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Best for parents looking for basic control
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Geo-fencing alerts hit your phone almost instantly when your child enters or leaves a set area
Location history lets you retrace your child's whole day, not just where they are right now
Bundles parental controls with identity theft protection, dark web monitoring, and antivirus in one app
Best for all-inclusive monitoring
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Parental controls app that monitors texts, email, and social media for signs of bullying, self-harm, depression, and predatory contact
Works across Android, iPhone, Chromebook, and gaming consoles, not just phones
Uninstalling requires a code from the parent dashboard, so kids can't quietly remove it themselves
FamilyKeeper and Bark are both top parental control apps, but Bark wins this head-to-head matchup. Both apps allow parents to manage screen time and send important alerts about activity.
However, Bark takes the cake for parents who prioritize monitoring features, while FamilyKeeper is best suited for parents who prefer simple, straightforward tools.
We highlight all of the details for each product below.
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Our Pick | |
| Star rating | ||
| Price | $7.84-$22.77/mo | $4.08–$14.00/mo |
| Free trial | ||
| Number of devices supported | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Website filtering | ||
| Conversation monitoring | Yes, with content filtering | Yes, social media, email, text |
| Screen time management | ||
| Location tracking | ||
| Activity reports | ||
| Remote lock | ||
| Supported devices | iPhones, Android phones | iPhones, Android, Chromebook, Amazon Fire, and more |
| Learn more | Get FamilyKeeper | Get Bark |
FamilyKeeper is good for parents who want a simple and easy-to-navigate parental control app. Its main strengths are its straightforward setup and core features, such as location tracking and screen time management.
The app lets parents set time limits for individual apps and block access to certain websites. These features can be set with a daily limit or on a schedule to ensure the child’s device doesn’t become a distraction during schoolwork. Additionally, the app is relatively affordable at $59.99/yr.
But FamilyKeeper falls short in more advanced monitoring features. Its social media monitoring is limited to basic keyword filtering.
During our testing, it failed to effectively track conversations on platforms like Messenger, Instagram, and Discord. While it flags certain phrases, it does not provide well-rounded insights into what children are actually engaging with online. This could prove unhelpful to parents wanting to keep their kids safe on social media.
Additionally, the app’s lack of cross-platform compatibility — it doesn’t work between iOS and Android devices — limits its use for families with different devices. Features like text message monitoring didn’t work as advertised during testing, reducing its overall reliability.
Bark is designed for parents who want more in-depth monitoring under one subscription. One of Bark’s standout features is its ability to monitor over 30 different apps and text messages. It uses advanced machine learning to flag conversations related to issues like self-harm and online predators.
Bark also offers screen time management and location tracking. Because of its compatibility and pairing with an unlimited number of devices, it provides significant coverage for families with multiple children.
Bark isn’t without drawbacks, though. While it accommodates a lot and has all the bells and whistles, it struggles to send real-time alerts. In some cases, alerts can be delayed by several hours.
Bark is rather resource-heavy, too, which can drain battery life and slow down older devices. We found that the app primarily alerts parents to flagged content rather than providing real-time surveillance.
Bark delivers more value due to its comprehensive monitoring capabilities and cross-platform support.
FamilyKeeper doesn’t offer the same level of insight into your child’s online activity and is the more basic solution.
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Our Pick | |
| Price range | $7.84-$22.77/mo | $4.08–$14.00/mo |
| Best value plan | $7.84/mo | $8.25/mo |
| Free trial | Yes, 7 days | |
| Money-back guarantee | Yes, 30 days | |
| Learn more | Get FamilyKeeper | Get Bark |
FamilyKeeper provides two simple subscription plans that include all features and unlimited connected devices, but lack any money-back guarantee or free trial.
Parents have a choice between monthly and yearly billing options. To cancel the subscription, users have to contact support (via contact form or email, support@familykeeper.co).
Like FamilyKeeper, Bark also offers a 7-day free trial and requires a credit card to sign up. Bark says it uses your credit card information to verify the guardianship of the subscription owner, but it doesn't charge the card until the trial is over.
Bark offers everything from basic screen time management to comprehensive social media monitoring to software that protects home devices, and even a Bark Phone.
Bark leads the way in monitoring and flagging risky behavior. With the ability to track over 30 social media apps, Bark provides coverage that is hard to beat.
FamilyKeeper, by comparison, offers more basic monitoring and lacks the ability to provide real-time insights into conversations or social media activity.
