this is where PhoneSheriff can be a huge sigh of relief.

What is PhoneSheriff?

PhoneSheriff is a parental control app that allows you to monitor and restrict access to certain programs on your child’s mobile device in real time.

When someone has PhoneSheriff downloaded to their phone and accesses the internet PhoneSheriff will automatically start downloading all logs from the device. This includes call logs, text messages, pictures, internet activity, and GPS location. You can also control usage on your child’s phone and block phone numbers by applying filters.

As the parent you can log into your PhoneSheriff account online and view these logs in real time.

How do I Get It?

PhoneSheriff is a paid app that currently costs $89 per year. It works on Blackberry, Android, and IPhone devices. (Including tablets!)

Once your make the purchase you’ll be able to setup your PhoneSheriff account and will be instructed on how to install the app on your specific device. For me (Android) this was just changing a couple settings on my phone and then downloading the app from my phone’s browser.

It’s also important to note that you MUST tell your child they’re being monitored. From my perspective as a parent I think this is something you should do whether required or not to keep the trust of your child.

The Benefits of PhoneSheriff for a Parent

If you’re wondering what benefits you as a parent would get with the PhoneSheriff app here are just a few:

Avoid Overusing – You can use filters to keep your child from going over his or her monthly usage and to only allow calls at a certain time per day.

PhoneSheriff Review

Tracking Via GPS: These days teenagers are tied to their phones. You don’t have to wonder where your child is anymore with the GPS tracking feature.

Blocking Phone Numbers – With PhoneSheriff you can block certain phone numbers from being able to call or text your child’s device.

Blocking Inappropriate Information – With access to the internet kids can now view anything they can dream up. You can block inappropriate websites and apps with parental controls.

I think this app could be a gold mine for parents of teenagers. Especially if you have a child who has been abusing her phone privileges or going over her data limit each month. The ability to limit phone usage could save you hundreds of dollars each year. And the GPS location feature? Priceless.

While my kids are too young for this to have much benefit right now I can definitely see the need for an app like PhoneSheriff when they get a little older.

What do you think? Would you install an app like PhoneSheriff on your child’s phone?

 

Brian
Brian

Brian is the founder of Kids Ain’t Cheap and is now sharing his journey through parenthood.

 
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11 Ways Kids Are Outsmarting Parental Controls 1. Using Alternate Devices One common trick is simply turning to another device. If a child’s main phone or tablet is restricted, they may borrow a sibling’s, friend’s, or even a school laptop. This instantly gives them access to content outside of parental oversight. Parents often focus on one device, forgetting that others in the household can serve as loopholes. Knowing this tactic helps families tighten controls across all electronics. 2. Clearing Browsing Histories Many kids quickly learn that clearing browsing history hides evidence of restricted activity. With just a few clicks, they can erase any trace of websites visited. This makes it harder for parents to notice when rules are being broken. Parents may assume no history means no browsing, but the reality is often the opposite. Kids are outsmarting parental controls by making it seem like nothing happened at all. 3. Using Private Browsing Modes Most browsers offer “incognito” or private browsing features. Kids use this mode to access websites without leaving a record in the history. To parents checking later, everything looks clean and safe. This simple trick is often one of the first ways kids discover how to bypass restrictions. Conversations about private browsing can help close this gap. 4. Guessing or Resetting Passwords Children who are persistent may try to guess passwords to parental control apps or accounts. Others may find ways to reset them through email prompts or security questions. Once inside, they can disable restrictions entirely. Parents may not even realize controls have been altered until much later. Stronger, less predictable passwords can make this more difficult. 5. Using VPNs to Hide Activity Virtual private networks, or VPNs, let kids disguise their online locations. With one downloaded app, they can bypass geographic or parental restrictions. Some children learn about VPNs through friends or even social media. This makes it easy for them to reach content that should be blocked. Parents often underestimate just how simple it is for kids to use these tools. 6. Creating Fake Accounts When parents monitor social media, kids may create hidden accounts. These “finstas” or fake profiles allow them to interact freely without parental oversight. While their main account appears harmless, the secondary one tells a different story. Kids are outsmarting parental controls by playing both sides at once. Checking for duplicate accounts can help parents stay more aware. 7. Exploiting Time Zone Settings Some kids change the time zone on their devices to bypass screen time limits. This trick allows them to gain extra hours of usage undetected. Parents may assume controls are working, but in reality, the child is bending the clock. It’s a clever loophole that highlights just how resourceful kids can be. Monitoring device settings regularly can catch this tactic. 8. Disabling or Uninstalling Apps Parental control apps can be deleted or disabled with surprising ease. Some kids even reinstall them before a parent checks, making it seem like nothing changed. Others may simply restrict permissions to prevent apps from functioning properly. When apps aren’t monitored closely, parents may not notice they’ve been tampered with. This shows the importance of consistent follow-up. 9. Turning to Friends for Access If a child can’t get past restrictions on their own, they may rely on friends. Visiting a friend’s house or borrowing their phone can give them a free pass. Parents often forget that peer environments can override restrictions set at home. This kind of social workaround is especially common with gaming or social media. Open conversations about trust and responsibility are essential. 10. 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11 Ways Kids Are Outsmarting Parental Controls

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