Top 5 social media spy apps for Android & iPhone | Latest review

With the ever-increasing use of social media by billions of people across the world, there are more concerns about being able to monitor the activities of important people on these platforms to avoid negative effects.

Parents, for example, use apps to monitor the social media usage of their children and prevent exposure to harmful content or cyberbullying. These social media spy apps have also been known to play a role in relationships, as well as in workplace dynamics. Whatever the motivating factors for their use, here are some of the 5 best social media spy apps for Android and iPhone.

Part 1. Quick summary of the top 5 social media spy apps

Here's a simplified overview of the basic features of the top 5 social media spy apps, presented in a table format to assist you in selecting the one that best suits your needs:

Next, I'll conduct an in-depth evaluation of these top 5 social media spy apps, analyzing various aspects such as connection methods, monitored data, pros and cons, and more. Let's dive deeper into it!

Part 2. Top 5 social media spy apps tested-Review

1. SpyX

SpyX is the most comprehensive and user-friendly social media spy app available. It works seamlessly on both Android and iPhone devices, so you don't have to worry about compatibility issues with your child or spouse's phone.

As a professional social media spy app, SpyX can monitor up to 16 different social media platforms, including WhatsApp, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, and more. With SpyX, you can remotely view chats, shared photos, videos, likes, and even followers on these social media platforms.

What makes SpyX the simplest social media spy app? It's all about the connection options. For iPhone monitoring, SpyX offers the iCloud solution. With this option, you don't need to install any software on the target device. Instead, you just need to know the Apple ID and password of the iPhone you want to monitor. Once you've completed the setup as instructed, you can remotely monitor all phone activities on the target device.

If you're monitoring an Android device, SpyX offers two connection options. The first is the Google Cloud solution, similar to the iCloud option for iPhones. You just need to input the target device's Google account and password. The other option requires you to install software on the target device and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.

2. Msafely

As a professional social media spy app, Msafely is committed to providing users with as many monitoring features as possible. It allows you to remotely monitor over 10 popular social media apps, such as WhatsApp, Messenger, Snapchat, and more.

Similar to SpyX, Msafely also offers a cloud-based connection solution, meaning you don't need to install any software on the target device. However, you'll need to know the Apple ID and password or Google account and password of the device you want to monitor.

3. Kidsguard Pro

Kidsguard Pro is a social media spying software that supports both Android and iPhone. It allows you to remotely view chats, contacts, shared photos, videos, and more on the target phone in real-time.

For Android, you need physical access to the target device to install the software, enabling remote monitoring of social media activity through the Kidsguard Pro dashboard.

For iPhones, Kidsguard Pro offers three connection options: iCloud, USB, and Jailbreak. The iCloud option requires knowledge of the target iPhone's Apple ID and password, but doesn't support social media monitoring; instead, it tracks photos, videos, and location. The USB option requires physical access to the target device to connect it to a pre-prepared computer via USB for data transfer, allowing remote monitoring of social media platforms such as WhatsApp, LINE, Kik, and WeChat. The Jailbreak option is highly technical and not recommended for ordinary users. 

4. uMobix

uMobix stands out as a robust monitoring tool, offering a positive user experience largely attributed to its clear and commendable operation instructions.

Despite its claims to monitor social media on both Android and iPhone devices, practical use reveals limitations in iPhone social media monitoring. To monitor social media activity, users must manually input account credentials for each platform, potentially negating the need for such software if all target device social media passwords are known.

However, its social media monitoring feature for Android is indeed powerful. You need physical access to the target device to install the software, allowing remote monitoring of social media activities. It operates by taking screenshots of the social media interface every 10 seconds, which you can view in the uMobix dashboard for remote monitoring purposes.

5. mSpy

mSpy is a well-known social media monitoring software. Just like Kidsguard Pro, it offers similar connectivity options. It's compatible with both Android and iPhone devices. However, what social media can it actually monitor with its various connectivity options? Let's find out!

For iPhones, mSpy offers three connection methods: iCloud, USB, and Jailbreak. The iCloud method requires the target device's Apple ID and password but only allows monitoring of activities like photos and videos, not social media. The USB method enables remote monitoring of WhatsApp, LINE, and Kik. Though mSpy also provides a Jailbreak option, due to its technical complexity, it's not recommended.

For Android devices, you'll need physical access to install the software. This method allows remote monitoring of WhatsApp. Besides social media monitoring, mSpy also allows remote shutdown of websites, apps, and Wi-Fi on the target device, which could be appealing for many parents.

