In this post we review the 8 best spy apps for iPhones. These iOS monitoring apps offer all of the following:
- work without access to target phone.
- are completely undetectable and hidden.
- do not require jailbreak.
A cell phone spy app is spy software that monitors the activity of another smartphone through an online dashboard. Spy app features includes a GPS location tracker, camera access, social media monitoring, website browsing history, and more.
So what makes me an expert on spy apps?
After getting RIPPED OFF when buying my first spy app, I started looking for something better. I’ve now tested over 37 spying apps.
The list of iPhone spy apps below offer powerful features, easy installation, reasonable pricing, and good refund policies.
Top 3 iPhone Espionage Apps
Product | Why We Like It | Price |
---|---|---|
#1 for Parents
|
|
My Rating: 4.9/5.0 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Click for Best Price |
#1 for Social Media
|
|
My Rating: 4.9/5.0 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Click for Best Price |
Runner Up
|
|
Click for Best Price |
Contents of this Guide
- Best Spy Apps for iPhone Without Jailbreak
- Best Jailbreak iPhone Spy Apps
- No-Jailbreak vs Jailbreak Spy Software
-
iPhone Spy App FAQ
- Can I Track an Android from an iPhone?
- Can you spy on someone’s iPhone without having access to it?
- Can someone read my Texts or iMessages from their phone?
- Is There a Spy App on My iPhone?
- Can I track someone’s iPhone without them knowing?
- Do iPhone spy apps work with two-factor authentication?
- Can you bypass two-factor authentication?
- Are there iPhone spying apps that work without the user’s iCloud credentials?
- Can you spy on an iPhone with just the phone number?
Here’s what you’re going to learn:
- The ONE THING you absolutely must know about iPhone spy apps.
- Which spy apps to avoid so you don’t get ripped off by sneaky refund policies that cost me $100 and several hours of my life.
- The must-have features you absolutely need for peace of mind and getting the answers you need.
I don’t care whose phone you want to monitor or why, no one deserves to get ripped off.
Best Spy Apps for iPhone Without Jailbreak
- mSpy – Best Value & Most Features
- SpyBubble – Solid Runner Up
- uMobix – Good for Parents
- Webwatcher
- Spyzie
- iKeyMonitor
- Spyfone
Since many spyware apps for iPhone offer similar features, what separates the good from the bad is their stability, functionality, and customer support.
I’ve also included some pros and cons, pricing information, and device compatibility to help you pick the best iPhone spy app for your needs.
1. mSpy
Best for Parental Control
Pros
- Monitors most chats and texts
- No jailbreak required
- View photos, browser history, camera, contacts, & more
- Works with a wide range of devices
Cons
- lacks Instagram, Facebook, and Skype monitoring
- phone access required if iCloud backup is not enabled
mSpy is a spy app that can monitor any iOS device. It works without access to the target phone and does not require jailbreaking.
mSpy tracks texts, WhatsApp chats, iMessages, web browser history, call logs, contacts, and calendar events.
Why is mSpy the Best for Parental Control?
mSpy records photos or videos your children send or receives through text messages.
You can control which WiFi networks your kids can access and which websites they can visit.
You can also prevent your child from downloading specific apps and view what apps are already downloaded on their phone. You can also block incoming phone calls and see their call history.
All data is sent to an online control panel that can be viewed from any computer or smartphone.
mSpy is compatible with all versions of the iOS operating system.
My Rating: 4.9 ★★★★★2. uMobix
Best for Social Media Access
Pros
- Most social media access: Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp
- NO jailbreak required
- View photos, browser history, camera, & contacts
- Compatible with ALL versions of iOS
Cons
- Can’t monitor Snapchat,
- Can’t monitor Tinder or other dating apps
uMobix is a phone spy app that works with any iOS mobile device. It offers the most social media monitoring features for the Apple iPhone or iPad.
Below are the specific iOS spying features you get with uMobix:
- see Facebook Messenger and files
- see their Facebook account as though it were your own
- see their Instagram account and messages
- see Skype messages
- view entire conversations in WhatsApp
This phone tracker app is not available in Apple’s App Store. It must be purchased through the uMobix website. The annual subscription plan is the best deal.
The uMobix app offers the easiest installation of any app we’ve tested. Here’s why:
- compatible with all versions of Apple’s iOS operating system
- does NOT require jailbreak
- works with 2-factor authentication.
