WebWatcher Reviews: Does It Really Work for You?
Summer Nguyen | 12-18-2024
![WebWatcher Reviews: Does It Really Work for You?](https://i.imgur.com/2NW6XZ3.jpg)
The Internet is undoubtedly a fantastic tool for learning and discovering new horizons. That’s why kids are so attached to it.
Nevertheless, the use of private chat rooms, instant messengers, and social media platforms can lead to troubles, such as inappropriate content, sexting, cyberbullying, suicidal tendencies, and exposure to online predators. Therefore, as a parent, you need a clue of what your kid is doing online.
One of the best ways to monitor your kid’s Internet activity is by installing a parental control app, such as WebWatcher or mSpy. However, it can be hard to make a choice. That’s where user reviews come in.
In this article, we’ll dig deeper into WebWatcher, and help you determine whether to use it or not. Let’s begin right now!
What is WebWatcher?
First and foremost, WebWatcher is one of the most popular parental control softwares for monitoring children’s activity online. It helps protect kids from befriending predators on the Internet. The platform gathers data from a target device and displays it on a secure web-based account.
![What is WebWatcher?](https://i.imgur.com/c1OLjda.jpg)
WebWatcher allows users to monitor call logs, text messages, web browser history, photos, GPS location, as well as some social networking apps, such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Tinder, and many more. You can access the app remotely from almost any device operating on iOS and Android.
WebWatcher will be of great help if you’re:
- A business owner having several employees working for you
- A parent wanting to monitor your child’s online activities
- An individual wanting to monitor your own device, so that you can know who operates it in your absence
Key features of WebWatcher
In the past few years, WebWatcher has been gaining immense popularity. Parents and employers turn into this amazing app due to its incredible features. As a perfect monitoring solution, WebWatcher is packed the following key features:
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Optimal compatibility. WebWatcher is compatible with almost all Android tablets and phones, iPad, iPhone, Mac systems, and Windows PCs and laptops.
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No jailbreak required. Jailbreaking can damage a device and make the apps not work at their best. The good news is that there are monitoring apps that do not require the process, and WebWatcher is a perfect example. Convenient to use, the software is a go-to solution to avoid the dangers of jailbreaking.
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Web-based monitoring interface. The platform can access a person’s online activities, record them, then send them to your account online, making the process stress-free and convenient. Just browse your account to enjoy real-time and quality monitoring.
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Web history. It used to be impossible to track smartphone web browsing history. But things have changed a lot. With an array of tracking tools, it’s easy to access the websites that a target person visits. WebWatcher allows you to do that without any difficulty.
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SMS text messages. Who says that WebWatcher only tracks online activities? In fact, it lets you see all SMS text messages a specific device sends and receives. This will increase your child’s security and safety. Your employees are no exception. They’ll stay focused on their job, be productive and competitive over time.
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Photo recording. Thanks to WebWatcher, users can track all photos taken and saved to a particular device.
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Call log history. Aside from accessing SMS text messages and recording a photo, WebWatcher enables you to track all calls a target phone receives. You can see the phone number, time of call, and call duration. That way, you’re able to determine whether your children have been receiving stressful calls or not.
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App monitoring. WebWatcher allows you to see the list of installed apps on a device. Whether it is a social media platform or camera app, WebWatcher will be your perfect buddy.
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Social media monitoring. Some popular social media platforms, such as Kik, WhatsApp, Skype, Viber, and Tinder, are accessed by teenagers and even younger kids. So, it’s essential to keep a check on all these sites’ activities, as they can be a significant source of unwanted scenarios. Through this feature, parents can know if any kind of unsuitable content is sent or circulated.
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Location tracking. Parents are often worried about where their child is. This worry increases when their child doesn’t respond to their calls or messages. With WebWatcher, parents will get a detailed history of the whereabouts of their kid within a minute or two.
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Available free trial. WebWatcher comes with a free trial of one week to provide users an opportunity to test the platform before actually committing to it.
