We point out the 10 best real-time user activity monitoring tools, very useful for increasing productivity and safety
The onset of the pandemic marked a 21% increase in social media usage. Over the same period, cyberbullying increased by 70%, traffic to hate sites increased by 200%, toxicity on social media channels increased by 40%, and hate speech towards specific segments of society increased by as much as 900%.
We live in a world where people are more connected than ever. Today, the voice of citizens can be heard around the world in moments. But with this power come great responsibilities, which however the methods of using social media do not seem to respect. Online channels have become a terrain thriving for cyberbullying, hate speech and other forms of online misconduct. The risk of cyberbullying becomes even more serious for children and adolescents, who are easily impressionable, naïve and often vulnerable.
User activity monitoring is becoming more and more popular
This explains why the user activity monitoring market, which was worth about $1.5 billion in 2020, is expected to reach $9.2 billion by 2028. Parents are realizing the importance of keeping tabs on their children’s digital presence and activities, and with good reason.
And not just parents, employers, educators and government agencies are also acting proactively. If no one assumes responsibility for monitoring social media activitywe can expect more cases of cyberbullying and other forms of online misconduct.
This brings us to talk about best spy apps to use on your computer to track someone in real time. There are several such applications on the market, but we will focus on those that have demonstrated outstanding performance so far.
Spyrix Personal Monitor
Compatible with Windows XP and later, Spyrix Personal Monitor is an ideal user activity tracker, chosen by employers, educators and parents for a variety of reasons. The software facilitates:
- Keylogging functionality to monitor all keystrokes on a monitored device in real time
- Continuous webcam monitoring and screen recording of key events on the target computer.
- Social media monitoring to track activity on Facebook, Twitter, Skype, WhatsApp and other channels.
- Taking screenshots to document the details of what a user is doing at any moment on the monitored device.
- Checking removable drives to monitor suspicious data transfers to and from external drives, and more.
This is all done through a remote web account that can be accessed from any internet-enabled device.
Prices for a 12-month license:
- 1 PC – $69
- 3 PC – $89
- 5 PC – $159
KidInspector
Available for Windows and Mac, KidInspector is a very useful application for parents who want to monitor their children’s digital life. The application is equipped with a series of customized functions, in line with the activity monitoring needs of the youngest users:
- Tried and tested site blocking solutiona in the field, which can be set to block users from accessing certain URLs.
- Screenshots and activity recordings in real time that provide parents with the necessary transparency.
- Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, ecc. – social media monitoring to inform parents if the monitored user has contact with people outside his social circle.
- Monitoring search queries and keywords on the most popular search engines
- Skype Tracking to monitor conversations and conversation history on Skype
- Application usage tracking – in terms of the list of applications used and the amount of time spent on each of them.
More than 6500 customers use KidInspector daily, monitoring 37750 hours of combined user activity per day.
Prices for a 12-month license:
- 1 PC – $59
- 3 PC – $69
- 5 PC – $89
REFOG Keylogger
REFOG keylogger is another popular choice among parents, educators, and employers, especially the former. However, REFOG offers specific products for each use case making it an attractive choice for anyone.
Here’s how the tool adds value:
- Browsing history, social media activity, instant messaging tabs and on email to keep parents informed if the monitored user is exceeding their limits.
- Application monitoring to track software usage statistics and decipher related patterns
- Google keyword tracking and other popular search engines, along with other custom tracking settings
- Screen capture to ensure that actions on the monitored device are not lost
- Remote access through a web account for remote monitoring of user activity
The software comes with an interesting feature that allows the user to see all the recorded activities in real time.
Prices:
- 1 PC – $30/month, $95/year
- 3 PCs – $45/month, $135/year
Revealer Keylogger
An intuitively designed software application that focuses on simplicity, i.e. monitoring everything that happens on a device it is installed on. Revealer Keylogger makes sure that nothing is lost sight of and works on the basis of complete privacy and anonymity.
