Aura vs Bark parental controls: Which is best in 2025?

Aura stands out as a stronger parental control app thanks to its robust features, including identity theft protection and data removal tools. However, there’s no denying Bark’s location tracking and conversation monitoring hold their ground against the competition.

I’ve dug deep into both solutions to help you make an educated choice. From weighing expert opinions to user feedback on monitoring tools, alerts, usability, and pricing, you can find all the information you need on the best parental control apps below.

Aura parental control vs Bark at a glance

The table below provides an overview of some key features of Bark and Aura:

Winner

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While both Bark and Aura offer strong parental control features, they differ in pricing and focus.

Aura combines parental control features like content filtering, screentime limits, and in-game chat monitoring with advanced security features. It gives you comprehensive insight into your child’s online activity while shielding them from data breaches and viruses without breaking the bank.

Although Bark has an edge in social media monitoring and location tracking, it still pales in comparison to Aura’s comprehensive protection suite, despite the latter's higher price tag.

If you’re after a holistic parental control app for a reasonable fee, Aura is a clear winner.

How we test parental control apps

To test parental control apps like Aura and Bark, my team and I consider their functionality and their reputation on the market.

We draw on our tech expertise and industry experience to compare these apps based on their design and features from both the parents’ and children’s perspectives. We take note of the value for money each offers, their setups and ease of use, customization options, security capabilities, and limitations.

Throughout this process, my colleagues and I focus on user experience. Rather than forming a completely subjective opinion, we rely on expert reviews, user testimonials, and comments to tell us how these apps work in the real world. It helps us come to a fuller, more grounded understanding of what each app brings to the table.

Aura parental controls pros and cons

Aura is a security powerhouse, but it offers less flexibility when it comes to parental control.

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Bark pros and cons

Bark is a strong option for parental control, offering the following advantages:

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Aura vs Bark: features overview

Aura and Bark offer a robust set of features, but their focus slightly differs. Below is a quick overview of how their features compare:

Monitoring & alerts

Both Aura and Bark parental control apps offer around-the-clock monitoring for unlimited devices, but the former takes a more integrative approach. It offers insights into your children's online behavior while safeguarding them from online threats like viruses, spyware, identity theft, and data leaks, which Bark lacks.

Aura also creates comprehensive reports on your kid’s online activity, including their voice, volume, and engagement in social interactions. Even though it doesn't feature Bark’s social media monitoring that spans over 30 platforms, it makes it easier to catch unhealthy habits and patterns early on and offers personalized recommendations.

Screentime & filters

Bark’s app offers slightly more customizable screentime controls than Aura. It allows you to tailor watching schedules for every account individually, so it’s more convenient if you’re monitoring multiple children with different habits and interests.

Aura’s screentime limits are built-in, which makes it less flexible. Still, the app comes with a similar Pause the Internet feature and content filters as Bark. Users praise it for curbing adult and violent content and restricting access to certain apps, websites, and even channels on platforms like YouTube or TikTok.

Location & geo-fencing

Real-time location tracking is one of Bark’s main selling points. It offers a map for better visibility and also pushes personalized alerts based on when your children arrive at or leave a pre-set location. With it, you can stay current with their routine and always be sure of their safety.

Aura lacks location tracking, keeping its focus on the online world, like most modern parental control apps.

Wrapping up

Aura’s multi-faceted parental control app lets you manage your child’s screen time and online activity while protecting them from cyber threats and offering identity theft insurance and personalized suggestions.

Winner

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Aura vs Bark: plans and pricing

Aura has 2 plans with parental control features. It has a Kids plan for $10/month and a more extensive Family plan at $32/month (if billed yearly). Aura’s Kids plan sticks to basic content monitoring and blocking tools as well as the Safe Gaming feature. In contrast, the Family plan offers additional safety solutions, like VPN and identity theft protection.

Both monthly and annual prices are pretty high due to the app’s extensive security services. However, most of these safety features may be unnecessary for parents who need a simple parental control solution.

Bark offers users two pricing options: Bark Premium and Bark Jr. Premium is available at $14/month or $99/year and provides comprehensive coverage, including monitoring social media, phones, tablets, and computers, along with alerts for concerning activity. It also allows parents to manage screen time, block websites and apps, and track their child's location.

Bark Jr, priced at $5/month or $49/year, focuses on screen time management, website and app blocking, content filtering, and location tracking with live GPS and check-in features.

Wrapping up

Both Bark and Aura are among the pricier parental control solutions. However, out of the two, Aura offers more robust capabilities at a lower price.

Winner

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Aura vs Bark: setup and ease of use

Aura and Bark parent control apps have a similar setup process. It all boils down to four simple steps, as follows:

1. Download the apps. Get the Aura or the Bark app on your and your child’s device and install it. Both iOS versions are available in the Apple store, but you have to download Bark for Android from their website.
2. Set up the app. Bark requires that you create your and your child’s accounts, choose a few areas of concern, and set up your subscription on their website. Aura will prompt you to create your parent account and add your child’s profile once you open their app.
3. Link your child’s device. Generate a linking code in the parent’s version of the app. Use your child’s device to scan this QR code or open its link alternative to activate the app.
4. Start monitoring. Approve accessibility and other permissions where needed and confirm the VPN request, whichever app you choose. Set up screentime, web filtering, and other features to start monitoring.

Wrapping up

Although getting started with both Aura and Bark is straightforward, Aura has a slight advantage because it skips the extra web setup and Android installation steps required by Bark.

Winner

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Aura vs Bark: compatibility and customer support

Before I delve into details, here’s a quick comparison of Aura and Bark compatibility and support.

Compatibility

Both Bark and Aura are compatible with iOS and Android devices. However, Bark supports a wider range of platforms: it is also available for Windows, MacOS, Chromebooks, and Amazon Fire tablets.

Aura, on the other side, integrates better with security features on compatible operating systems.

Customer support

Aura offers 24/7 support via chatbot, email, and phone. It also has an extensive FAQ database. While the chatbot’s resources are limited, it’s useful for basic inquiries, and the system connects you to a real person quickly when needed.

Meanwhile, Bark’s options are more limited. There is no 24/7 support or live chat. Instead, you can email or submit a request for a phone call, which is more time-consuming.

Wrapping up

Bark may be compatible with two extra devices, but it lags far behind Aura in terms of customer support availability and communication channels.

Winner

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Final verdict: Aura vs Bark – which is the better parental control app?

Aura and Bark are favorites among parental control apps for a reason, offering an easy setup, great monitoring features, and consistency. That said, my team and I’ve found Aura to be a more comprehensive solution without a hefty price.

It can help you keep tabs on your child’s online activity, blocking specific apps and websites, pausing their internet access, scheduling their downtime, and keeping them safe through sophisticated security protocols.

You can take advantage of Aura’s free trial and money-back policy to verify these claims risk-free. If you don’t like it, you can always come back to explore the other parental control app reviews my team at Cybernews has prepared for you.

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