Pros and cons of using WebWatcher
![Pros and cons of using WebWatcher](https://i.imgur.com/85dI6hM.jpg)
Pros:
- Compatible with almost all devices and operating systems
- All data can be accessed online remotely with any device
- Gives out instant email warnings
- Allows discrete and convenient sifting of web content
- No jailbreak required
Cons:
- Not intuitive to use when compared to other available parental control apps
- A bit tricky and overwhelming to install on the target device
- Antivirus programs and other security features need to be disabled
- The premium version is pretty expensive
- Once any antivirus program detects it on the target phone, it’ll be removed right away
- It makes the target phone lag in functionality upon installation
WebWatcher’s pricing plans
WebWatcher provides subscription plans for 1 month, 3 months, and 1 year. These plans are used for iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and Chromebook. Each plan allows you to monitor just one device, and you need to choose the type of device (iOS, Android, etc.) when you buy the plan.
If you need to monitor more than one device, you can get volume discounts by ordering 3 or more licenses. When you buy multiple licenses, you can see all the recorded data in one online account. This makes it easy to manage.
However, it is worth noting that WebWatcher’s pricing is relatively high. It restricts you to one device per subscription and requires you to choose the type of device when you buy the subscription. If you switch from an Android to an iOS device, you’ll need a new subscription. Competitors like Bark, <a href=”https://us.norton.com/products/norton-family target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow noopener”> Norton Family</a>, and Qustodio are more affordable and allow the monitoring of multiple devices simultaneously.
Another disadvantage of WebWatcher is that it does not offer a free trial or a standard money-back guarantee. WebWatcher claims to have a “Risk-Free” program. However, refunds are only provided if the company fails to deliver on its promises, and customer support cannot resolve the issue within three days of notification. This is very disappointing because most control apps offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. Below are the specific plans, pricing, and WebWatcher’s main features for specific plans:
Main Features | iOS | Android | Windows | Chromebook | MacOs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cost | $10.83/month | $10.83/month | $10.83/month | $39.95/year | $10.83/month |
Devices | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Control social media | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Monitor SMS/ text | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Access camera roll | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Offer instant messages | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Monitor email | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Include browser history | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Alert risk | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Provide alert words | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Track app usage | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Capture screenshot continuously | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Track location | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Block program | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Record keystroke logger (upon request) | No | No | Yes | No | No |
Include the Enotify add-on(upon request) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
How to install & configure the WebWatcher app
Steps to install & set up the WebWatcher Parental App
Web App
#1. Go to login.webwatcher.com and log into your account with your credentials.
#2. Select the device you want to monitor (Android, iPhone, Mac, Chromebook, and more).
There was some disappointment when attempting to log in to the WebWatcher iOS app with the credentials. The system informs that only the web app could be used because the account was created on the website instead of the iOS app.
iOS
#1. Open the app store on iOS device
#2. Download the WebWatcher app from the App Store.
#3. Open the app and log in with the credentials.
#4. Choose Parent
to begin using the WebWatcher app.
.
Android
#1. Open the Google Play Store on the Android device.
#2. Search for WebWatcher in the search bar.
#3. Tap Install
to download and install the Select the WebWatcher app on your device.
#4. Open the WebWatcher app.
#5. Log in with your credentials.
#6. Select Parent
to start using the WebWatcher app.
Steps to install & set up the WebWatcher Kids Device
Chromebook
#1. Access the Chrome Web Store by clicking the following link: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/websecurity-for-chromeboo/fpaeneebgnphjglakjebaekpcobbekgf.
#2. Press Add to Chrome
to install the extension.
#3. Sign in with your WebWatcher credentials. You need to fill in your email address & password to register the device. Now, you can track your child’s Chromebook.
Kindly note that it might take up to 15 minutes for all the data to fully load onto the parental dashboard.
Windows
Follow these step-by-step guides to install WebWatcher for Windows:
#1. Log into your WebWatcher account using the same credentials as the parental app. Keep in mind that your username is the email address you registered with.
#2. Click on the Add New PC
icon under Available Licenses.
#3. Choose Yes
to confirm you’re on the device you want to monitor.
If the antivirus program is installed, follow the instructions to whitelist WebWatcher. If no antivirus is installed, skip this step.
#4. Press the Click here to view the antivirus instructions
link when the antivirus settings pop-up appears. Follow the instructions below to proceed with the download and installation.
#5. Scroll to the bottom of the Antivirus Settings pop-up and continue to the next step if there is no antivirus installed on the target device.
The next step is to download and install
#6. Click Download
.
#7. Open the awininstaller.msi file.
#8. Double-click the .exe file to start the installation.
#9. Click Yes
to allow the app to change your device if prompted.