- requires only the target user’s iCloud login credentials
This means you can start tracking someone’s smartphone activity within minutes.
For more information you can check out my full uMobix review. uMobix is currently offering their lowest price ever. Just be sure to click the link below to get the new price.
My Rating: 4.9 ★★★★★
3. SpyBubble
Solid Runner Up
Pros
- Monitor Facebook, Instagram, and Tinder
- No jailbreak required
- View photos, browser history, camera, contacts, & more
- Works with any iOS device
- Great for parents
Cons
- cannot monitor Facebook Messenger
- Slightly more expensive than uMobix
The SpyBubble app offers many of the same features as uMobix. The main difference is that it doesn’t offer the ability to monitor Facebook Messenger on iOS devices.
SpyBubble can monitor text and iMessages, calendars, contacts, phone call logs, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Skype, and Tinder messages.
SpyBubble is compatible with all versions of the iOS operating system. The installation process does NOT require jailbreaking the device. Simply enter the target users’s iCloud credentials, and the app will download their data to an online control panel.
SpyBubble costs $12.49 per month when you choose a one-year subscription plan.
4. WebWatcher
Best Solution to Catch a Cheating Spouse
Pros
- monitor a wide range cell phone activity
- simple installation instructions
- works with Android and iOS
Cons
- requires wi-fi for data sync
WebWatcher is a phone spy app for iPhones and Mac computers. It allows you to see emails, instant messages and chats, social media activity, websites visited, search engine searches, screenshots and more.
WebWatcher can be installed 2 different ways. One method requires the app to be installed directly on the device you want to monitor. Installation takes just a few minutes. The app is completely safe to use on Mac, Windows-base PCs, and iPhones.
The second method is to make use of the user’s iCloud account.
The WebWatcher app records activity in real-time, so information is available in your dashboard almost immediately.
WebWatcher will alert you when the user visits certain types of websites or when they type certain keywords. You can also sign up for email notifications that will alert you to all activity on a schedule that you specify.
If you need to monitor multiple devices you will need one license per device. The installation instructions are very detailed and easy to follow.
Read more in my WebWatcher review.
5. Spyzie
PROS
- Comprehensive set of features without rooting
- Thorough app monitoring software
- Remote control screenshot capabilities
- Geo-fencing and GPS location tracking
CONS
- Frequent stability issues
- Poor functionality
- Unreliable customer support
- No call recording
This app has an impressive array of phone monitoring features, and all of them can be used on iPhones without the need for rooting.
You might be wondering why, then, this app isn’t further up on the list. The answer is due to the unreliability of the product, the frequent problems the software encounters, and the lack of customer support.
Spyzie provides the basic features like text message and call log reports, multimedia viewing, browser history reporting, app blocking and control, and GPS location reporting.
This app also offers email access, has a keylogger to track any information entered into the phone, and allows you to directly monitor popular social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Skype, Instagram, Tinder, Viber, Snapchat, and more.
You can also set geo-fencing parameters, establish certain alerts to be sent to your phone, and can even take screenshots of anything on your kid’s phone which can come in handy if you think a confrontation may be in order.
This app doesn’t let you record calls or give you any way to listen to conversations your kids may have either through calls or video chats. Still, the list of options they offer without needing to root your phone may be tempting, but you should be aware of the instability of this product.
There have been several reported instances of the app crashing after updates or reboots, to the point where the app may need to be uninstalled and reinstalled to work again, which can be inconvenient given the fact that this requires physical access to the mobile phone to install the app.
Also, like Highster, there is no live help option. You can contact customer support, but they say on their website that it can take up to 48 hours to get a response. Several customers have reported that it’s difficult to get a response at all.
Installation is straightforward and once your account is setup you ready to go.
Pricing:
Basic Plan: 1-Month License: $29.99 / 3-Month License: $49.99 / 6-Month License: $89.99
Pro Plan: 1-Month License: $39.99 / 3-Month License: $69.99 / 6-Month License: $99.99
Ultimate: 1-Month License: $49.99 / 3-Month License: $79.99 / 6-Month License: $119.99
Compatibility:
Spyzie claims to be compatible with all iOS versions.
Check out our Spyzie reviews here.
