Spy apps for Android have increased in popularity over the past couple of years. At the beginning of their rise, they were mainly used in nurseries to see the location of children and elderly. Now, they can be used for everything, from making sure your child is where they say they are to ensuring that your spouse is not cheating on you.
I’ve seen the benefits of installing a spy app firsthand. Not only did it make me aware of all the moments my son skipped school, but it also helped me keep track of my wife’s whereabouts. Even if the crime rate fell over the past few years, we live in a dangerous neighborhood, so you can never be too careful.
This is why I’m going to present some options so that you can choose the best Android spy app.
When Can an Android Spy App Help You?
A spy app for Android can help you in various circumstances, from monitoring the activity and location of your child to supervising your employees. It can also be helpful when your intuition tells you something is wrong.
Considering that an average of 21 percent of people have admitted to cheating on their partner at least once, you can never be too careful. And unsurprisingly, those are also the people who keep their phones with them the most.
This is something that I had the misfortune of experiencing myself. For instance, when I got into a relationship with my ex-girlfriend in college, I knew that she had cheated in the past. She put on a convincing show that she was not that person anymore and wanted to settle down.
Still, she would be texting her “girlfriends” a lot, which bred some suspicion at some point. Eventually, I discovered that her “girlfriend” was a guy from work she was shamelessly flirting with, something an Android spy app could have helped with.
Top 8 Spy Apps
Every spy app needs to be installed physically on the target phone, but the best ones should need no more than 5 minutes. However, the best spy app for Android without access to target phone should deliver the information straight to your device. Here are some excellent options:
mSpy is a great app for those who wish to unearth secrets, as it can recover even texts that have been deleted. As the best spy app for Android, it can operate in stealth mode, providing accurate information that updates itself every five minutes. It comes with a demo version and a full plan of $48.99 per month.
Some notable features include:
- The ability to check conversations on social media
- Access to pictures and videos they receive on their phone
- Access to phone history
- Keystroke monitoring
- GPS location access
Source: https://demo.mspy.com/dashboard.html/
Before you get the app, it’s a good idea to balance the pros and cons, which can include the following:
Pros
- Ability to spy in stealth mode
- Demo version availability
- User-friendly interface
- Ability to see hidden texts
Cons
- It only lets you track one device
- No actual free trial
Should you wish to track someone’s location in real-time, Eyezy can let you see everything by the minute. Not only does it let you remotely see their exact location on the GPS, but you can also see any texts they receive. It’s perfect for unruly children and potentially unfaithful spouses, with a subscription costing $47.99 every month.
Here are some of its features:
- Access to private messages
- Alerts on activities when a certain threshold is passed
- Keystroke pattern monitoring
- Real-time location of the target
It’s best to consider the pros and cons before buying the full version, so check the following list:
Pros
- Refund option if you are not happy after 14 days
- Affordable subscription plans
- Real-time notifications
- Reliable support system
Cons
- Limited options for social media spying
- Requires jailbreak
If you are looking for an app that is easy to install, Spynger takes 5 minutes to put on the target’s phone. After that, you can read their texts and monitor the activity remotely. Once installed, the app runs in the background so people won’t know they are being spied on. It costs $45.40 per month, but you can also get an annual plan that brings you to $10.83 per month.
Some features you might be interested in include:
- Ability to take screenshots on the target’s phone
- Real-time notifications of location
- Ability to see deleted files
- It runs in stealth mode
To determine whether or not the app is for you, here are some pros and cons to be aware of:
Pros
- 14-day refund on services
- Ability to record the screen
- Cross-platform support
- Requires no jailbreak
Cons
- It can drain the battery quickly
- No demo version to try the features
Are you suspicious that your child or spouse is browsing websites they shouldn’t? Moniterro can help you confirm those doubts. It lets you see what they watched and who they talked to while keeping your monitoring activities concealed. Multiple subscription plans are available, the cheapest being $9.71 per month.
With Moniterro, you can enjoy some awesome features such as:
- Access to live GPS location
- Ability to track their SMS and social media texts
- It lets you see their browsing history
Some pros and cons of this Android spy app include:
Pros
- Very quick installation
- Constant data updates
- Affordable plans
Cons
- Premium plans are quite expensive
- Requires physical access to install
Spy apps can be occasionally complicated to use, but not Phonsee. With its user-friendly interface, you can see the collected data in one place, sending it to your device immediately. It’s compatible with numerous Android devices and costs only $19.99 monthly.
