Bark Phone review

The Bark Phone is a regular Samsung Galaxy A16 with Bark's parental controls built in and locked down, so a child cannot delete them. Its main strength is monitoring: Bark scans texts, social media and online content and sends parents alerts about potential issues, which no other phone here matches. Parents approve every contact, can stop texts from being deleted, set screen time schedules, approve or deny each app and set daily limits per app or category. A driving lock pauses the phone when it detects the child is in a moving vehicle. The Starter plan at $29 a month allows talk, text and GPS with no games, browsers or social media, and Advanced plans from $39 a month add apps and browsers under your rules. The plan also includes Bark Premium for every device in the family. Cost is the catch: the phone is $360 for devices bought from November 3, 2026, and data plans run to $79 a month.

Who it is for

Parents who want monitoring alerts on texts and social apps as well as limits, and plan to allow more apps later.

Price

Bark Phone $360 (Bark Phone Pro $600); Starter plan $29 a month, Advanced plans from $39 a month.

Bark Phone: $360 Bark Phone Pro: $600
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 8, 2026.

Key features

• Scans texts, social media and online content and alerts parents to potential issues
• Contact approval and an option to stop texts from being deleted
• Screen time schedules, app approval and app or category time limits
• Web filtering by category, site or app on Advanced plans
• Driving lock that pauses the phone in a moving vehicle

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: The strongest content alerts of any kids' phone here
• Strength: Rules for apps, browsers and social media are tamper-proof
• Strength: Plan includes Bark Premium for the whole family's devices
• Weakness: $360 device plus $29 a month is one of the higher total costs
• Weakness: Apps and browsers require an Advanced plan from $39 a month
• Weakness: Data plans cost $49 to $79 a month

Key facts

• Device: Samsung A16, $360
• Pro device: Samsung A37, $600
• Starter plan: $29 a month, talk and text, no internet or games
• Advanced plans: $39 a month Wi-Fi only, up to $79 with data
• Guarantee: 60-day money back

Where it ranks

Bark Phone is No. 2 in our Best Phones for Kids verdict.