Have you ever heard of activity tracking and device monitoring software or parental control apps? In this age of the internet, it’s not uncommon to come across an online article or two featuring one of these apps. Although they’re typically marketed as spying apps, these apps can actually do more than just monitor device activities. They can also be set up to block dangerous websites, adult content, prevent unwanted callers, and do physical location tracking. If you have children, it is even more important to always be on the lookout for their welfare and safety, wherever they may be. Luckily for you, there are many smartphone apps that can help control and monitor activities on mobile devices. Many of these offer the same functions and capabilities as one another, though there are some that shine brighter than others. mSpy mobile phone tracking app is one such app, and it is often claimed to be one of the best mobile tracking tools on the market today. In this comprehensive review of mSpy, we’ll discuss all the features of mSpy and whether or not it’s worth purchasing.
What Is mSpy?
mSpy app is a device monitoring software from MTechnology Ltd that can track all activity on your specified smartphone, tablet, or computer. It is also correct to say that it’s a parental control app. The application comes with a web-based dashboard – the Control Panel – which allows you to view everything on your target phone, such as SMS texts, logs with incoming and outgoing calls, location, internet browsing history, photos and videos, and even some of the most popular social media apps. If you’re planning to use the mSpy app to track your family members’ mobile phones, you don’t have to worry about them finding out, as mSpy works very discreetly. You can safely review all the content on the target user’s mobile phone and scan for any compromising data without their knowledge. There’s a 14-day money-back guarantee for all those who are interested, and there’s also a demo version that potential users can try out on the mSpy website.
How Does mSpy work?
mSpy software works by sending data from your target device to your online mSpy Control Panel through Wi-Fi or data. It works quietly in the background, transmitting data without alerting the owner of the mobile phone. Once the app is installed on your preferred device, regardless if it’s a cell phone, tablet, or computer, it gains access to almost all the data on the mobile phone, such as call logs, location tracking, instant messages, media, and more. All this data is sent to the web-based dashboard for your viewing. However, do keep in mind that for the mSpy app to continuously transmit data, the target device must be connected to the internet at all times.
Who Can Use mSpy?
You can install the mSpy application on anyone’s mobile phone, be it your family member’s (such as your children), employee’s, or even your own phone. Do take note that legally speaking, you have to ask for permission first before doing so if you plan to install it on somebody’s else device. Contrary to popular belief, these monitoring apps aren’t just for ‘snooping’ on your target phone. You can also use mSpy to physically monitor your target device’s location at all times. If you’re an employer, you could have your employees install the mSpy app on their mobile phones so you can see, in one glance, who is where at any time. This also allows you to see if anyone’s making mobile phone calls or chatting online in the middle of the workday.
Compatibility
As with any of other parental control apps, there are a few technical requirements that the target device has to meet before you can install the mSpy software on your target user’s mobile phone or another device. We will talk about them in our review as well.
Android
For an Android device, it must have an OS of at least Android 4+. You’ll also have to root the mobile phone if you want to be able to monitor instant messages like WhatsApp despite its end-to-end encryption and disabling Last Seen in the settings; it still allows you to see when the person was online. You can also monitor Snapchat and this means overriding all limitations to gain full access and control of the device. Regardless if it’s rooted or not though, the device has to be physically with you to install the mSpy software.
iPhone
For iPhone devices, the requirements differ if you have a jailbroken device than if you have a non-jailbroken device.
Jailbreak
First of all, installing mSpy on a jailbroken iOS device is a tad more difficult than on a non-jailbroken device. You have to make sure that the device has an iOS version of 7 to 9.1 and that it’s connected to the internet. You also need to have physical access to the device for at least 10 minutes to finish the app installation and setup. On the upside, jailbroken iOS devices with mSpy installed have more available parental control features than non-jailbroken devices. Features such as social media monitoring, geo-fencing, email access, call recording, and web blocking, for instance, are only available on jailbroken devices.
