5 Smartphone Spy Apps To Monitor Your Boyfriend, Girlfriend Or Employee

This article is more about knowing and preventing these smartphone spy apps than for boyfriends and girlfriends monitoring each other.

Smartphone spy apps are ordinarily designed for parents to monitor their children.

But when adults use them to monitor other adults, it becomes an issue.

So, as an adult, you may say that nobody has ever gained access to your phone without your knowledge.

That could be true.

Therefore, you may not want to think that it’s even possible that someone is monitoring you with spy apps right now.

And you may not also want to consider the possibility that it could even be your partner that is spying on you.

So, you end up concluding that monitoring your device is way impossible.

Cool submission you have there, we must admit!

However, don’t be too relaxed and here is why you should ponder on the following:

Has the thought ever crossed your mind that there are some apps that people use to monitor others?

Also, what if your boyfriend, girlfriend or even your employer is the one spying on you right now?

Similarly too, what if a stranger is listening and watching what you do right now on your phones?

And now, the more specifics:

Would you be shocked to discover that your girlfriend or boyfriend may have been observing your calls and chats since?

Could it also surprise you that your employer may have been monitoring you with some spy applications?

Otherwise, how did they come to know so much about you, including things you did not reveal to them?

Well, as uncomfortable as it really sounds, these things actually happen and they are on the increase even recently.

For instance, reports have claimed that Microsoft Teams was spying on employees.

Also, Apple employees have complained that Apple was monitoring them too.

ALSO READ: How To Find And Recover Your Stolen Or Missing Android or iPhone

A handy case is that of former Apple executive, Gerard Williams.

Williams had claimed the company illegally gathered private text messages from his iPhone before firing him for breach of contract.

Also, a recent research says one in five companies has already installed monitoring software to spy on their employees.

Corroborating this, Frances O’Grady, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, said:

“We know many employers are investing in tech to micro-manage workers and automate decisions about who to hire, and who to let go,” O’Grady said. “Staff must be properly consulted on the use of surveillance at work and protected from unfair management by algorithm. As we emerge from this crisis, technology must be used to make working lives better — not to rob people of their dignity.”

Therefore, you also need to worry about someone spying on you.

And you should be even more concerned if it should be your girlfriend or boyfriend.

Meanwhile, is it right to spy on someone?

It’s illegal to install spying software on a person’s smartphone without their knowledge.

Unarguably, using smartphone spy applications to monitor someone could be an offence punishable by law in some climes.

So, you must be aware of the privacy laws in your region.

In some places, you have to get an actual permission in writing before using this type of program.

This is because, spying on someone could mean an invasion and infringement on their privacy.

The monitoring, as surely intended, takes place without the knowledge of the person who is being monitored.

Consequently, this act has caused more troubles, pains and broken trusts, therefore, many countries consider spying a big offense.

Nevertheless, despite the laws that make provisions for the protection of people’s privacy, spy apps usage is on the increase.

You may want to know why some boyfriends or girlfriends use spy apps to monitor themselves.

Due to reasons that may include infidelity, many boyfriends and girlfriends have taken to spying on themselves too.

Many boyfriends or girlfriends have had reasons to question their partner’s fidelity, among many other reasons.

Just like employers monitor employees, though not usually through smartphone spy applications, lovers do too.

However, while employers monitor employees to ensure high productivity, partners, sometimes, monitor each other for selfish reasons.

Build Trust:

On a positive note, lovers install spy applications to build trust with their partners.

Allowing it is a definitive proof that you can be trusted.

It also means you are willing to let your boyfriend or girlfriend spy on you in order to set their mind at ease.

Restore Your Relationship:

Spy applications can help you restore your broken relationship.

Many lovers have the potential to recover after an infidelity. So, partners can forgive each other.

Therefore, installing the girlfriend or boyfriend spying app will help show them you are 100% honest and would not repeat the same mistake again.

So, if you are a boyfriend or girlfriend, this article will show you five common smartphone spy apps commonly used.

1.        Spapp Monitoring:

This is an app that can help you track almost every activity on a smartphone.

It can access sms and phone calls, including call recordings, pictures and social media apps messages.

It can monitor messages on WhatsApp, Facebook, Viber, Snapchat, etc.

So, your boyfriend or girlfriend might monitor all you do on social media.

This app can also spy on your phone’s gallery, browser history, GPS logs, and even system logs.

The latest update of the app even allows for recording the ambient surroundings using the gadget’s own hardware.

It does not appear on the Application manager if your phone uses Android OS.

If your phone is an iOS OS, then it will appear in the Cydia menu.

Cydia menu is where all installed apps on the Jailbroken iOS device appear.

The application is updated when the internet connection of the target phone is open.

2.      SPYERA

SPYERA is a spy app that functions in the background of a phone without any evidence.

It is a 100% undetectable iPhone Spy App on the market.

The thing about this spy app is that it does not drain the battery nor affect the phone’s performance.

The spy application hides from the launcher as it does not appear on the home screen.

It also hides and the task manager of the phone cannot see it.

The Spyera App comes preinstalled on some Apple and Android devices you may have gotten as gift.

So, if your boyfriend or girlfriend gifted you a phone, better check that it has no spy app.

Spyera software can listen to all the calls you make on your phone, even by using your phone’s microphone.

