In today’s digital age, children are exposed to smartphones and electronic devices at increasingly younger ages. Without proper supervision, children can become addicted to these devices. What’s more alarming is the risk of children encountering cyberbullying, pornography and inappropriate social interactions. Given that children’s minds are not fully developed, using parental control software is absolutely necessary.
The issues children face vary at different ages, and different parental control apps target different aspects. Parents should choose the right software depending on their children’s specific needs. I have tested Qustodio, Bark and KidsGuard Pro, the three most popular parental control software, and will explain their features and differences to help you make the right decision.
Qustodio vs. Bark vs. KidsGuard Pro: Which App is Right for Your Child?
Qustodio offers the most comprehensive parental control features but it’s not ideal for parents who want to monitor their child’s social activities.
Qustodio is tailored to cater to children of all ages, particularly those who are younger. It is most detailed and flexible in terms of blocking harmful websites and setting time limits. It can also customize the time limits for different apps, which is very important for children.
Due to the lack of social media message monitoring, it is not a good choice for parents who want to monitor their children’s social activities. If your main concern is ensuring your children use their mobile phones reasonably and avoid them from getting hooked on certain apps or browsing harmful websites, Qustodio is the best choice.
Bark is Better Suited for Teenagers Who Are Keen On Social Media
Bark can limit mobile phone usage and block harmful websites and apps, however, compared to Qustodio, its functionality leans towards simplicity. Bark focuses more on content monitoring of social networking sites and apps. You can use Bark to monitor chats on various social apps, such as Whatsapp, Snachat, Instagram, etc.
I think the best thing about Bark is that it strikes a balance between understanding potential risks in your child’s social activities and protecting their privacy. It only shows you snippets that may be deemed inappropriate or worrying. Everything else is kept private. it’s the best of what’s available if you want your child to have their privacy, but still be alerted if there’s something you SHOULD know about.
KidsGuard Pro is suitable for comprehensive monitoring of teenagers’ social activities and operates discreetly without being detected on the phone.
Bark is excellent but may not be suitable for older children. Since it cannot be hidden on the device, you may need to discuss with your child before installation, which isn’t always an easy task. Bark can monitor the browsing and chat content in social apps, and even if it only sends snippets of harmful content to parents, it may still cause resentment. Additionally, savvy kids might use substitute words to avoid triggering alerts and prevent parents from being notified.
If you are particularly concerned about your child’s social interactions, KidsGuard Pro is a great alternative. It stays hidden on the phone and provides comprehensive monitoring of social chat content, including images and videos. It can also monitor calls, app voice messages, app calls, and even the child’s surroundings — features that Bark does not offer.
Generally, I do not recommend parents to use such all-encompassing monitoring tools for their children. However, if you notice your child exhibiting unusual behavior and are concerned they may be led astray through harmful social activities, using KidsGuard Pro to understand and help them is absolutely necessary.
Below, I will compare the three apps in detail:
The three parental control software have their own strengths. Qustodio is the best when it comes to making sure your child uses mobile phone responsibly. Bark can monitor the potential risks of children’s social apps, and KidsGuard is more like a monitoring app that can fully understand a child’s social activities, although it also has some phone control functions, they are not as robust as those provided by Qustodio or Bark.
This is understandable. For app hidden in the phone, too many smartphone control functions are of no use because once these controls are used, children can easily detect the abnormalities in the phone and may figure out that the software has been installed. Below is a comparison of the functions of this three software in detail:
1, Time limits – Qustodio is superior to Bark for screen time management.
Time limits is the most important feature for preventing kids from becoming addicted to electronic devices, as it effectively controls the amount of time children spend on their phones.
Qustodio and Bark both allow parents to set time limits. Qustodio, however, gives you more flexibility with daily and weekly scheduling while Bark focuses on daily scheduling. Additionally, Qustodio allows you to adjust restricted times in 15-minute increments whereas Bark makes you work with hour-long chunks.