#10. Follow the setup wizard instructions to finish the installation.
You can now monitor your child’s Chromebook. Please allow up to 15 minutes for the data to fully sync and display on the dashboard.
MacOS
#1. Go to https://login.webwatcher.com/ from the macOS device you want to monitor; you can sign in to your WebWatcher account with the same login credentials as for the parental app.
#2. In the upper menu, click on Available Licenses and select the Add New Mac
icon. Confirm that you are on the device you want to monitor by clicking Yes.
#3. Then, click download
. When the download is complete, open the .dmg installer from the top right of the downloads in Safari.
#4. Click on the WebWatcher for Mac.pkg
in the pop-up window. You need to follow the prompts in the setup wizard to complete the installation.
#5. That is all steps. The process can take up to 15 minutes for all data to load onto your parental dashboard.
iOS
Setting up WebWatcher on your child’s iOS device is a complex and time-consuming process. It’s important to communicate with your child about the installation process and the time required for backups.
#1. Log into your WebWatcher account on a macOS or Windows device.
#2. Go to Available Licenses in the upper menu and select Install iPhone/iPad icon.
From here, you can either click the live chat button to have a chat agent install WebWatcher remotely for you or follow the steps below if you want to install it manually.
#3. Download the macOS or Windows desktop app from the link provided in the iOS installation guides within the WebWatcher knowledgebase.
#4. Click Keep when prompted, and then open the file named “WWDesktopApp.msi.”
#5. Press the LET'S GET STARTED
button when a WebWatcher pop-up appears and fill in the credentials.
#6. Follow the prompts to install iMazing, which is used to back up your child’s iPhone and send the data to the parental dashboard.
#7. Next, create a backup by selecting Back Up
.
#8. Under Backup Schedule, choose Daily
and set a daily backup schedule. Ensure the target phone and your computer are on the same Wi-Fi network.
The backup process took over 10 hours, so it can be time-consuming. Thus, you’ll need to inform your kids about the process, as their phones will be unavailable for several hours during the backup. You may need an external hard drive if your computer has limited storage capacity (in this case, 75 GB is not enough).
#9. Transmit the data to the parental dashboard (take 1–3 hours) after creating the backup.
#10. Ensure the computer must stay on and cannot go into sleep mode during data transmission.
#11. Automate backups to get updated data from the child’s iPhone.
#12. Log out and log in to the WebWatcher Mac app after each backup to begin the data transmission. It’s quite inconvenient to monitor when the phone starts backing up constantly.
Android
Here’s a comprehensive guide to set up the Android app on your kid’s device:
#1. Disable Play Protect:
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Open the Play Store on your child’s device.
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Choose the profile icon located in the top right corner
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Scroll down and tap Play Protect.
- Switch off the Scan device for the security threats setting.
#2. Enable Install Unknown Apps:
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Go to
Settings > Security and privacy
. -
Tap on
Install Unknown Apps
and enable it.
#3. Download and Install WebWatcher:
-
Open Google Chrome on your child’s device and go to getati.com.
-
Click the
download
button, then selectOK
andOPEN
.
-
Slide to the right to start downloading the app. If you receive a warning about the file being harmful, select Download anyway.
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Do not click DONE during the installation process.
#4. Set Up WebWatcher:
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Select Child’s device when prompted.
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Enter the WebWatcher username (full email address) and password you created.
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Give the necessary permissions to the app.
When these steps are completed, you can monitor your child’s Android device through WebWatcher.
How to use WebWatcher?
To start using the app on Android, you need to complete three easy steps:
#1. Sign up. Choose your required operating system and purchase the subscription that suits your needs best.
#2. Download the software. To start monitoring the target device, you need to install the app on it.
#3. Start tracking remotely. Go to the login page and access your account. All the activities from the target device will be then transferred to your WebWatcher online account.
If you’d like to use WebWatcher on iPhone, follow these steps:
#1. Log in. Open the WebWatcher login page and input the Apple ID and Password of the device you want to monitor. Remember to disable iCloud backup and enable 2FA (Two Factor Authentication) on it.
#2. Monitor activities. When the target device backs up data to iCloud, its activities will be recorded and transferred to your account.
#3. Start tracking remotely. Use the WebWatcher mobile login to keep track of all the recorded data, including photos, texts, calls, websites, instant messengers, etc.
