# Bark - Parental Controls — Help protect your kids online

> Digital safety and screen time management for families. (iPhone/iPad app by Bark Technologies, Inc..)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bark-parental-controls/id1477619146 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Bark Technologies, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1164495252)
- Category: Productivity, Utilities
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.20/5 from 34,867 App Store ratings · 544 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 12+
- Requires: iOS 15.1 · 30 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2019-09-25
- Data updated: 2026-08-28
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bark-parental-controls/id1477619146/reviews.md

## What is Bark?

Bark provides families with all the tools they need to raise kids in the digital age. Our comprehensive service lets you monitor content, manage screen time, and filter websites so you can get peace of mind while your child is online.

CONTENT MONITORING

Bark monitors your child’s texts, email, YouTube, and 30+ apps and social media platforms for issues like cyberbullying, adult content, sexual predators, profanity, suicidal ideation, threats of violence, and more. Parents receive alerts only when something potentially problematic occurs online. You won’t have full access to everything on your child’s phone — just the things you might need to know about.

SCREEN TIME MANAGEMENT

Families can set healthy time limits and create schedules for when their children’s devices can connect to the internet (through both cell service and Wi-Fi).

WEB FILTERING

Our web filter lets you select which websites your child can access on their devices. You can allow or block specific sites — or even whole categories like streaming services, online gaming, sexual content, and more.

BARK TESTIMONIALS

• "My wife and I LOVE Bark. We've had some tough but productive conversations with our 13-year-old son. It's proving to be extremely valuable." — Josh L.
• “It’s just another set of protections we as parents give our kids for the digital environment (or as my 10-year-old calls it, a “cell phone seat belt”). My oldest is a 9th grader, and while I trust her, I’ve come to realize through the alerts that some of her friends aren’t truly her friends. It’s led to some amazing conversations about choosing friends wisely and recognizing toxic people. While she wasn’t for Bark at first, she’s since said she’s grateful that I saw those messages because it reaffirmed what she was feeling but didn’t know how to verbalize without sounding sensitive.” — Bark Parent
• "Bark notified me that my young daughter had unknowingly revealed her phone number to strangers on Twitter. The fact that Bark notified me was impressive and led to an informative discussion with her the same day." — Jon B.
• “Since Bark alerted us to the suicidal language used in the Google doc that was being used in a chat document with a friend, we have seen both a pediatrician and a licensed counselor. We are hopeful for a positive outcome. Thanks to Bark for letting us peek into our child’s mind!” — Bark Parent
• “This app is a lifesaver! It has allowed us to catch so many “red flags” in the content my kids have accessed on their devices and in their interactions with friends and other people online that I wouldn’t have ever known about otherwise. The big difference between Bark and other “Parental Control” software is that Bark allows your kids to have so much more privacy. It doesn’t show you everything they do, but sends an instant alert regarding any activity that might be concerning. Highly recommended!” — Bark Parent

With Bark, you can help keep your kids safe both online and in real life. Try it out for seven days absolutely free!

Our Family Online Safety Specialists are standing by to help answer any questions you may have. Email help@bark.us or visit help.bark.us to get answers and advice from the Bark Team. 

Terms of Use
https://www.bark.us/terms

## Key features

- Content monitoring for texts, email, YouTube, and social media
- Alerts for cyberbullying, adult content, and threats
- Screen time limits and scheduling
- Website filtering by category or specific sites
- Monitors 30+ apps and social media platforms

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bark Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Bark Annual | $99.99 | per year |
| Bark Jr Annual | $49.99 | per year |
| Bark Jr Monthly | $5.99 | per month |


## Chart rankings

- #151 in Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)
- #63 in Top Grossing · Productivity (US App Store)

## What do users think of Bark?

Overall sentiment: neutral

**Pros**

- 💯 Solid recommendation
- 🔒 Helps keep watch over family
- 🔒 Necessary for child safety
- 🚀 Disturbingly good app so far
- 🚀 Unique helpful tracker
- 🚀 Absolutely amazing app
- 🚀 Absolutely incredible app
- 🚀 Great way to keep your child safe

