# Bark vs AthleteRated

The clearest difference is rating: Bark at 4.3 against AthleteRated's 3.0. Bark also leads on ratings volume (36K vs 6) and review sentiment (13% vs 0%). AthleteRated's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bark sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. AthleteRated asks for nothing beyond the download.

Bark holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bark has 36K ratings behind it against 6, 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 0% of AthleteRated's.

Bark ships an update every 2 months, AthleteRated fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bark | AthleteRated |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (36K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bark-parental-controls/id1477619146/reviews)** | [3.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/athleterated/id6748231721/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **36K** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | **12.9% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#71** | — |
| Size | 53 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bark Technologies, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1164495252) | [AthleteRated](https://appshunter.io/developer/1824700184) |

## What reviewers say

### Bark

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

**Currently charting:** #71 Top Grossing · Productivity, #203 Top Free · 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


### AthleteRated

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/athleterated/id6748231721)

This app helps athletes, coaches, and fans track progress, discover opportunities, and participate in virtual challenges. It aims to create exposure and value for users nationwide.

**Highlights:** Track athlete growth, Connect with collegiate and pro opportunities, Engage in virtual challenges, Create exposure and value, Personalized roadmap to success

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bark free?

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

### Is AthleteRated free?

AthleteRated is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

Bark is rated higher. Bark averages 4.3 out of 5 from 36K ratings, while AthleteRated averages 3.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Bark or AthleteRated have ads?

Neither Bark nor AthleteRated shows ads.

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

Bark ships an update every 2 months, and AthleteRated fortnightly. Most recently, Bark was updated on October 19, 2026 and AthleteRated on October 5, 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.*