Tamper-proof
The child can neither uninstall nor outsmart Kidharbor.
For parents & schools · Android
The safe harbour for a child's first phone.
Kidharbor anchors protection so deeply in your child's smartphone that it cannot be bypassed. You control everything from a simple app – no technical knowledge required, even by voice message if you like.
14-day free trial · No sharing of children's data · Developed in Switzerland
Explained in 60 seconds
Kidharbor in one minute.
What Kidharbor is, what it promises and what it costs – in short.
Language: German, with German subtitles. An English version will follow.
What it's about
The first phone arrives – and so do the questions.
At some point every child gets their first smartphone, usually between the ages of 10 and 14. From that moment on, parents and schools face the same questions: How much screen time is healthy? Which apps are appropriate? How do you prevent unwanted costs? And above all: how do you protect the child from what happens in messengers and social networks – bullying, inappropriate content, contact with strangers?
Kidharbor is different. It anchors protection so deeply in the device that the child cannot remove or bypass it. Parents control everything through a simple app on their own phone.
What Kidharbor promises
Six promises to parents.
No purchase without the parents
In-app purchases are stopped and submitted for approval – and none goes unnoticed.
Every new app needs approval
The child may browse the store, but can only use an app after the parents say yes.
Parents see what's going on
Usage times, activities and, on request, the screen – transparent towards the child.
Swiss product
Developed in Switzerland, data stored in Europe, no sharing of children's data.
Simple
Set up in minutes, controlled in conversation with the Kidharbor Assistant.
How it works
Six steps to a safe harbour.
Setup
Parents download the Kidharbor Parent App and create their family. The child's device is reset once; during setup, a QR code from the Parent App is scanned – this permanently anchors Kidharbor in the device. From then on, the child sees a tidy home screen with exactly the apps that have been approved.
Time and rules
- Time budget per app and per day, e.g. YouTube 20 minutes, 90 minutes in total.
- Time windows for weekdays and weekends.
- Bedtime: device locked, phone and emergency calls remain available.
- Instant actions: +20 minutes Lock now Allow until 7 pm – take effect within seconds.
- Requests: The child can ask for more time or a new app. Parents decide with a single tap.
Apps and purchases
The Play Store stays open. When the child downloads an app, it initially lands in the background and cannot be used. Parents receive a message (“Robin installed Roblox – approve?”) and approve the app – optionally with a time budget right away.
Purchase attempts in games and apps are stopped and reported to the parents. Should a purchase slip through in the background (e.g. a subscription renewal), parents are informed immediately – with app, amount and time.
Protection and insight
- Activity overview: which app was used when and for how long, with a history of the last few days.
- Screen view: parents can see the child's screen live – for example when a child doesn't dare to show a distressing chat situation.
- Messenger protection: Kidharbor detects warning signs in notifications (bullying, sexting, contact with strangers) and alerts the parents – without reading chats in full.
- SOS button on the child's device: all parents immediately receive a message with the location.
Kidharbor Assistant
Anyone who doesn't want to click through menus simply says so: “My son may use YouTube 20 minutes a day, WhatsApp only until 8 pm – and please lock everything now.” The Assistant understands voice and text messages, applies the rules and confirms briefly. Before intrusive actions, it asks for confirmation. Every change is traceable in the app.
Kids Assistant
Optionally, the child gets their own age-appropriate assistant for homework and questions. It knows no adult topics, opens no external links and makes no purchases. If a child talks about bullying, fear or strangers, it responds empathetically, encourages talking to parents or a teacher and, on request, informs the parents. Parents can view the conversations – and the child knows that.
Our stance
Protection, not surveillance.
Kidharbor is a protection tool, not a surveillance instrument. On the child's device it is visible that Kidharbor is active, and an info page explains to the child what the parents can see. The child knows that the parents can look – not when they do.
For older children, Kidharbor recommends less insight and more personal responsibility; the settings grow with the child.
Data protection is part of the product
- By default, only usage times per app are stored – no content.
- Screen snapshots or location can be enabled per child, are kept only briefly and are deleted together with the child profile.
- Kidharbor complies with the Swiss Data Protection Act and the GDPR.
- Servers in Europe, no sharing of children's data.
For schools and institutions
Also for day schools, loan devices and childcare.
Kidharbor is suitable not only for families, but also for day schools, schools with loan devices and childcare facilities.
- Loan devices under control: each device has exactly the apps needed for lessons. Nothing else can be installed or used.
- Class hours instead of bedtimes: time windows per class or group, lock at the push of a button during exams.
- Clear responsibility: teachers or carers approve apps; parents can be involved on request.
- Parents' evenings: Kidharbor as the school's recommendation for the first phone – with uniform rules on screen time and messengers for the whole class.
- No mandatory Google account, no data in the USA, management of multiple devices through one interface.
Pricing
Simple prices, clear value.
14-day free trialBasic
CHF 4.90
per month, per family
- Time budget, time windows, bedtime
- App approvals
- Purchase protection
- Activity insight & screen view
- Parent App (Android & iPhone)
- Up to 4 children
Premium
CHF 9.90
per month, per family
- Everything in Basic
- Kidharbor Assistant for parents
- Rules by voice or text message
- Confirmation before intrusive actions
- Every change traceable
Family+
CHF 14.90
per month, per family
- Everything in Premium
- Kids Assistant on every child device
- Age-appropriate homework help
- Empathetic response to bullying & fear
- Parents can view chats – the child knows
Discounted annual subscription. For schools and institutions, per-device licences with central management are available – price on request. Prices in CHF incl. VAT, subject to change until market launch.
The technology in one paragraph
Kidharbor runs on Android smartphones as a so-called Device Owner – the highest management level Android grants to an app. It is otherwise only used in professional enterprise device management and is the reason why Kidharbor cannot be bypassed. The Parent App is available for Android and iPhone. Data is stored on servers in Europe. An iPhone as a child device is only possible with reduced functionality due to Apple's restrictions and is planned for a later expansion.
Roadmap
Where we are – and where we're heading.
Pilot
With selected families and one school: setup, time rules, app approval, purchase protection, screen view.
Market launch
Parent App in both stores, Kidharbor Assistant, messenger protection.
Expansion
Kids Assistant, reward system, web filter, iPhone as child device.
Interested in a pilot?
We are looking for schools and families who want to be the first to use and help shape Kidharbor. Drop us a short note about who you are and how old your child is – we'll get back to you personally.