Bark review

Bark takes a different approach from most apps here. Instead of focusing on rules, it monitors a child's social media, texts, email and web activity and sends parents alerts about potential dangers, so you hear about a problem without reading every message. The app also handles screen time management, blocks websites and apps, and tracks location with live GPS and location alerts. One subscription covers every child and device in the family, which is good value for larger households at $99 a year, though $14 monthly is steep. Bark notes that Apple's privacy protections stop third-party apps from reading what is on a child's iPhone, and it sells a separate charger, the Bark Sync, to close that gap. Families who want the tightest control can buy the Bark Phone from $360 plus a plan from $29 a month, which adds contact and app install approvals and tamper-proof settings that the app alone does not offer.

Who it is for

Parents of tweens and teens who want alerts about bullying, predators and other risks, not just time limits.

Price

Bark app $14 per month or $99 a year for unlimited kids and devices; Bark Home from $6 per month or $79 one time; 7-day free trial.

iOS (iPhone/iPad) and Android: $14/month or $99/year
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 8, 2026.

Key features

• Monitoring and alerts for a child's social media, texts, email and web activity
• Screen time management with website and app blocking
• Live GPS location tracking and location alerts
• One subscription covers unlimited kids, accounts and devices
• Bark Phone and Bark Watch with controls built in, and Bark Home for TVs and consoles

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Strongest alert-based monitoring of messages and social apps
• Strength: Unlimited kids and devices on one subscription
• Strength: $99 a year works out much cheaper than monthly billing
• Weakness: Highest monthly app price among the dedicated apps here
• Weakness: Apple's privacy rules limit what the app can read on iPhones
• Weakness: Contact approvals and tamper-proof settings are exclusive to the Bark Phone

Key facts

• App price: $14 a month or $99 a year
• Coverage: Unlimited kids, accounts and devices
• Free trial: 7 days
• Bark Phone: $360 device plus plans from $29 a month
• Bark Home: From $6 a month or $79 one time

Where it ranks

Bark is No. 4 in our Best Parental Control Apps verdict.