Non-Jailbreak
If you don’t want to jailbreak your iPhone, then no worries. In fact, installing the mSpy app on a non-jailbroken phone is much easier. You only need the owner’s iCloud details to install this spy software, provided that they don’t have two-factor authentication enabled. If they do have it though, you’re still going to need physical access to the device. Plus, as mentioned above, doing it this way comes with plenty of limitations. In addition to this, Apple’s new security updates have added further limitations to mSpy’s features. According to mSpy’s support team, features for the latest versions of iOS may be limited to GPS, contacts, geo-fencing, and a Panic button.
mSpy Alternative
If you don’t need something so complex, you can also try the mSpy alternative, mLite. This is mSpy’s partner app, which you can use to access your target user’s locations, contacts, and other basic features. Simply install the mLite app on both iPhones and sign-in on the monitoring device using your mSpy login details. After that, follow the on-screen instructions to know what to do on the device you want to monitor.
List Of mSpy Features
mSpy software has plenty of features that anyone will want in a phone monitoring app. In this section, we’ll talk about these features in more detail.
GPS Tracking
One of the biggest selling points of this parental control software for both parents and employers alike is GPS tracking. With this feature, you’ll be able to do your target device’s current location tracking, no matter where they are in the world. As long as the device is connected to the internet, you’ll be able to see its location at all times. This feature also comes with an important option – to set up restricted areas with Google Maps. If the target phone user enters a restricted area, you’ll receive an email alert or an online notification about the breach. Setting this up is incredibly easy, which makes it one of the most helpful features of mSpy.
View Call Log
mSpy also allows users to log phone calls on the target device. You won’t be able to listen in to the call exactly, but you can find all the details about all the incoming and outgoing calls. This includes the identity of the caller, what time the call was placed, and how long the call lasted, in addition to other details. So, if you’re interested to know who your target user has been talking to on the phone until the wee hours of the morning, you’ll know your answer instantly by installing mSpy on their phone.
Call Blocking
Another thing you can do on the mSpy app is to block all unwanted callers and all the incoming calls from them on the target device. This is especially important for parents who are concerned that their children may be talking to people that they shouldn’t be. The full list of contacts, including calling logs, will be completely visible to you on your mSpy Control Panel dashboard. You can set up a block list here in order to prevent suspicious numbers and contacts from trying to call the target phone.
Access Messages
Depending on your device, you can also use mSpy to access all messages and emails. On Apple devices, this feature works even without jailbreaking the phone. For Android devices though, the phone must first be rooted. One good thing about this feature is that it also allows you to read even previously deleted instant messages. Even if your target user tries to cover their tracks by deleting messages, you’ll still be able to retrieve the said messages through mSpy. The text messages include the date, time, and information about the senders or the recipients. Now, there’s no need to be concerned about your child having shady conversations with strangers and other bad influences.
Access Media
You can also access media files on the target device through the Photos tab, an option you’ll see on your mSpy dashboard online. Under Photos, there are three subsections that you can click to access photos and videos on the target device. The first section shows all media taken today, the second section shows all media taken yesterday, and the third section shows all media taken previously. You’ll be able to see all multimedia files that your target user sends or receives on the target phone.
App Monitoring and Blocking
mSpy can also monitor and block certain apps from the target phone. The list includes popular social media apps such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, WhatsApp, Skype, Viber, Telegram, Snapchat, Line, Kik, which can also be a dangerous place for a child. This parental control software can even monitor activity on Tinder, which is helpful for parents who are worried that their child may be getting into online dating. With app monitoring and blocking, users will not only be able to tell when the user of the target phone is actively using the apps, but they will also be able to view text messages, call logs, and multimedia files sent and received on these apps. Completely blocking the app is also an option. Parents can use this feature to protect their children from potentially harmful environments online, while employers can use this feature to keep their employees from using distractive social media apps.
