Comparison

Bark vs BetterCallGuard

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Bark

Send custom push notifications to your iPhone via an HTTP API. Supports advanced features like custom icons, grouping, and critical alerts. Offers privacy-protected, end-to-end encrypted pushes with self-deployable server options.

Highlights
  • HTTP API for push notifications
  • Custom icons and grouping
  • Continuous and critical alerts
  • End-to-end push encryption
  • Self-deployable server options
  • Privacy-protected notifications
Features
Read full description

You can send push notifications to your iPhone by simply calling an HTTP API. Bark supports many advanced iOS push features, such as custom icons, notification grouping, custom ringtones, continuous alerts, critical alerts, and encrypted pushes. Bark does not consume device battery, as its core functionality relies on system push services and push extensions, and the app itself does not need to be running. Bark ensures your privacy and security with high reliability. Bark supports self-deploying the server, which can be deployed via Docker, Serverless, or Cloudflare Worker. The bark-server supports most operating systems, and you can also run it manually. The app is compiled and uploaded through Github Action, ensuring that the version you’re using is compiled from open-source code, without any modifications by anyone (including the author). Bark supports end-to-end push encryption with a custom key, ensuring that the push content is not accessed or leaked by the Bark server or Apple’s APNs server during transmission. The notification message history saved locally by Bark is also very secure. Using the NotificationServiceExtension, the push message is only stored on the device when the push is received. Feedback email: to@day.app Privacy Policy: https://api.day.app/privacy User Agreement: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

BetterCallGuard

Block unwanted promotional and spam calls efficiently. This app uses smart algorithms to block calls in bulk by number segments without tracking your private data, ensuring your privacy and peace of mind.

Highlights
  • Block promotional/spam calls
  • Bulk blocking by number segments
  • Whitelist specific numbers
  • iCloud synchronization
  • User data and privacy security
Read full description

Tired of unwanted promotional calls? Concerned about other call-blocking apps invading your privacy? “BetterCallGuard” puts an end to endless telemarketing interruptions. With its powerful smart algorithms, it can block promotional calls in bulk without tracking or using any of your private data. Restore peace to your phone and bring calm back to your life. Key Features: • Block promotional/spam calls individually or in bulk by entire number segments. • Whitelist to allow specific numbers to bypass blocking. • iCloud synchronization across multiple devices. • Ensures user data and privacy security, with no storage, tagging, or tracking of any sensitive data—use with confidence.

Screenshots

Bark3 screens
BetterCallGuard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Bark at Free against BetterCallGuard's $0.99. Bark also leads on ratings volume (110 vs 1). BetterCallGuard's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On rating, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Bark is free to download; BetterCallGuard costs $0.99 up front. Bark sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.69 per year. BetterCallGuard asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Bark against 5.0 for BetterCallGuard. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bark has 110 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 98% of Bark's written reviews are positive against 100% of BetterCallGuard's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bark ships an update every 3 weeks, BetterCallGuard every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Bark versus BetterCallGuard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBarkBetterCallGuard
PriceFree — better$0.99
Rating4.9 (110 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews98.4% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings110 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.014 — better
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer丰 黄Qingdao Chuyan Technology Co., Ltd

Customer experience

Bark

All ratings109 ratings
Positive97.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative2.8%
Written reviews61 reviews
Positive98.4%
Neutral1.6%
Negative0.0%

BetterCallGuard

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Bark

Subscriptions1
  • Continuous support$2.691 Year
One-time1
  • One-time donation$2.69
None

BetterCallGuard

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Bark free?
Bark is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is BetterCallGuard free?
BetterCallGuard costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Bark or BetterCallGuard?
BetterCallGuard is rated higher. Bark averages 4.9 out of 5 from 110 ratings, while BetterCallGuard averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Bark or BetterCallGuard have ads?
Neither Bark nor BetterCallGuard shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bark or BetterCallGuard?
Bark ships an update every 3 weeks, and BetterCallGuard every 6 weeks. Most recently, Bark was updated on October 25, 2026 and BetterCallGuard on October 24, 2026.

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