No Hooks

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A guide for parents

How to spot ad-free kids’ games

Many kids’ games are free and make their money with ads, in-game purchases or data. With this checklist you can tell in the App Store in two minutes whether a game is fair to your child.

The checklist

  1. Paid once instead of free

    A game that costs nothing has to earn its money some other way: with ads, purchases inside the game, or data. A fair one-time price is the best sign that nothing else will follow.

  2. No “In-App Purchases” note

    In the App Store this note sits right next to the Get button. If it’s missing, there’s nothing to buy in the game: no coins, no loot boxes, no subscription.

  3. Privacy label “Data Not Collected”

    Right at the bottom of the app page, under “App Privacy”. Be careful with “Data Used to Track You”: it means your child’s behaviour is analysed for advertising.

  4. No ads, not even reward videos

    Many games offer extras for watching an ad. That gets children used to advertising, and one tap often leads to another app or the store.

  5. No chat and no online contact

    Accounts, chats, friend lists or online leaderboards open the door to contact with strangers. Good kids’ games don’t need the internet.

  6. No tricks to bring them back

    Daily rewards, countdowns, streaks you “mustn’t lose” and push notifications are built to squeeze out as much playtime as possible.

  7. Read the age rating correctly

    “4+” rates content like violence or language. It says nothing about ads, purchases or data collection.

  8. Short rounds that come to an end

    A game you can happily put down after a few minutes is usually an honest game.

How to check a game in the App Store

  1. Look next to the Get button: is there a price or “Get”? And underneath, “In-App Purchases”?
  2. Read the start of the description. Honest games usually say outright that they come without ads and purchases.
  3. Scroll to the bottom to “App Privacy” and check whether it says “Data Not Collected”.
  4. Have a look at the reviews and search for words like “ads” or “subscription”.

Extra protection

On iPhone you can switch off in-app purchases entirely in Screen Time, and with Family Sharing, Ask to Buy means every purchase your child makes needs your approval. Here’s how, step by step.

And our games?

We started No Hooks because we were looking for exactly these games for our own kids. All our games tick every box on this list: buy once, no ads, no in-app purchases, no data, no online contact. See our games or read more for parents.

Frequently asked questions

Are there kids’ games with no ads at all?

Yes. The surest sign is a one-time price, no “In-App Purchases” note in the App Store and no mention of ads in the description. Free games almost always pay for themselves with ads or in-game purchases.

Is an age rating of 4+ a good sign?

Not on its own. The age rating covers content like violence or language. It doesn’t tell you whether a game shows ads, sells things or collects data.

How do I stop my child buying things by accident?

In Screen Time you can switch off in-app purchases completely, and with Family Sharing, Ask to Buy makes every purchase wait for your approval. Our guide on blocking in-app purchases walks you through it.

What does “Data Not Collected” mean in the App Store?

It’s the privacy label every developer has to fill in. “Data Not Collected” means the app doesn’t collect any data about its users, according to the developer. If you see “Data Used to Track You”, behaviour is followed across apps and websites, usually for advertising.

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