Website Monitoring And Blocking
If you have kids, you’ll know that it can be really difficult to keep track of their online activity. After all, kids are always curious about everything around them, often sticking their noses in places where they shouldn’t. With mSpy, you no longer have to worry about your children going to websites that may be harmful or suspicious. You get access to a list of all their visited websites, including the most visited sites and when each site was last opened. You’ll be able to view their entire site history and restrict access to websites that you don’t approve of. You can even customize the level of restriction that you want on the target phone. For example, let’s say you want to prevent your employees from wasting time on social media apps, like Twitter and Facebook, during work hours. You can use mSpy to restrict certain apps during specific time slots, like from 8 am to 5 pm, to prevent any idle activity and increase work productivity throughout the day.
Logging Keystrokes
Another feature that mSpy has is the ability to log every single keystroke typed on the target device. By doing so, users can uncover information like log-in details, usernames, passwords, encrypted text, URLs, text messages, and emails. Basically, anything and everything that was typed on the target phone can be seen by the user on the online Control Panel. The best thing about this is that mSpy is the only cellphone spying app on the market right now that can record and save keystrokes. Sadly, this feature is only available on Android devices at the moment, although there are plans to expand it to iOS devices as well.
Monitor Wi-Fi
Did you know that public Wi-Fi hotspots can be quite dangerous? The truth is that public hotspots can be a cesspool of viruses, malware, and phishers ready to swoop in and wreak havoc on your device. This is extremely worrisome for people who keep everything on their phone, including sensitive personal information, like passwords and bank details. This is even more worrisome for children, who may not even think twice before connecting to any free hotspot that they see when they’re outside. mSpy allows users to monitor and control all Wi-Fi connections that the target phone makes. This means you’ll be able to track the device through Wi-Fi networks, even if it has its mobile data switched off. You can view all the details of the connection, including the times the device accessed that specific network. You can even block the device from connecting to that Wi-Fi network, in case you don’t deem it safe enough to use. If you’re issuing business devices for work, it also helps to have this feature to prevent any company information from leaking due to an unsafe public Wi-Fi network.
Remote Lock And Wipe
This feature is very helpful if the owner happens to lose a monitored phone. With mSpy, you can remotely lock the phone or, if worse comes to worst, even wipe all its data. This is all done in the background, without the holder of the phone knowing what’s happening.
Other Features
With your mSpy plan comes comprehensive reporting, which you can customize to your heart’s content. You can specify which information you want to see in the reports and you can also choose the frequency that you receive them. All mSpy plans also allow single and multiple device installations. However, you can use each individual plan for only one device at a time. If you want to monitor a different device, you have to remove the first device first. The upside is that you can switch out devices you’re monitoring for as many times as possible. Other than this, the biggest selling point of mSpy is likely the fact that it doesn’t require you to root or jailbreak the target device before you can use it, unlike many other tracking and monitoring applications on the market today. That said, keep in mind that you can get more features if you can get root access to the device, but it’s not required to install the app. This is great if you want to be very discreet about using mSpy, especially if you’re planning to install it on your target user’s phone.
mSpy Customer Service
Our mSpy review would not be complete without this section. mSpy’s customer service department is one of the best out there in the tracking and monitoring app market, and many online reviews can attest to that. For example, here’s one from TheToolReport.com:
Multiple Languages
mSpy supports different languages. You can also use the app in French, German, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, and Turkish.
Support Tiers
There are two different support tiers, depending on the package that you purchased. If you have the basic package, you’ll only have access to 24/7 email support. If you have the premium and no-jailbreak package, you’ll have access to both 24/7 chat and email support. Don’t worry though, regardless of your plan, the support team will always try to help you out to the best of their abilities.
Different Support Avenues
mSpy’s support team can be reached through a variety of methods, including live chat, email, and phone. Phone calls depend on the availability of their customer service representatives, but you can usually expect to receive live chat replies instantly or up to a few minutes, and email replies from [email protected] in less than 30 minutes, though it can take up to 5 hours as per the company’s customer service representative.
