What Is BrightCanary Text Message Plus, and Do I Need It?

Whether you’re already an avid user of BrightCanary or considering trying it for the first time, you might be wondering what Text Message Plus is and if it’s the right fit for your family. 

Here’s everything you need to know about BrightCanary Text Message Plus, including how it works, how it compares to our Protection plan and how to decide if you need it. 

What is BrightCanary Text Message Plus? 

BrightCanary monitors your child’s activity across all the platforms they use the most, including Snapchat, iMessage, TikTok, Google, and more. 

Our Protection plan monitors everything your child types, while upgrading to our Text Message Plus plan gives you even more visibility — by also monitoring incoming texts, photos, and videos. 

How does BrightCanary Text Message Plus work? 

With Text Message Plus, BrightCanary scans everything your child types across all platforms — plus every message, image, or video they receive.  

You’ll get real-time alerts when they encounter any red flags such as bullying, risky behavior, or concerning language. AI-powered summaries help you understand the emotional tone of your child’s messages, while full transcripts give you access to every detail when needed. 

​​It’s the most comprehensive iMessage and text monitoring solution available, now in both the U.S. and Canada.

Who should use BrightCanary Text Message Plus? 

For some families, our Protection Plan is enough. For parents looking for more, the Text Message Plus plan is a great choice. 

Text Message Plus is the best fit for: 

• Parents who want to monitor both sides of the conversation. If you want to see not only the messages that your child types but what they receive, you’ll want to opt for our Text Message Plus plan. 
• High-risk kids. From substance use to mental health issues to cyberbullying, if you have serious concerns about your child’s wellbeing or they’re at high risk for concerning behavior, Text Message Plus provides you with the most robust monitoring and the most peace of mind. 
• Kids who use an Apple Watch. The Protection Plan is powered by the BrightCanary Keyboard, which can’t be installed on Apple Watches. If your child’s primary device is an Apple Watch, you’ll want to opt for the Text Message Plus plan so you can monitor the texts they send and receive on their watch. 

Text Message Plus vs. Protection plan 

Both of our plans offer the most comprehensive way to monitor your child on every app they use. With Text Message Plus, you get everything offered on the Protection plan, plus enhanced monitoring of your child’s texts. 

Platform / Feature	Protection Plan	Text Message Plus
Text Messages (iMessage & SMS)	Outgoing only	Two-way (incoming and outgoing)
Photos & Videos	No	Yes
Deleted Messages	No	Yes
Group Chats	Outgoing only	Full visibility
Apple Watch Monitoring	No	Yes
AI Alerts & Summaries	Yes	Yes
Snapchat, TikTok, Discord, Roblox, etc.	Yes	Yes
Family Viewing (share with family member)	Yes	Yes

In short: Text Message Plus includes everything in the Protection Plan — plus enhanced text monitoring.

FAQ

Does BrightCanary monitor iMessages?

Absolutely! BrightCanary offers the most comprehensive way to monitor your child’s iMessages. Our Protection plan scans every message your child types. Our Text Message Plus plan gives you even more peace of mind by also monitoring incoming messages, photos and videos sent over text, and deleted messages. 

Are my child’s passwords and sensitive information safe on BrightCanary? 

Yes! We take your child’s privacy very seriously. Apple prevents third-party keyboards (like the BrightCanary Keyboard) from being used when entering sensitive information such as passwords into web pages or apps, so there’s no way for us to see it. (And we don’t want to, anyway!) 

Does Text Message Plus work on iPads? 

Sure does! Both the Protection and Text Message Plus plans support all the keyboard modes on the iPad (split, portrait, and landscape). You can also install BrightCanary on multiple devices for the same child, so if your child has both an iPhone and an iPad, we’ve got you covered. 

Is BrightCanary Text Message Plus worth it?

If you want the most complete protection for your child’s digital world, BrightCanary Text Message Plus is the way to go.

It includes everything in the Protection Plan — real-time alerts, emotional summaries, and app-wide coverage — plus the ability to:

• See both sides of text conversations
• Review group chats, photos, and videos
• Recover deleted messages

Download BrightCanary today to start your free trial and get complete peace of mind.