Compare / Net Nanny
Cove vs Net Nanny
Net Nanny is a long-running web filter that reads pages as they load and alerts you to worrying searches, on Windows, Mac and iPhone. Cove shapes kids' whole internet: search, YouTube, the websites they ask for, and AI chat. Here's where each one fits.
Side by side
Checked against Net Nanny's own website in September 2026. Features marked experimental in Cove rely on outside services.
| What you need | Cove | Net Nanny |
|---|---|---|
| Blocking websites | By category, per kidBlock kinds of sites on each device, on any network. Experimental. | Reads each pageJudges the words on a page as it loads, across 14 categories you set to allow, alert or block, plus your own lists. |
| Devices | Phones, Chromebooks and PCsiPhone, Android, Chromebook and Windows. Experimental. | Windows, Mac and iPhoneNet Nanny's support page says Android, Kindle Fire and Chromebook aren't currently supported. |
| YouTube | Video by videoKids watch from channels you approve, and each video is checked before it plays. | History and limitsShows videos watched and searches, and can block YouTube or limit its time. Its site doesn't describe blocking single videos. |
| When a kid needs a blocked site | They ask, with a reasonYour kid says why they need it, and you approve from an email or with a code. | Not describedWe couldn't find a way for kids to request a blocked site on Net Nanny's pages. |
| Alerts about worrying activity | Searches, AI chat and messagesCrisis words in searches, CoveAI or messages from a paired device email you right away. | Searches and sitesAlerts when a kid visits a blocked site or searches for things like cyberbullying, self-harm or suicide. |
| Screen time | Internet schedulesChoose when each app can reach the internet, plus daily video minutes. Experimental. | Limits and schedulesDaily hour limits and online schedules, and blocking for about 120 apps on iPhone. |
| Social media apps | LimitedOn Android, incoming Discord and Instagram messages from their notifications. Snapchat only shows that a message arrived, and TikTok isn't covered. Experimental. | Block or filterSet social apps to block, allow or protect. Its site doesn't describe reading messages. |
| AI chatbots | A kid-safe AI chatCoveAI is off until you turn it on, follows your house rules, and you can read every conversation. Experimental. | Not describedWe couldn't find anything about AI chatbots on Net Nanny's pages. |
| Location | OptionalFrom a paired device, only if you turn it on. Experimental. | YesReal-time location of your kid's main mobile device. |
| Price | Free in betaFree during the invite-only beta. | From $39.99/year$39.99 a year for one computer, $54.99 for 5 devices or $89.99 for 20 devices, on netnanny.com. |
Where Net Nanny is the better fit
- Your kids use Windows computers, Macs or iPhones, and you want a filter that reads each page.
- You have lots of computers to cover, with a 20-device plan.
- You want daily time limits and online schedules in the same app.
- You need something available right now, since Cove is an invite-only beta.
Where Cove is the better fit
- Your kids use Android phones or Chromebooks.
- You want YouTube with each video checked, instead of all or nothing.
- Your kids need sites for school, and you'd rather approve a request than change settings.
- You want kid-safe search and an AI chat you control, built in.
Using Net Nanny and Cove together
Net Nanny can cover a family's Windows computers and Macs while Cove covers search, YouTube and website requests. On a single phone, both filter the web, and a phone can only run one VPN at a time, so choose one of them to do the filtering on that device.
Common questions
Does Net Nanny work on Android?
Net Nanny's support page says Android, Kindle Fire and Chromebook aren't currently supported. Cove works on Android phones and Chromebooks.
Does Net Nanny alert me about worrying searches?
Yes. Net Nanny says it alerts parents to searches about things like cyberbullying, self-harm and suicide. Cove also emails you right away about crisis words in searches.
Can Net Nanny block individual YouTube videos?
Net Nanny's site describes watch history, searches, blocking YouTube and time limits, but not blocking single videos. Cove checks each video before it plays.
How much does each one cost?
On netnanny.com, plans are $39.99 a year for one computer, $54.99 a year for 5 devices, and $89.99 a year for 20 devices. Cove is free during its invite-only beta.
Net Nanny is a trademark of its owner. Cove isn't affiliated with or endorsed by SafeToNet. What's written about Net Nanny here comes from its public pages as of September 2026, and products change, so check their site for the latest.