Money-Back Guarantee
Lastly, mSpy also offers a full money-back guarantee, in case you encounter an issue that cannot be resolved by the company’s support center. Full refunds can be given within 10 days after subscribing to a plan for both mSpy desktop and mSpy for mobile devices, except if the reasons are outside the company’s control as per the refund policy.
mSpy Pros And Cons
There’s no such thing as a perfect product, and mSpy is no exception. Here are all the reasons why you should, or should not, purchase mSpy.
mSpy Pros
Undetectable. Tracking software wouldn’t work if the app itself was visible to the target device’s owner. mSpy shines in this aspect because it’s completely undetectable. The owner can keep using the phone without knowing that it’s even installed. The app doesn’t appear on the app list nor in the app manager. There is also no noticeable battery drain that could make the owner suspicious that something else is working in the background. Easy to use. It’s very easy to use mSpy. It takes only a few minutes to set up the app on both iOS and Android devices. Once you’ve finished setting it up, you can access the Control Panel to monitor the target device. If you want to view specific information, everything is already laid out for you in the online dashboard. As long as the target phone is connected to the internet, you won’t encounter any issues whatsoever. Accessibility. mSpy’s simplicity, ease of use, and availability on all kinds of devices make it perfectly accessible to anyone and everyone who wants to use a tracking and monitoring app. Even someone who isn’t too knowledgeable about technology will be able to use mSpy. No need to root or jailbreak. Many tracking apps out there requires the device to be rooted or jailbroken before it can work on that specific device. The good thing about mSpy is that you can install it on an unrooted or non-jailbroken phone and still be able to access many features. You can also use mSpy to monitor a non-jailbroken iPhone without even touching the phone. Full of features. mSpy comes with all the features you need in a tracking software. As a parent, you’ll enjoy the great degree of control that the app provides. You can track your kid’s entire device activity, such as their call logs, text messages, multimedia files, location history, and more. You can also block access to suspicious websites, set up geofencing, and restrict usage to certain apps during specific time slots as well as incoming calls from certain numbers. mSpy even works on a number of social media apps, like Instagram (along with some other spy apps) and Facebook. Customer support. mSpy’s customer service is highly reviewed, thanks to the support team’s competency and professionalism. There are multiple avenues for support such as live chat, phone, and email. Support representatives are always quick to respond to queries, even when it comes to technical issues.
mSpy Cons
Quite expensive. Although the Basic Plan is good enough for the most part, you do need to spend a lot more money in order to get more features. The Premium Plan, which comes with all the other features not included in Basic, costs twice as much. Unfortunately, if your main goal with mSpy is to track social media and email apps and to block potentially harmful websites and applications, you have no choice but to get the Premium Plan because these aren’t available on the Basic Plan. One plan for one device. All subscriptions on mSpy, other than the Family Kit, can only be used on one device at a time. If you want to track multiple devices, you’ll need to buy either additional subscriptions or the Family Kit, which allows three devices at the same time. This can get very expensive if you have many devices that you want to track, like in the case of employers who want to use mSpy for work purposes. Must root or jailbreak for full use of features. Although the app can be used on unrooted or non-jailbroken phones, there are still plenty of features that are not available for these devices. You really need to root or jailbreak your phone if you want full access to all the available features. And, of course, you need physical access to the device to do that. Doesn’t update in real-time. Online monitoring on the Control Panel doesn’t update in real-time. Uploading and downloading data can take a few minutes, depending on the internet connection speed on the target device and on the device used to access the Control Panel, respectively.
How Much Does mSpy Cost?
