With over 3.5 billion smartphone users globally, today’s digital era has made keeping an eye on loved ones and employees increasingly challenging. However, here’s a twist: An innovative solution makes this daunting challenge a piece of cake – a spy phone app.
This is a game-changer that revolutionizes how you monitor others. With this advanced tool, you no longer need to physically check on someone or call their acquaintances to get location information. Everything you need is gathered in one single app.
This review will reveal the best spy apps for iPhone and Android in 2023. Get ready for a realm of technological wonder that will forever change your perception of personal monitoring.
🔑 Key Takeaways:
- A phone spy app helps parents monitor their children and protect them from smartphone addiction.
- uMobix unlocks Instagram and Facebook accounts on iOS devices, letting you navigate your target’s accounts as if they were your own.
- Phone spy apps like SpyBubble are ideal for cheating partner phone monitoring, allowing you to gather valuable information quickly.
- Some phone spy apps can be risky because your efforts will go to waste if the person has strong security installed on their mobile.
- XNSPY allows employers to gauge employee communication and identify any potential risks or breaches of company policies.
6 Best Phone Spy Apps for Android and iPhone
The best spy apps monitor mobile devices help employers track employees’ online activities. These also help parents monitor their children and protect them from smartphone addiction.
With this tool, you can spy on mobile activities, such as:
- social media account activities
- text messages and phone calls
- emails
- calendar activities
Check the best phone spy apps below with their unique features and user guides to see which works best for you:
1. uMobix – Best Spy App for Android & iOS Overall
uMobix is an excellent parental control app. With its user-friendly interface and seamless navigation, you may effortlessly access the necessary information.
| ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ What Makes It Unique? One standout feature of uMobix is its automatic data updates, which occur every 5 minutes. It ensures you receive real-time reports, eliminating the risk of missing any crucial information from the Android or iOS cell phone you are monitoring. With this app, you’ll also gain access to many social media platforms. It particularly unlocks Instagram and Facebook accounts on iOS devices, letting you navigate your target’s accounts as if they were your own. |
Interestingly, the phone monitoring app has a feature that alerts you to other applications installed on the device and provides data on whether new apps and programs are installed on the target cell phone.
Tech support is also provided via an online live chat, which may be a lifesaver if you need to install the spy phone app in a limited amount of time or have to solve any issue immediately.
With approximately 60 features, uMobix ranks high regarding powerful monitoring software superiority.
Follow these steps to create an account and understand why users rated it so highly:
Step 1: Choose Your Plan
1. To get started with uMobix, visit their website, click “Try Now,” and enter your email.
2. Once you have verified your email address, you will be automatically directed to a page where you will select a subscription package that best suits your specific monitoring requirements.
These packages differ regarding supported features, license duration, and pricing:
- 1 month: $49.99/month
- 3 months: $29.99/month
- 12 months: $12.49/month
3. To top it all off, you can use a 2-day free spy trial by contacting the uMobix team via their live chat. If you need more time to evaluate the system on an Android device, you can request a generous 7-day trial instead.
Step 2: Start Monitoring
After you choose the device you want to monitor and pay for your subscription plan, the next step is to install the app.
For Android devices:
- Check your email for a unique login URL and credentials to access your uMobix profile.
- Copy the unique link that you will find in your account, take the target Android device, and paste the link into any browser to download the spy phoneapp.
- Install the app.
- Once installed, tap “Open” and “Agree and Continue.”
- Click “Enable Keylogger Tracking” and open “User Accounts.”
- Go back to proceed with the uMobix setting by choosing “Setup Automatically.”
For Android devices:
- Installation is not required for iPhone devices, so it is possible to use the app to monitor somebody’s browser history and location right after purchase. However, it would help if you input the user’s iCloud credentials to access more features.
- Once the spy phone app is installed on the target iPhone, approve the 2FA code on the target device.
- Open your uMobix dashboard from any browser and use the app.
2. Cocospy – Spy Phone App with the Best Customer Service
Cocospy is an Android phone spy appthat offers comparable features to uMobix but with a slightly shorter list of supported social media platforms and apps. The app reports various activities of the target phone, such as:
- phone calls
- text messages
- social media interactions
- engagements on popular chat apps like WhatsApp
- calendar entries
- browsing history
| ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ What Makes It Unique? Cocospy is designed to be compatible with Android and iOS mobile devices. The remarkable aspect is that it offers seamless monitoring capabilities without jailbreaking or spy phone app installation. Its user-friendly interface makes it exceptionally easy for anyone to navigate and utilize its wide range of features, including: |
Downloading phone data depends on the operating system of the target device. For Android devices, all data is directly downloaded from the targeted device. On the other hand, the data is obtained from the phone’s iCloud backups for iOS devices.