Some of the features worth mentioning are:
- GPS location tracking
- Ability to take screenshots of text messages
- Access to the contact list
- Access to social media activity
If you are still on the fence about the app, here are some advantages and disadvantages to remember:
Pros
- User-friendly interface
- Easy to install
- Unnoticeable to the target
- Affordable subscription plans
Cons
- Some of the features could require rooting
- It doesn’t have a free trial
Bark is the perfect app for monitoring a child’s activity, going over more than 30 activities. You can look at their texts, what they posted or talked about on social media, and what they watched on YouTube. It also sends live alerts of their activities, the plans starting at $5 per month.
Some interesting features include:
- It sets limits for online time
- Location monitoring
- The ability to block certain websites
- Triggers that can notify you of cyberbullying or other events
To determine if the app is for you, here are some pros and drawbacks to take into consideration:
Pros
- It comes with a free trial
- Allows you to control the target phone
- User-friendly interface
- Possibility to set filters
Cons
- Not very stealthy on the phone
- Limited support options
Many spy apps are limited to covering just one device. If you have multiple kids to monitor, Famisafe can cover up to 10 devices (depending on the plan). The monthly fee is $9.99 and can be even lower if you go for the quarterly or yearly plan.
Some useful features include:
- Location tracking
- Driving report features that show how fast they are going
- Geofencing and limit settings
- Ability to access browser history
Some of the pros and cons of the app are as follows:
Pros
- Affordable plans
- Intuitive interface
- Ability to track multiple devices
Cons
- No call logging
- Limited money-back guarantee
Should your goal be parental control, Quistodio can offer a variety of features, such as remote monitoring and web filtering. What parents love about this app is the Panic Button feature. This way, if the target is in danger, it can send a distress signal to the other connected devices. The basic plan starts at $54 per month.
Some other great features include:
- The ability to monitor calls and messages
- YouTube monitoring
- Social media monitoring
In order to make an informed decision, you might want to consider the pros and cons:
Pros
- Lengthy money-back guaranty
- Ability to cover more than 5 devices
- Real-time notifications
Cons
- Expensive plan
- Limited features in the free version
What Is the Best Spy App for Android?
The best spy app for Android should have exactly the features you are looking for: from tracking the target’s location to seeing their messages and online activity. I found that the best spy app for Android is mSpy, due to its comprehensive list of features and its ability to show deleted texts. This way, nothing should be able to get past you.
How to Install a Spy App on Android
Around 1 in 10 Americans have decided that the best way to keep track of their partners is to install a spy app for Android phone. However, if it’s your first time installing such an app, you might have trouble doing it right. While this may vary from one app to another, most of them have the following steps:
- Identify the best app for your spying needs
- Browse through the subscription plans available
- Get access to their phone to install the app or have them install it themselves
- Connect to your device and begin tracking their activity
Most apps will give you specific instructions, so you should follow them.
Legal Issues to Consider
Using a free spy app for Android can be convenient for keeping tabs on someone. With that in mind, you should know this is a grey area. While there is nothing wrong with installing a spy app on a phone, it’s illegal to do it without the target’s knowledge. You can do it if it’s your child or work phone, but other circumstances can bring you legal issues. As a result, if you plan on spying on someone, it’s best to tell them first what you want to do.
The good news is that if they have nothing to hide from you, there should be no issue with you installing the phone spy app for Android. They may sulk, thinking you don’t trust them, but this should eventually pass. On the other hand, if they are vehemently against you installing the app, there’s a good chance that they don’t want you seeing the incriminating things on their phone.
Can You Use a Spy App for Android Undetected?
When installing a spy app for Android phone, you might wonder whether the other person will detect the app. The good news is that if you go for a reliable program, they won’t know there’s an app there tracking their every move. These applications don’t usually appear in the menu, so they won’t know unless they go into deep settings or reset their phone. People rarely do that.
I installed an app without permission on Android to keep tabs on my teenage boy since my status as a parent allowed me to. I just needed 5 minutes to install the program on his phone and then linked it to mine, gaining hidden access to his texts. It was an inspired move because it helped me catch him multiple times when he planned to sneak out with his friends in the middle of the night.
What About Accessing Deleted Data and Messages?
When my boy was a teenager, I would check his phone often to see whether he was talking to someone dangerous. He would constantly throw a fit and did not like me spying on him (even if it was for good reason). He continually deleted messages to ensure I didn’t see what he was texting.
While not all of them do, some apps, such as mSpy, also allow you to see deleted messages and data. This way, whether it’s your partner or your child, you should be able to see what they purposely tried to hide from you.
The Bottom Line
If you are concerned about your child being unsafe or your spouse being unfaithful, a spy app can help confirm your suspicions. You no longer need to get their phone – you can install the best spy app for Android, which will tell you everything you need to know.
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