What Net Nanny does

Net Nanny provides AI-powered parental control software for families with children, delivered as a cross-platform subscription product across Windows, macOS, and iOS. The core technology is a real-time, AI-driven content analysis engine that evaluates each web page at the moment of access across 14 content categories (including pornography, violence, suicide, drugs, and weapons), replacing older static blocklist approaches. The product (Net Nanny 10) bundles content filtering, app and website blocking, screen time management, location tracking with 60-day history, YouTube monitoring, and social media protection, all managed through a web-based Parent Dashboard and iOS Parent App.

The business model is direct-to-consumer annual subscriptions with auto-renewal, priced from $39.99/year for a single desktop to $89.99/year for a 20-device Family Protection Pass, processed through Braintree. Distribution relies on the netnanny.com e-commerce storefront, Apple App Store and Google Play listings, and a German-language reseller at safetonet-family-store.de. The company is privately held and operates as a subsidiary of SafeToNet Limited through Pennsylvania-registered entities Zift Software LLC and CW Acquisition Corp. The company has served over 1 million parents since 1996, making it one of the longest-standing vendors in the consumer parental controls category, though recent strategic activity is limited and most independent award recognition dates to 2013-2014.

Name

Net Nanny

Legal name

Zift Software LLC

Website

https://netnanny.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Net Nanny provides AI-powered parental control software to families, offering real-time web content filtering, screen time management, app blocking, location tracking, and social media monitoring across Windows, macOS, and iOS via annual consumer subscriptions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Annual Subscription: Recurring annual subscription model with tiered device coverage. Subscriptions auto-renew each year unless cancelled before the anniversary date. Payment processed through Braintree payment processor.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Net Nanny provides AI-powered parental control software that scans and analyzes web pages in real time to block dangerous or inappropriate content (pornography, drugs, violence, suicide-related material) before children view them. The software also delivers screen time management, app and website blocking, YouTube and social media monitoring, location tracking, and a parent dashboard across Windows, macOS, and iOS devices. Subscriptions are sold as annual plans covering 1, 5, or 20 devices.

Product overview

Net Nanny is a parental control software platform with a single unified product, Net Nanny 10, offered across multiple subscription tiers. The core Net Nanny 10 application is available as a single-device plan ($39.99/year), a 5-Device Family Protection Pass ($54.99/year), and a 20-Device Family Protection Pass ($89.99/year), all covering Windows, macOS, and iOS. The platform is built around a central AI-driven content filtering and internet monitoring engine, with key feature modules including Social Media Protection, YouTube Monitoring and Management, Family Feed (real-time activity dashboard), Parent Dashboard (web and mobile management portal), Screen Time Management, Location Tracking, App Blocking, and Website Blocking. Net Nanny has been offered since 1996 and was formerly available under the Zift brand, which was integrated into Net Nanny in 2018.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Family Feed: Real-time overview of family's online activity including alerts, screen time reports, and content monitoring
• Net Nanny 10
• Family Protection Pass
• Parent Dashboard

Products and services

• Net Nanny 10 The primary parental control software application from Net Nanny, providing AI-driven real-time content filtering, website blocking, pornography blocking, screen time management, location tracking, app blocking, alerts and reporting, Family Feed, Parent Dashboard, YouTube monitoring, and Social Media Protection. Sold as annual subscriptions covering Windows, macOS, and iOS devices.
• Family Protection Pass A multi-device subscription tier of Net Nanny 10 offered as either a 5-Device plan ($54.99/year, iOS/macOS/Windows) or a 20-Device plan ($89.99/year, iOS/macOS/Windows), including all Net Nanny features for the entire family across PCs, Macs, and iOS devices.
• Net Nanny Single Desktop A single-device annual subscription of Net Nanny 10 protecting one Windows or macOS computer with all Net Nanny features including content filtering, app blocking, screen time management, and reporting, priced at $39.99/year.

Quantifiable outcome

• AI technology blocks dangerous content the instant before a child sees it, providing real-time protection
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Zift (now part of Net Nanny)coreOthersZift was integrated into Net Nanny's product offering, with existing Zift accounts now part of the Net Nanny platform. This consolidation brought Zift's parental control features under the Net Nanny brand.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Microsoft Family Safety: OS-level parental control functionality built into Windows and Microsoft accounts, including screen time, content filtering, and location sharing. Competes indirectly as a free bundled alternative on the same Windows platform Net Nanny supports.
• Google Family Link: Google's free built-in parental controls for Android and ChromeOS devices, providing app management, screen time, and content filtering. Direct substitute on the Android/Chromebook platforms where Net Nanny currently has limited coverage.
• Kaspersky Safe Kids: Parental control offering from cybersecurity vendor Kaspersky providing content filtering, screen time management, and location tracking across desktop and mobile. Comparable functionality sold as part of a larger security franchise rather than pure-play family safety.
• Norton Family (Gen Digital): Parental control module within Gen Digital's Norton 360 security suite, offering web filtering, time supervision and location tracking. Competes by bundling parental controls into a broader security subscription rather than standalone.

Direct peers

• Bark Technologies: AI-powered monitoring of children's texts, social media, and web content for parents. Overlaps directly with Net Nanny's content-monitoring and social media protection capabilities and competes for the same family subscriber dollar.
• Qustodio: Direct competitor offering cross-platform parental controls including content filtering, screen time, app blocking, and location tracking for families. Closest like-for-like competitor to Net Nanny's subscription-based parental control product.
• OurPact: Parental control app for iOS, Android, and Kindle with screen time, app blocking, web filtering and family locator features. Targets the same family subscriber with a similar cross-device subscription model.
• Mobicip: Cross-platform parental control app with content filtering, app blocking, screen time and location tracking across iOS, Android, and desktop. Closely matches Net Nanny's multi-device Family Protection Pass positioning and pricing tiers.
• Aura: Digital family safety subscription offering parental controls, content filtering, screen time management, and identity protection bundled together. Competes with Net Nanny in the paid family-safety subscription category, particularly for households wanting broader protection bundles.

Emerging players

• Canopy: AI-based content filtering and parental control platform emphasizing real-time web filtering, sexting prevention and screen time. Comparable technology stack (AI real-time analysis) and overlapping family-safety feature set.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/netnanny
• Facebookfacebook.com/netnanny
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/contentwatch

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Net Nanny