Why choose Voop over Qustodio?

Both help keep a young person safe on their phone. Only one was designed around care plans, care teams, and young people who have every reason not to trust being watched. If you’re looking for a Qustodio alternative for foster care or a children’s home, here’s how they compare.

Voop Logo

For looked-after children, shaped around each young person’s care plan.

Extreme tamper-proof technology - can’t be removed or reset

Each young person’s care plan

Care teams working across shifts and homes

A phone that looks like everyone else’s

Openness the young person can see

Oversight and reporting for your organisation

A blocky voxel style image of a blue umbrella
A blocky voxel style image of a blue umbrella

General parental controls that families can install on the devices they already own.

Consumer subscription only

An app the parent installs, with an alert if it’s removed

A parent managing their own children

An app added to phones, tablets and computers

Detailed activity timelines and reports

Reading a child’s texts and flagging their chats, which is hard to justify in care

Location tracking set by the parent

Feature by feature

Who it's for

Feature

Voop

Qustodio

Designed for

Children in residential and foster care, and the teams around them

Parents managing their family’s devices

Designed for

Children in residential and foster care, and the teams around them

Voop

Parents managing their family’s devices

Qustodio

Rules set per young person

Tailored to each child’s care plan

Per child, set by a parent

Rules set per young person

Tailored to each child’s care plan

Voop

Per child, set by a parent

Qustodio

Shared across a care team

Care team dashboard, with team roles and permissions

One other parent can be added, with the same access

Shared across a care team

Care team dashboard, with team roles and permissions

Voop

One other parent can be added, with the same access

Qustodio

Audit log

Every change is recorded in a shared audit log, with a written reason

No record of who changed what, and no safeguard against coercion

Audit log

Every change is recorded in a shared audit log, with a written reason

Voop

No record of who changed what, and no safeguard against coercion

Qustodio

Oversight across multiple homes

One view across every home and team

Organised around a single family account

Oversight across multiple homes

One view across every home and team

Voop

Organised around a single family account

Qustodio

Reporting

Data dashboard and reporting for your organisation

Daily or weekly activity reports to a parent’s inbox

Reporting

Data dashboard and reporting for your organisation

Voop

Daily or weekly activity reports to a parent’s inbox

Qustodio

Device controls

Feature

Voop

Qustodio

Content filter and app controls

Included. Built into the phone and its connection, so it still applies on any Wi-Fi network and can’t be switched off

Included, as an app on the child’s device. The parent gets an alert if it’s removed

Content filter and app controls

Included. Built into the phone and its connection, so it still applies on any Wi-Fi network and can’t be switched off

Voop

Included, as an app on the child’s device. The parent gets an alert if it’s removed

Qustodio

Bedtime schedules

Included

Included, as a Bedtime routine

Bedtime schedules

Included

Voop

Included, as a Bedtime routine

Qustodio

Who they can call and text

Call and messaging settings, set in line with the care plan

Block or allow phone numbers, on Android only

Who they can call and text

Call and messaging settings, set in line with the care plan

Voop

Block or allow phone numbers, on Android only

Qustodio

Location

Live location on the care team map, when the young person chooses to share it

Location history on a map, switched on by the parent

Location

Live location on the care team map, when the young person chooses to share it

Voop

Location history on a map, switched on by the parent

Qustodio

Safe and unsafe places

Mark places as safe or unsafe on a map, and get an alert when the young person arrives or leaves

Saved places such as home and school, with alerts on arrival and departure

Safe and unsafe places

Mark places as safe or unsafe on a map, and get an alert when the young person arrives or leaves

Voop

Saved places such as home and school, with alerts on arrival and departure

Qustodio

Missing incidents

If a young person is reported missing, location sharing turns on until they’re found, and everyone linked to them is alerted

No missing mode. On Android, a Panic Button lets the child alert trusted contacts

Missing incidents

If a young person is reported missing, location sharing turns on until they’re found, and everyone linked to them is alerted

Voop

No missing mode. On Android, a Panic Button lets the child alert trusted contacts

Qustodio

Transparency and trust

Feature

Voop

Qustodio

Reads texts and messages

Never. Voop doesn’t read their messages

Parents can read texts sent and received. In a children’s home that’s monitoring under Regulation 24, and reading a child’s messages as routine is very hard to justify at inspection.