The cost of mSpy depends on the plan you purchase. There are two main plans: the Basic Plan and the Premium Plan. The Basic Plan comes with all the regular features that most tracking applications have. This includes call log monitoring and GPS tracking. Prices start at $26.99 for the 1-month plan, $59.99 for the 3-month plan, and $99.99 for the 12-month plan. If you want more advanced features, you can get the Premium Plan. This plan includes social media monitoring, web and app blocking, and location restrictions.
mSpy for Mobile Devices Price
Prices start at $69.99 for the 1-month plan, $119.99 for the 3-month plan, and $199.99 for the 12-month plan. If you want to use mSpy for non-jailbroken devices, this is also the same price points that will be given to you. The most expensive plan is the Family Kit, but it does let you monitor up to three devices at once. It costs $359.97 for a 6-month plan and $479.97 for a 12-month plan.
mSpy for Desktop Price
Outside of Android and iOS devices, you can also use mSpy to track computers. However, tracking for computers is very limited, which is why there’s only a Basic Plan available for mSpy’s desktop version. You can use it on both Windows computers and on Macs. The pricing is similar to the Basic Plan for mobile devices, albeit a bit more affordable. Prices start at $26.99 for the 1-month plan, $39.99 for the 3-month plan, and $69.99 for the 12-month plan. There’s also a Family Kit package for the mSpy desktop app, which allows monitoring of up to three computers at the same time. It costs $119.97 for a 6-month plan and $167.97 for a 12-month plan. As you can see, if you want to save money, it’s always better to buy a long-term plan. In fact, the savings you can accrue when buying 12-month plans are so substantial that it wouldn’t be financially smart at all to buy a short-term plan.
How To Install mSpy
It’s very easy to install mSpy on your target device. Before starting, make sure that you’ve selected and paid for one of the plans listed above. Once you’ve confirmed your payment, you’ll receive a welcome email that grants you online access to your mSpy dashboard – the Control Panel. Follow the link to the mSpy website and you’ll be able to install the app on any device you wish. The actual mSpy installation process varies depending on the device you’re installing the app on. Here’s a detailed guide on how to install the mSpy software on Android and iOS devices.
Registration Code
In order to install mSpy on a rooted or jailbroken phone, you will need a registration code. To find mSpy’s registration code, you need to go back to the screen that showed up when you were installing mSpy for the first time. As an alternative, you can reach out to mSpy support and ask them to provide you the code.
How To Install The App On Android Device
When installing mSpy on Android devices, you need to have physical access to the phone that you want to monitor. Also, make sure that the phone is fully charged and connected to the internet at all times. Again, you need physical access to the phone in order to install the mSpy app.
How To Install The App On iPhone
There’s no need for physical access to the device if you’re installing mSpy on iPhone or other iOS devices since the app can grant you access by simply entering the iCloud credentials of your target device. This means that you can install mSpy remotely on non-jailbroken iPhones, iPads, and iPods.
How To Detect And Uninstall mSpy
If you need to uninstall the app from a phone or detect if a phone has it installed at all, head over to our post where we explain in detail how to remove mSpy from an Android device and iPhone.
Should I Get mSpy?
mSpy is a great parental control app for tracking the mobile activity of your kids or even your employees. You can monitor their app usage, block them from accessing harmful websites, prevent them from using certain apps during school hours or work hours, and track their GPS location, no matter where they are in the world. Installing the app is super easy and you can easily customize it to fit your needs and preferences. As mentioned earlier in this mSpy app review, you don’t even need to root or jailbreak your child’s cell phone or another device first before you can use the app, although there are plenty of benefits to doing so. There are also a variety of plans available for those who may only want to use the mSpy software for a limited time, or who want to use the app on multiple devices at the same time. You can also get the mSpy app for Windows computers or Macs. Aside from that, customer service is top-notch and all support representatives from the company are professional, competent, and very accommodating. If you like keeping a close eye on things and you’re looking for a comprehensive and feature-filled tracking and monitoring app with excellent customer service, mSpy should definitely be on your Top 5 List of cell phone spy apps. It can be a great alternative to other monitoring apps that are no longer accepting new customers and free parental control apps. And if you are looking for a more affordable light version of mSpy, check out mLite. We have written a detailed mLite review so that you can get familiar with it. And there you have it for our comprehensive mSpy app review! Are you thinking of using mSpy? Feel free to let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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