⏳ Are you in a hurry? Then here’s your short Boomerang Parental Control Reviews snapshot
Name: Boomerang
Description: Boomerang helps parents start conversations with their kids about their device usage, good apps, bad apps, web browsing, video viewing and more
Offer price: 15.99
Currency: $
Personal Summary Conclusion:
Being a customer of Boomerang Parental Control for more than 2 months, I can easily say this is one of the best investments I have made for my family's digital well-being. The app provides a comprehensive range of features that allow me to monitor and manage my children's screen time effectively. With its user-friendly interface and customizable settings, I am able to set appropriate limits, block inappropriate content, and even track their location when needed. The peace of mind it brings knowing that my children are safe online is priceless.
- 🎛️ Complete control: Manage every device in your home from one app.
- 📱 Wide Compatibility: Works with iOS, Android.
- ⏰ Time Management: Set daily time limits for apps and websites.
- 🚫 Content Filtering: Block inappropriate content with filters.
- 🕵️ Usage Tracking: Keep track of time spent on different apps and sites.
- 🌙 Bedtime: Restrict usage at bedtime.
- 💼 Safe Search: Chrome automatically filtered.
- 🔐 Privacy Focused: Committed to protecting your family's privacy.
- 👥 Profile Customization: Set custom filters and time limits for the family.
- 📞 Customer Support: Dedicated support team is available for any technical issues.
- 💵 Flexible Pricing: Offers monthly and yearly subscription options.
- 🆓 Free Trial: Boomerang offers a 14-day free trial.
- 🎉 Promotional Deals: Click here for more price options.
Overall
4.3- Features & Functionality
- Ease of Use
- Performance & Reliability
- Compatibility
- Privacy & Security
- Customization Options
- Customer Support
- Value for Money
Pros
- Boomerang offers an intuitive user interface, making it easy for users to schedule and manage email messages efficiently.
- The software enables users to schedule emails for later delivery, improving communication timing and productivity.
- Boomerang includes a reminder feature, ensuring important emails don't get overlooked.
- It provides email tracking, giving insights into when recipients open emails, enhancing follow-up strategies.
Cons
- Boomerang's full features may require a subscription, which can be a disadvantage for budget-conscious users.
- It primarily integrates with Gmail, limiting compatibility with other email providers.
Introduction to my Boomerang Parental Control Review
Boomerang Parental app is a reliable online activity monitoring tool exclusive to mobile phones. This app redefines the meaning of remote monitoring. The app offers many groundbreaking features such as web filtering, searched history alerts, and screen time schedules. Additionally, parents can be benefited from text message monitoring, 24/7 location tracking, and blocking their kid’s attempt to install an app remotely. However, some of the features are only available on Android devices. In this article, I will take you through an in-depth Boomerang Parental Control Review.
Overview of the Parental Control Boomerang
Boomerang Parental Control is a comprehensive mobile application designed to help parents monitor and manage their children's digital activities, ensuring a safer and more balanced online experience. With Boomerang Parental Control, parents can set screen time limits, block inappropriate content, and track their child's location. The app provides real-time notifications and reports on their child's online interactions, allowing parents to have open and honest conversations about responsible internet usage. By offering a range of features and tools, Boomerang Parental Control empowers parents to protect their children from online dangers and foster healthy digital habits.
Features and Functionalities within the Boomerang Parental Controls
This section of my Boomerang Parental Control Review will illustrate its remarkable and exceptional features.
Screen Time
The app allows the setting of weekend schedules that provide a parent with the authority to limit a kid’s phone usage. Be responsible for creating a Bedtime shutdown schedule and the app will do the rest by restricting access to the app while the phone will remain accessible for any emergency.
Prioritizing education and productive activities is this app’s forte, so if you consider some apps useful, you can add them to the exception list and they will be exempted from time-outs. In my Boomerang Parental Control Review I noticed that Boomerang has one of the most reliable screen time features. The mere complication is that you cannot set a single time limit routine for all the devices, a feature offered by some rival apps, so you have to make separate timetables for all the added devices.
Call Blocking
The Boomerang parental app not only provides all call logs but also immediately block unsaved numbers that include bothering promotional call. Further, the app allows parents to specify who can call their child and who can be called. The feature is only available for Android and it worked well when I tested it on my younger sister’s device.
