A Family Link alternative for kids aged 3–8
Family Link handles the rules well: you set a limit, and when time runs out the phone locks. With a five-year-old, that is exactly where the trouble starts. The black screen arrives without a warning the child can understand, and the argument is not about the limit but about the way it ended.
Pauzi starts from the other end. The limit is still yours, but your child is prepared in advance, with a calm voice, and knows what comes after the phone.
One session, from start to finish
Not a lock at the end, but four moments where your child knows where they are.
The start is announced
Your child hears how much time they have before it begins. They don’t discover the limit by running into it.
Warnings along the way
Halfway and near the end, in a calm voice. A five-year-old doesn’t read notifications.
The end has a “what’s next”
Pauzi suggests a concrete activity away from the screen, instead of leaving a dark screen and an unanswered question.
Stopping on time is rewarded
The Patience Chest gives a star when your child stops on their own. Good behaviour gets a signal too, not just the bad.
Family Link and Pauzi, compared fairly
The Family Link details come from Google’s documentation, checked in September 2026. The last two rows are things Pauzi does not do.
| Criterion | Family Link | Pauzi |
|---|---|---|
| Separate Google account for the child | Required | Not needed |
| Separate device for the child | Required (Android 6+ or Chromebook) | Optional — also works on your own phone |
| How the daily limit applies | Per device, so it doubles across two devices | Per child |
| What happens at the end | The whole phone locks | The session ends and a suggested activity follows |
| Warning before the end | Notification | Voice messages at the start, halfway, near the end and at the end |
| Ads opened from an allowed game | — | Tries to close them and bring the child back to the app |
| Rewards for stopping on time | — | Patience Chest, with stars |
| Child's location | Yes | — |
| Content filters for Chrome, YouTube, Play | Yes | — |
On your phone or on your child’s
Pauzi works both ways, with the same rules and the same experience for your child. Use it on your own phone when you hand it over for twenty minutes, and exiting requires a PIN. Or install it on a phone or tablet dedicated to your child and follow along remotely.
The difference from Family Link is that you don’t have to buy a separate device and create a Google account for your child to get started. You can start today, with the phone in your hand.
What Pauzi does not do
- It does not track your child’s location.
- It does not filter content in Chrome, YouTube or Google Play.
- It is not a universal ad blocker — protection covers detectable exits during a session.
- It does not work on iPhone, iPad or Chromebook. Android only.
Pauzi does one thing and tries to do it well: a young child’s screen-time session, from start to finish.
What parents ask before installing
Does Pauzi replace Family Link?
It depends on what you need. If you want location tracking, content filters for Chrome and YouTube, or Chromebook supervision, Family Link does things Pauzi does not. If your problem is the argument at the end of screen time with a 3–8 year old, Pauzi is built exactly for that.
Does my child need a Google account to use Pauzi?
No. The account belongs to the parent, and the child's profile is created inside the app. Family Link, by contrast, requires a Google account for the child, because supervision is tied to that account.
Can I use Pauzi on my child's own phone?
Yes. Pauzi works just as well on an Android phone or tablet dedicated to your child, with remote visibility for the parent. The difference from Family Link is that you don't need a separate device to get started.
Does Pauzi block ads?
It is not a universal ad blocker. During a session, Pauzi tries to close detectable exits to ads or Google Play opened from an allowed game and bring your child back to the app you chose.
What does Pauzi read on the phone?
Pauzi identifies which app is active so it can apply the settings you chose. It does not read messages, passwords, typed text or the content of other apps. It shows no ads and sells no data.
How much does it cost?
The free version covers one child, with time limits, sessions, breaks, bedtime and allowed apps. Premium adds more children, personalised activities spoken by Pauzi, detailed reports, multiple routines and the Patience Chest.
Free for one childTry it on the phone you already have
No Google account for your child and no separate device. Install it, choose the allowed apps and start the first session.
Get it on Google PlaySee also how Pauzi works.