Part 3. Key factors to consider when choosing the top iPhone tracking app

Device compatibility

Before deciding on the best spy app to use, you need to consider whether the apps are compatible with the device’s operating system (whether IOS or Android). It is also to confirm the compatibility with the device model, version, and other factors.

Monitoring features

Knowing the specific features that each app offers is also required to select the perfect one according to the user’s needs. The spy apps out there perform a significant amount of functions including tracking calls, text messages (SMS), device location and social media activity; remote control, and multimedia monitoring among others.

Hiddenness and dependability

For mobile spy apps to truly be effective, they need to be hidden and fairly undetectable. They also need to be capable of fulfilling their functions to the user’s satisfaction.

User-friendliness

Suitable spy apps for users are usually with a user-friendly interface. That means they do not have a user interface that is too technical or complex to navigate. The top spy apps should be accessible to users with limited technical expertise.

Customer support and reputation

The level of customer support provided by a spy app can also influence its selection. Generally, reputable spy app providers offer customer support through different avenues such as emails, phone calls, and chats. They may also have FAQs, tutorials, and user guides to assist customers with installation, troubleshooting, and other issues.

Based on compatibility, monitoring features, ease of use, customer service, and other factors, the top 5 social media apps are ranked as follows:

Part 4. How to use the top social media spy app to monitor someone's phone secretly

Out of many social media spy apps available, SpyX remains one of the most outstanding ones. In that case, we’ll be using SpyX as a case study on how to use social media spy apps:

For SpyX, you have to create an account via email or Google account and purchase the software on your preferred payment plan (1 month, 3 months, or 12 months). The steps for connecting the target device you want to monitor are as follows:

Step 1. Sign up for a free account.

Step 2. Select the type of device you want to monitor (whether iOS or Android).

Step 3. For an iOS device, fill in the Apple ID and password that are on the iOS device to be monitored. For an Android device, you have two connection options. One is fill in the Google account and password on the device to be monitored. The other is to install SpyX on the target phone directly. Don't worry, the "SpyX icon" will not appear on the phone. It's totally hidden.

Step 4. Start monitoring.

Upon completion of these steps, you will have access to various types of data from the target device including messages in different message apps (iMessage, WhatsApp, Snapchat, etc), photos and videos, device location, and many more features.

Part 5. Reasons to use a social media spy app

The intent behind the use of spy apps should adhere to ethics or it might amount to a violation of individuals’ rights as well as the law, resulting in severe legal consequences. However, an individual might consider using a mobile spy app for any of the following reasons:

Parental control: 

Spy apps can be employed for family or parental reasons. Parents can use social media spy apps to monitor their children’s online activities to ensure their well-being and safety from cyberbullying, predators, or harmful content.

Employee monitoring: 

Employers may also use these apps to monitor employees’ social media usage to prevent information leaks, supervise productive activity, ensure compliance with company regulations, and prevent damage to the company's reputation.

Relationship concerns: 

Some individuals may use spy apps to monitor the social media activities of their partners in the case of suspected infidelity or simply to look out for them.

Security reasons: 

Social media spy apps can be used by individuals and organizations to monitor their social media accounts to guard against cyber threats, hacking, or theft attempts.

Part 6. FAQs about top social media spy apps

Q1. Do social media spy apps really work?

Mobile social media spy applications really do work. However, not all the spy apps out there work properly. Some of the top apps have been mentioned in this article. When selecting a spy, evaluate the app's capabilities to meet your specific monitoring needs as well as factors like device compatibility and user support.

Q2. Are social media spy apps safe to use?

Usage of social media spy apps comes with a level of risk (concerns about privacy and security of data). It is advisable to do proper research before installing monitoring software in your personal or professional online environment.

Q3. How do I know if my phone is being monitored by a spy app?

Look out for unusual activity such as battery drain, increase in data usage, or appearance of unknown apps. Regularly scan your device with dependable anti-virus packages.

Q4. Is it illegal to use social media spy apps?

This is dependent on the laws and regulations in different regions. In most cases, it can be unethical and illegal to install spy apps on other people’s devices without getting proper consent.

Q5. How can social media spy apps be used ethically?

They should be used for legitimate reasons, like parental care. The use of spy apps should be with consent, transparency, and protection of data.

Part 7. Summary

Finding the right spy app and being able to use it properly can be difficult for several people, especially parents who want to safeguard the digital activities of their children. Many times, spy apps fall short of the monitoring services required.

However, a proper evaluation of the relevant factors for selecting a spy app, in addition to proper knowledge of its usage, can help eliminate those challenges. Hence, the user experience of social media spy apps will be greatly improved.