How we rate

We write for UK and EU parents. Our language follows the spirit of the ICO Children’s Code (age-appropriate design) and GDPR — high privacy by default, clear parental involvement, no pretending a filter equals “safe”.

The four verdicts

Pass

Purpose-built (or clearly parent-managed) for children/teens, with meaningful controls, and privacy documentation that a careful parent can follow. Still not a guarantee — supervise early use.

Caution

Useful for some ages with eyes open: missing parent visibility, US-only hosting without clear UK/EU care, teen-only tools, social apps with AI bolted on, or important unknowns.

Avoid

Not a good fit for children or younger teens — for example companion-style chat risks, or products we would not seek out for a child even if teens can technically sign up.

Adults only (18+)

The operator sets a hard adult age gate (typically 18+). This is not a judgment that the product is “bad” or unsafe for adults — it simply is not for children or teens. Fairer to the maker, clearer for parents.

What we check

Age rules — what the operator states; regional differences (especially UK/EEA).
Parent controls — account ownership, chat visibility, limits, quiet hours, alerts.
Privacy / data — where data lives, ads/tracking, training use, children’s rights.
Product intent — homework helper vs open companion character chat.

What we never do

Sell safety scores or paid “featured safe” badges.
Invent certifications, lab results, or user counts.
Fill gaps with guesses — unknowns stay unknown, and we lean caution.
Recommend sharing adult logins with children.

COPPA vs UK Children’s Code

Many kids apps lead with US COPPA. That matters if you are in the US. For UK/EU families we care more about lawful basis, data minimisation, parental involvement, and whether the design is age-appropriate. We mention COPPA only when the operator’s own documents make it relevant.

Review cadence

Each app page shows a last reviewed date. Policies change. Re-check official links before you rely on an older verdict, and tell us if something looks out of date via Submit an app.