Reads texts and messages

Never. Voop doesn’t read their messages

Voop

Parents can read texts sent and received. In a children’s home that’s monitoring under Regulation 24, and reading a child’s messages as routine is very hard to justify at inspection.

Qustodio

Monitors calls

No. The team is only alerted if a blocked caller tries to make contact

Shows who they call and message, and when

Monitors calls

No. The team is only alerted if a blocked caller tries to make contact

Voop

Shows who they call and message, and when

Qustodio

Scans chat and social apps

No. Private conversations stay private

AI alerts from six chat apps, including WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, with a snippet of the conversation

Scans chat and social apps

No. Private conversations stay private

Voop

AI alerts from six chat apps, including WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, with a snippet of the conversation

Qustodio

Young person can see what’s switched on

A transparent, child-friendly app showing what’s switched on and off

The Kids app shows time left, routines and blocked apps

Young person can see what’s switched on

A transparent, child-friendly app showing what’s switched on and off

Voop

The Kids app shows time left, routines and blocked apps

Qustodio

Young person can opt in or out of location sharing

Yes. They choose whether it’s on, and can change their mind at any time

No. Location is set by the parent, and is on by default

Young person can opt in or out of location sharing

Yes. They choose whether it’s on, and can change their mind at any time

Voop

No. Location is set by the parent, and is on by default

Qustodio

The phone

Feature

Voop

Qustodio

What you get

A Voop phone plan and tamper-proof setup on a supported Android phone

An app for phones, tablets and computers you already own

What you get

A Voop phone plan and tamper-proof setup on a supported Android phone

Voop

An app for phones, tablets and computers you already own

Qustodio

Looks like any other phone

A regular Android phone, so nothing marks them out

Depends on the device

Looks like any other phone

A regular Android phone, so nothing marks them out

Voop

Depends on the device

Qustodio

Can the child remove it?

No. The app can’t be uninstalled, and a factory reset is blocked and raises an alert

On Android it guards against uninstalling. On iPhone that needs a computer, and doesn’t support iOS 27

Can the child remove it?

No. The app can’t be uninstalled, and a factory reset is blocked and raises an alert

Voop

On Android it guards against uninstalling. On iPhone that needs a computer, and doesn’t support iOS 27

Qustodio

What it costs

One monthly price per young person, with the phone plan included

A yearly app subscription, priced by number of devices. The phone and its mobile plan aren’t included

What it costs

One monthly price per young person, with the phone plan included

Voop

A yearly app subscription, priced by number of devices. The phone and its mobile plan aren’t included

Qustodio

Questions about Qustodio in foster care

Can I use Qustodio in foster care?

You can, but it’s built for parents managing their own family, not for care. Qustodio lets an adult read a child’s texts, get alerts from their chats, log their activity and track their location. For a child in care, reading their messages is hard to justify to their social worker, and it costs their trust. Voop is built for care. It never reads messages, the child can see what’s switched on, protections can’t be switched off, and every change has a written reason your team can see.

Can I use Qustodio in foster care?

You can, but it’s built for parents managing their own family, not for care. Qustodio lets an adult read a child’s texts, get alerts from their chats, log their activity and track their location. For a child in care, reading their messages is hard to justify to their social worker, and it costs their trust. Voop is built for care. It never reads messages, the child can see what’s switched on, protections can’t be switched off, and every change has a written reason your team can see.

I already use Qustodio. Why switch?

If Qustodio is working for you, you may not need to. Care teams usually switch when a young person has removed it or got round it, when several carers need to manage the same phone, or when reading a child’s messages is hard to justify. Voop is built for that. Protections can’t be switched off, the whole care team manages the phone, every change is recorded with a reason, and it never reads messages.

I already use Qustodio. Why switch?

If Qustodio is working for you, you may not need to. Care teams usually switch when a young person has removed it or got round it, when several carers need to manage the same phone, or when reading a child’s messages is hard to justify. Voop is built for that. Protections can’t be switched off, the whole care team manages the phone, every change is recorded with a reason, and it never reads messages.

Can a children’s home use Qustodio?

It isn’t designed for it. In a children’s home, reading texts, flagging chats and tracking location is monitoring under Regulation 24: the home has to show it’s needed for safeguarding and no more intrusive than necessary. Reading a child’s messages as a matter of routine is very hard to justify at inspection. Qustodio’s help pages also describe no record of who changed what across shifts. Voop never reads messages, and every change is recorded with a reason the whole team can see.