2, Block Apps – Only Qustodio can set time limits for specific apps
Qustodio and Bark allow parents to decide which apps they want their children to be able to use and to block any they deem inappropriate. Qustodio is the only option that allows parents to set time limits for specific apps. This is especially crucial for kids who might get addicted to a specific app, like TikTok or other gaming apps.
Visit Qustodio to Discover all Features >>
3, Location monitoring – Bark’s location history feature is more detailed.
Bark offers slightly better location tracking than Qustodio. Both apps can accurately track your child in real-time, provide directions to their location on Google Maps, offer geofencing features, and maintain a location history, which tracks where your child has been recently.
Bark’s location history feature is more detailed. It tells you not just where your child was but also how long they spent in each location. Its geofencing alerts are also more responsive, and it includes an alternative to real-time location tracking, which allows you to request a check-in from your child — this sends you their physical address, a timestamp, and shows you their location on the map.
Visit Bark to Discover all Features >>
4, Web filtering – Qustodio can filiter more different kinds of websites.
Qustodio and Bark allow you to block unsafe or inappropriate websites, allow specific kinds of sites, or receive alerts when your child tries to access certain websites. Qustodio currently lets you filter 29 different kinds of websites, whereas Bark only offers 17 web categories.
5, Social App chats monitoring – This is the most important feature of Bark, which Qustodio cannot do.
Bark’s advanced technology scan 30+ popular social media platforms and apps as well as texts and emails for potential dangers. This is Bark’s biggest advantage, something that Qustodio cannot do.
Additionally, Bark strikes a balance by monitoring potential threats to children while also respecting their privacy. It does not show you all chat content, it is only looking for specific keywords and concerning content (which you can define). It will send you a screenshot of a concerning text message for example, as well as the line or two before and after for context.
To stay competitive, both Qustodio and Bark list their differences in detail on their official websites. Each highlights its unique advantages over the other. You can visit their websites for a more detailed comparison and to get comprehensive information.
https://www.qustodio.com/en/compare-qustodio-and-barkus/
https://www.bark.us/learn/bark-vs-qustodio/
As I mentioned earlier, Bark may not be ideal for older kids. Since it can’t be hidden on the device, you might need to discuss it with your child before installing it, which isn’t always easy. In this situation, KidsGuard Pro would be a great alternative.
KidsGuard Pro – A More Powerful Alternative that Can Hide on The Phone
KidsGuard Pro is not only effective but also very versatile as it can monitor the phone in almost all aspects. Some of its features are very suitable for adolescents. I tested this app and will share my experience:
1, KidsGuard can be completely hidden after installation. Your children will never know that you have installed the software on their phones.
2, KidsGuard can monitor not only text messages but also all chat content in social media apps, unlike Bark, which only alerts parents when specific keywords are detected.
3, KidsGuard Pro can monitor phone calls, social app voice messages, and app call content (something that very few apps can do).
4, Additionally, KidsGuard can also capture and record videos of the surrounding environment through the phone’s camera to ensure the safety of children.
KidsGuard Pro also allows you to view photos and videos on the phone, monitor GPS location, and check web browsing history, etc. Visit KidsGuard to see the full list of features.
Test KidsGuard Pro For Yourself
Discover the free demo of KidsGuard Pro here and explore all of KidsGuard ’s functions.
I have been a KidsGuard user for over two years. Clevguard recently provided me with a discount code for renewing my subscription. You can also use this discount code to get an additional 20% discount.
The Code: KnowAllNow
My suggestions:
I usually don’t recommend over-monitoring children. For me, Bark is a better choice because it monitors kids’ social media while also protecting their privacy to the greatest extent possible. In addition, it offers many features that help children use their phones more responsibly—something that KidsGuard cannot do.
Visit Bark to Discover all Features >>
However, for teenagers who tend to be more rebellious, there is a risk of being bullied or even led astray through harmful social activities. When you notice something unusual with your child, it’s crucial to understand their true situation and detect any issues promptly. In such cases, KidsGuard Pro, which can remain completely hidden while providing comprehensive monitoring of your child’s social activities, would be an ideal choice!