Here are the steps to create a Cocospy account:
1. Visit the official Cocospy website and click the Buy Now button.
2. Create an account and purchase a Cocospy plan. The incredibly budget-friendly packages ensure everyone can easily afford the app’s services.
- 1 month: $49.99/month
- 3 months: $29.99/month
- 12 months: $12.49/month
3. Once done, log in to your Cocospy account and choose the type of device you want to install Cocospy on.
For Android Devices:
- Download and install the app on the target device (you’ll get detailed instructions sent to your email address).
- Once the app is installed on the target Android device, log into your user account (from your phone, tablet, or desktop).
- Start tracking the phone.
For iOS Devices:
- To access Cocospy features fully, you should know the target iPhone’s login and password.
- Take the target user’s phone for 2 minutes to enter the URL address in your account to download the app and then approve the 2-factor authentication code.
- Take your phone or desktop and start the target mobile spying.
Similarly to uMobix, you can skip this installation process for iOS, but it will let you access only GPS location and browser history.
3. SpyBubble – Best for Spying on a Spouse
SpyBubble is the ideal choice for cheating partner phone monitoring, allowing you to gather valuable information quickly.
| ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ What Makes It Unique? The user-friendly interface of SpyBubble makes it the best cellphone spyapp for individuals with minimal technical expertise. You can effortlessly do the following: The app goes even further by recording keystrokes and monitoring social media activities on popular platforms. |
This excellent app also comes with unmatched stealth capabilities. The target phone user will remain blissfully unaware of your presence. SpyBubble can track the following meticulously:
- incoming and outgoing calls
- text messages
- apps downloaded
- browser history
- GPS location
- other online activities
Here’s a quick guide on how to use and install the app on the target device:
1. Go to the SpyBubble official website and click on the “Try Now” button. It will take you to a page where you create your account. From there, enter your email and choose the target device.
2. Choose the plan and then make the payment.
- 1 month: $49.99/month
- 3 months: $27.99/month
- 12 months: $11.66/month
3. After paying, you’ll get your login credentials via email. You’ll instantly see a “Setup Wizard,” which will provide instructions on installing the app on the target device.
For Android Devices:
- Once you decide which device to install the app on, click “Next,” and a QR code will appear.
- Scan the QR code with the target device’s camera, and a download link will be shown on the screen. Click the link to start downloading the app.
Once you get a successful installation message, you can track and monitor all your partner’s activities and reveal their hidden truth.
For iOS Devices:
You don’t need to install the app on your target phone. This app uses iCloud backup to monitor an iPhone without the other person knowing. You only need the iCloud username and password of the target person.
Moreover, no jailbreaking is required to track an iPhone with SpyBubble.
4. Hoverwatch – Best for Android Spying
Hoverwatch is one of the best phone spy apps for Android that gives you all the information you need about the person you monitor.
| ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ What Makes It Unique? Downloading Hoverwatch is incredibly easy to install and use. You won’t need any spy app experience to understand how this works. It also gets on invisible mode after installing the app. The stealth mode keeps the app hidden from the target device’s user. You can track all the necessary data without the other person suspecting anything. |
This app takes screenshots of everything the person does. You may access information like:
- contacts
- calendar entries
- messages and calls
- camera feeds
- SIM card replacements
- social media activities
| 📝 Note: Using this app can be risky because, if the person has strong identity security installed on their mobile, your efforts will go to waste. This explains why it’s crucial to plan everything out before anything else. |
Follow the following procedures to install the app successfully on your preferred OS:
For Android Devices:
1. Prepare the device you want to monitor. To prevent Android from asking about the monitoring program’s activity, follow this procedure:
- Tap the Google Play Store app.
- Tap Menu > Play Protect > Settings
- Turn OFF Scan apps with Play Protect
2. Go to the Hoverwatch official page. Enter your email and password, then click “Sign up free.”
3. Click the Download App link, then tap “Download anyway.”
4. Make the device monitorable. Press “Don’t Allow” when the message “Allow Sync Service to send you notifications?” appears.
5. Accept the legal terms, then set up app requirements.
For iOS Devices:
- Go to the App Store and search for ‘Hoverwatch,’ then tap the ‘Install’ button.
- Open the app from your home screen and click the start button to track your device.
- Pick a plan that works for you. Provide an email address or credit card details, then click “Next” to choose which target you want to track on your target device page.
