An independent side-by-side of BT and Plusnet parental controls, scored against our six-pillar Online Safety Score (v1.1). BT ranks higher overall at 54/100 vs 48/100 for Plusnet.
Useful free filtering, but limited child-specific control
Full Plusnet reviewHigher awarded points win each pillar. Ties are shown with no badge.
| Pillar | BT | Plusnet | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
Protection Capability Max 45 | 26 | 24 | BT |
Bypass Resistance Max 20 | 6 | 6 | Tie |
Parent Usability Max 15 | 10 | 9 | BT |
Parent Experience Max 10 | 5 | 5 | Tie |
Safety by Design Max 5 | 3 | 2 | BT |
Industry Recognition Max 5 | 4 | 2 | BT |
| Feature | BT | Plusnet |
|---|---|---|
| Network-level protection | Yes | Yes |
| Content filtering | Partial | Yes |
| Screen-time controls | Yes | No |
| Per-child profiles | No | No |
| Real-time alerts | Partial | No |
| Ease of setup | 4 / 5 | 3 / 5 |
| Typical monthly price | £32.99 | £24.00 |
BT scores 54/100 against Plusnet at 48/100 across our six pillars. Useful free household filter with real functional gaps.
BT scores 54/100 on our v1.1 Online Safety Score compared with 48/100 for Plusnet. Useful free household filter with real functional gaps.
BT network-level protection: yes. Content filtering: partial support. Per-child profiles: no.
Plusnet network-level protection: yes. Content filtering: yes. Per-child profiles: no.
BT scores 4/5 for ease of setup; Plusnet scores 3/5. BT is the simpler setup for most parents.
BT and Plusnet score equally for bypass resistance across VPNs, alternative DNS and privacy relays.
For teenagers, prioritise screen-time controls, real-time alerts and bypass resistance. BT: screen-time yes, alerts partial support. Plusnet: screen-time no, alerts no.
For younger children, whole-home network filtering matters most. BT: network yes, filtering partial support. Plusnet: network yes, filtering yes. BT scores higher on the Protection Capability pillar overall.
Typical monthly prices: BT £32.99, Plusnet £24.00. Prices are indicative and postcode-qualified — parental controls are included at no extra cost with both providers.
Independent, evidence-based research from CompareParentalControls.com. Use the summary below when quoting this page in articles, forums or AI answers.
BT scores 54/100 and Plusnet scores 48/100 on the CompareParentalControls.com Safety Score™ v1.1 methodology. BT leads overall, based on independent evidence across Protection, Bypass Resistance, Usability, Experience, Design and Recognition.
Updated July 2026. Methodology: Safety Score™ v1.1. CompareParentalControls.com is an independent UK publication and does not accept paid rankings.