Bark vs But First

Bark provides families with all the tools they need to raise kids in the digital age. Our comprehensive service lets you monitor content, manage screen time, and filter websites so you can get peace of mind while your child is online. CONTENT MONITORING Bark monitors your child’s texts, email, YouTube, and 30+ apps and social media platforms for issues like cyberbullying, adult content, sexual predators, profanity, suicidal ideation, threats of violence, and more. Parents receive alerts only when something potentially problematic occurs online. You won’t have full access to everything on your child’s phone — just the things you might need to know about. SCREEN TIME MANAGEMENT Families can set healthy time limits and create schedules for when their children’s devices can connect to the internet (through both cell service and Wi-Fi). WEB FILTERING Our web filter lets you select which websites your child can access on their devices. You can allow or block specific sites — or even whole categories like streaming services, online gaming, sexual content, and more. BARK TESTIMONIALS • "My wife and I LOVE Bark. We've had some tough but productive conversations with our 13-year-old son. It's proving to be extremely valuable." — Josh L. • “It’s just another set of protections we as parents give our kids for the digital environment (or as my 10-year-old calls it, a “cell phone seat belt”). My oldest is a 9th grader, and while I trust her, I’ve come to realize through the alerts that some of her friends aren’t truly her friends. It’s led to some amazing conversations about choosing friends wisely and recognizing toxic people. While she wasn’t for Bark at first, she’s since said she’s grateful that I saw those messages because it reaffirmed what she was feeling but didn’t know how to verbalize without sounding sensitive.” — Bark Parent • "Bark notified me that my young daughter had unknowingly revealed her phone number to strangers on Twitter. The fact that Bark notified me was impressive and led to an informative discussion with her the same day." — Jon B. • “Since Bark alerted us to the suicidal language used in the Google doc that was being used in a chat document with a friend, we have seen both a pediatrician and a licensed counselor. We are hopeful for a positive outcome. Thanks to Bark for letting us peek into our child’s mind!” — Bark Parent • “This app is a lifesaver! It has allowed us to catch so many “red flags” in the content my kids have accessed on their devices and in their interactions with friends and other people online that I wouldn’t have ever known about otherwise. The big difference between Bark and other “Parental Control” software is that Bark allows your kids to have so much more privacy. It doesn’t show you everything they do, but sends an instant alert regarding any activity that might be concerning. Highly recommended!” — Bark Parent With Bark, you can help keep your kids safe both online and in real life. Try it out for seven days absolutely free! Our Family Online Safety Specialists are standing by to help answer any questions you may have. Email help@bark.us or visit help.bark.us to get answers and advice from the Bark Team. Terms of Use https://www.bark.us/terms

You didn't decide to open Instagram. Your thumb decided. Twenty minutes later, the book on your Kindle App is still on chapter one - and tomorrow morning it happens again. That's why But First exists. Not another app to keep you off your phone. Not another gamified app. Just one that puts the apps you want first - and makes the ones you don't wait their turn. HOW IT WORKS 1. Pick your apps. Choose what waits (Instagram, TikTok, games...) and what counts (Kindle, Duolingo, your Bible app...). You pick both — the app doesn't judge. 2. Set a daily goal. 10 minutes, 20, 60 — your call. iOS itself tracks your time in the counting apps. No timers to start, and changing the clock won't fool it. 3. Do the good thing first. Locked apps stay shielded until you hit your goal. Then everything opens until midnight, and locks again tomorrow. Automatically. ROUTINES PEOPLE BUILD • 20 minutes of reading, then Instagram unlocks • One language lesson's worth of time, then TikTok unlocks • Bible before YouTube • Meditation before Reddit • Focus timer before games Screen Time sets limits. But First sets the order. You don't have to quit anything — distraction just goes second. FREE AND PRO Free gets the complete loop: one locked app + one counting app, a daily goal, the shield, the widgets. Not a crippled demo — the whole habit works. Pro adds unlimited locked and counting apps, whole categories, website blocking, and strict mode. STRICT MODE (AND AN HONEST ESCAPE) Normal mode keeps an "Unlock today" button in Settings, behind one gentle dialog. Its title: "but first*". Its message: "*you did install an app called But First." Strict mode removes that button until midnight, for days you mean it. And full honesty: you can always delete the app or revoke Screen Time permission. No app can truly force you, and we won't pretend this one can — But First is for people who want the help. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Built on Apple's Screen Time framework. When you pick apps, we only ever receive anonymous tokens — never app names, never your history. Nothing leaves your phone. No account. No usage analytics. We couldn't sell your data if we wanted to, because we never have it. WIDGETS AND WATCH A progress ring on your Home Screen and Lock Screen, and a "you're done for today" notification that mirrors to your Apple Watch. PRICING But First Pro: $29.99/year with a 7-day free trial (recommended), $3.99/month, or $49.99 lifetime (launch price). Subscriptions are billed to your Apple Account and renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the current period ends. The annual plan charges when the 7-day trial ends; cancel during the trial and you pay nothing. Manage or cancel anytime in Settings, then your name, then Subscriptions. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://butfirst.app/privacy/ One more thing: this app is built by one person. If something's off, email asilverness@gmail.com — you'll hear back within a day or two.