When you decide to invest in Hoverwatch, you must know that there are three plans that you can choose from. The price and features will differ between these plans, but you can always change the chosen plan after investing in one or another.
| Monitoring Functions Available | 1 Month | 3 Months | 12 Months | |
| Personal | 1 device | $24.95 | $59.95 | $99.95 |
| Professional | 5 devices | $49.95 | $99.95 | $199.95 |
| Business | 25 devices | $149.95 | $299.95 | $499.95 |
5. XNSPY – Best for Employers & Businesses
XNSPY, a superior phone tracker app, offers full control over the data on iOS and Android devices.
| ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ What Makes It Unique? It stands out as a top contender among spyware apps, leading the industry with its advanced features. XNSPY mobile spy app is the ideal solution for monitoring business activities and ensuring employee productivity. With its comprehensive features, XNSPY provides employers the necessary tools to monitor their employees’ online and offline activities. |
It allows employers to gauge employee communication and identify any potential risks or breaches of company policies. Through the app, businesses can track the following:
- call logs
- SMS messages
- emails social media interactions of their staff
The app is also ideal for parental control, boasting plenty of comprehensive functions, allowing users to track activities, such as:
- calls and SMS
- IM messages
- real-time GPS location
- social media activities
Follow this step-by-step guide on how to install XNPSY for Android and iOS devices:
For Android Devices:
1. Go to the XNSPY website and click “Buy now” option on the top right corner.
2. Select a suitable subscription package.
| 1 Month | 3 Months | 12 Months | |
| Basic | $29.99 | $41.99 | $59.99 |
| Premium | $35.99 | $59.99 | $89.99 |
3. Check an email containing the download app link, instructions on installing it, and your XNSPY login credentials.
4. Download and install the app on the device you wish to monitor. You need physical access to the device only for installation purposes.
5. Wait for a day or two for the app to transfer data to a remote server.
6. Visit the XNSPY website and enter the login credentials provided in the email.
7. Select “Android” from the “My Devices” tab on the left. You can update your login password by selecting the “My Account” option.
8. Once done, go to the control panel where you can access all data via the menu on the left.
For iOS Devices:
The installation process is similar to Android. The only difference is that, for iOS devices, you no longer need physical access to the iPhone to install XNSPY. However, you must have the Apple ID details of the device you want to spy on.
Moreover, make sure that the iCloud backup feature on the phone is switched on.
6. FlexiSPY – One of the Best Value Cell Phone Spying Apps
By using FlexiSPY, you are able to monitor the things below:
- GPS locations
- photos and videos (via FlexiVIEW)
- web history
- text typed on an iPhone with the keylogger feature
- phone calls
| ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ What Makes It Unique? It sets itself apart with the ability to activate the phone’s microphone, record surroundings, and record Android VoIP calls made through various platforms. |
With its features, FlexiSPY provides a convenient way to monitor the activities of your teenager, spouse, or anyone else you may be concerned about.
However, compared to the other spying apps listed above, this one does not have a live chat, so you must email FlexiSPY support and wait for an answer. Alternatively, it is possible to reach them by phone.
To start using FlexiSPY, you need the following:
1. Go to flexispy.com website and click “Buy Now.”
2. Choose the device you want to monitor.
3. Choose the desirable plan (for Android and iPhone, the price is the same) and proceed with payment.
| 1 Month | 3 Months | 12 Months | |
| Lite | $29.95 | – | – |
| Premium | $79 | $119 | $179 |
| Extreme | $119 | $239 | $419 |
4. Once you have paid for the package, you will receive an email where you will get your username and password and the URL web address for the FlexiSpy online dashboard.
5. Use your email credentials to log in to your online dashboard.
6. Follow the Installation Wizard for Android.
7. Take the target Android phone and enter the download URL in any browser to download the app.
8. Enter the activation code and log into the reporting dashboard.
Wrap-Up
In an era of expansive digital development, it’s unsurprising that tools have transpired to monitor your loved ones remotely and monitor the quality of work of employees. With these top six best phone spy apps, their contacts and whereabouts aren’t a secret to you anymore.
| 👍 Helpful Article: The National Cyber Security Alliance said 80% of internet users had spyware infection. This type of malware can compromise your online privacy and safety. Make sure to learn how to learn to protect your phone from spyware. |
FAQs
What app can I use to see what my boyfriend is doing on his phone?
Cocospy and SpyBubble are popular apps to monitor your partner’s activities. However, note that spyware apps without the person’s knowledge are illegal in some countries.
How to spy on someone’s cell phone without installing software?
You can spy on someone’s iPad or Android using the Find My iPhone/Device option. You may also use Google Maps location-sharing feature as an alternative solution.
Can I monitor other mobile activities for free?
Yes. Contact uMobix or SpyBubble live support chat to request a free trial. Alternatively, you can use Google Maps or Find My iPhone/Device for iOS and Android.
What features are important when buying a cell phone spying app?
It depends on what you need. The common features you need to look for in a phone spy app are stealth mode, compatibility, GPS location tracking, call/text monitoring, and accessible customer support.
By Harsha Kiran
Harsha Kiran is the founder and innovator of Techjury.net. He started it as a personal passion project in 2019 to share expertise in internet marketing and experiences with gadgets and it soon turned into a full-scale tech blog with specialization in security, privacy, web dev, and cloud computing.