**Cons**

- 🐛 Very hard to navigate
- 🐛 Can't install
- 🐛 Annoying features
- 🐛 Useless, don't waste money
- 🐛 Confusion during setup
- 🐛 App okay, phone not so much
- 🐛 Do not try this rubbish
- 🐛 Do not use this
- 🔋 Drain battery and slowed phones
- 🔋 Storage problems
- 🔒 Waste of time, child can delete it
- 🔒 Not iOS friendly
- 🔒 Hacked phone
- 🔒 Destroys child and parents relationships
- 🔒 Disgusting, invades privacy

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Frequent disconnections and reconnections required
- Inability to monitor certain popular apps like TikTok and Snapchat
- Delayed alerts and notifications
- Unexpected phone performance issues like slower speeds and battery drain

**Most requested features**

- Improve compatibility with iOS devices
- Provide cloud-based backups instead of manual device backups
- Add password protection to prevent app uninstallation
- Improve sensitivity settings and notification management

## Recent user reviews (10 of 544)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bark-parental-controls/id1477619146/reviews.md

### 1/5 — as a tween..

*2026-08-23, version 6.4.1*

i hate how this app invades kid’s privacy .. and also the parent can feel like you can’t be trusted for some reason and it’s like you don’t even need the app just go through the kids phone manually instead of using the damn internet.

### 5/5 — Absolute Invasion of Privacy

*2026-08-22, version 6.4.1*

Do you really want some AI company to data mine & sell all of your kid’s personal info/habits/interests/moods/friends? We need to be much better custodians of our children’s privacy.

### 1/5 — Does not work

*2026-08-19, version 6.4.1*

Waited for a week for the sync cable to ship. Switched from questido, collect phones unprotected for a week for the transition. Would not sync. Chatted for 30 min troubleshooting with no luck. Called customer service only for someone to finally be honest that the new iOS that was updated TWO MONTHS AGO does not sync. So they knew this and sold me a product that they know does not work. What a waste of time and a general concern of leaving phones unprotected while we waited for a sync they shipped, knowing it doesn’t sync. Make it make sense bark

### 1/5 — Very hard to use

*2026-08-18, version 6.4.1*

I had it on my kid’s phone for 6 months before I gave up on it. I just could not control the phone as well as I wanted, it was almost impossible to reverse any restrictions. I gave up eventually

### 1/5 — Worst app

*2026-08-18, version 6.4.1*

Never worked, always disconnected…waste of 3 months of money…do not buy. Cancelled the subscription…

### 2/5 — Do Not Buy the Sync Device

*2026-08-16, version 6.4.1*

Run Away! Our child has an iPhone. It won’t sync with the Bark device. I have exchanged over 20 emails with tech support. Each starts with BS platitudes about how great I am for seeking support and how absolutely indescribably delighted they are to help. They understand my frustration. 

A different person answers each email, does not read preceding emails, hits a function key to spit out something tried 5 emails ago, and asks me to follow up because they are eager to help-and USELESS. I assume they are over-worked because of all the tech questions from Bark devices that don’t work. Other aspects work, but it won’t scan the iPhone and tech support is like a broken robot repeating the same phrases. SKIP THE SYNC DEVICE. NOT WORTH THE MONEY.

### 1/5 — Big brother is watching

*2026-08-15, version 6.4.1*

This is ridiculous, i get wanting to protect your kid but this app is extreme. If youre a parent do NOT get this is your kid is over 12, this is the stuff that makes kids depressed and not want ties to parents, if youre want to protect your child talk to them yourself.

### 1/5 — Frustrating in every way

*2026-08-13, version 6.4.1*

The information provided and the safeguards were too much. I had to spend hours removing it off of my daughter’s device in order to trade her phone in. Apps that we wanted her to be able to use stopped working. WiFi would intermittently stop working and in the end, it blocked things we didn’t want blocked, still allowed things we didn’t want allowed, and send us ridiculous notifications for things my daughter wasn’t even doing. A YouTuber she follows said a swear word? Big deal. I find out whether she has watched it or not. Linking things up and unlinking things was a serious headache. Came on a recommendation, but I can not suggest anyone use this.