6. iKeyMonitor
Best Limited FREE Solution
PROS
- Good range of features that don’t require rooting
- Call recording
- See photos, browser history, camera, contacts, & more
- Geo-fencing and tracking
- Screenshot capabilities
CONS
- Expensive
- No non-rooting plan option
- Poor customer service and support
- Unreliable functionality
iKeyMonitor also has a nice range of features available without requiring you to root the phone. The basics you would hope to find in a spyware app are available, including text message monitoring, a keylogger to record anything typed into the phone, the ability to monitor photos and videos sent to and from the device, call history viewing, and the ability to view browsing history.
This app also provides some extra features that aren’t always included in spying apps, including call recording, location monitoring, geo-fencing, the ability to monitor and block apps, some social app monitoring, and even some tools to limit screen time.
They also offer the ability to take screenshots of email, internet activities, and app activity that takes place on the target device. You can also remotely trigger the microphone in order to listen to what is going on in the vicinity of the phone in question.
Unfortunately, it is one of the most expensive options on this list. They don’t offer plans for rooted vs. non-rooted phones, so if you don’t want to root the device, you still have to pay for the full package without being able to use all the features.
This app also doesn’t come with great customer service. There is a live chat option, which is better than some of the other apps available, but the tech support is known to be lacking and not very helpful when it comes to actually resolving problems. It also crashes frequently and requires access to the target device if it needs to be reinstalled.
Pricing:
Free Version: $0 + $9.99 every 3 days (approx. $100 a month) for most features
Full Version: $29.16 a month for 12 months or $59.99 a month for one month
Compatibility:
iKeyMonitor can be used on any iOS device and does not require jailbreaking.
7. Spyfone
PROS
- GPS Tracking
- Monitor social media: Whatsapp, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram
- Ability to view activity live in control panel
- 24/7 customer support and installation assistance
- Compatible with lots of devices
CONS
- Location reporting can lag significantly
- One of the more expensive options
- No geo-fencing
- No screen time controls
Spyfone is another parental control app that offers a comprehensive set of features for iPhone, and most are accessible without having to root the target device.
In fact, unlike most software, Spyfone doesn’t have separate rooted and non-rooted plans.
At the highest tier, Spyfone gives you access to features like website blocking, viewing photos, keylogging to track passwords and sms texts, location and GPS tracking, the option to block or control applications, and the ability to view all media on the target device including pictures and recorded video.
Spyfone also includes live viewing options that aren’t available through most other iPhone tracking apps. Live viewing allows you to tap into your kid’s iPhone devices and see what they are doing in real time.
This is especially helpful if you want to know immediately when they are engaging in potentially dangerous activity instead of waiting to check activity once it’s recorded and ready for review in a parental portal.
You can also turn on the camera on your kid’s phone remotely and see what they are doing and what is happening around them as it occurs.
Unfortunately, Spyfone doesn’t let you intercept or listen to calls live, but you can record calls and listen to them later.
As great as Spyfone is, it’s somewhat lacking when it comes to screen time and web filter controls. There is no good way to impose time limits with this app, and while there are some website filters, they aren’t as detailed and strong as they could be.
There is also no geo-fencing option, and while there is live gps tracking, it can sometimes take up to 15 minutes for location information to update from devices, which can make it pretty difficult to keep accurate tabs on your children.
Thankfully, Spyfone does have great customer service, with 24/7 chat support available to help you with any issues that may come up when trying to install this app on an iPhone. They can also install the app for you if that’s something you don’t want to mess with yourself!
Price:
Compatibility:
Spyfone can be used on any iPhone.
7. Highster Mobile Spy
PROS
- One time payment
- Track location, call logs
- View photos, browser history, camera, & more
- See emails
- Call monitoring
- Monitor Whatsapp, Viber, Skype, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram
- Simple control panel
CONS
- Terrible customer support
- Limited features and devices
- Often has trouble upgrading
- Unreliable operation
- No keylogger
- Terrible refund policy
Highster offers some decent spy tools, but is somewhat limited when it comes to what you can do without jailbreaking your target device.
Even if you do jailbreak the target phone, Highster doesn’t offer as many advanced features as you could find on just about any other spy app.
They do offer text message monitoring, the ability to access media files, incoming and outgoing email monitoring, and the ability to view user calendars, notes and other data stored on the target device.
