Love it
Meh
- Blocks unknown numbers
- Instant alerts on risky searches
- Kids can't remove controls or add a VPN
- Reliable location tracking
- Long battery life
- Laggy performance
- US only
Verdict
If you want to give your child a smartphone with real limits they can't undo, the Bark Phone does that job well. Just be ready for some lag.
Buy it if
- Your kid is ready for a phone but not for an open one.
- You want alerts about risky searches and messages.
- You want reliable location tracking.
Skip it if
- You want a fast, smooth phone.
- You live outside the US.
Hand your kid a Bark Phone and the guardrails are already in place. Try to text or call an unknown number and it's blocked. Bark scans their texts, social media and what they see online, and sends you an alert when something looks wrong. It works as advertised.
The weak spot is speed. The phone can be slow, and the lag is the most common frustration you'll run into.
Parental controls
The controls go deeper than the Bark app can on a regular phone, because they're built into the phone itself. You decide whether they can delete texts, new apps need your approval, and kids can't change the controls or install a VPN. Bark says there's no way for them to bypass the controls. The phone needs a Bark plan: Starter leaves out games, browsers and social media, and Advanced adds the apps and browsers you choose. Location tracking is consistent and reliable, so you can see where they are when it matters. It's only sold to families in the US.
Hardware
There are two versions, and they're different phones: the Bark Phone is a Samsung A16, and the Bark Phone Pro is a Samsung A37 with more memory, a faster processor and better durability. Both have a 6.7-inch screen, a 5,000mAh battery, 128GB of storage and a 50MP triple-lens rear camera. The battery is strong and lasts a long time between charges.