Whether you want to track your kid’s phone or want to access control on company devices, spy apps step in to get you the data you need while working undercover. A simple search online will reveal plenty of Android spywares that you can install for your Android device.
With so many options available, we understand that it can get pretty confusing to pick out the best one for you. Fortunately, we have prepared a list of the top Android spy apps of 2020 that will help you keep an eye on users’ online activities.
The Best Spy Apps for Android – Reviewed
1. XNSPY for Android
With the ability to fetch information from call logs, texts, emails, WhatsApp chats, Facebook Messenger, Viber, Skype, and other social media activities, it is no surprise why this app quickly became the top choice among many to help them monitor their child’s mobile phone activity. The best part is that this can all be done stealthily without alerting your target about it.
All collected information is uploaded to your personal web account that can be easily accessed from any internet-ready device. The XNSPY app even gives you remote control to block specific people from contacting your child. Utilizing the GPS function in your child’s mobile device, the mobile spy app even lets you accurately track their location at all times. This is also a particularly nifty function for when your target phone gets lost or stolen.
Another interesting feature worth noting about the XNSPY is that it can even alert you when specific words and phrases such as “don’t tell”, “home alone”, and “give me your phone number” appear anywhere in your child’s conversation or browser searches. This is an amazing tool to help parents protect children from abuse and inappropriate content.
However, a few important aspects are missing in the XNSPY app with one major feature being time control. You’re not able to set specific times and duration on the app to limit when and how long your child is able to go online. While time controls are more readily available in computer parental control software, several third-party apps also provide you with similar functions on mobile phones and tablets.
Overall, XNSPY is a good choice for anyone who wants to monitor their target phone and internet activity. However, if you need to be able to set time limits for when and how long they can use their device, you may need to look elsewhere or install a separate app for it.
Pros
- Advanced features like geofencing, call recording, ambient recording, and quick Watchlist Alerts
- Remote commands with no lags or virtual interruptions
- GPS location to help you track phone
- User-friendly interface
Cons
- Does not include time controls
2. SpyEra
SpyEra is yet another popular Android monitoring software that lets you remotely track, monitor, and control a targeted smartphone. This Hong Kong-based app boasts simple features such as location, messaging, and call logs monitoring that can also be used on multiple operating systems.
Aside from furnishing you with basic information such as dates, names, numbers, and duration of phone calls, SpyEra even lets you listen and record live calls. You can also set the phone monitoring app to alert you when specific contacts are attempting to engage in a phone call.
Another special feature with this app is that it comes with ambient listening and recording function. This unique feature can be activated by a secret command sent to the phone manually or at a scheduled time and the app will use the device’s built-in microphone to let you listen in to the device’s surroundings.
While you can use the app to monitor messages from WhatsApp, Facebook, LINE, Skype, and other instant messaging platforms, you will actually need to root it first. Rooting is a complex process that may take up quite a bit of time to set up and is definitely not the best way forward for first-timers.
Although SpyEra offers all the features one would expect from the latest breed of mobile spy apps, the company seems to lose out in terms of customer service. Lacking a Live Chat option, some users have reported that the customer support team is occasionally unreachable, which made it difficult for them to solve any issues.
All in all, SpyEra is a good mobile tracking application choice thanks to its advanced set of features that are not commonly found in other platforms. However, if you’re not technologically savvy, you may want to opt for an app with 24/7 customer support to get timely resolutions to your queries.
Pros
- Easy to use a mobile tracking app
- Ambient listening and recording feature
- Allows you to listen in to a live phone call
- Runs on multiple operating software
Cons
- Lacking in quality customer support
- May require a rooting process to monitor messages on IM platforms
- A higher price tag
3. Kiddie Parental Control for Android
Formerly known as Heimdall Parental Control, the Kiddie is one of the newer spy apps that many parents install to keep track of their kids’ mobile activities. Since the app does not provide any remote control, it is a more respectful method of controlling another phone’s usage.
Once you install the app on your target device, it’ll ask you to grant accessibility permissions and to activate the app as a device administrator. All of these steps work to ensure the mobile phone user cannot uninstall the app without the PIN.
Nonetheless, this spy app still offers plenty of features such as blocking installed applications, disallowing the installation of new apps, and time control to let you set the limit and duration of smartphone usage. There is, of course, also activating the GPS to locate your targeted device through an SMS and a feature to block out access to adult and illegal websites.
As mentioned above, the lack of remote control means you’ll need to physically access the target phone for everything. While this is a little more inconvenient, it does mean that the user’s private information remains secure within the family since the app does not upload any information online.
In summary, the Kiddie Parental Control is a good app to set restrictions on application usage and a time limit to control how long your child is on their smartphone. Despite its lack of remote-control feature, this is a reliable and more respectful way of monitoring a targeted device’s usage.
Pros
- Restrict installation of new applications
- Time control for apps and phone calls
- Parental filters to block sensitive websites and content
Cons
- Cannot be controlled remotely
- No scheduled operation
Conclusion
As you see above, each and every spy app on our list comes with their own respective pros and cons. For some, they may feel that the advantages greatly outweigh the disadvantages depending on the intended purposes of spy apps. Hopefully, the guide today has helped you in your search for the best spy app you can download now into your Android phone.
