Not All Apps Are for Kids: How to Check an App Before Your Child Downloads It

Cartoon icons, bright colors and a free price tag can make almost any app look child-friendly. But many popular apps are designed for teens or adults, and some that look harmless include chat with strangers, aggressive in-app purchases or heavy data collection. App stores have rules and ratings, but they don't do all the checking for you.

Here's how to read an app's listing like a parent, which features to look for, and how to set up your child's device so unsuitable apps don't show up in the first place.

Age ratings: useful, but limited

Apple App Store

In 2025, Apple revised its age ratings. Devices running iOS 26 or later show 4+, 9+, 13+, 16+ and 18+, replacing the older, broader system. Developers answer a questionnaire about content such as violence, sexual content, gambling, medical topics and user-generated content, and the rating follows from their answers. Ratings can vary by country.

Google Play

Google Play uses ratings from the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC). In the US they appear as ESRB labels: Everyone, Everyone 10+, Teen, Mature 17+ and Adults Only 18+. Other regions show their local rating systems.

What ratings miss

Age ratings mostly describe content: what the app itself shows. They're much weaker on:

• Who your child can talk to. An app can carry a modest rating and still let strangers send messages.
• User-generated content. Apps where other users post videos, images or chat can expose kids to anything those users share.
• Spending. Ratings don't reflect how hard an app pushes purchases.
• Data collection. That's covered separately, if at all.

Treat the rating as a minimum check, not a green light.

The minimum age is often in the terms

Many apps set a minimum age in their terms of service that's separate from the store rating. Most social media and messaging apps require users to be at least 13, largely because of the US Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which restricts collecting personal information from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent. A child under 13 using these apps usually means someone entered a false birthdate.

Five things to check before saying yes

1. Can strangers contact my child? Look for chat, comments, friend requests, voice chat or live streaming. Check whether these can be limited to approved friends.
2. Is there user-generated content? If other people post content, your child will see some of it. Check reporting and filtering options.
3. Does it sell things inside the app? Both stores list "In-App Purchases" on the app page. Look for loot boxes, subscriptions and "energy" mechanics that push kids to pay.
4. What data does it collect? Apple's App Privacy labels and Google Play's Data safety section describe what's collected and whether it's linked to the user.
5. Who made it? Check the developer's other apps, the support link and the privacy policy. Reputable children's developers are usually transparent.

Then try it yourself for ten minutes. You'll learn more than any review can tell you. Common Sense Media and similar parent-review sites can fill in gaps for popular apps.

Red flags

• An anonymous or "secret" messaging feature
• Random video or text chat with strangers
• Location sharing on a map that others can see
• Pressure to buy, with timers or "limited offers" aimed at kids
• Disappearing messages for young children
• A very generic developer with no website or privacy policy
• Reviews that mention inappropriate content or contact

Our roundup of apps and websites to watch out for and our guide to live streaming risks give specific examples.

Set up the device to filter apps

iPhone and iPad

1. Set your child up with a child account in Family Sharing.
2. Turn on Ask to Buy so every download, including free apps, needs your approval.
3. In Screen Time's Content & Privacy Restrictions, under Content Restrictions, choose the highest app age rating you'll allow. Apps above that rating disappear from the device and the store.

On iOS 27, these settings are reached from Settings > Family > [child's name]. Our step-by-step guide on how to restrict apps by rating covers both the new and older layouts.

Android

1. Set up Google Family Link for your child's account.
2. Set app approval so downloads need your OK.
3. In Google Play's content settings for your child, choose the maximum rating for apps and games.

Other devices

Game consoles, smart TVs and kids' tablets have their own app stores and controls. Our parental controls guide for phones, computers and tablets lists where to find each.

Talk about it, too

Filters stop kids from finding most unsuitable apps on their own device, but friends will still show them apps on their phones. Teach your child to ask a few questions themselves: Can strangers message me here? Does it want money? Would I be comfortable if a parent saw this? Kids who can evaluate apps make better choices when you're not around.

Quick checklist

1. Turn on Ask to Buy or Family Link app approval.
2. Set a maximum age rating.
3. Check for chat, user content, purchases and data collection before approving.
4. Try new apps yourself.
5. Check the app's own privacy and parental settings after installing.
6. Revisit approved apps every few months; apps change.