OurDot vs family group texts
iMessage and WhatsApp are everywhere, free and encrypted. They weren't built around kids and guardians, though Apple has added strong new controls.
Group texts are universal and free. Apple's 2025 update lets parents approve new contacts for kids, and WhatsApp keeps personal chats ad-free and encrypted. OurDot adds what group texts don't have: one family space with guardian roles, sleep and school locks, a feed that ends, games, lessons and meal planning.
| OurDot | iMessage and WhatsApp | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Ads | None | iMessage: none. WhatsApp: none in chats; ads in the Updates tab since June 2025 |
| Minimum age | Any age, with a guardian | iMessage: under-13s through Family Sharing. WhatsApp: 13 |
| Who can contact a child | Only their family | iMessage: parents can require approval for new contacts (2025). WhatsApp: anyone with the number |
| Sleep and school locks | Built in, guardian-set | Through phone-wide Screen Time or similar tools |
| Beyond chat | Feed, games, lessons, meal planning, journal | Chat, calls, photos |
What group texts do well
Everyone already has them. They're free and encrypted, and WhatsApp is great for extended family abroad. Apple's 2025 child-safety update added Communication Limits (kids ask a parent before contacting new numbers), extended approval requests to other apps, and turned on web filters and Communication Safety by default for teens 13 to 17.
Where they differ
A group text has no roles: a grandparent, a cousin and a nine-year-old are all just numbers. OurDot knows who the guardians are, keeps adults other than guardians out of one-on-one chats with kids, rests kids' chats during school and sleep (except the guardian line), and gives the family a feed, games and a kitchen plan in the same place.