Separate child and adult access
The child should use their own age-appropriate account. Protect the adult account, store password and family settings with a passcode the child does not know.
BASTIONHOST / GAMES, APPS & SPENDING
GAMES, APPS & SPENDING
Put the adult decision before the buy button.
A bright reward, a short timer or a free trial can make spending feel like part of the game. Use child accounts and purchase approval so a child can ask without being able to complete the payment alone.
START HERE
Set the boundary before you test it.
A verbal rule is useful, but it should not be the only thing between a child and a payment. Work through every account that can charge you, including the device store, console, game and linked family account.
Require an adult decision
Turn on Ask to Buy, purchase approval or the closest equivalent. Include paid apps, in-app purchases and subscriptions, not only the first download.
Reduce what can be charged
Remove old cards and payment methods you no longer need. Check console wallets, game accounts and subscriptions because each can sit outside the phone or tablet controls.
PRACTICAL SETUP
Work through the real account and device.
Do not rely on what a parent dashboard appears to show. Apply the control, then check the result while signed in as the child.
Write down every place a purchase can happen
Check the App Store or Google Play, the console store, the game account and any web account linked to it. A block in one place does not automatically cover the others.
Use the child's own account
Set the correct date of birth and connect the account to the family group. Do not let a child play through an adult account just because the games are already installed there.
Turn on purchase approval
On Apple, review Ask to Buy. On Google Play, review purchase approvals. On consoles and game platforms, set spending limits, PIN protection and purchase restrictions where available.
Check subscriptions and free trials
A free first month can still become a paid renewal. Review active subscriptions from the adult account and agree that a free trial is still something the child must ask about.
Remove payment routes you do not need
Delete old cards, check stored wallet balances and keep adult store passwords private. If a platform lets the child spend from a family wallet, set the lowest practical limit.
Turn adverts into a reason to pause
Explain that a countdown, limited offer or pile of virtual coins is designed to hurry the decision. The child can close the offer and bring the device to you without losing trust.
Test a real purchase path
From the child's account, try a free download, a paid app screen and an in-app purchase without completing a charge. Confirm the adult approval appears and the child cannot bypass it.
TEN-MINUTE TEST
Check what your child actually sees.
- The child is signed in with their own account
- A paid app cannot be bought without adult approval
- An in-app purchase cannot be completed alone
- Subscriptions and free trials are included in the family rule
- Purchase receipts go to an adult address
- The child knows that asking will not cause trouble
The family rule
Anything that costs money, starts a subscription or offers a free trial comes to a grown-up first. Close the offer, keep the device on the screen and ask.
What the settings cannot promise
Purchase controls can change after an account, device or family-group change. Some games use their own currency or web store. Check every linked account and review the setup after adding a new console, phone or payment method.
Current official instructionsApple Ask to Buy ↗Google Play purchase approvals ↗PlayStation parental controls and spending limits ↗Nintendo parental controls ↗Epic Games parental controls ↗
Written by Kevin Turnbull. Last reviewed 21 August 2026. Services, settings and menu names change. Check the current official instructions while applying this guide. This is practical parent-to-parent guidance, not emergency safeguarding advice. Find UK help and reporting services.
PARENT-WRITTEN GUIDANCE
Make asking easier than buying.
The aim is not to make money mysterious. Give your child a clear way to ask, and make sure the account cannot complete the decision for them.
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