Are you looking for the top spy apps for Android without access to the target phone? We’ve got you covered. This article presents the 5 best free spy apps for Android in 2023 with a detailed description, review, and what they are best suited for.
If you don’t want to dive into the details, mSpy is our editor’s choice.
If you want to dive deeper and find out what you can achieve with powerful spying apps on our list, keep reading!
Spy App Usage
• Parental Control
Parents need to protect their kids from potential dangers online like cyberbullying, online predators, adult content, and more (that nowadays can be easily bought by our children using Snapchat, Telegram, and other apps).
Most kids who experience these dangers never inform their parents, so it is essential for parents to monitor their children’s phones. Psychologists suggest monitoring from a young age to build trust and establish rules and limits.
• Employees
Companies can use spy apps to monitor employee activity, but employees should be aware that the employer is using the program.
• Relationship Monitoring
Whether you are a loving spouse or a caring partner, spy apps can provide you with the truth and help you keep a situation under control.
Choosing the Right Spy App
Although, most spy apps are not entirely free, some of them offer free trials, allowing users to test their features before paying.
We will also go through completely free spy apps. However, free spy apps are often not safe and can steal personal information, have poor compatibility, and limited features.
To install a spy app on an Android device, the target phone must have access for at least one minute. There is no way to start spying on an Android phone without access to the target phone, and you will not find alternatives online.
#1 – mSpy App
mSpy is the best spy app for Android, preferred by most people and our number one choice. It’s suitable for monitoring kids, employees, family, or partners.

mSpy is the perfect parental control app, helping you keep your kids safe online and providing peace of mind. With mSpy, you can monitor your child’s SMS messages, social media activity, calls, and browser history. It also provides real-time monitoring for Snapchat, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and other apps.
With GPS location tracking and call logs, mSpy helps ensure your child’s safety and whereabouts.
mSpy can send you notifications if your child attempts to access something that you have blocked. Also, it helps to keep your child away from cyberbullying by receiving alerts about any suspicious or inappropriate behaviors, such as profanity or excessive chats with strangers.
➼ mSpy Pros
- 10 years of experience.
- Over 1.5 million happy users.
- 180 countries supported.
- Easy to install (5-7 minutes).
- Dashboard updates every 5 minutes remotely.
- Information is secure and protected, only you have access.
- 24/7 chat and email support.
➼ mSpy Cons
- Not free.
- No free trial, only a live demo.
➼ mSpy Main Features
mSpy offers a comprehensive set of features for monitoring online activity.
- Messaging and social media apps such as WhatsApp, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, Tinder, Skype, Vibe, Hangout, Line, and others can be monitored.
- You can view a complete list of incoming and outgoing calls with details such as the contact name, phone number, time, and duration of the call.
- The GPS location and detailed route history can be tracked.
- Parents can restrict incoming calls from specific numbers with the option to blacklist those calls. The child will not be notified of the incoming call or even know it happened.
- Media such as photos, videos, audio, and others can be monitored.
- Browser history is also available with details of when and how long each website was viewed.
- You can see how long your kids use each app.
- Sent and received text messages, including those that have been deleted, can be viewed.
- Emails sent and received through Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, and others can also be monitored.
- The website blocker feature blocks inappropriate sites.
- An alert will be sent when a blacklisted word has been typed.
- The screen recording feature allows you to remotely record the child’s phone screen and save the recording to your mSpy dashboard.
➼ mSpy App Price
mSpy offers flexible billing options with 1, 3, and 12-month billing periods. All premium features are included in the price.
- 1 month – $48.99/month
- 3 months – $28/month (most popular)
- Yearly – $11.67/month
You can turn off auto-renewal of your subscription at checkout.

➼ mSpy App Installation
Getting started with mSpy is easy, taking only 5-7 minutes. Simply create a free account by entering your email address and selecting your preferred device (iPhone or Android). Choose the plan you want and pay for the subscription. Then, install the app on your target’s phone and you’re ready to go!
➼ mSpy Compatibility
mSpy is compatible with most devices, including Mac, PC, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, or tablet. You can check the compatibility by typing in your device model on the website.
➼ mSpy Rooting
mSpy can be installed without rooting your device, unlike other cell phone spy apps. Rooting is only required for the premium version of mSpy to collect data from various social media apps.
The mSpy support team is fantastic and can assist you with the rooting process. The process is not as complicated as it may look.
#2 – uMobix App
For parents looking for an Android tracker, uMobix is another recommended option.