Visit KidsGuard Pro to Discover all Features >>
If you’re currently confident about your child’s social activities and only want to manage their screen time, restrict access to harmful websites, and prevent addiction to certain apps, Qustodio is undoubtedly the best choice due to its comprehensive and detailed functionalities.
Visit Qustodio to Discover all Features >>
Risk-Free Trial
Both Qustodio and Bark Offer Free trial for Their Users. Qustodio Offers a 30-day Money-Back Guarantee
Qustodio and KidsGuard Pro offer 30 day money back guaranteed if you’re unsatisfied with the product. Bark, on the other hand, only offers a 7 day free trial, which is enough for you to know whether their product is up to your standards! I recommend trying Qustodio first as it has broader range of parental control options, boasts of a more user-friendly interface, and can better meet your needs!
Plans & Pricing — Both Parental Controls Have Good Plans and Pricing
Qustodio has a Basic and Complete paid plan. The Complete plan allows you to monitor an unlimited number of devices. It has all of the features included in the Basic plan, plus games & apps time limits, YouTube monitoring, saved places alerts, and calls & SMS monitoring.
Qustodio doesn’t have monthly plans, so you have to commit to a year-long subscription. It’s also more expensive than most other parental control apps. That said, I think it’s well worth the price given how much value it provides. You can try out Qustodio yourself risk-free by taking advantage of its 3-day free trial and its 30-day money-back guarantee.
Exclusive coupon: QUST10 (you will get a 10% discount).
Bark’s Bark Jr. and Bark Premium both include all of the same features, except only Bark Premium has its content monitoring feature that allows you to monitor your kid’s social media, which is one of Bark’s main selling points.
Check out the differences between Bark’s Bark Jr. and Bark Premium.
You can try Bark risk-free with its 7-day free trial, but unlike Qustodio, it doesn’t back its plans with a money-back guarantee.
Of the three, KidsGuard is the most expensive, but it offers monthly and quarterly payment plans. Currently, there’s up to a 40% discount on the annual plan available on their website. With my exclusive promo code, you can get an additional 20% off, bringing the final price in line with Qustodio and Bark. Like Qustodio, KidsGuard also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied.
Test KidsGuard Pro For Yourself
Discover the free demo of KidsGuard Pro here and explore all of KidsGuard ’s functions.
I have been a KidsGuard user for over two years. Clevguard recently provided me with a discount code for renewing my subscription. You can also use this discount code to get an additional 20% discount.
The Code: KnowAllNow
As a father of two boys, both with iPhones, Qustodio gives excellent parental control. It works perfectly and crucially allows me to see what they’ve been browsing and if I choose apply limits to when they can use the devices.
I’ve to had any issues with it other than one bugbear. Qustodio has in built location tracking but it only updates either when the phone is moving or every five minutes, it is not real time and when Qustodio is installed the devices cannot be tracked in Apple’s Find My.
I love Qustodio, and it works out pretty well for what i am needing to do to keep an eye out on my teenage daughter. The only thing i wish it would do is send us the text messages that are on the social media apps or any other platform that gets downloaded. Also, it could be better if they would show us the pictures that were being sent or received.
We tried bark, and it doesn’t really work with apple. You have to plug it into the computer with software installed in order to monitor texts and calls.
Multiple apps are the way, Family link and Qustodio is a good combo.
Bark is good if you want to monitor social media apps and texts. It sends you alerts for anything risky. But it was buggy. It didn’t seem to work well for setting time limits. Now we use Qustodio and it has been working for time limits and my 13 yo has an IPhone. I blocked her from using Snapchat at school. The app shows parents exactly what app they used and for how long in real time. But it does not monitor social media. It monitors texts but that part has been buggy for me. If I could use both apps at the same time I would But I don’t think you can.