As a parent of 2 young boys (8 and 11) in Congleton, I’ve always been frustrated by what the big tech companies have to offer when it comes to safe messaging apps for children.
I tried many apps, and none of them gave me the control or transparency I needed to feel confident my kids were safe online. I just want them to be able to talk to their friends and family safely, without opening them up to the full force of social media! With everything in the news about social media and children’s safety, I’d had enough – so I built my own app.
ChatMinder has all the familiar chat features of other chat apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger Kids or JustTalk Kids, but without the pressure:
No read receipts
No last seen
No online/offline status
No typing indicators
No ads, ever
It works on any iPad, Android tablet, or web browser – no phone number or email required for your child.
From my phone, I can see who they’re chatting with, approve or reject messages before they’re delivered, and manage exactly who’s in their contact list. When there’s too much to review manually, I can switch on optional AI moderation (a premium feature) – so only the messages that actually need attention get flagged.
My kids use it to chat with their friends, cousins, and grandparents, and our extended family has switched our group chats over to it too.
It’s completely free to use. As a software developer with close to 20 years in the industry, I’ve built it properly – encrypted messages, GDPR compliant, and aligned with the UK Online Safety Act.
Find it in the app stores! 
If you have any questions or want to know more, drop a comment below or send me a message – I’m happy to chat.
Mike
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