Top 5 Phone Spy Apps 2022

When somebody mentions a mobile spy app, many think they are up for no good. However, these applications have legitimate uses in some situations. For instance, one study comprising 2,000 subjects found that 10% of participants using apps to monitor an ex or current partner. Other people use them to ensure their children’s safety online. Thus, people have legit reasons to use the best spy apps.

What Are Cell Phone Spy Apps?

A cell phone spy app is an application for monitoring a smartphone, and it helps the user to track the target device’s activity. People use paid and free spy apps to monitor incoming and outgoing calls, SMS, email, Facebook messenger conversations, social media interactions, WhatsApp, Snapchat, and browser history. Some apps even help with location tracking and screen recording.

Some people use these apps to locate misplaced or stolen phones. They track online communication and activity, such as internet activity and GPS location. But with so many apps available, it’s crucial to know the best free and paid spy apps to make choosing easier.

How Spy Apps Work on Smartphones

Upon installation, a mobile spy app runs in stealth mode so that the device owner or user doesn’t detect or know you’re monitoring them. However, the app collects and sends information to an online dashboard where the user accesses it.

For instance, the spy phone app can monitor the kid’s activity, including social media interactions, calls, and text messages. It can also track the time they spend on different applications. Some apps let parents prevent their kids from installing specific apps and visiting certain websites.

Additionally, an employer can use the app to track the employees’ location in the field. A partner can use the app to monitor WhatsApp conversations when they suspect their spouse is using the platform to chat with their cheating partner. Ideally, the best cell phone spy app allows you to remotely access and monitor the target person’s activity on their smartphone.

Features of the Top Rated Spy Apps

The best spy apps have features that make them effective. Here are the features to look for when choosing a cell phone spy app.

Phone Call Tracking

The best spy apps allow users to check the target device’s call history. That way, the user can monitor who the target calls or contacts. This feature is standard in most spy apps. However, it may be unavailable in free spy apps. On the other hand, premium apps can even allow you to listen to phone call conversations or even record them.

Text Messages Monitoring

Top spy apps let users monitor the target persons’ text messages. Most people use text messages to communicate business, personal life, and other secrets. Text message monitoring is, therefore, a vital feature for spy apps. And the best apps allow users to log texts and go through them later. Some spy apps can notify users when the target person uses specific keywords or phrases in their messages.

GPS Tracking

Location tracking is also a crucial feature that enables the spy app’s user to track the target person’s phone without permission. Also, some apps provide a history of the places the target has visited. And this is particularly crucial when a parent wants to monitor a kid and know the places they have visited.

Social Apps Monitoring

Social media monitoring enables the spy app user to read the target’s conversations remotely. Top-rated spy apps allow users to monitor Facebook, Snapchat, Viber, iMessages, and many more social networks. Many apps provide an online dashboard where users select the social network to monitor whenever they log in.

Camera and Screen Recording

Some of the best apps for spying on smartphones activate the camera and records the target person’s surrounding. And this feature is essential when you need evidence to confront the target. Also, some of the top spy phone apps take screenshots without the target person’s knowledge. And you can access the images at any time from your online dashboard.

The Legality of Using Mobile Spy Apps

Checking the legality of any spy phone app is vital before its installation. The ECPA prohibits intercepting or disclosing private communications via electronic devices. And this includes using top spy apps to monitor people’s activity on their mobile devices. However, parents can use the apps to ensure their kids’ safety. Also, partners can use the apps to find out the truth if they suspect their spouses of cheating.

How to Find the Best Phone Spy App

While there are many apps for spying on Windows, iPhone, and Android devices, not all of them are created equal. Features, compatibility, and pricing are some features that vary among the available spy apps. Consider the following factors to choose the most appropriate cell phone spy app for your needs.

Compatibility

A mobile spy app is as good as its compatibility with the device you want to use it with when spying on your target. Therefore, check whether the app you want to use is compatible with iPhone or Android devices. Also, determine whether the app requires rooting or jailbreaking the target device to function correctly.

Available Features

Top-rated spy apps help users monitor their target person’s smartphone activity. Therefore, they have features that enable them to gather as much relevant data as possible. Some features to look for in a spy application include:

• Phone tracking capability
• SMS checking
• Messenger monitoring
• Call logs or history
• Phone book access
• Social network and email monitoring
• App management

You’ll have an easier time monitoring someone with an app with exclusive and easy-to-use features.

