How to Tell If an App Is Safe for Your Kid: A 10-Point Checklist

Your child comes home asking to download the app "everyone" has. Before you tap install, take five minutes to check it. Here's a simple 10-point checklist to decide whether an app is genuinely safe for a child under 18 years old, no tech expertise required.

How to answer "is this app safe for kids?" in 10 checks

The fastest way to answer is this app safe for kids is to look past the star rating and check how the app handles four things: your child's identity, who they can talk to, what they see, and what they can spend. Work through the ten points below and you'll have a clear yes, no, or "only with settings changed."

1. Check the real age rating and who set it

Look at the age rating in the App Store or Google Play, then find the developer's own recommended age. A "12+" store rating doesn't mean an app was designed for a 12-year-old. If you're unsure whether your child is old enough for a social app at all, our guide on what age kids should be on social media walks through it.

2. Read the privacy policy for what data it collects

You don't need to read every line. Search the policy for "location," "contacts," "advertising," and "third party." A safe kids' app collects as little as possible and never sells data. Apps built for children should comply with children's privacy laws like COPPA (US) and GDPR-K (EU).

3. See what profile information is public

Can strangers see your child's real name, photo, school, or town? The safest apps use nickname-only profiles and never expose personal details. This one check filters out a lot of risky apps quickly.

4. Understand who your child can talk to

Can anyone message your child, or only approved friends? Is there open voice or video chat? Look for apps that limit contact to mutual connections and don't allow unmoderated private messaging with strangers.

5. Check whether chat is filtered and moderated

Text filters block bad language and personal information like phone numbers and addresses. Human or AI moderation catches what filters miss. An app with real moderation is in a different safety league from one without it.

6. Look for reporting and blocking tools

Every child should be able to block and report another user in one or two taps and get a real response. If you can't find an obvious "report" button, that's a red flag.

7. Check whether it keeps kids in a safe space

Can your child tap through to the open internet, external websites, or other platforms from inside the app? The safest kids' apps keep activity within their own moderated environment rather than sending children out to pages no one is checking.

8. Check in-app purchases and spending controls

Find out if the app sells virtual currency, loot boxes, or subscriptions, and whether you can cap or disable spending. Then set up device-level purchase approval so nothing gets bought without your say-so.

9. Look at the content kids can create and share

Can children upload photos or videos? Is that content reviewed before it's public? User-generated content is where a lot of risk lives, so favour apps that moderate uploads.

10. Search for the company behind it

Google the developer's name plus "safety." A trustworthy company publishes a parent guide, names a moderation team, and responds to concerns. A silent or anonymous developer is a warning sign.

Quick Reference: Green Flags vs Red Flags

Set it up right, then keep talking

Even the safest app is safer with a conversation. Once you've downloaded something you trust, agree on ground rules and revisit them, our 5 online-safety conversations every parent should have gives you the exact words to use. It also helps to set healthy screen-time limits from day one, before habits form.

How Momio measures up

We built Momio for kids under 18 years old, so it's designed to pass every point on this list: nickname-only profiles, filtered and moderated chat, one-tap reporting, and no personal data on display. If you want to see exactly how those protections work, read is Momio a safe social media for kids? or visit our Parents & Safety centre.

The bottom line

You don't need to be a technology expert to keep your child safe online, you just need the right questions. Run any new app through these ten checks, change the settings that need changing, and keep the conversation going. That combination will answer "is this app safe for kids?" far better than a star rating ever could.

______________________________________________________________________________

Sources: COPPA (FTC), GDPR children's data, Article 8, NSPCC, eSafety Commissioner).