Bark Price 2025: Plans, Features, and Value for Families

Parents aren’t just looking for another “app blocker.” What they want is a tool that can flag potentially risky conversations across various platforms, including texts, emails, and social media.

Bark delivers on that with broad communication monitoring, unlimited device coverage, and flexible controls that adapt to each child’s age and maturity.

Price, however, is part of the equation. Monthly plans tend to be more expensive than those of some competitors, while annual billing helps narrow the gap. The real decision comes down to what features you’re paying for.

For a closer look at setup and day-to-day performance, see our full Bark review.

How much does Bark cost?

Bark’s pricing shifts by tier and billing cycle, but the standout feature is unlimited device coverage on both app plans, an advantage over rivals that charge per device or child profile.

Month-to-month rates are on the higher side, while annual billing is more competitive. Families can also try the free trial to assess the quality of monitoring and alert accuracy before committing.

Bark app price

	Bark Jr.	Bark Premium
Monthly cost	$5.00/mo	$14.00/mo
Annual cost	$4.08/mo (billed annually)	$8.25/mo (billed annually)
Number of devices	Unlimited	Unlimited
Website filtering
Screen time management
Location tracking
Social media monitoring
Text message monitoring
Email monitoring
Internet search monitoring
Cyberbullying and online predator alerts
Learn More	Get Bark	Get Bark

Bark Jr. is best for younger kids who only need filters, schedules, and basic location features.

Bark Premium unlocks monitoring across texts, email, and social apps, making it a stronger fit for teens. Both plans cover unlimited devices, which is rare — competitors like FamilyTime have plans with device limits, while Qustodio caps profiles at one unless you upgrade. For larger families, this unlimited coverage adds significant value.

How much do other Bark products cost?

Bark isn’t limited to just an app subscription. Families can also choose dedicated devices that bring Bark’s parental controls to phones, wearables, and even home Wi-Fi.

• Bark Phone (Starter: $29.00/mo + cost of phone) and (Advanced or Pro: $39.00/mo + cost of phone)

  This is a Samsung-based kids’ phone preloaded with Bark’s monitoring and parental controls. Both plans cover text/app alerts, blocking, screen time limits, contact approvals, and location tracking, with tamperproof settings. The Pro adds water resistance, tougher glass, faster performance, and better video calls.

• Bark Watch ($169.00 + $15.00/mo, which includes a one-time fee for the device)

  This is a kid-focused smartwatch that includes talk/text, GPS location tracking, and Bark Premium monitoring. It eliminates games, browsers, and social media entirely, so kids can stay connected without added distractions. A good fit for younger children who aren’t ready for a phone.

• Bark Home ($6.00/mo)

  This is a small hub that connects to your Wi-Fi router, extending website and app blocking, as well as screen time rules, to every device in the house. Ideal for families where the main challenge is shared home screens rather than phones.

What do you get with the Bark app?

Bark’s appeal extends beyond pricing; parents love the combination of features, which helps them decide it’s worth the subscription. The Bark app combines monitoring, filtering, and scheduling in a way that gives families oversight without requiring constant device checks.

Conversation monitoring across channels

Bark scans texts, emails, photos, videos, and more than 30 social apps (including YouTube). Instead of exposing every message, it flags issues tied to bullying, sexual content, self-harm, and other risks. Parents can adjust the sensitivity for each child.

Screen time rules that match your day

Daily schedules let you set different access for school, free time, and bedtime. You can also block specific apps or categories, such as streaming or social media, and pause internet access when needed. Bark is on our list of the best screen time apps.

Content filtering

Bark blocks sites and apps by category but also allows custom exceptions, so families can fine-tune what’s acceptable.

Location features

Real-time location tracking, geo-fencing alerts, and on-demand check-ins provide quick updates on your child's whereabouts throughout the day.

Weekly insights and a driving summary

Weekly insights show new apps, top contacts, and overall activity. A driving log adds mileage and top-speed data, though it’s less detailed than some competitors.

Top alternatives

If your priority is web oversight and time management, Norton Family excels at content filtering, geo-fencing, and browsing visibility. In our experience, the dashboard is easier to learn than Bark’s. However, Norton Family doesn’t match Bark’s depth for message monitoring across texts, emails, and DMs.

Aura Parental Controls is an excellent alternative for families wanting parental controls plus broader digital safety (identity theft monitoring, antivirus, VPN, scam call/text protection, and more). Bark is more specialized for communication monitoring, while Aura bundles wider family security under one roof.

Here’s how Bark compares:

FAQs

Bottom line: Is Bark worth it?

Bark’s monitoring-first approach is its edge: It flags the moments that matter without handing parents a transcript of every message. Add unlimited devices and hardware options (Phone, Watch, Home), and the value solidifies for households with tweens and teens who live in texts, DMs, and group chats.

We think Bark is one of the best parental control apps available right now, but here’s how Bark compares to other popular parental control software:

• Bark vs. Norton Family
• Bark vs. Aura Parental Controls
• Bark vs. Qustodio
• Bark vs. Net Nanny
• Bark vs. mSpy