It can even record this audio as it’s happening and store it for later.

Spyera can also track your messages and texts, taking note of everything you type.

It can upload copies of all photos that you take with your phone and spy on conversations you make.

The app can listen to your chats on Social media apps like WhatsApp, Skype, Viber, WeChat, etc.

You may have a bit of respite because installing Spyera spy app will require your phone to be physically present.

Also, installing the spy app requires frequent subscription and its expensive.

To give you an idea, one year of spying costs $389 for a smartphone alone or $489 for a smartphone and tablet.

3.      TheOneSpy:

This spy app targets devices that run on iOS like iPhone and iPad.

If your boufriend or girlfriend installs this spy app on your phone, then he or she is completely in control of everything that happens on that particular device.

Also, it works by collecting data from you and encrypting them.

It then sends the encrypted data to a web portal where a spy can review it.

Among your private data, TheOneSpy checks text messages you send out and received.

It also spy’s on text messages and emails and listens to recordings of your phone calls.

It also snoops through your browsing history and more.

What makes this spy app even dangerous is that it activates the microphone and camera on your device to monitor your surroundings.

Also, the spy app costs around $18 for a month of monitoring a device.

4.       FlexiSpy

This spy app monitors your messages, audio and data and can spy on your GPS location too.

It can also steal your passwords and monitor other applications on the device.

What makes it even scarier is that whoever installs it on your device can also receive alerts.

Also, the application is hidden from the task manager and so cannot be easily detected.

Additionally, it can monitor both Android and Apple smartphones and tablets.

It cost $68 per month, meaning it is at least four times less expensive than the Spyera App.

The fifth spy app is the mSpy.
5.       mSpy:

This spy application has the ability to monitor content from apps like SnapChat.

It can also monitor a phone’s GPS location,.

One of the scary feature of this spy app is that it can restrict incoming calls to the device.

So, if your boyfriend or girlfriend suspects a specific phone makes regular calls to your phone, the app can restrict calls from such contact.

Also, mSpy offers 24/7 support for customers, meaning whoever installs it have support 24 hours a week.

Similarly, this spy app has a set of tool kits to also monitor desktop too.

The spy app costs only less than $20 monthly.

How To Know If Your Phone Has Got A Spy App:

The first way to know if your boyfriend or girlfriend, or someone has installed spy app on your phone is when you start receiving odd or unusual social media messages, text messages, or emails.

That could be a warning sign that you are being monitored.

The messages, which are clearly phishing attempts, will attempt to lure you into clicking a link or executing software which hosts the spy apps.

For Android device:

Ensure the settings of your device allows which apps gets downloaded or not on your device outside the official Google Play Store.

Enabling this setting will alert you of tampering and jailbreaking without consent.

How To Enable Settings To Allow Or Disallow Unknown Apps:

For modern Android builds in devices: Go to Settings. On the Settings, Click on Security. Then check Allow unknown sources.

You can also check Apps > Menu > Special Access > Install unknown apps to see if anything appears which you do not recognize.

So, if a process or app comes up on the list you are not familiar with, quickly search online to know if its safe or not.

For iOS Device:

If your device is an iPhone or any iOS devices and no one has jailbroken it, its harder to get spy app.

However, if you see the Cydia app on your device, then know that your device is at risk.

The Cydia app is a package manager that enables users to install software packages on a jailbroken device.

Also, you can run an antivirus scan on your device to see if you are being monitored.

The scan can remove the spy app on your device.

Another way to know if your Android or iOS device has a spy app, is that you may start experiencing unexpected battery drain.

The battery of your device begins to drain pretty fast.

Also, if your device begins to behave strangely, like hanging and unexpected shutdown.

How can I remove spy a App from my device?

When you detect that someone is monitoring your device with spy a app, you need to delete the app.

Here are steps you should take:

Run a malware scan:

A malware scan of your device will detect and delete the app.

There are many mobile antivirus solutions available which can detect and remove basic forms of spy applications.

Change all of your passwords:

If you suspect unusual behavior on your device, change your password.

Ensure you change the passwords on every important accounts that you have.

This will deny the stalker seamless access to your device.

Enable two-factor authentication (2FA):

Enable this on all your accounts that require logging in and authorisation.

Update your OS:

An update of your device’s operating system will wipe out any unauthorized app.

This is because new releases of operating systems usually come with security patches.

Protect your device physically:

A PIN code, pattern, or enabling biometrics can protect your mobile device from future tampering.
Factory reset: If all else fails, restoring your device to factory setting will wipe out all apps except those installed by the maker.

To do this, follow these steps:

On Android platforms: Go to Settings > General Management > Reset > Factory Data Reset.

On iOS, go to Settings > General > Reset.

However, make sure you remember to back up important content first.

Note that, sadly, some spy apps claim to survive factory resets.

So, after factory reset the spy app is still there, then consider throwing your device in the nearest recycling bin and starting afresh.

Implications for you:

You must know that spying on someone without their permission is a crime.

Also, you must know that you have great work to ensure you protect your device from unauthorise access.

Additionally, spying on your boyfriend or girlfriend is not the ideal thing to do, unless it involves trust issues.

However, if your instinct tells you your phone is being monitored, take actions to ascertain if its true or not.