Verizon Smart Family Review: App’s Features and Alternatives [2024]

Verizon Smart Family is a parental control app for the users of Verizon, the third-largest mobile carrier in the US. The Smart Family app is aimed at helping parents monitor kids’ devices remotely. The app has a comprehensive list of parental control features, from location tracking to web monitoring.

While Verizon Smart Family is a wholesome app, it has pros and cons. This Verizon Smart Family review will reveal all its features and limitations.

It’s necessary to note, that if you want to track a kid’s Verizon phone without them knowing, Smart Family won’t help. But you can track any phone anonymously just by phone number. Try it right now by filling out the form below.

What Is Verizon Smart Family

Verizon Smart Family app (formerly FamilyBase) is a parental control and location tracking app. The app allows parents to track their kids’ real-time location and view various features on their devices remotely. Parents are notified when kids are on their phones and can see a summary of the phone’s activities.

The Verizon Smart Family app can temporarily suspend a kid’s device. In addition, it can block internet access over a wireless or cellular network and restrict the use of various apps. Smart Family can check the web activity on a target phone, and you can use it to set time and Geofence restrictions.

How to Use Verizon Smart Family App

The Verizon Smart Family app has numerous features. Let’s look at the widely used functions of this app.

Location Tracking

You must have the Verizon Smart Family Premium to use the location tracking feature. In addition, you need to pair your phone with the Verizon Smart Family companion app on the kid’s device. Then, enable Smart Family notifications to view the location of your child’s Android device.

Follow these steps to use the location feature on Smart Family:

1. Open the Verizon Smart app and select the desired child on top of the screen.
2. The app will locate your child and display a halo with the child’s general location.
3. Click on the map to zoom in for a more detailed location.
4. Tap on history if you want to check the child’s location history.
5. Tap Navigate to see the specific location’s name in the search field.

Verizon Smart Family location alerts allow you to set alerts that notify you of your child’s location when your child arrives and leaves certain places. It can also alert your child’s location at specific times of the day.

Does Verizon Smart Family Notify the Person Being Located?

Verizon Smart family will notify your child monthly that their phone is being tracked. It also tells them who they share their location with on the Verizon Smart family account.

Parental Control

Verizon Smart Family allows you to set up various parental control on a child’s device.

For example, you can pause the internet on your child’s phone. To achieve it, tap on the child image at the top of the screen of the Verizon Smart app and choose “Pause Internet”. The same way you can unpause it.

Set Up Content Filters

You have to pair your Verizon app with the child’s companion app:

1. Open the Verizon Smart Family app and click on the child.
2. Scroll down to Manage Control and click Content Filters.
3. Select the content category you want to filter.
4. Turn the switch on by tapping on it. The switch will turn black when it’s on.
   
5. You can block all filters in a category by clicking ALL.
6. Tap SAVE to employ the content filters.

To Filter Website Content

1. Tap Child > Manage Controls> Content Filters > Websites.
2. Tap either Trusted Websites or Blocked Websites and add the URL of the website to allow or block that website.

Time Restrictions

Verizon Smart Family parental controls also include time restrictions.

Here’s how to use time restrictions:

1. Open the Smart Family app and tap on a child.
2. Scroll to Manage Controls and tap on Limits.
3. Tap Time Restrictions.
4. Tap School or Night Hours and adjust the recommended time according to your child’s schedule.
5. Click Custom Time Restrictions to add times of the day you want to keep your child off the phone.
   
6. Tap Save and restart your child’s phone to activate the time limits you’ve put in.

View Driving Activity

You can also set up driving insights on your Verizon account.

You’ll need the Verizon Smart Family premium to access driving insights and crash detection:

1. Open the Smart Family Parent app and tap on the child.
2. Scroll to All Trips and click View More.
3. Scroll down to see your child’s trip listed by the days they were made.
4. Scroll to see individual trips and select a trip to see more details.

What Can Verizon Smart Family See?

Let’s figure it out, what this app can see:

Can Verizon Smart Family Read Texts?

Verizon Smart Family cannot read texts. It only sees who sent the text messages, but not the content of the texts. In addition, it can block private and restricted texts to prevent restricted and private numbers from contacting your child. If you want to read text messages on your child’s phone, use uMobix or mSpy.

Can Verizon Smart Family See Snapchat?

Verizon Smart family cannot see Snapchat. It cannot access social media apps on the child’s device. However, you can use mSpy or uMobix to see what your child is doing on Snapchat and other social media apps.

Can Verizon Smart Family See Incognito Mode?

Verizon Smart Family Premium may show you incognito searches. However, they may not be accurate since the incognito mode is designed to prevent web browsers from logging the browser history.

Can Verizon Smart Family See Internet History?

Verizon Smart Family can see the internet history. It shows you a graph with the general categories and how much your child engages with each type of content. It will also break down the websites that your child used in each category.

