OpenDNS Family Shield vs Norton Family Premier Comparison

Every parent has a different style of raising their kids. Do you prefer to be more involved in your children’s lives? Or, are you more relaxed and leave them to make their own mistakes? It’s worth considering when you decide what parental control software is right for you. The two companies we’ll be looking at are a great example of two different parenting philosophies. We have OpenDNS with the relaxed Family Shield service that requires just one installation and no maintenance, and then we have internet security giants Norton with Family Premier, a more hands-on approach to parental control. However, it’s not so simple as that – each has its unique features that will appeal to parents across the spectrum.

If you’re on a budget then we have good news for you – OpenDNS Family Shield is completely free. By simply following the online guide and changing your DNS to the Family Shield configuration you’ll see it works instantly – there’s no need to even sign up for an account. Of course, there’s a premium version of Family Shield called OpenDNS VIP Home which costs just $19.95 a year. VIP Home lets you customize the content filters however you wish, and you can even restrict all internet access to just a select group of whitelisted websites. Despite being a predominantly free service, OpenDNS’s customer service is top notch, with 24/7 support via email, some crystal-clear user guides, and an online community on hand to help you out.

Norton Family Premier works with Windows, Android, and iOS and each platform differs slightly. The Windows version has universal coverage to monitor everything your child does online from logging on to Facebook, watching YouTube, or browsing online. Both mobile apps filter content and have GPS location tracking, but the Android version has more functions overall since Apple’s strict regulations have limited the iOS app’s capabilities. All versions of Family Premier will send you regular notifications and updates about your children’s activity. One aspect of Family Premier we particularly like is that it gives children a list of house rules to follow. This way they know their own limitations, and if those rules are broken the parents are notified straight away.

It comes as little surprise that Norton Family Premier has some fantastic customer service. Support is on hand 24/7 through live chat or over the telephone, and users also have access to a large online community, FAQs, and user guides. Family Premier doesn’t have a free version like its Bay Area rival OpenDNS, but it does come with a free 30-day trial so you can try out all of the features on offer. Then it’s just $49.99 for a year’s worth of protection including a 60-day money-back guarantee.

Conclusion

Each of these solutions has unique ways of applying parental controls and offers different experiences. OpenDNS Family Shield requires no maintenance and can be left to filter out inappropriate content, while Norton Family Premier gives you a more hands-on experience, allowing you to alter your children’s online experiences as you see fit.

Norton Family Premier’s GPS tracking gives added safety even when your children are out of the house, and the house rules function is a great way to have an agreed upon set of boundaries. On the other hand, OpenDNS is available without restrictions on every device and has the tantalizing benefit of being free. So really, it’s up to you how you want to monitor your children online, and in fact, you could even use both simultaneously for complete peace of mind.