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Our Pick | |
| Website filtering | Yes, basic filtering | Yes, 19 content categories |
| App filtering | ||
| Social media monitoring | Yes, 30+ platforms | |
| Text message monitoring | ||
| Email monitoring | ||
| Internet search monitoring | Yes, via content filtering | |
| Screen time limits | ||
| Remote lock | ||
| Cyberbullying alerts | ||
| Location tracking | ||
| Activity reports | ||
| Learn more | Get FamilyKeeper | Get Bark |
Bark's extensive monitoring and alert system, with real-time insights and comprehensive scanning, is among its top strengths. Bark’s machine-learning algorithms not only monitor social media but also scan text messages and emails. It provides all the parental control features you'd expect.
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FamilyKeeper provides alerts related to keyword filtering and content blocking, and includes location tracking and screen time management. But overall, FamilyKeeper lacks the ability to provide real-time insights into conversations or social media activity and relies on basic content filters.
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When it comes to support and compatibility, Bark takes the lead again with better customer support options. FamilyKeeper, while functional, offers less versatility across platforms and more limited customer service options.
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Our Pick | |
| Windows | ||
| macOS | ||
| Android | ||
| iOS | ||
| Browser extensions | Yes, Chrome, Microsoft Edge | |
| 24/7 customer support | ||
| Customer support options | Email, contact form | Email, live chat, online guides, videos, app |
| Learn more | Get FamilyKeeper | Get Bark |
Bark works on more operating systems, including Windows and macOS, and supports browser extensions. FamilyKeeper is limited to Android and iOS devices, which may be an issue for families using computers.
In terms of customer support, neither app offers 24/7 live support. However, Bark does provide a wider range of options, including email, live chat, and detailed online guides.
FamilyKeeper, by contrast, offers support only via email and a contact form, which may lead to slower response times and less immediate help for users. The limited availability of online guides or forums for FamilyKeeper makes it hard to resolve issues independently.
FamilyKeeper and Bark both made our list of the best parental control apps. But honestly, we think these alternatives are better.
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Robust parental control app with plenty of customization options for monitoring and blocking features
Real-time location tracking, including a unique Panic Button feature to immediately alert parents of any danger
Detailed activity reports with timely alerts for web searches, app and web activity, and screen time
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Parental controls app that builds a social persona for your kid based on their messaging habits and flags behavioral shifts
Screens for cyberbullying and in-game harassment across apps like Discord and Fortnite without reading DMs
Lets you set per-app time limits for 100+ apps and pause all internet access instantly from the dashboard
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Robust app blocking and content filtering across 41 categories gives you complete control
Real-time alerts keep you on top of all restricted activity without delay
Location tracking and geo-fencing feature, including scheduling routine check ins
Ultimately, Bark is the better choice in terms of value and capabilities.
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Our Pick | |
| Value | ||
| Features | ||
| Compatibility & Support | ||
| Learn More | Get FamilyKeeper | Get Bark |
Bark is almost perfect for parents who want an in-depth look into their children's online activity. Its wide range of features — including conversation tracking and social media monitoring — makes it an excellent tool for parents looking to protect their children from the dangers of the digital world.
FamilyKeeper is a more basic solution. It’s better suited for families with younger children or parents with fewer needs, such as those who only want to manage screen time and track location.
While its core features work well, FamilyKeeper’s lack of comprehensive monitoring makes it a less versatile option compared to Bark.
Yes, Bark can monitor direct messages on TikTok. The direct messaging feature is already disabled for users under 16, but for children who are able to circumvent that restriction, Bark can help. Currently, this service is only available on Android devices, but Bark is working to provide this service to iOS devices in the future.
The primary downsides are delayed alerts and non-real-time location tracking, making the app less than ideal in urgent situations. We also found that Bark can be resource-heavy, depleting battery life and slowing down older devices.
FamilyKeeper lacks cross-platform compatibility and has limited social media monitoring. It doesn’t provide live updates into text-based messaging either, which can make it difficult for parents to monitor their child’s conversations.
It’s also only available on Android and iOS, meaning Windows and MacOS systems go unmonitored.
Yes, FamilyKeeper is visible as an app on the child’s device. The app also displays a persistent notification to remind them that their phone is being monitored. While this could encourage better online behavior, it also makes it harder for parents who prefer to monitor their child’s activity discreetly.
Parental controls app that monitors texts, email, and social media for signs of bullying, self-harm, depression, and predatory contact
Works across Android, iPhone, Chromebook, and gaming consoles, not just phones
Uninstalling requires a code from the parent dashboard, so kids can't quietly remove it themselves
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