Software · head to head
Bark vs Net Nanny
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Bark the hardware products lock you into 24 month device payments on top of the monthly service; Net Nanny 1 Desktop plan is $49.99 USD per year (promotional $39.99), the 5 device Family Protection Pass is $79.99 USD per year (promotional $54.99), and the 20 device pass is $129.99 USD per year (promotional $89.99)
- They diverge on capability: Bark covers AI-powered content monitoring, Net Nanny covers AI-powered content filtering.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Bark and Net Nanny actually diverge.
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Bark
- AI-powered content monitoring
- Social media monitoring
- Text & email monitoring
- Web filtering
- Check-in alerts
- Cyberbullying detection
- TikTok
Only in Net Nanny
- AI-powered content filtering
- App blocking
- YouTube monitoring
- Profanity masking
- Social media alerts
- Real-time reporting
- All browsers
- Social platforms
Both cover
- Screen time management
- Location tracking
- YouTube
- Cloud deployment
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Bark
- Monitoring a child's texts, social media and photos for concerning contentnot Net Nanny
- Blocking websites and apps by schedulenot Net Nanny
- Location tracking for a child's phone or watchnot Net Nanny
- Screen time limits across home devicesnot Net Nanny
- A restricted phone or watch with no browser or social medianot Net Nanny
Net Nanny
- Content filteringnot Bark
- Screen time limitsnot Bark
- Online safetynot Bark
- App controlnot Bark
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Bark
- The hardware products lock you into 24 month device payments on top of the monthly service
- The app costs more on iOS at $20 a month than on Android at $14, because of what Apple allows a monitoring app to do
- Sold in the United States only, with the app also available in South Africa and Australia
- Bark Home at $6 a month covers home network devices only and does not travel with a phone
Net Nanny
- 1 Desktop plan is $49.99 USD per year (promotional $39.99), the 5 device Family Protection Pass is $79.99 USD per year (promotional $54.99), and the 20 device pass is $129.99 USD per year (promotional $89.99)
Pricing, plan by plan
Bark
$5/month- Bark Jr$5/month
- Screen time scheduling
- Web filtering
- Location tracking
- Bark Premium$14/month
- Everything in Bark Jr
- Content monitoring
- 30+ social platforms
Net Nanny
$39.99/year- 1 Device$39.99/year
- Web filtering
- Screen time
- App blocking
- 5 Devices$54.99/year
- All 1 Device features
- 5 device protection
- Family feed
- 20 Devices$89.99/year
- All 5 Device features
- 20 device protection
- Priority support
Which should you pick?
Choose Bark if
- You need ai-powered content monitoring.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac, Chromebook.
- You also want social media monitoring.
Choose Net Nanny if
- You need ai-powered content filtering.
- You work on Ios, Android, Windows, Mac, Chromebook.
- You also want app blocking.
Questions people ask
- Is Bark or Net Nanny better?
- Neither clearly leads. Bark starts at $5/month and Net Nanny at $39.99/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Bark or Net Nanny?
- Bark starts at $5/month and Net Nanny at $39.99/year.
- Does Bark or Net Nanny run on more platforms?
- Bark runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac, Chromebook. Net Nanny runs on Ios, Android, Windows, Mac, Chromebook.
- What is Bark best used for?
- Bark is most often used for monitoring a child's texts, social media and photos for concerning content, blocking websites and apps by schedule, location tracking for a child's phone or watch, screen time limits across home devices. Of those, monitoring a child's texts, social media and photos for concerning content and blocking websites and apps by schedule are not what Net Nanny is typically brought in for.
- What can Bark do that Net Nanny cannot?
- Bark covers AI-powered content monitoring, Social media monitoring, Text & email monitoring, Web filtering. Net Nanny covers AI-powered content filtering, App blocking, YouTube monitoring, Profanity masking. Both handle Screen time management, Location tracking, YouTube, Cloud deployment.