Text messages tracking
The text blocking and tracking features of the Boomerang app is reviewed as the most useful feature as it sends you an alert if your child receives a text from an unknown number or types any unseemly word. The text logs of the past 30 days can be checked via this feature, I could even get the history of MMS messages on my sister’s device through this app.
App Approvals
Another feature that gives contestant apps exemplary competition is Boomerangs’s app approval feature. It notifies you every time a new app is installed on the target device and the approval is up to you, if you feel the app is unnecessary or potentially harmful you can block its download from the parent device.
Boomerang parental also permits the use of certain apps at specific times and sets a daily time limit for an app. It obviously tells you the time spent on an app and steps ahead by extending the feature to YouTube as Boomerang even takes an account of watched YouTube videos.
Website Filtering
Advancement in web surfing of the Boomerang app filters the Chrome browser, however, the SPIN default filter of the app is more fruitful in blocking dubious, adult, and harmful web domains. The filtering works by the rule book, as Boomerang has included a list of 21 categories of explicit content and parents are allowed to add 23 more. Everything your child searches comes distilled through a layer of stringent flirting.
Location Tracking
In this Boomerang parental control review I also tried location tracking. Geofencing and location history are pivotal when your kids are not around. The app allows you to track the location as many times as you want. Besides getting automatic location history you can manually refresh and ask for an update when fear about your child’s whereabouts.
The vicinity you don't want your child to leave can be scrutinized via geofencing. For instance, if you are away from home and suspect your kid would sneak out, simply type the address, create a digital fence around the location, and get notified when the target device leaves the zone.
Additional features
In the backdrop of the above-mentioned crucial features, the app also gives parents the possibility to be more connected to their kids. The app makes supervision more authentic by keeping track of when the kid transgressed the boundaries set by parents in the Event Tab. Moreover, the app has a Family Messenger which is also exempted from blocks and enhances communication with kids, the Family Messenger has a simple text-based configuration and you cannot send any pictures or attachments.
Ease of use
Boomerang has a simple navigation although the colors of the app and dashboard seem pretty overwhelming when I first used the app, however, now they seem fine. The theme is to provide everything on the block, so you do not have to scroll the dashboard frequently. The devices are listed on the left side of the dashboard, you can see relevant data corresponding to the tab.
Every device has a separate subcategory of Alerts so you can know what is happening as it happens. The basic configuration is plain but some may find it difficult to set the app at first, as It took me some time to understand how I can set a screen time limit.
Opening every subcategory will take you to the core data, such as clicking on web browsing will open the logs of the used webs and the time spent on these webs, the same goes for the applications. You can do major device settings through the “Accounts”, here you can set the frequency of reports.
The most exclusive feature is ‘‘Dictionary”, which allows you to create a list of words that you prohibits for your child. This functions well when I tested the word restriction and alert ability of the app on the targeted device after creating a list. All-in-all, the app is user-friendly at both the parent and child’s end, you just need to grab the allotting process of a specific activity.
Boomerang Parental Control App Setup Process
For Child Device
Setting up the Boomerang app is a hustle as it requires installing the app for both the parent and the targeted device. First of all, Signup the service, make an account on the official page, and proceed to the following process.
Go to Google Play on an Android device and search for the Boomerang app.
Once the app appears, tap install.
After installing the app, tap Open and you will be directed to the Welcome Screen.
Select I’M New from prompted options.
Select “Control This Device” from the driven page.
You will be asked to give permission and grant all for successful loading.
Now, Tap “NEXT” and allow “Boomerang Accessibility Permissions”
Again go “NEXT” and select “Activate Device Administrator”, this will protect against tempering.
The new directed tab will ask to” Allow display over other apps” toggle and allow. This step is important to gain access over app blocking on targeted devices.
Now tap” Next” and toggle “Usage Access”
You will be able to adjust the daily time limit from the child’s device settings and tap “Next”
Set the Screen Time Schedule and go “Next”, you can also set screen time from Parent Mode later.
Add apps you encourage in the next tab and tap “NEXT”
You will be directed to “Aditional Access”, check the boxes next to options, and tap “NEXT”
Now the login page will open, add your group email, and assign the device a name, and your Child’s device is under surveillance.
Samsung device users must accept the KMLS agent agreement licenses after selecting Login, as this enables Samsung-specific features of the device.