Here’s what this tool can do:
- Logging of conversations and activities to ensure that the monitored user is in no way using the monitored device for illegal activities. (ideal for employee monitoring)
- Automatic screenshot capture triggered by the use of the user’s keyboard and mouse
- Real-time remote monitoring with log files shared via Dropbox, FTP or email.
- Password protection for the target device so as to ensure privacy.
Rated the #1 monitoring software by CNET, Revealer Keylogger offers a mix of relevant features for anyone who wants a complete profile of the monitored user’s activity.
Pricing, Lifetime License:
- 1 PC – $39,99
- 3 PC – $69,99
- 5 PC – $99,99
Ardamax Keylogger
Multipurpose and customizable software, Ardamax Keylogger promises to provide the user with a complete picture of the monitored device. The tool includes features such as:
- Comprehensive administration tools for managing user profiles and settings. It features a comprehensive 24/7 monitoring system that provides the user with complete transparency.
- Logging and monitoring of keystrokesto provide you with all the relevant data you need regarding what is happening on your monitored device.
- Delivery of log files by email for notifications about key events of a monitored device
While Ardamax Keylogger isn’t a full-featured, bombproof parental control tool, it is very useful in several ways.
Prices:
Actual Keylogger
Actual Keylogger is a comprehensive monitoring software that is aimed at both professionals and parents. The software allows the user to perform a variety of monitoring tasks, from keystroke logging to screen capture. A more detailed overview of the installed features is provided below:
- Both hidden and standard operating modes to speed up the data transfer and ensure the secrecy of the monitoring operation.
- The highly intuitive user interface and a host of customization settings ensure that the software’s screen captures and related log files are well preserved.
- Delivery of activity logs via email, FTP and LAN to receive instant notifications on every key pressed on the monitored device.
- Text and password recovery of captured log filesto make sure they can be recovered in the event of a system crash
Actual Keylogger is undoubtedly one of the best monitoring tools out there.
Prices, for a 12-month license:
- 1 PC – $69
- 3 PC – $79
- 5 PC – $89
FlexiSpy
Praised by many high-profile media outlets, FlexiSpy is another complete parental control solution that is easy to use and reliable. Here’s how this tool differs from others:
- Emphasis on instant messaging – Capture conversations from both sides across a variety of social media applications.
- Audio stream monitoring – you can record regular phone calls and instant messengers.
- Activating the microphone and camera – The camera and microphone can be controlled remotely to capture background noise during conversations.
- Invisible Tracking – FlexiSpy can be installed on remote devices such as laptops and smartphones (there is an app for using smartphones).
It is clear that FlexiSpy is more than capable of delivering on its promise: complete and hidden parental control and monitoring.
Prices:
- 1 month – $68
- 3 months – $99
- 12 months – $149
iKeyMonitor
iKeyMonitor is another software that offers extensive monitoring capabilities, as described below.
- Chat monitoring on popular messaging apps like WhatsApp, Facebook, Tinder, etc.
- Geo-fencing – Alerts triggered when the monitored user moves beyond a certain radius.
- Email notification – The application can be configured to automatically send periodic alerts about tracked activities.
- Call recording – The call monitoring features of the software can be configured to activate automatically during chats and conversations.
- Screen time schedules – Remotely configured schedules for monitoring during specific time windows.
- Keystroke logging to track all keystrokes on the monitored device.
- Clipboard monitoring to track clipboard activity on the monitored device.
- App usage tracking installed to find related usage patterns
Prices:
- 1 PC – $29.99/month
pcTattletale
The tool allows monitoring the activities of your children or employees remotely. The software has a simple and user-friendly user interface so as to minimize any potential inconvenience for the users. It also allows users to record every activity of the monitored device including the following:
- Analysis of social media and messenger chats snapshot, profile analysis, deleted message recovery, screen recording, etc.
- Work activity monitoring of employees, to improve productivity and avoid wasting time
- Geo-fencing to monitor when the monitored user leaves or enters an area…