Can a children’s home use Qustodio?

It isn’t designed for it. In a children’s home, reading texts, flagging chats and tracking location is monitoring under Regulation 24: the home has to show it’s needed for safeguarding and no more intrusive than necessary. Reading a child’s messages as a matter of routine is very hard to justify at inspection. Qustodio’s help pages also describe no record of who changed what across shifts. Voop never reads messages, and every change is recorded with a reason the whole team can see.

Can a child get round Qustodio?

It depends on the device. Qustodio is an app on the child’s phone. On Android it uses device permissions to guard against being uninstalled. On iPhone, that protection needs a computer and doesn’t support iOS 27 or later. If Qustodio is removed, the parent gets an alert, but by then the protections are off. A Voop phone is different: Voop is installed at the device level, so it can’t be uninstalled and a factory reset is blocked.

Can a child get round Qustodio?

It depends on the device. Qustodio is an app on the child’s phone. On Android it uses device permissions to guard against being uninstalled. On iPhone, that protection needs a computer and doesn’t support iOS 27 or later. If Qustodio is removed, the parent gets an alert, but by then the protections are off. A Voop phone is different: Voop is installed at the device level, so it can’t be uninstalled and a factory reset is blocked.

Can a child remove Voop from their phone?

No. On a Voop phone, Voop is installed at the device level. The app can’t be uninstalled, a factory reset is blocked and raises an alert, and filtering works on the phone and the network, so it still applies on any Wi-Fi network. That’s why the child helps agree their protections: they can see what’s switched on, and they have less reason to look for a way round.

Can a child remove Voop from their phone?

No. On a Voop phone, Voop is installed at the device level. The app can’t be uninstalled, a factory reset is blocked and raises an alert, and filtering works on the phone and the network, so it still applies on any Wi-Fi network. That’s why the child helps agree their protections: they can see what’s switched on, and they have less reason to look for a way round.

Does Voop read a child’s messages?

No. Voop never reads messages or records calls. The care team sets protections, such as which apps and contacts are allowed and when the internet is on, and the child can see what’s switched on, on their own phone.

Does Voop read a child’s messages?

No. Voop never reads messages or records calls. The care team sets protections, such as which apps and contacts are allowed and when the internet is on, and the child can see what’s switched on, on their own phone.

Can foster carers or parents use Voop?

Yes. Foster carers, kinship carers and special guardians can buy Voop directly, and so can any parent who wants the most secure option for their child.

Can foster carers or parents use Voop?

Yes. Foster carers, kinship carers and special guardians can buy Voop directly, and so can any parent who wants the most secure option for their child.

Is Voop a Qustodio alternative for foster care?

Yes. Voop is therapeutic digital safeguarding for children in care, in foster care and children’s homes. It runs on the child’s own Android phone. Protections are agreed with each child and set to what they need, from a normal phone to a basic one, and they can’t be switched off or got round with a factory reset. Location sharing is the child’s choice, unless they’re reported missing, when everyone linked to the child is alerted.

Is Voop a Qustodio alternative for foster care?

Yes. Voop is therapeutic digital safeguarding for children in care, in foster care and children’s homes. It runs on the child’s own Android phone. Protections are agreed with each child and set to what they need, from a normal phone to a basic one, and they can’t be switched off or got round with a factory reset. Location sharing is the child’s choice, unless they’re reported missing, when everyone linked to the child is alerted.

Built for care, not adapted for it

Laptop showing the Voop web app, with a green tick

Normalness as protection

For a child in care, a phone that looks and feels like everyone else's means they don’t feel different every time they open their phone.

Phone showing the phone features screen in the Voop app

Oversight that scales

Larger providers get one view across homes and teams, with roles, permissions and reporting built in.

Laptop showing a Voop alert, with a warning sign

Transparency BY DESIGN

One young person who’d deleted a tracking app before agreed to try Voop once they saw exactly what was on, and that location sharing was their call.

One monthly price, with the phone plan included

Voop is a phone plan with safeguarding built in, not an app you add on. Each young person’s plan includes unlimited calls and texts with 10GB of data, a tamper-proof phone setup, their own app and your care team dashboard. See pricing