➼ uMobix Pros
- uMobix boasts the best customer service in the industry according to reviews.
- The app can monitor 41 popular apps and social media platforms, including dating apps.
- uMobix is a great choice for parents with plenty of parental control features.
- Set up takes just 5 minutes, similar to the mSpy app.
- Data is updated every 5 minutes for Android devices.
- After installation on an Android device, the icon can be removed from the menu to prevent tech-savvy kids from spotting it.
➼ The Downsides of the uMobix App
- It’s not free
- No free trial, only a live demo available
- Cannot monitor Snapchat on iOS
➼ Main Features of uMobix
- Streaming: uMobix allows you to monitor your child’s smartphone camera and microphone in real-time, no matter where they are located.
- Access to Deleted Information: You can view any deleted calls, contacts, or messages, as well as renamed contacts, to ensure that nothing important is hidden from you.
- Keylogger: Logs every keystroke and password typed by the user.
- Messengers & Social Apps: Supports Tiktok, Reddit, Kik, Zoom, WhatsApp, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, Tinder, Skype, Youtube, Viber, Hangout, Line, and more.
- SIM Card Detection: Notified when a new SIM card is installed on the target device.
- Contact Monitoring: Detects any recently added or renamed contacts.
- Reddit History Tracking: Monitor your child’s history on Reddit.
- App Deletion: Delete unwanted apps from the target device.
- SMS Monitoring: Monitor all sent, received, or deleted SMS, including those sent through WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and more.
- Call Monitoring: View all incoming and outgoing calls, including timestamps, duration, and caller information.
- GPS Location Tracking: Keep track of your child’s location.
- Website Restrictions: Restrict access to unwanted websites.
➼ uMobix Price
- 1 Month – $49.99/month
- 3 Months – $29.99/month
- Yearly – $12.49/month (best value)
The prices are comparable to mSpy and the Full Pack offers similar features as mSpy Premium.

➼ Installing the uMobix App
Getting started with uMobix is quick and easy, taking roughly 5 minutes. Simply create an account, enter your email, and select the target device to be monitored. After selecting your subscription plan and making payment, you will need access to the target device for less than a minute to install the uMobix app. From there, you can start monitoring the data through your account.
➼ uMobix Compatibility
uMobix works on all Android OS 4+ and all iPhones and iPads. You can check if your device is compatible by entering its model on their website.
Note that for Android devices, the uMobix app needs to be downloaded and physical access is required (for less than a minute).
Although most of uMobix’s features work on a non-rooted phone, rooting is required for monitoring social media apps and messengers like WhatsApp or Snapchat.
#3 – GuestSpy App
This app is a great way to keep track of what your child is doing on their phone as well as employees cell phone usage.
➼ GuestSpy Pros
- Completely Free.
- Works on any Android device.
➼ GuestSpy Cons
- Some glitches with data updates on dashboard.
- Limited features.
- Hard to set up.
- No live chat.
➼ Guest Spy Main Features
- Keylogging. This feature enables you to monitor keystrokes and passwords of your target device.
- SMS Tracker. Read full content of messages sent and received by the targeted user.
- Call Recording. With the call recording feature, you can listen to dialed and received calls.
- GPS Tracker.
- Browsing History Monitoring.
- Some Social Media platforms.
#4 – Mobile Tracker Free App
Are you concerned about the phone usage of your family members or employees? Look no further! Mobile Tracker Free offers a simple and pretty effective way to keep track of their activities.
➼ Pros of Mobile Tracker Free
- The standard plan is completely free
- Compatible with most Android devices
➼ Cons of Mobile Tracker Free
- Root access is required for many features
- Limited options in the free plan, with upgrades needed for full functionality
- Delayed updates for screenshots, restricted listening and live viewing, and limited actions per day
- Call recording is a common issue, based on user reviews
- Limited customer support with no live chat option
➼ Main Features of Mobile Tracker Free
- Monitor SMS and MMS messages sent and received
- Keep track of call information, including time, duration, type, and contact details
- GPS tracking and picture monitoring
- Access to some social media platforms
- Record ambient sounds for up to 2 minutes (limited in free plan)
- Alerts for new contacts and events in the address book and calendar
- Generate reports in PDF and Excel format
➼ Mobile Tracker Free Pricing
- Basic Plan: 6€ per month.
- Premium Plan: 15€ per month.

#5 – iKeymonitor App
The iKeymonitor app is a versatile software solution designed to help parents and businesses keep track of their employees and children’s online activities. The app is known for its ability to monitor and control mobile devices, and its key features are aimed at ensuring safety and security online.
➼ iKeymonitor Pros
- The app is available in multiple languages including English, Russian, Chinese (Simplified), Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, and Korean.
- A standard plan is offered for free, which is great for those who are looking for an affordable solution.
- The app also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, which provides a risk-free option for those who are hesitant about making the investment.
- The app is compatible with most Android devices, and the paid plan is available for desktop Windows and MacOS.
➼ iKeymonitor Cons
- The free plan is limited in terms of features, and to get the most out of the app, you will need to upgrade to the paid plan.
- The app does not offer live chat support, which can be a drawback for those who require immediate assistance.
➼ iKeymonitor Main Features
- Call history
- SMS Messages
- GPS Locations
- Geo-fencing
- Contacts
- Calendars, Notes
- Reminders, Voice Memos
- Wifi history
- The paid plan offers additional features such as social media monitoring, the ability to record phone calls, check websites visited, listen to live surroundings, capture real-time screenshots, block inappropriate apps/games, and set screen time limits.
➼ iKeymonitor Price
The iKeymonitor app is available for free online, but most of its features are only available in the add-on plan. The add-on prices for mobile are:
- 3 days – $9.99
- 1 month – $16.66
The add-on prices for desktop are:
- 1 month – $29.99

Conclusion
There are many apps you can use to spy, however, if you are looking for reliable monitoring software that provides decent results, consider signing up for mSpy. This app has been tested by Tentechreview team personally, and we can recommend it as a hugely powerful phone monitoring app, which can report on almost any area of online activities .