Raising Is Bark Phone worth it? What parents of kids 4–7 should know
Is Bark Phone worth it? That depends on what a family needs; here are the facts. As of October 2026, the Bark Phone, a Samsung A16, costs $15 a month for 24 months, and the Bark Phone Pro costs $25 a month, plus a wireless plan from Bark that starts at $29 a month. On the Starter plan, a child can call and text approved contacts, with no apps, games, browser, or social media. Bark's software scans texts, photos, videos, and apps and sends parents alerts.
Bark Phone at a glance
- ✓Store sells games or apps rated above age 7
Advanced: Google Play lists Brawl Stars as Everyone 10+ - ✓Contact with other players or strangers
Advanced plans can add social media (Bark) - ✓Purchases with real money
Google Play purchases on Advanced plans - ✓Store has games with paid random items
Google Play: Brawl Stars includes random items - –Parental controls must be set up by a parent
Monitoring built in; Starter: approved contacts (Bark) - –Government lawsuits, fines, or safety warnings
None found (FTC, state AG, CPSC searches)
Each flag is a yes-or-no fact from the sources on this page. The number is a count of flags, not a safety score. How we count.
| Type | Samsung Android phone sold by Bark with its monitoring and parental controls built in source |
|---|---|
| Price (US) | Bark Phone (Samsung A16) $15/month for 24 months; Bark Phone Pro (Samsung A37) $25/month for 24 months; plan is separate source |
| Plans | Starter $29/month (talk, text, GPS; no games, browsers, or social media); Advanced $39–$79/month, depending on data source |
| Apps | Advanced plans can allow Google Play downloads, with parent approval for each app or none; Brawl Stars there is Everyone 10+ with random items source |
| Parent app | Bark parent app (iOS and Android): contact approval, app and website blocking, schedules, alerts source |
| Company | Bark Technologies, founded in 2015 by Brian Bason; launched the Bark Watch in 2024 source |
Checked October 2026. Ratings and settings change; check the official source before you decide. What do these ratings mean?
Facts for parents, not medical or legal advice. If you're worried about your child, talk to your pediatrician.
What is the Bark Phone?
Short answer: A Samsung Android phone from Bark, the company behind the Bark parental-control app, with Bark's software built in.
Bark says its software can't be deleted from the phone, so the rules a parent sets stay in place. Parents manage the phone from the Bark parent app on their own iPhone or Android phone. Bark provides the cellular service, and the phone is sold to US families only. Bark was founded in 2015 by Brian Bason and launched the Bark Watch in 2024.
Is Bark Phone worth it? Price and plans
Short answer: As of October 2026, $15 or $25 a month for the phone, plus a plan from $29 a month.
- Bark Phone (Samsung A16): $15/month for 24 months.
- Bark Phone Pro (Samsung A37): $25/month for 24 months.
- Starter plan: $29/month, talk, text, and GPS.
- Advanced plans: $39/month (Wi-Fi only), $49 (4GB), $59 (8GB), $79 (unlimited; slower after 35GB).
The plan includes a Bark Premium subscription for the family. Bark offers a 60-day money-back guarantee on the device cost only; plan payments aren't refundable.
What the Bark Phone blocks and monitors
Short answer: On Starter, almost everything but calls and texts; on Advanced, what the parent allows.
- Starter: calls and texts with approved contacts only; no internet, apps, or games.
- Advanced: parents can allow Google Play downloads, approve each app, or block the store, and can add browsing and social media.
- Monitoring: Bark scans texts, emails, social media, photos, videos, and apps and sends alerts.
- Other controls: contact approval, screen-time schedules, website blocking, and stopping a child from deleting texts.
Parents can also remove Bark's software and use it as a regular Android phone.
The habit kids may copy: "just one more app"
A phone that starts small can grow one approved app at a time, and each new app may come with its own pull to keep tapping.
Try tonight: the waiting game
Put a small treat on the table and offer one now or two after a short sand timer. Try tricks together: turn around, sing, count. Say: "Waiting is hard. Which trick helps you?" In our program, this is the lesson "I'm the Boss of My Want": practicing the pause between wanting something and getting it.
Why you can trust this page: the main facts link to their sources, a separate reviewer checks each page before it goes live, and the date shows when we last checked. How we review · Report an error
FAQ
How much is a Bark Phone?
As of October 2026, the Bark Phone is $15 a month for 24 months and the Bark Phone Pro is $25 a month, plus a plan from $29 a month.
Can a Bark Phone get social media?
Not on the Starter plan. On Advanced plans, Bark says parents can add browsing, apps, and social media when they decide to.
Does the Bark Phone have Google Play?
On Advanced plans, parents can allow Google Play downloads, approve each app, or block the store.
What phone is the Bark Phone?
The Bark Phone is a Samsung A16 and the Bark Phone Pro is a Samsung A37, both running Bark's software.
More from “Is it good for kids?”
Gabb Phone and Gabb Watch
Kids' phones and smartwatches by Gabb Wireless, with no internet browser or social media
Pinwheel Phone
Android phones running Pinwheel's parental-control software, managed by parents online
Life360
Family location-sharing app by Life360
Self-Control Activities for Kids: Games That Build It
Self-control activities for kids 4–7: how self-control develops, which games genuinely train it, and why instructions and reminders don't.
Read next →Raising Stoics is a 12-week program for ages 5–6, built on Stoic philosophy and developmental psychology. One lesson is "I'm the Boss of My Want": practicing the pause between wanting something and getting it.