You can also view what calls are being made or received, though you can’t record these calls, listen in, or place any restrictions on incoming or outgoing calls. Y
ou can receive GPS location information, though, which is something that doesn’t come standard for a lot of non-rooted versions.
Unfortunately, you can’t monitor any popular social apps, and there is no keylogger feature included in the available features, so you have no way of knowing what messages may be passed along using anything that isn’t a text message or email.
You also can’t block websites or network access, though you can view user browsing history and bookmarks and can set up keyword alerts for search terms.
The area where Highster is the most lacking, though, is in the customer support department. There is no chat support or even a phone number you can call if you need help with your account.
You can submit a ticket with a help request through their website where they promise someone will get back to you within 24 hours. But that’s not much help if you have a problem that needs an immediate solution.
Highster does have an extremely low, one-time payment, though, so if you don’t want a lot of extra features and aren’t worried about the lack of support, this app could be the solution for you.
Pricing
Basic Plan = $29.99, one-time payment
Pro Plan (requires rooting) = $69.99, one-time payment
Compatibility:
Highster can be used on any iOS device.
Read more about Highster Mobile Pro here.
Best Jailbreak iPhone Spy Apps
Below you will find the best jailbreak compatible iPhone spying solutions.
1. FlexiSPY – Most Powerful
Pros
- GPS location, Geo-Fencing
- See social media accounts: Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Whatsapp
- Ambient recording, call recording, remote control of camera
- Access photos, browser history, camera, contacts, & more
- Works with a wide range of devices
Cons
- Advanced features require jailbreak
- No screen time control options
- Expensive
- Requires physical access
FlexiSpy is hands down the most powerful spy app for iPhones out there.
That said, this functionality comes at price.
To get the full functionality you WILL need to jailbreak the phone.
It is also the most expensive monitoring solution on the list.
You get all the standard features like text message monitoring through a keylogger software, access to call logs, address books, and installed applications, the ability to view photos and videos sent to the target smartphone, and application and network blocking.
Flexispy doesn’t allow you to access internet browsing history or bookmarks online without first rooting the target device – a feature that most apps do include in their non-rooting option.
You also can’t directly monitor most social media – though you can read WhatsApp messages – but the keylogger can make up for this by recording anything typed into the phone’s keyboard.
FlexiSpy does offer some impressive features that you may not find with other iPhone spy software. This includes features like geo-fencing and viewing of GPS location.
Where FlexiSPY truly shines is in the capability of the “Extreme” plan. This allows you to listen to calls live and record them. It also gives you access to pretty much everything on the phone through their keystroke logger. The iPhone keystroke logger does require jailbreaking the device first.
Flexispy can send you an alert when your child has an incoming call, and can even choose to record that call and have the recording sent to your dashboard so you can listen to it later.
You can also remotely activate the microphone and record what is being said in the vicinity of the target device. You can also remotely change software that is downloaded onto the target phone or remotely deactivate software.
Another nice feature is that you can choose to run FlexiSpy in hidden mode, which means the app icon is hidden and there is no indication on the device the app is running in the background.
All these extra features are reflected in the higher price point, but the strong customer service and extra options can make this an appealing choice.
FlexiSPY works with all iOS versions but does require jailbreaking the phone first.
You can read more about FlexiSPY here.
No-Jailbreak vs Jailbreak Spy Software
There are two types of iOS surveillance software: jailbreak and non-jailbreak.
Jailbreaking is the process of removing security and software restrictions imposed by Apple in the iOS operating system. A jailbroken device gives the user root access within the operating system. This allows users to install software and applications not available through the App Store.The majority of spy apps no longer require jailbreaking the device as part of the installation process. This step is only needed if you need more advanced monitoring features.
Let’s take a look at the differences between the two types of iOS spying apps.
No-Jailbreak Spying Apps
No-jailbreak spying apps offer several advantages, especially for people who are not tech savvy. These iOS spying apps operate by accessing and downloading backups from the target device’s iCloud account.
In some cases these apps work without accessing the device. The exception is when 2-factor authentication is enabled on the target phone or tablet. In this circumstance, you will need to access the authentication code that is sent to the device the first time you login to their iCloud account.
Features of No-Jailbreak iPhone Spy Apps
iOS cell phone monitoring software tracks many of the following phone actvities:
- SMS text messages & iMessages
- social media accounts
- social media chat apps
- phone calls
- web browser history
- dating apps like Tinder
- contact lists
- GPS location data
Access to social media apps is highly dependent upon the spy software solution. uMobix offers access to Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Skype. Most other solutions only offer access WhatsApp.