For Parent Device
- Install the app from Google Play
- Tap on I’M New if you are creating a family group, or go for LOGIN if you want to add the device to the family group
- Select “Manage Family Devices” from the tab.”
- Enter your Email and Password, Now tap on Create if you are new or log in if you are already using Boomerage.
- You can now use the parent device to monitor target devices
For iOs devices
The basic download and installing process is the same for iOS and Android as you will have to install separate sideloads for both monitoring and target devices.
If you have set the child’s device follow the instructions to install Prolife on iPhone.
The below-mentioned screen will appear following the installation process.
After seeing this screen
- Open “Settings”
- Click on “Profile Download”
- Tap on “Boomerang profile and tap “Install.”
Software Performance
The Boomerang is a promising yet a bit troublesome app for first-time users. The App takes some time to set up as it needs the installation of child and parent versions on separate devices. The app took an hour for me to set up, especially when I was connecting an iPhone. However, once I was done setting I was directed to a streamlined dashboard that was organized fairly.
Although some Boomerang Parental Control Reviews suggest its user interface is clunky, I beg to differ, as for me the navigation and toggling around were not difficult. Moreover, the software delivers what’s being advertised. The action and alerts were very prompt whether it was of keyword reports or geofencing violations. The app’s family chat service is again very thoughtful and the emergency beacon works immediately.
The SPIN browser is more advantageous to use as it offers 20+ web domain category blocking as I mentioned above. The list includes proxy sites, pornography, VPNs, Alcohol, and Tobacco.
Also, the software is truly cross-platform as you can add Android devices to iPhone Parent devices and vice versa. There is no restriction whatsoever in using the app to its full potential and you can add multiple devices to one group email that links the profiles.
Boomerang App Parental Control Compatibility
Boomerang parental is compatible with Android devices operating version 5 or more and iPhones working on iOS 12. Both versions differ in some aspects. Moreover, if you have Samsung devices that support Knox, your app’s compatibility extends to open additional features for Samsung users.
Boomerang Parental Control Pricing
Plans Overview:
There are three plans offered by the Boomerang app.
Free plan
Boomerang’s free plan has 14-day trial periods with all features supported. This one is available for Android and iOS child devices as the parent account does not need to be purchased. It is useful to learn the app before getting on a permanent plan but 14 days seems a very short period as some competitor apps offer a 30-day free trial with the refund policy.
Family Pack
The family pack is the most recommended if you have multiple devices to monitor. It costs $30.99 and supports up to 10 devices. The plan has an annual renewal and supports all existing features from application alerts to the SPIN browser. Moreover, it is available for both iOS and Android devices.
Single Device Pack
The single-device pack has a yearly cost of $15.99 and is also feasible for iOS and Android. This package offers full feature support but offers the monitoring of single-child profiles. This package also gets renewed annually so you are out of the strain for monthly payments.
Initial Vs. Renewal Rates:
The initial and renewal prices are nearly identical; however, if you purchase a long-term subscription at a discount, you will not be able to take advantage of that discount when you renew the subscription the following year.
Comparison to Industry Standard:
In comparison to industry standards, the price is neither too high nor too low, they have created a nice balance between value and price, so you can not regret buying this one.
Additional Costs:
There are no additional costs or strings attached to the subscription plan, if you pay yearly, then for a year, you don't have to worry about anything.
Payment Options:
You can pay using any credit/debit card, The PayPal option is also available, but be sure to know if you are looking to get a refund, PayPal is a faster option.
Contract Terms:
There are no specific terms in the contract, you just have to be sure you are not abusing the service and you are not going against the terms of service of the Boomerang.
Free Trial:
Yes, you can get a 14-day free trial for iOS and Android devices, you can easily get through the app, how it works, and the efficacy of the app.
Refund Policy and Money-Back Guarantee:
As they give you a 14-day trial, they do not offer a Money-Back Guarantee, you can only cancel your subscription for next month, but unfortunately, you can not get your money back.
Promotional Deals or Discounts:
Boomerang keeps bringing promotional deals and discounts, as for now here are some of their latest promotional deals.
Customer Support and Resources
How Responsive and Helpful Are They?
According to Boomerang Parental Control Reviews, the customer support of the Boomerang app is honestly not very well-reputed, so I had to check it for myself. The email report was very efficient as It gets back to you as soon as 24 hours, whereas some other apps take 72 hours to 1 week to respond. However, the live chat box is a hoax. It seems like real-time chat but when you open it a few FAQs pop out.
