Bark vs. Net Nanny 2024: How Much Parental Control Do You Need?

As one of the best parental control apps you can get, it's no surprise that Bark is a better option than Net Nanny.

With Bark, you'll get a wider range of features, including better conversation monitoring, geo-fencing functionality, and cyberbullying alerts. Net Nanny is also a less pleasant experience overall with an outdated user interface and no Android support at the time of writing.

We’ve broken down both services, so you can decide which of these parental control apps suits your family and needs the best.

Bark vs. Net Nanny review at a glance

Bark is a better parental control app than Net Nanny because it delivers a more fully-featured experience. You can rest well knowing your child is safe thanks to Bark's alerts for inappropriate or dangerous conversations on social media and text. You can only see the contents of your child's messages if it triggers an alert, which lets your child keep their privacy.

If you want to provide even more privacy, then Net Nanny delivers slightly less invasive features. It doesn't track text or emails at all, but does still provide good screen time management and location tracking.

• Bark: Best overall
• Net Nanny: Best for lighter protection

Bark vs. Net Nanny compared

	Our Pick
Star rating	4.9 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	3.9 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
Price	$4.00–$14.00/mo	$3.33-$7.50/mo (billed annually)
Free trial	Yes — 7 days
Max number of protected devices	Unlimited	1 - 20 devices
Web filtering
Conversation monitoring	Social media, text, email
Screen time management
Location tracking
Activity reports
Remote lock
Supported devices	Android phone or tablet, iPhone, iPad, iPod, Amazon Fire, Chromebook, Computer, Gaming console	Windows, macOS, iOS
Learn more	Get Bark Read Bark Review	Get Net Nanny Read Net Nanny Review

Bark pros and cons

Bark pretty much offers all parental control features you could possibly ask for, including location tracking, content filtering, conversation monitoring, and screen time management. Every asset of your child's device is monitored in some way, but they can keep their privacy since the parent is only shown the content of messages when an alert is triggered.

Thanks to extra products like Bark Home and the Bark Phone, you can go even further in your parental monitoring by unlocking additional functionality and applying web filtering at the Wi-Fi level. That means any device connected to the internet, even your children's gaming consoles, would be subject to the web filtering and content management settings you set.

When we were testing Bark, we were very impressed with its extensive features, but found the experience was very draining on our phone. We were testing on an old Samsung Galaxy S10, so this may be less of a problem on newer phones, but this was the main downside we found about the product. The other downside was that we found alerts to be quite delayed, often coming in a full day after the content that triggered it was sent.

Net Nanny pros and cons

Net Nanny has a lot of the functionality a parent may be looking for, without including more intrusive options like text monitoring. If you want to make sure your kid knows their personal conversations are safe, then this may be a better option for you.

During our testing, we found the dashboard to be helpful and update quickly, which was nice. The different alerts we set up triggered immediately and we were able to filter for a variety of categories, even ones we created ourselves.

The main downside was that the website and browser page for the app is very outdated and clunky. Net Nanny could use a major overhaul and update to help bring it up to par with other apps. We also found the program made our computer very slow to use when it was installed on our Windows laptop.

Which parental control app is the better value?

Bark is a better value overall because it allows you to add an unlimited amount of devices, plus offers a seven day free trial.

	Best Value
Price range	$4.00–$14.00/mo	$3.33-$7.50/mo (billed annually)
Best value plan	Bark Premium for $14.00/mo	5-device Family Protection Pass for $4.58/mo (billed annually)
Free trial	Yes — 7 days
Money-back guarantee
Learn more	Get Bark Read Bark Review	Get Net Nanny Read Net Nanny Review

Bark plans

When it comes to the Bark app, you can either get the basic version called Bark Jr. or opt for Bark Premium for a few extra features. On top of that, you have the options to get the Bark Phone and/or Bark Home as separate monthly fees, if those more all-encompassing solutions is better for you.

Here's an overview of the offered plans.

• Bark Jr.: At $5.00/mo, Bark Jr. offers screen time management, website filtering, and geo-fencing tools. This tier is less restrictive and geared toward older children who are learning independence but still need parental guidance.
• Bark Premium: At $14.00/mo, Premium gives you all the tools to monitor your kids’ activities on their phones as well as set screen time limits and block content. The geo-fencing features give you an idea of where your child is at all times. It’s a comprehensive and useful service.
  