What are the installation requirements for no-jailbreak spying solutions?
Below are the requirements to use an iPhone spyware app without jailbreak.
- iCloud backups must be enabled on the target device
- 2-factor authentication must be enabled on the target device
- access to the user’s iCloud email address (or AppleID) and password
- access to the target phone to receive 2-FA verification code
What are the advantages of no-jailbreak surveillance solutions?
There are several major advantages to choosing a no-jailbreak solution.
- simple installation and setup.
- little to no access required to the phone itself.
- works with all versions of iOS.
- continues to function after factory reset or iOS updates
What are the disadvantages of no-jailbreak solutions?
Below are a few disadvantages of no-jailbreak solutions.
- access to fewer social media apps (Snapchat, WeChat).
- monitoring data updates only when backups are performed.
- no call recording.
- no keystroke logging.
Jailbreak Spy Apps
Spy apps that require jailbreaking the iOS device offer several advantages and disadvantages. Jailbreak spying apps are installed directly on the target iPhone or iPad. They are more difficult to install and setup, but offer unparalleled monitoring features.
Monitoring features include call recording from any apps like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Viber, listening to the phone’s ambient surroundings, and more.
What are the installation requirements for jailbreak spying solutions?
Below are the requirements to use an iPhone or iPad spyware app with jailbreak.
- physical access to the target device
- jailbreak the device by installing Cydia app (some companies will do this for you)
- internet connection
What are the advantages of jailbreak surveillance solutions?
There are several major advantages to choosing a jailbreak solution.
- access to ALL social media apps
- ambient listening
- phone call recording
- phone call interception
- record FaceTime calls
- record Line calls
- Viber Call Recording
- Remote video recording
- remote camera activation
- WhatsApp call recording
- Skype call recording
- Facebook call recording
What are the disadvantages of spying solutions that require jailbreak?
Below are a few disadvantages of jailbreak solutions.
- more difficult to install and configure
- factory reset requires reinstallation of spy software.
- jailbreaking technically voids the warranty (factory reset resolves this)
If you need these features you will need to verify the current iOS versions for which jailbreaking is available.
iPhone Spy App FAQ
Can I Track an Android from an iPhone?
You can track an Android from an iPhone using a spyware app for Android devices. You will need physical access to the Android and the user’s passcode. Monitoring Android phones and tablets requires physical access to the target device.
Can you spy on someone’s iPhone without having access to it?
Yes, you can spy on someone’s iPhone without access to it by using phone spy software. This requires knowing the person’s AppleID and password. Once these credentials are entered, spy apps can access the target phone’s backups in their iCloud account.
Can someone read my Texts or iMessages from their phone?
If there is a spy app installed on your phone, then chances are, someone will be able to read your text messages. Most spy apps provide people with text message monitoring in standard, non-rooting packages.
Is There a Spy App on My iPhone?
Most iOS-based spy apps are not installed directly on the target iPhone. This makes them very difficult to detect. If you suspect someone is spying on your iPhone, you should change your iCloud password. This will make it impossible for an app to download your phone backups.
Here is another resource to determine if someone has installed spyware on your iOS device.
Can I track someone’s iPhone without them knowing?
It is possible to track someone’s iPhone without them knowing using spy software. uMobix allows you to track an iPhone in real-time. Other spying apps pull location data from iCloud backups with a delay.
Do iPhone spy apps work with two-factor authentication?
Yes, iPhone spy apps do work with two-factor authentication enabled. You will be required to intercept the authentication code that is sent to the target iPhone once the user’s iCloud credentials have been entered.
Can you bypass two-factor authentication?
No, it is not possible to bypass 2FA.
Are there iPhone spying apps that work without the user’s iCloud credentials?
There are two types of iPhone spyware apps that work without the user’s iCloud credentials. The first is an app like LocationTracker. These apps ONLY track the iPhone’s location.
The second type is a spyware app that uses the jailbreak method. This requires access to the phone, jailbreaking the phone, and installation of software.
Can you spy on an iPhone with just the phone number?
Yes, it is possible to spy on an iPhone with just the phone number using a tracking app. You can read more about phone number tracking apps here.