# Bark vs Screen Time Limit

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Screen Time Limit at 58% against Bark's 13%. Screen Time Limit also leads on rating (4.5 vs 4.3) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). Bark's advantage is ratings volume (36K vs 43) and chart position (#82 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Screen Time Limit holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bark has 36K ratings behind it against 43, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 13% of Bark's written reviews are positive against 58% of Screen Time Limit's.

Bark ships an update every 2 months, Screen Time Limit fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bark | Screen Time Limit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (36K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bark-parental-controls/id1477619146/reviews) | **[4.5 (43 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screen-time-limit-app-blocker/id6449219142/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **36K** | 43 |
| Positive reviews | 12.5% of reviews | **58.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#82** | — |
| Size | 53 MB | 97 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bark Technologies, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1164495252) | [Salix Labs LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1807587134) |

## What reviewers say

### Bark

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

**Currently charting:** #82 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


### Screen Time Limit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screen-time-limit-app-blocker/id6449219142)

This app helps you improve focus and manage screen time by blocking distracting apps and websites. It offers features for self-control and parental monitoring to create a more productive digital environment.

**Highlights:** App blocking, Website blocking, Focus mode, Study timer, Parental controls, Screen time tracking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Parental Control Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Monthly Premium | $6.99 | per month |
| Parental Yearly Premium | $14.99 | per year |
| 50% Discount | $14.99 | per year |
| 20% Discount | $19.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $24.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bark free?

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

### Is Screen Time Limit free?

Screen Time Limit is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Bark or Screen Time Limit?

Screen Time Limit is rated higher. Bark averages 4.3 out of 5 from 36K ratings, while Screen Time Limit averages 4.5 from 43 ratings.

### Do Bark or Screen Time Limit have ads?

Neither Bark nor Screen Time Limit shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bark or Screen Time Limit?

Bark ships an update every 2 months, and Screen Time Limit fortnightly. Most recently, Bark was updated on October 31, 2026 and Screen Time Limit on October 27, 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.*