# Freedom vs Bark

Freedom and Bark both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 64% of Freedom's written reviews are positive against 13% of Bark's. Freedom also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). Bark's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and chart position (#81 vs unranked). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Freedom sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month and Bark sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Freedom holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bark has 36K ratings behind it against 6.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Freedom's written reviews are positive against 13% of Bark's.

Freedom ships an update every 2 weeks, Bark every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 28, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Freedom | Bark |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (6.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freedom-screen-time-control/id1269788228/reviews)** | [4.3 (36K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bark-parental-controls/id1477619146/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6.1K | **36K** |
| Positive reviews | **64.2% of reviews** | 12.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#81** |
| Size | 94 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.1 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Eighty Percent Solutions](https://appshunter.io/developer/960372430) | [Bark Technologies, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1164495252) |

## What reviewers say

### Freedom

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freedom-screen-time-control/id1269788228)

This app helps you block distracting apps and websites to improve focus and productivity. Schedule blocking sessions across all your devices to build better screen time habits and reclaim productive hours.

**Highlights:** Block distracting apps and websites, Schedule blocking sessions, Sync across all devices, Block the internet, Locked Mode for habit commitment, Focus sounds

**Features:** Safari Extension, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $8.99 | per month |
| Freedom Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Freedom Yearly Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Freedom Yearly | $59.99 | per year |
| Freedom Forever | $199.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Effective at blocking distractions
- 👍 Customizable blocklists
- 🔒 Locked mode prevents bypassing
- 💡 Cross-device sync
- 👍 Helpful for productivity and focus

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent blocking, doesn't always work as expected
- 🐛 Scheduled sessions don't always start automatically
- 🐛 Buggy, crashes frequently
- 🔒 Easy to bypass by disabling VPN or deleting app
- 👎 Limited app blocking on iOS

**Reported bugs**

- Blocks unintended apps/websites
- Fails to block certain apps like Facebook, Instagram
- Doesn't work in low power mode on iOS

**Requested features**

- Allow specific app whitelisting
- Add time limit/usage tracking features
- Improve scheduling options (e.g. by day, not just time)
- Better integration with mobile OS features (e.g. iOS Screen Time)


### Bark

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bark-parental-controls/id1477619146)

**Currently charting:** #81 Top Grossing · Productivity (US App Store)

This service helps families manage their children's digital lives by monitoring online content, managing screen time, and filtering websites. It alerts parents to potential issues like cyberbullying or adult content, offering peace of mind.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bark Jr Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Bark Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Bark Jr Annual | $49.99 | per year |
| Bark Annual | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💯 Solid recommendation
- 🔒 Helps keep watch over family
- 🔒 Necessary for child safety
- 🚀 Disturbingly good app so far
- 🚀 Unique helpful tracker

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Very hard to navigate
- 🐛 Can't install
- 🐛 Annoying features
- 🐛 Useless, don't waste money
- 🐛 Confusion during setup

**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

**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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Freedom free?

Freedom is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Bark free?

Bark is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Freedom or Bark?

Freedom is rated higher. Freedom averages 4.4 out of 5 from 6.1K ratings, while Bark averages 4.3 from 36K ratings.

### Do Freedom or Bark have ads?

Neither Freedom nor Bark shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Freedom or Bark?

Freedom ships an update every 2 weeks, and Bark every 2 months. Most recently, Freedom was updated on October 28, 2026 and Bark on October 28, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*