### 1/5 — Worse customer support

*2026-08-11, version 6.4.1*

My minor used my friend’s card at night to reactivate his line, and they never refunded her. We tried to get hold of customer service, and it took at least an entire day. On the app it’s even worse, there is never anyone to answer. Now she will have to dispute the charge, and our Bark account will more than likely be blocked. We paused the account because we couldn’t get in touch with customer service, and now they’re asking us for information that is only available on the paused account while refusing to unpause it. They are the WORST. Now we have to dispute the charge with the bank and will probably lose the entire account.

### 3/5 — Ok But Clunky

*2026-08-11, version 6.4.1*

App keeps telling me I can disconnect the Ipad from my PC days after I disconnected. Then it stops showing data so I had to set it up again.

## Frequently asked questions about Bark

### What does Bark parental controls do?

Bark provides tools to help parents manage their children's digital lives. It monitors online content across various platforms, manages screen time, and filters websites. The app aims to alert parents to potential issues without giving them full access to their child's device activity.

### How does Bark monitor content?

Bark monitors your child’s texts, email, YouTube, and over 30 other apps and social media platforms. It looks for issues such as cyberbullying, adult content, sexual predators, profanity, suicidal ideation, and threats of violence. Parents receive alerts only when potentially problematic content is detected.

### Is Bark free to use?

The application is available for free with in-app purchases. This means you can download and use some features without cost, but advanced functionalities or premium services may require a purchase.

### What devices is Bark compatible with?

Bark is designed to help families manage children's devices, including smartphones and potentially other internet-connected devices. The description mentions managing screen time through cell service and Wi-Fi, implying compatibility with devices that connect to these networks.

### What are the main benefits of using Bark?

The primary benefits include increased peace of mind for parents, proactive identification of online risks like cyberbullying or inappropriate content, and the ability to foster healthy digital habits through screen time management and web filtering. It allows for important conversations about online safety and friendships.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 6.4.1 — 2026-07-03

Bug fixes and improvements.

### 6.4.0 — 2026-07-02

App improvements and fixes

### 6.3.3 — 2026-05-26

System upgrades and performance improvements.

### 6.2.0 — 2026-04-22

Minor bugfixes and performance updates

### 6.1.2 — 2026-02-25

Fixes for biometric login and in app purchases

## Apps similar to Bark

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [LockMe: Applock for Lock Apps](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lockme-applock-for-lock-apps/id6460862187) | 4.6 (232) | Free | Productivity |
| [Screen Time Limit: App Blocker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screen-time-limit-app-blocker/id6449219142) | 4.5 (43) | Free | Productivity |
| [Screenable: Better Screen Time](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screenable-better-screen-time/id6477620270) | 4.9 (37) | Free | Productivity |
| [Freedom: Screen Time Control](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freedom-screen-time-control/id1269788228) | 4.4 (5,715) | Free | Productivity |
| [Chorsee: Chores Tracker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chorsee-chores-tracker/id1611068600) | 4.6 (11,508) | Free | Productivity |
| [OurFamilyWizard Co-Parent App](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ourfamilywizard-co-parent-app/id497405393) | 4.6 (52,279) | Free | Productivity |

## More apps by Bark Technologies, Inc.

- [Bark Kids](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bark-kids/id1500629600)
- [Bark for Schools](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bark-for-schools/id1638803828)

All apps by Bark Technologies, Inc.: https://appshunter.io/developer/1164495252

## Related topics

[monitoring app online](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/monitoring-app-online) · [bark](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/bark) · [bark parental controls](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/bark-parental-controls) · [child phone monitoring](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/child-phone-monitoring) · [child protection](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/child-protection) · [bark parent app](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/bark-parent-app) · [internet safety](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/internet-safety) · [bark parent](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/bark-parent) · [bark control](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/bark-control) · [parent phone control](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/parent-phone-control) · [bark parental control](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/bark-parental-control) · [child monitoring](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/child-monitoring) · [kid safety](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/kid-safety) · [monitor kids phone](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/monitor-kids-phone) · [ilookout for child abuse](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/ilookout-for-child-abuse) · [bark kids](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/bark-kids) · [protection for iphone online](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/protection-for-iphone-online) · [ouidecide](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/ouidecide) · [preventivi edili rdsoft](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/preventivi-edili-rdsoft) · [bark kids app](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/bark-kids-app)

---

*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-28.*