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Parenting · head to head

Bark vs Net Nanny

Bark logo

Bark

Parenting

Keep kids safer online and in real life

From
$14/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Net Nanny logo

Net Nanny

Parenting

Protect your family online

From
$39.99/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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 no free trial available
  • They diverge on capability: Bark covers AI-powered content monitoring, Net Nanny covers AI-powered content filtering.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bark and Net Nanny actually diverge.

Attributes where Bark and Net Nanny differ
AttributeBarkNet Nanny
Starting price$14/month$39.99/year
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac, ChromebookIos, Android, Windows, Mac, Chromebook
Founded20151996

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Parenting).

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
  • Instagram
  • 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

  • No free trial available

Pricing, plan by plan

Bark

$14/month
  • Bark App$14/month
    • Parental monitoring for unlimited children and devices
    • 7-day free trial available
    • Optional Bark Sync smart charger at $6/month
  • Bark App$99/year
  • Bark Phone Service$29/month
    • Phone plan starting at $29/month
  • Bark Watch$15/month
    • Family premium subscription included

Net Nanny

$39.99/year
  • 1 Desktop Plan$39.99/year
    • Covers one PC or Mac device
    • All Net Nanny features including monitoring, screen time management, internet filtering, app blocking
  • 5 Devices Family Protection Pass$54.99/year
    • Works on Windows, macOS, and iOS
    • Approximately 11 dollars per device annually
  • 20 Devices Family Protection Pass$89.99/year
    • Compatible with Windows, macOS, and iOS
    • Less than 5 dollars per device per year

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.
Bark review

Choose Net Nanny if

  • You need ai-powered content filtering.
  • You work on Ios, Android, Windows, Mac, Chromebook.
  • You also want app blocking.
Net Nanny review

Questions people ask

Is Bark or Net Nanny better?
Neither clearly leads. Bark starts at $14/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 $14/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.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bark: What does the Bark App cost?

Bark App subscription is $14 per month or $99 per year, with a 7-day free trial. A single subscription covers unlimited children and devices.

Source
Net Nanny: How much does Net Nanny cost?

Net Nanny offers three subscription plans. The 1 Desktop Plan costs 39.99 dollars per year. The 5 Devices Family Protection Pass costs 54.99 dollars per year, or about 11 dollars per device annually. The 20 Devices Family Protection Pass costs 89.99 dollars per year, or less than 5 dollars per device per year.

Source
Bark: Is there a free trial for Bark?

Yes, Bark App offers a 7-day free trial before you pay.

Source
Bark: What additional features cost extra on Bark?

Bark Sync smart charger costs $6 per month or $49 per year as an optional add-on to the main Bark App subscription.

Source
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