Best Routers with Built-in Parental Controls
What Routers with Parental Controls Do:
- Filter content by age
- Set screen time limits, WiFi limits by device and by family member
- Some offer malware protection, antivirus, firewalls, and VPN service
- Most come with an app making managing Parental controls easier
- Some will only sell you the device itself, some offer a paid monthly subscription to access advanced parental controls. Not cool, we already paid for the router.
We have studied the reviews from actual users: parents who purchased and used one of these routers. Only the products with positive reviews are included – that is, the reviews for parental controls features of the router, not how fast the gaming speed is!
For our readers we negotiated an exclusive promo code TECHDETOX for 15% off Gryphon Guardian Advanced parental controls routers.
- Parental controls on the family WiFi are included, optional paid subscription to Gryphon HomeBound Service to control the content on kids devices even when away from home on a different WiFi or using cell phone data
- Comes with a smartphone app
- Set content filters
- Review browsing history
- Set bedtimes/homework times
- Limit screen time
- Enforce safe search on Internet browsers
- Enforce safe YouTube mode
- Monitor gaming consoles
- Suspend Internet anytime
- Filters content in real time using 7 layer proprietary Internet filter
- Has been around since 2009, helping protect families for a long time
- Logs all sites visited per device
- Time Restrictions for each device
- Optional email reports on daily activity
- Block content by keywords
- Filters YouTube
- Control Router Settings via smartphone app
- Enforces Safe Search
- Cost:
- Router: $179.99 (home) – $249.99 (small business)
- Monthly fee: $9.99-$14.99
For our readers we negotiated a promo code TECHDETOX for 25% off Clean Router parental controls routers – applies to the routers and to monthly subscription fees.
Synology Wi-Fi router with Safe Access parental controls
- Parental controls are included free
- Comes with a smart phone app
- Set content filters and safe web browsing
- Set up custom profiles for family members
- Block or whitelist individual websites
- Set screen time limits, give extra time as a reward
- Turn off Internet automatically
- Activity reports
- Malware protection
- VPN service
EERO Home Mesh router
- Charges a monthly fee for parental controls
- Comes with a smartphone app
- Create profiles for each member of the family and assign devices to them
- Set content filters
- Schedule time limits by pausing the WiFi on devices
- Includes ad blocking and advanced network security (extra fee)
TP-Link Deco Home Mesh WiFi System
- Parental controls are complimentary for a limited period of time (sometimes as long as 3 years) but then there is a charge
- Comes with a smart phone app
- Create profiles and assign devices
- Filter content by age
- Set time limits
- Turn off Internet on schedule, or pause WiFi for individual users
- Activity reports
- Antivirus protection
NETGEAR Orbi Whole Home Mesh WiFi System or Netgear Nighthawk with Smart Parental Controls
- Partial Parental Controls are free, full Parental controls are a paid monthly subscription after the first month
- Basic free parental controls filters content and can pause Internet, but does not have schedules
- Comes with a smart phone app
- Pause device internet access
- View activity
- Set content filters (only website filter is free)
- Set time limits
- Schedule device internet access
- Antivirus and malware protection (extra fee)
Why is Protecting the Router Important?
A router is a digital gateway into your home. Anything that comes in from the Internet has to pass through the router. That’s why it is so important to protect your kids from the digital dangers out there by first protecting the router – before you move on to other layers of parental controls. Every device on your family WiFi network will be subject to the same safety guardrails you put in place on the router level.
There are several ways to protect the router:
- Filter inappropriate content with DNS settings (you can do it yourself for free)
- Adjust parental controls settings on your existing router. Almost all routers today come with at least some parental controls
- Buy a router plugin device that adds parental controls to your existing network
- Buy a router with robust parental controls already built-in