• Bark Home: At $6.00/mo, Bark Home plan goes beyond mobile and allows parents to monitor any internet-connected devices in the home. You have features like screen time management and content filtering on TVs, game consoles, tablets, and more. Online parental controls give you the opportunity to teach your children about responsible online behavior and help you create healthy habits.
• Bark Phone: Finally, for $39.00/mo + cost of phone, Bark provides a Samsung A series device preloaded with Bark’s software. The service is month to month, with unlimited talk and text, and doesn’t require a contract. The cost of the phone is included in the monthly charge for either the starter or advanced plan, and you also get a Bark Premium subscription for the entire family.

Net Nanny plans

Net Nanny offers plans based on the number of devices you’d like to cover. Maybe you have just one family computer, or you want to control phones for multiple children. Either way, Net Nanny splits out its plans so you purchase only what you need.

• 1 Desktop: For $3.33/mo (billed annually), this plan covers one Windows or Mac device and includes all the monitoring features Net Nanny offers. You can set controls for when the internet is active, what sites are accessed, and allow content through if you deem it appropriate.
• 5 Devices Family Protection Pass: At $4.58/mo (billed annually), this tier increases compatibility by offering coverage for parental controls on iOS devices as well as desktop operating systems. You’ll receive all the features included with Net Nanny, and can cover up to 5 devices.
• 20 Devices Family Protection Pass: For $7.50/mo (billed annually), you can add up to 20 devices. There aren’t any extra features offered, just the ability to cover more devices.

Which app has the better monitoring and alerts?

Bark offers a full buffet of parental control options, making it the better option if you're looking for sheer functionality.

	Our Pick
Website filtering
App filtering
Social media monitoring
Text message monitoring
Email monitoring
Internet search monitoring
Screen time limits
Remote lock
Cyberbullying and online predator alerts
Location tracking
Geo-fencing
Activity reports
Learn more	Get Bark Read Bark Review	Get Net Nanny Read Net Nanny Review

When looking at features and functionality, Bark definitely offers more. Not only does it monitor text messages and emails, but it also sends you alerts if the device leaves certain areas. Bark’s advanced machine learning can even scan for potential self-harm and predator behavior to keep your child safe on social media and other forms of online connection.

You may not want all of this monitoring, however, as it could make some older kids resentful. Net Nanny may help you strike a balance, specifically with older children because it doesn’t have as much invasive monitoring. Net Nanny can give you peace of mind while also helping children create better habits with features like screen time limits and location tracking.

Fostering a healthy environment with your kids where they feel comfortable sharing with you and also feel trusted is a huge step in creating a safe environment for your children. You’ll also have insights and controls over social media sites like Discord and TikTok, both of which can be fun for kids but can be unsafe. This will allow you to help your kids make better decisions. Make sure to talk with your child about these services, why you want to use them, and how the two of you can make the most of them together.

Which parental control app has the better support and compatibility?

Bark is available on far more devices than Net Nanny, especially when you consider grabbing a Bark Home makes any device connected to the internet compatible.

	Our Pick
Windows
macOS
Android
iOS
Other devices	Android tablet, iPad, iPod, Amazon Fire, Chromebook, Computer, Gaming console
24/7 customer support
Customer support options	Email, guides	Guides, live chat, email
Learn more	Get Bark Read Bark Review	Get Net Nanny Read Net Nanny Review

Though neither app has 24/7 customer service, the customer service hours for Net Nanny are pretty limiting in particular. There’s no weekend or evening support with the live chat. Bark is better with an 18-hour support window and online guides. Parental control software has a lot of access to your child’s phone. Limited support could be a serious problem if something gets wonky, so Bark’s extended hours are definitely more desirable.

FAQs

Bark vs. Net Nanny: which is better?

Overall, Bark performed better than Net Nanny in our testing, offering more features, compatibility, support hours, and monitoring capabilities. We do think Net Nanny could be a great tool for customers looking for a lighter form of support, but for anyone wanting all the bells and whistles, Bark is it.

	Our Pick
Value
Features
Compatibility & customer support
Learn more	Get Bark Read Bark Review	Get Net Nanny Read Net Nanny Review

Top alternatives

If neither of these services works for you, or you want to evaluate all of the best parental control services out there, we have suggestions. All of these services offer robust monitoring plus additional features you’re sure to find useful. Keeping your kids safe in this digital world is a top priority. This software can help you do it.