Earnest vs Google Family Link
Google Family Link is a free, mature Android tool for restricting screens, approving app installs, filtering content, and seeing a child device location. Earnest takes a different route: kids earn screen time by finishing tasks, and earned minutes unlock the apps a parent chose. If you want filtering and location, Family Link does more; if you want an earning loop, that is what Earnest is for.
Earnest and Family Link side by side
Family Link is free from Google. Both are Android-first, and neither controls a child iPhone well.
| Feature | Earnest | Google Family Link |
|---|---|---|
| Core model | Earn screen time by finishing tasks | Restriction, app approval, and supervision |
| Platforms | Android only (today) | Parent on Android or iOS; child on Android or ChromeOS |
| Chores earn screen time? | Yes, the main loop | No |
| Works offline, no account? | Yes, on-device with no sign-up | No, uses Google accounts and cloud |
| Shows ads? | No | No |
| Content filtering and location | No, not a monitoring tool | Yes, filtering plus device location |
| Price | Free in early access | Free |
Where does Earnest differ?
Earnest is built around earning rather than restricting, and it stays on the device.
Earning is the main mechanic
In Family Link, extra time is a manual parent grant. In Earnest, finishing tasks to earn time is the whole point, and the kid home screen is the quest list.
Two currencies
Earnest pays minutes for screen time and coins for parent-defined rewards. Family Link has no reward economy.
On-device, no account
Earnest runs locally with no sign-up and no cloud dashboard. Family Link is built around Google accounts and remote management.
Where is Family Link stronger today?
Family Link is the more complete tool right now, and it is free. It has years of track record, deep native Android integration, and features Earnest does not offer: Play Store app-install approval, content filtering across Search, Chrome, and YouTube, and device location with place alerts. It also ships today, while Earnest is a pre-launch app in early access. If your priority is supervising what a child can install and see, or knowing where their device is, Family Link covers that and Earnest does not. Earnest is the better fit only when your goal is to motivate real tasks by letting kids earn their screen time.
Common questions
Is Earnest a replacement for Google Family Link?
Not exactly. They solve different problems. Family Link restricts, approves app installs, filters content, and shows location. Earnest is an earning app: kids finish tasks to earn screen time. Some families would use one, and some could use both.
Does Earnest filter the web or track location like Family Link?
No. Earnest does not filter websites, block search, or track location. If content filtering and location are your main needs, Family Link does those and Earnest does not.
Which one works on an iPhone?
Neither controls a child iPhone well. Family Link cannot meaningfully manage a child iOS device, and Earnest is Android-only with no iOS app yet.
Keep exploring
See the earning loop, dig into the features, or compare Earnest with other tools.