How to Disable Verizon Smart Family As a Child

A child can bypass Verizon Smart family app from the parent’s control app. One should go to Settings, and select Family Settings. Select the line and then tap Remove from Verizon Smart Family. After this, you will no longer be able to track your child.

The best way to prevent a child from turning off a parental control app is by using apps that are difficult to uninstall, such as mentioned above, mSpy and uMobix.

These apps run in the background and require only an online account, so the app does not appear on your phone.

Verizon Smart Family Cost

Verizon Smart Family plan includes the basic and premium packages. It will cost you $4.99 per account on the basic package. This plan does not have location services.

Verizon Smart Family Premium

The premium plan costs $9.99 per account. The first month is free. The premium plan is included if you are already on the Verizon JustKidsPlan. You’ll get all the Verizon parental controls and location tracking features.

Verizon Smart Family vs. Premium vs. Third-Party Apps

We compared the features of Verizon Smart Family Plans and third-party trackers in the table.

Does Verizon Family Locator Work When the Phone is Off?

The Verizon Family locator does not work when the phone is off. This is because location services are off. Thus, Verizon will not be able to track the location of a phone when it’s powered off.

Why is Verizon Smart Family Not Working?

The reasons Verizon Smart Family is not working, and the possible fixes, are listed below:

1. You Placed Restrictions on the Wrong Line
   If parental controls are not working on the desired child, you may have put the restrictions on the wrong line. Confirm that Smart Family restrictions are set up on the correct line.
2. You Are Using the Just Kids Plan
   If you want to access the Verizon Smart Family but cannot, it may be because you are using the Just Kids Plan. Most of the Smart Family app features on the Just Kids plan will be unavailable.
3. Your Child Is Using a VPN Service
   VPNs interfere with the Verizon Smart Family app. If you can’t monitor features on your child’s device, they likely have a VPN service. It’s best to have them turn off VPN to ensure the app is working as intended on their device.

Users’ Review of Verizon Family App

Verizon Family App has a 3.9-star rating on the Google Play Store.

Some users like that it’s easy to use and customize its features. Others feel that monitoring their kid’s devices provides comfort and peace of mind. Another user liked blocking internet access, accurately tracking their daughter’s location, and setting time constraints.

Some users do not like the Verizon Family app, saying the app has a built-in VPN that keeps disconnecting them from the school Wi-Fi, so they can get home in time.

Another kid complained about Verizon’s time schedule because it works as intended. Verizon Smart Family disconnects them from Wi-Fi when outside the set hours.

Alternatives for Verizon Smart Family App

These are the best Verizon Smart Family alternatives:

Track Verizon phones by number with Scannero

Scannero is a legitimate phone tracking service with just a phone number. The service tracks the real-time location of a phone number, allowing you to see where the phone is located accurately on a map.

How it Works

Once you set up a Scannero account, you can type in the phone number of the person you want to find. Scannero will create a text message with a location tracking link. You can edit the message’s content to suit the person you are sending it to.

After you hit send, Scannero will send the text message to the person anonymously. It can be a simple message that says, “Hey, check this out,” so the person clicks on the link. Once they click on it, Scannero will obtain their location using their IP address and display it on a map.

Scannero can provide helpful information about the tracked person, like their full name, age, and gender. It can also send voice messages if the phone is lost. This way, you can tell the person who finds your phone where to leave it.
Scannero offers precise location tracking without installing any app. It’s the best option when you don’t want to risk uninstallation and require only the location tracking feature.

Try Scannero.io

Use uMobix for Family Tracking of Verizon Phones

uMobix is one of the best parental control tools on the market. It has comprehensive features that allow you to see a phone’s activity.

How it Works

You will require a uMobix account and then download the app on your child’s phone. The app will run in the background, meaning it’s not easy to uninstall. You will then access your child’s phone remotely on the uMobix dashboard.

uMobix can track the live location of that target device. It also has a geofence feature. Moreover, uMobix can record the screen, read text messages, and access social media apps. You will always be in the loop since this app can see the internet history, including incognito searches. In addition, it can see photos and videos shared on your child’s device. Hence, you can intervene and help your child develop good digital habits.

Try uMobix

Conclusion

Verizon Smart Family provides parental controls for Verizon users. You have a set of features that can be advantageous when setting time limits, blocking the internet, and blocking unwanted contacts. Kids know you are tracking them and can easily bypass the app.

You will require the best tracking apps to track a Verizon phone without knowing. If you want to track a Verizon phone number, Scannero can help you without installing the app. Lastly, uMobix can read texts and monitor calls betters than Verizon Smart Family. It’s also not easy to uninstall, like the Verizon Smart Family.

Find more tracking apps for family and parental control in our HeyLocate article.