Bark vs mSpy Comparison

That’s why parental control software like Bark and mSpy were invented – to allow parents to give their children a phone knowing they will be protected from online dangers. But which one is the best option for your family? Although both help you supervise your kids’ devices 24/7, the companies take very different approaches in doing so.

Keep reading to find out the main differences between Bark and mSpy so you can make an informed decision about which to buy.

Bark and mSpy are two of the biggest players in the parental controls industry. To achieve this, it’s clear that both provide a comprehensive array of features. However, their approach to monitoring and child safety is very different.

Bark uses AI to monitor your kid and alert you to any potential issue, such as cyberbullying, violence, or evidence of suicidal thoughts. It uses contextual analysis and natural language processing to understand whether a message is just an expression or an actual warning sign.

Due to this, Bark is more hands-free: parents only get alerted about important concerns, keeping the child’s privacy somewhat respected. The parental control software covers over 30 apps, including:

• Messaging apps: Discord, WhatsApp, Messenger, etc.
• Email: Gmail, Outlook, iCloud Email, etc.
• Gaming: Roblox, Steam, etc.
• Music/video: Spotify, YouTube, etc.
• Social media: TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Reddit, etc.
• Browsers: Chrome, Firefox, and default browsers.

mSpy is more intrusive. The parental control app can be installed on your child’s device without them knowing and it collects information in the background at all times – like a private spy.

Due to this, mSpy provides full access to text messages, call logs, emails, social media interactions, and the list goes on. Essentially, the parent gets full control of the device.

You can even enable the keylogger and get alerts when your child writes certain keywords and record your kid’s phone remotely to see what they’re doing with your own eyes.

Keep in mind that to get full access to mSpy’s features, you need to jailbreak the target device, which is not recommended.

Both Bark and mSpy provide thorough web filtering and app blocking.

Bark allows you to choose specific sites and apps for a detailed configuration or from 15+ categories (adult content, gaming, streaming sites, etc.) for a faster setup.

Meanwhile, mSpy users can check what websites and apps their kids are visiting and block them. It’s highly customizable, but it might take longer to set up.

On the bright side, mSpy also covers networks. You can see which networks your children are connecting to and block the suspicious ones.

Both Bark and mSpy track the phone’s location in real time, come with geofencing capabilities, and send alerts when your kid leaves a safe zone.

However, Bark’s location tracking is slightly better. It provides detailed activity tracking, letting you know if your child is walking, biking, or driving/being driven somewhere.

Plus, with driving summaries, parents get a quick rundown of the distance traveled and the maximum speed reached during each trip.

While mSpy only has the parent control app, Bark has been releasing new useful products to complement its app:

• Bark Phone: A secure smartphone. We had the pleasure to test it and review it and found it great for kids getting their first smartphone.
• Bark Watch: A smartwatch that has all of Bark’s features, plus an emergency SOS button.
• Bark Home: An internet filter router that covers all devices connected to it, expanding Bark’s reach to smart TVs, gaming consoles, and more.

In general, Bark offers a wider array of features than mSpy – especially if you consider its additional products. It focuses on making it easier for parents to track everything while still valuing the child’s privacy.

mSpy might not have all the bells and whistles, but it’s a better parental control solution for parents who want total control.

Bark is able to fully monitor Android and iOS devices, Chromebooks, and Amazon Fire tablets. It also works on PC and macOS but is only able to cover browser activity.

You don’t need to jailbreak or root your kid’s phone, which is a big plus compared to mSpy. Instead, you just install the Bark app into your child’s smartphone and follow the company’s step-by-step guide, and you’re ready to monitor.

After the app is installed, everything is set up remotely. It’s clear that the Bark team has usability at the forefront of their minds at all times – the control panel is intuitive and easy to configure.

Since mSpy is technically spyware, it is more complicated to install. To get full access to all features, you’ll most likely have to jailbreak or root the target device, which isn’t ideal.

Still, the control panel allows you to remote control your kid’s phone and is fairly easy to use. Most settings just take a few taps to adjust. mSpy is only available for Android and iOS devices.

Although both Bark and mSpy are easy to use, Bark covers more types of devices. The company also doesn’t require you to jailbreak or root your target device, which is a huge advantage over mSpy.

The Bark App has two plans: Bark Junior and Bark Premium, which you can get with a monthly or annual billing cycle. The latter gives you a 42% discount on a monthly basis, leading to the lowest price available: $4.09 per month.

One account supports an unlimited number of profiles and devices, making Bark one of the most affordable options on the market. Plus, parents can take advantage of the 7-day free trial to check the app for themselves.

mSpy only has one plan, which is available on a monthly, 3-month, or annual basis. The monthly and 3-month subscriptions are quite expensive, but you can get the parental control app for as little as $11.67 per month with annual billing.

Plans only cover one device/profile unless you get the family kit, which expands it to three. Although mSpy doesn’t offer a free trial, you can still try to software risk free through the 7-day money-back guarantee.

It’s clear that Bark is cheaper. In addition to offering a more affordable plan for parents who don’t need all the features, Premium is still cheaper than mSpy’s annual plan.

Plus, one Bark subscription lets you track all of your kids’ devices, whereas mSpy only covers up to three if you get the optional Family kit.

Bark offers plenty of resources to help you out. The company quickly responds to email and live chat queries and boasts a self-service chatbot and thorough FAQ that helps parents resolve issues without contacting an agent. However, it doesn’t provide 24/7 support.

mSpy, on the other hand, offers 24/7 customer support via live chat, email, and phone. The company also has a broad list of self-service tools, such as FAQs, how-to guides, and a blog.

Even though Bark offers more resources for troubleshooting, mSpy wins this round by providing 24/7 customer support through several channels. Both companies were helpful when we reached out and answered our queries fairly quickly.

Bark and mSpy are both great parent control apps that will help you monitor and manage your kid’s phone usage.

Bark is better for parents who prefer a hands-free approach. With its machine-learning capabilities, the parental control software sends you alerts about legitimate safety concerns without you having to check the app all the time.

mSpy is better for parents who want more control over their kids’ activities. It provides more information than Bark, as parents are able to see everything their children are doing on the phone – you can even save screen recordings.

If you don’t need this level of access, then Bark is the better option. Even though mSpy’s customer support is superior, Bark is much cheaper, covers more devices, and allows for unlimited devices.

Since both companies offer a way to try out the platform for free, it’s worth checking for yourself the two options to see which one works best for your family.

Want to know more? Check our written reviews for more information:

• Bark review
• mSpy review