Online Reputation

You will know what to expect from a spy application by reading online reviews. Some people have used the available apps and written reviews about them. Reading such reviews provide valuable insights into the applications. Therefore, choose an application with the most positive reviews because it shows that it works.

Pricing

Please consider the spy app’s price before subscribing. While you can find free apps for spying on smartphones, they mostly have limited features. Spending money on a spy app will help you seamlessly get all the necessary functionalities to spy on your target. Nevertheless, compare other aspects of the available apps to pick one that gives you value for your funds.

The Top 5 Spy Apps

With so many options to consider, choosing the best spy phone app can be challenging. An ideal smartphone surveillance application helps the user track the target device’s activity in real-time. However, some apps allow users to block the target persons from installing certain apps or visiting some websites remotely. Therefore, such applications are ideal for parents that want to protect their kids from inappropriate content or malicious actors.

This article lists the top 5 spy apps according to users’ reviews, features, and functionalities. These brief reviews highlight the prices and other aspects that make these apps stand out.

uMobix

uMobix is among the top paid spy apps due to its innovative features. This spy application is compatible with tablets and smartphones. Its key selling point is fast installation. However, this app comes with much vital functionality.

Features

• Keylogging capabilities
• Social network monitoring
• Checking deleted messages
• Location tracking
• Remotely restricting websites and blocking apps
• Activating camera and microphone

uMobix allows you to control some aspects of the target device. You can turn on the microphone and camera to listen to the target person’s conversation or see where they are in real-time. uMobix price starts at $14.99 per month for an annual package and $49.99 for a monthly package. Perhaps, you can check full uMobix review for more details.

XNSPY

XNSPY is a spy application for iOS and Android devices. It allows users to monitor the phone’s whereabouts, read text messages, and do other activities without the target person knowing. This app is ideal for employers and parents that want to track what the targets do on their cell phones.

Also, you can monitor the target’s social networks’ activity, including messages. The app provides critical loggers and web histories too. Other capabilities include geofencing and an e-map for creating maps where the app alerts you if the target visits a specific area.

Features

• Call recording
• GPS tracking
• SMS tracking
• Email tracking
• Stored files access
• 24/7 notifications

This app has 3 subscription plans. The annual plan costs $9.99 monthly, the quarterly package costs $24.99 monthly, and the monthly payment is $44.99.

SpyStealth

SpyStealth is an effective spy app that supports the latest operating systems. This application allows you to do many things on the target device. It’s an ideal phone tracker for parents and employees that want to know everything their targets do on their smartphones. It offers almost every feature you may expect from spying software.

Features

• A live control panel for viewing all activities on the target device in real-time
• It lets you view the target device’s screen without the user detecting
• It provides fast information about the device’s whereabouts using GPS
• It allows you to lock the device remotely.
• Monitoring all social networking
• Spying on messenger applications
• Logging features
• Monitoring internet activities
• It will enable you to set alerts

SpyStealth costs $24.95 per month and has excellent support via chat. Also, this application is ideal for anyone that wants to track Badoo and KakaoTalk instant messaging apps since other apps don’t monitor them.

Snoopza

Snoopza is also among the top spy apps because it provides an all-in-one solution. This app is an efficient tool for tracking a smartphone and a keylogger that captures the target device’s keyboard activity. And all the information is available to the user via an online dashboard. It’s compatible with tablets and phones, supporting devices from Android 4.0 upwards. It’s quick and easy to install without requiring technical skills to set up and use.

Features

• Call tracking and recording
• Spy on social networks
• Device tracking
• Browser history
• Track Facebook messages and text messages
• Take screenshots and camera shots
• Detect SIM card change

Once you create a free online account, you can download and install it on the target device to monitor the target’s activity via an online, user-friendly dashboard.

Hoverwatch

Hoverwatch is a phone tracker app with stealth tracking capabilities, such as recording call audio, location, and internet activity. This application allows you to track the activity on Windows, Mac OS X, and Android devices. Since it runs in stealth mode, the target can’t see or detect it.

Features

• It can record outgoing and incoming calls on the target person’s device.
• It can spy on social networking sites
• It can track messages and let you view even deleted texts
• It follows the phone’s whereabouts and takes screenshots

This mobile tracker has three pricing plans. These are a full pack at $49.99 per month, a 3-month full pack at $29.99 per month, and a 12-month full pack at $12.49 per month.

Conclusion

This article has listed the best apps for spying on mobile devices in 2022. However, consider the features, compatibility, and pricing to pick a top phone spy app that will serve your unique needs.

Read Also: 10 Free Spy Apps for iPhone