On iOS you’ve actually already got a solid net-blocker built in: Screen Time (Settings → Screen Time → Family). You can create separate child or teen profiles, set Downtime windows, App Limits on individual apps or categories, and even block specific sites or domains.
If you want more granularity at the DNS level, consider NextDNS or Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 for Families, or third-party apps like Mobicip, Net Nanny or OurPact—they use a local VPN profile to filter traffic without harvesting your data. Each profile gets its own schedule and blocklist, and updates push instantly via Family Sharing (or an MDM if you’re in a larger setup).
Android’s ecosystem is pretty fragmented, so a lot of net-blocking tools rely on root or side-loaded VPN hacks that often break after OS updates. iPhones just handle it smoothly, and Apple’s privacy-first approach means you’re not trading off data for control.