Updated 2026-02-15 · 4 min read
Bark charges $14/month ($99/year for Bark Premium, $5/month for Bark Jr) to monitor your kids' phones and manage screen time. The thing is, Apple and Google both have free parental controls built in that do 80% of what Bark does. Here's how to cancel and which free tools replace it.
Bark's main selling point is content monitoring — scanning texts, emails, and social media for bullying, depression, and inappropriate content. The free alternatives (Screen Time, Google Family Link) handle screen time limits and app blocking but don't do content monitoring. Decide which you actually need.
Email help@bark.us or use the in-app chat. Response time is usually within 24 hours.
Canceling the subscription doesn't remove Bark from your kid's phone. You need to manually uninstall the Bark app AND remove the Bark VPN profile (Settings → General → VPN & Device Management on iPhone). Otherwise the VPN profile may still affect their internet connection.
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bark Jr | $5 | $49 | Screen time, web filter, location |
| Bark Premium | $14 | $99 | Everything + content monitoring (text, email, social) |
| Feature | Apple Screen Time (Free) | Google Family Link (Free) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen time limits | ✅ | ✅ |
| App blocking | ✅ | ✅ |
| Web filtering | ✅ | ✅ |
| Location tracking | ✅ (Find My) | ✅ |
| App install approval | ✅ | ✅ |
| Content monitoring (texts, DMs) | ❌ | ❌ |
| Social media scanning | ❌ | ❌ |
The only thing the free tools can't do is content monitoring — reading through your kid's messages and social media for red flags. If you don't need that, the built-in tools are enough.
Many parents sign up for Bark when their kid gets their first phone (age 10-12) but keep paying years after the kid is 16-17. If your teenager is demonstrating responsible behavior, consider whether monitoring is still appropriate or if it's time to build trust through conversations instead of surveillance.
Apple Screen Time and Google Family Link handle screen time, app blocking, web filtering, and location tracking for free. Bark's unique value is content monitoring. If you're paying $14/month just for screen time limits, cancel and use the free built-in tools. Save $168/year per kid.
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