# Bark vs Simply Focus

The clearest difference is rating: Simply Focus at 5.0 against Bark's 4.3. Simply Focus also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). Bark's advantage is ratings volume (36K vs 2) and chart position (#68 vs unranked). 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. Simply Focus asks for nothing beyond the download.

Simply Focus holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bark has 36K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Bark ships an update every 2 months, Simply Focus weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bark | Simply Focus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (36K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bark-parental-controls/id1477619146/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simply-focus-focus-simplified/id6781817004/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **36K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 12.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#68** | — |
| Size | 53 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bark Technologies, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1164495252) | [NICHOLAS EDWARD MAY](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896721070) |

## What reviewers say

### Bark

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

**Currently charting:** #68 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


### Simply Focus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simply-focus-focus-simplified/id6781817004)

This app helps you manage your tasks by allowing you to add all your to-dos and then select the top 1-3 most important items to focus on. It provides a clean, uncluttered interface to work through your priorities without distraction.

**Highlights:** Simple to-do list, Select top 1-3 focus items, Reorder focus list, Swap tasks, Cross off items, Home & Lock Screen widgets, Light/Dark/Automatic appearance

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bark free?

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

### Is Simply Focus free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Bark or Simply Focus?

Simply Focus is rated higher. Bark averages 4.3 out of 5 from 36K ratings, while Simply Focus averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Bark or Simply Focus have ads?

Neither Bark nor Simply Focus shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bark or Simply Focus?

Bark ships an update every 2 months, and Simply Focus weekly. Most recently, Bark was updated on November 8, 2026 and Simply Focus on November 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.*