For parents
Your whole family, in one place.
Each child sits under you, with their chats, their time today and their friends. Requests that need you are at the top.
Private beta · South Africa
Their first phone. Let's make it a good one.
Nest is a family messenger where your child's account sits under yours. Family, approved friends and groups, with the parental controls built in. You choose how much you see as they grow, and they're told which.
Free for families
No ads
iPhone and Android
How Nest works
Everything they're used to, with you built in
These are the real screens from the Nest app, with made-up families.
For children
Their own space. Bright, simple, theirs.
Family and approved friends in one tap, groups for school and sport, and a clear view of how much time is left today.
Chats
Messages, voice notes, photos and groups.
Ticks, replies and emoji reactions: everything they're used to from other messengers, in a space you set up.
Friends
New friend? Both families say yes first.
A child from another family can only chat with yours once both families' parents have approved.
What you see
You choose what you see as they grow. They're told which.
Every message, only messages flagged for safety, or just who they chat with and when. Your child sees a plain note that says which applies.
Photos
Photos from other families wait for your OK.
You can always see photos in your child's chats. One sent by another family reaches your child once you've checked it.
Time
Quiet hours and daily limits. They can always reach you.
Chats with friends pause at bedtime and when the daily limit is used. Messages to Mom and Dad always go through.
Speaking up
Something not right? They tell you in a tap.
Your child can report a message and you're told straight away. They can also talk to Nest's safety team privately, so they always have somewhere to turn.
See Nest in 90 seconds
A quick walk through the app: the family home, a child's home, chats, friend approvals, what you can see, photos, quiet time and reporting.
Straight answers
What to know before you join
It's a beta
Invited families test Nest before it's in the App Store and Google Play. Expect the odd rough edge, and tell us about it.
Not yet end-to-end encrypted
Messages are encrypted on the way to our servers and while stored, but not yet end to end. Your child is always told what you can see.
Stored in Europe
Messages and photos are stored in France under EU data protection law. Notifications never show names or message text.
COMING SOON
Pocket money and airtime with the same controls: you set the limits, and betting and alcohol are always blocked.
Join the beta
Get your family's invite
We're inviting families in South Africa first. Leave your details and we'll email your invite with the steps to set up your family.
We only ask for your children's ages, never their names.
Questions
Parents ask
What does it cost?
Nest is free for families, with no ads. Later there may be optional extras, but anything that helps you look after your child stays free.
Who can see my child's messages?
You and any other parent in your family, at the level you choose for your child's age. A friend's parents see their own child's chats with yours, at their own setting. Your child is told what applies.
Can my child join without me?
No. A parent creates the family and links each child's phone with a one-time code from the parent's account.
Which phones does it work on?
iPhone and Android. Tell us above which your family uses, so your invite has the right steps.
Does it replace WhatsApp?
For your child's chats with family and approved friends, yes. WhatsApp's own parent controls let you manage contacts but not see messages. Nest lets you see as much as their age needs.