How reliable is WebWatcher?
To be honest, WebWatcher offers a great service through its apps. Also, it complies with all the guidelines of the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. That’s why it’s available in these stores. We all know that these stores are very strict about their privacy policies, so don’t hesitate to terminate any app that violates them. Therefore, this can act as a seal of trust from Apple and Google for this app.
However, it’s difficult to say the same about your PC and Mac devices. We recommend you go for it only if you don’t care much about the privacy of your PC and Mac devices. It’s better to be careful in this age of data today, as more data equals more power, and more power brings more profit. So, remember to choose your software wisely.
Is WebWatcher a reliable tool for Monitoring Your Kids’ online activities?
No, WebWatcher is not a great choice for monitoring kids’ devices. While it claims to offer essential features such as social media monitoring, call and SMS tracking, and GPS location tracking, this software encounters performance issues. During multiple tests, we observed consistent failures in transferring data to the parental dashboard.
Besides, WebWatcher lacks some important parental control features. It does not provide daily time limits or web filters. It only tracks incoming messages, leaving parents unaware of potentially harmful outgoing interactions. In today’s digital age, where cyberbullying and online threats are rampant, this limitation is unacceptable.
FAQs about Webwatcher
Is WebWatcher user-friendly?
Some users find WebWatcher difficult to set up and use because it requires frequent device backups to keep the data updated.
Does WebWatcher work on all devices?
WebWatcher supports Android, iOS, Windows, MacOS, and Chromebook devices.
Can WebWatcher track real-time location?
Yes, WebWatcher can track the real-time location of the monitored device using GPS.
What are the common complaints about WebWatcher?
Common complaints include the lack of certain features, difficulty in setup, and issues with customer support and refunds.
Is WebWatcher legal to use?
Yes, WebWatcher is legal to use, but it must be used in compliance with local laws. Typically, it should only be used to monitor devices that you own or have explicit permission to monitor.
Does WebWatcher offer a free trial?
No, WebWatcher does not offer a free trial. It also does not offer a money-back guarantee.
Alternatives to WebWatcher
If you want a choice other than WebWatcher, this section will help you with that.
WebWatcher vs. mSpy
mSpy becomes a the best alternative to WebWatcher, and it’s common for people to choose mSpy over WebWatcher. Since 2010, mSpy has evolved into one of the most popular and effective monitoring apps around the world. Once installed, it can work quietly without any trace.
So, why should you choose mSpy?
- mSpy has real-time GPS tracking
- mSpy offers more in-depth storage access (notes, contacts, calendar data, etc.)
- Its customer support is excellent (e-mail, live chat, phone support)
- mSpy has a much lower monthly price
WebWatcher vs. Qustodio
Perhaps you have gotten this far, and neither WebWatcher nor mSpy has impressed you. That’s fine, and you can also consider Qustodio. Let’s see which features that Qustodio can offer its users:
- Monitor activities on Android and iOS
- Doesn’t require users to jailbreak iOS or root Android devices
- Track everything that the target types using a keylogger
- Capture live screenshots of the target device’s display
- Display the target’s live GPS location on Google Map
- View Snapchat, Instagram, and other social media apps’ data
- Show all of the tracked data on a dashboard that users can access anytime and anywhere
- Provide a fully-functioning demo so that users can see features in action
WebWatcher vs. FlexiSPY
FlexiSPY is a huge name in the antivirus world, so it comes as no surprise when it has one of the strongest offerings in parental-control software.
FlexiSPY, formerly known as FlexiSPY Premier, is not the cheapest option out there, but it can be an incredible value for large families - a $50 yearly license supports an unlimited number of children and devices.
FlexiSPY offers the following features to keep your kids safe online:
- Supervise websites, locations, search activities, time, videos, apps
- Allow you to lock all of your kid’s devices that are online. You can set a PIN to unlock the device or contact someone in case of emergencies
- Send detailed and consolidated reports that show all of the target device’s activities for the past 30 days. You also get an email summary on a weekly or monthly basis
The bottom line
Monitoring software is obviously a helpful tool to use whether you are a protective parent or an enforcing employer. There is no better way to ensure that your children are safe online and that your employees are sticking to work.
After you browse through our WebWatcher review, we hope that you have a better picture of what this solution has to offer. If you think we’ve missed anything, please let us know. We’re always happy to hear from you!