What Resources Are Available?
Besides, the average customer support, the short video tutorials, and the podcast co-created by Boomerang can be helpful for users, as it covers many queries. The FAQ section also answers many questions related to general setup, troubleshooting, and feature usage. The FAQs are organized into Tips, SPIN browser-related questions, and supporting articles that give a comprehensive understanding of app usage.
Privacy and Security
Like every other software, the Boomerang app parental control collects information that improves user experience, web traffic, and third-party analytics (According to my Boomerang Parental Control Review they even have access to your pictures and audio in your phone). The information that directly concerns Boomerang such as the emails you send and the communication within the family group can also be collected by the app.
However, Boomerang vocally denies playing any role in illegal data sharing. Although the app is not protected by end-to-end encryption, they go by the General Data Regulation Rights and preserves information only to make the app more useful for necessary updates. In conclusion, this section is safer for you and it will not allow any data violation.
Limitations and Drawbacks of the Boomerang Parental App
The first limitation I found in my Boomerang Parental Control Review is Boomerang’s hectic setup process which often dumbfounded the users because you have to install two sideloading versions on the parent and child’s devices. The problem with iOS versions is more prominent as it keeps getting errors, so if you want to use Boomeran, better get an Android device. Moreover, the app only monitors mobile devices so your child is unrestrained to use their PC as they want.
Another major drawback I found in my Boomerang Parental Control Review is its call and SMS features do not work on iPhones and the geofencing feature is only applicable to the polygonal area as it's still in experimental trials. Complete control will be restored once the geofencing becomes fully functional. Lastly, there is no social media monitoring, Although the YouTube channel surveillance and web filtering are amazing, I would still love to see proper social media monitoring.
User Boomerang Control App Reviews and Testimonials
When it comes to Boomerang Parental Control, Reddit and Trustpilot users are pretty vocal. The crowd is a mixed bag—some love it, some not so much.
Boomerang on Trustpilot
- Overall Rating: The Trustpilot score is decent but not dazzling. The app holds a 3.5-star average.
- Reliability: Users often highlight the app's reliability in their reviews, noting it rarely crashes or causes issues.
- Privacy Concerns: There's some chatter about data security, with a few users questioning how Boomerang handles personal data.
- Updates: The app gets kudos for frequent updates, but some users gripe about changes they didn't ask for or need.
Boomerang on Reddit
- Ease of Use: Reddit users applaud how user-friendly the app is. Even non-tech-savvy parents find it a breeze to navigate.
- Functionality: A fair share of Redditors praise its features like geofencing and time management. But some complain about occasional bugs.
- Customer Support: While some users rave about the quick and helpful customer service, others tell tales of less-than-stellar experiences.
- Value for Money: Here, the opinions diverge. Some say it's a steal, others argue it's a bit overpriced for what you get.
Conclusion and Personal Recommendations of Boomerang Parental Control Reviews
In this Boomerang Parental Control Review, I will give it 7.5 out of 10 scoring as the dedication to making child monitoring deserves applause. The star features of the app are the SPIN browser, inappropriate word alerts, app blocking, and YouTube video monitoring. Nonetheless, geofencing is in experimental trials and is only available for Android, it still works effectively for timely alerts and location tracking.
The app’s interface is very engaging and snappy, setting and applying rules is easy across the app and only a single email is required to add devices. I personally love the Event tab and Emergency tab which keep the child aware of their situation as they learn their shortcomings and when to reach for help. The family chat board is also constructive as it connects the members to communicate better.
Personal Experience
I am really having a good time with the Boomerang Parental app (and I have shared it in my Boomerang Parental Control Review)because it gives me a comprehensive monitoring opportunity to see what my kids are up to. I like the way I always get immediate alerts when an unknown number messages or calls my kids and the app is so effective in taking responsibility and blocking the unknown or unsaved numbers.
The screen time of the app is a remarkable feature as I can allow the usage at certain times and block it when I need to. My kids can not use phones while we are at family gatherings and when it's their school time. However, the monitoring comes with no compromise on online learning so I can exclude learning apps from restrictions even when the other apps are set to turn off.
Every app that my kids install and every web they visit goes through my supervision before becoming accessible to them. However, the only concern I have is, that I can not set time schedules for individual devices and whatever I set applies to app the registered devices.
