How do I block ads on my kid's phone for free?

Set up a free family DNS filter that blocks ad and tracker domains across the whole device, then turn off ad personalisation in the device settings.

Why are ads on kids' apps a problem?

Most children under 11 can't tell ads from content, and 'free' apps fund themselves by tracking children's data to target them — 95% of preschool apps carry advertising.

Should I pay for ad-free versions of kids' apps?

For the apps they use most, yes — a small one-off cost removes the ads and the scammy 'free reward' pop-ups, and reduces tracking.

How to Block Ads & Tracking on Kids' Apps

The short answer: When a game is "free", your child is usually the product — their attention and their data are what's being sold. You can't fix the whole system, but you can cut most of it out of your own house in about ten minutes, for free. Here's how, and why I bother.

Why "free" isn't free

Free apps and games make their money two ways: showing ads, and collecting data to target those ads. And there's a lot of it. Researchers found that 95% of apps designed for preschoolers contained at least one form of advertising. On the data side, around 60% of iOS apps and 55% of Android apps were found to collect personally identifiable information — names, emails, precise location, device IDs. That's a lot of dossier-building on a five-year-old.

Why it lands harder on kids

Three in four children aged 8 to 11 can't reliably tell an advertisement from ordinary content. That's not them being silly — it's developmental. The part of the brain that handles judgment isn't fully wired until the twenties, so a flashy "tap to win" ad inside a game is far more persuasive to a child than it would be to you. Ads aimed at young kids exploit exactly that gap. Regulators have taken notice: several big kids'-gaming companies have been pulled up and made to stop tracking under-13s without consent.

How to cut most of it (free, ~10 minutes)

A free family DNS filter. The same family DNS that blocks adult sites can also block known ad and tracker domains across the whole device — every app, not just the browser. This is the single biggest win and it's free. (Setup is in How to Block Inappropriate Websites and the guides.)
Turn off ad personalisation. On iOS, turn off "Personalised Ads" and "Allow Apps to Request to Track". On Android, delete/reset the advertising ID and turn off ad personalisation. Two minutes, kills most targeting.
Pay the few dollars for ad-free where it matters. For the apps your kids use most, a cheap paid or "no ads" version removes the lot — and stops the scammy "free reward" ads that pop up in games. Often worth more than the price.
Prefer genuinely kid-made apps. Lean towards apps with clear privacy practices and no third-party ads. The members area lists the ones we landed on.

The honest limit

Blocking ads and tracking reduces the noise and the data harvesting; it doesn't make an app perfectly private, and a determined app will still gather some basics. Pair these steps with the usual ones — devices in shared areas, and being a bit choosy about which "free" games come into the house in the first place.

Want the exact settings?

The screen-by-screen setup for the free family DNS, the iOS and Android ad/tracking settings, and our shortlist of cleaner apps are all in the Ultimate Parents Guide — a one-off $13.60.

The bottom line: Free DNS filter + ad personalisation off + paid versions of their favourites. Ten minutes, almost no cost, and you've cut most of the ads and tracking that "free" apps run on.

Want the full lockdown steps?

Every app, every device, screen by screen. One-off $13.60, no subscription, no affiliate links.

The Ultimate Parents Guide · $13.60

Sources: Children and Screens — Protecting children in the new world of online advertising; Common Sense Media — Targeted ads be gone; eSafety Commissioner — Parents: issues and advice.