Whom Boomerang parental control is best for?
This application has remarkable features and is suitable for monitoring multiple devices as it costs less annually when used with a paid family version.
Whom is this not best for?
This app is not recommended for children who use computers for their online activities most of the time as this app is only for Android. This app is also not suitable for single-child monitoring because the single-device package is overpriced.
Boomerang Alternatives
Here are a few best Boomerang alternatives:
| Rank | Software | Key Features | Pricing | My View | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.🥇 | Qustodio | Time scheduling, Content filtering, Social monitoring | $49.46/year for 5 devices Check Pricing | Best for Comprehensive Monitoring | Try For Free | Full Qustodio Review |
| 2.🥈 | Kaspersky Safe Kids | App management, Real-time alerts, GPS tracking | $14.99/year for 500 devices Check Pricing | Best for Budget-Friendly Option | Try For Free | Full Kaspersky Safe Kids Review |
| 3.🥉 | Norton Family | Web monitoring, Time limits, Location tracking | $49.99/year for unlimited devices Check Pricing | Best for Multi-Device Families | Try For Free | Full Norton Family Review Review |
| 4 | Net Nanny | Real-time alerts, Profanity masking, Screen time management | $39.99/year for 1 device Check Pricing | Best for Profanity Monitoring | Try For Free | Full NetNanny Review Review |
| 5 | Bark | Text monitoring, Email monitoring, Social media monitoring | $9/month or $99/year for unlimited devices Check Pricing | Best for Social Media & Email Monitoring | Try For Free | |
| 6 | Mobicip | Internet filter, App blocker, Screen time limit | $49.99/year for 5 devices Check Pricing | Best for Content Filtering | Try For Free | Full Mobicip Review Review |
| 7 | OurPact | Screen time management, App blocking, Family locator | Free to $6.99/month for 20 devices Check Pricing | Best for Screen Time Management | Try For Free | Full OurPact Review |
| 8 | FamilyTime | Location tracking, Geofencing, Time limits | $27/year for 1 device Check Pricing | Best for Location Tracking | Try For Free | Full Family Time App Review |
| 9 | MMGuardian | Call & SMS monitoring, Screen time management, App control | $3.99/month or $34.99/year for 1 device Check Pricing | Best for Call & Text Monitoring | Try For Free | |
| 10 | Screen Time | Time control, App control, Reward system | $6.99/month for 5 devices Check Pricing | Best for Time Management | Try For Free |
Final words to my Boomerang Parental Control App Reviews
Using the Boomerang app can be useful if you have very less to spend per year. The overall performance and features are great, still, you must learn more about the app’s functioning by reading the official website blogs and podcasts, and tutorial videos. t is one of the best parental control apps but use it if you are fully satisfied with the app as it does not have a refund policy.
FAQs
How can I Update the Boomerang app?
You will need to manually download the app from even Google Play because it's a background device and does not support automatic updates.
Why can't I track my child’s location?
It happens when GPS is not working so ensure your child’s device has all permission access and active GPS. Also, ensure a good network connection.
Can I export my child’s data?
Yes, you can do that by opening the app dashboard on the web and Exporting the last 30 days' data into CVS files.
How do I prevent my child from uninstalling Boomerang?
Open “Manage devices” from your phone and tap on the three dots in the top right corner. Open “Advanced Device Settings” and enable Prevent app uninstallation.
That's All For Now;
We value your time spent reading our in-depth Boomerang Parental Control Review. We appreciate your concern for keeping your digital life secure, and we hope the information we've provided has been useful. We welcome you to check back for additional cybersecurity software news and reviews to keep on top of the digital curve. To understand more and gain perspective, feel free to read the articles linked below. Be mindful of your internet security!
Kevin Bong was formerly the Director of Corporate Security for Johnson Financial Group, and currently works as an Information Assurance Consultant for SynerComm, Inc. Kevin has a BS in Physics and Computer Science from Carroll University, an MS in Information Security Engineering from the SANS Institute, and has earned multiple certifications including PMP and GIAC GSE. Kevin is also an amateur astronomer, beekeeper, an author and instructor, and a pretty neat dad. Prior to Impulsec, Kevin worked a Penetration Testing “Drop Box” project similar to the Pwnie Express called the MiniPwner.
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