When it comes to keeping kids safe online, parents have more options than ever in 2024. Two of the most popular and robust parental control solutions are Bark and Norton Family. While both aim to protect children from digital dangers, they take distinctly different approaches.
Bark is best known for its incredibly comprehensive monitoring capabilities. By analyzing activities across texts, emails, and 30+ social media platforms, Bark uses advanced AI to detect signs of cyberbullying, adult content, depression, suicidal ideation, and more. It then sends automated alerts to parents whenever a potential issue is found.
Norton Family, on the other hand, puts a bigger emphasis on proactively blocking inappropriate web content and apps, especially on Android devices. With 47 filter categories, time limits, and detailed activity reports, it makes it easy for parents to manage what kids can access online.
So which one is the better choice for your family in 2024 – Bark or Norton Family? The answer ultimately depends on your child‘s age, online activities, devices used, and your primary concerns. Let‘s dive into a detailed comparison of features, prices, security, and more to help you decide.
Bark vs Norton Family: Pricing & Value
For budget-conscious parents, price is often a top factor when choosing a parental control app. Here‘s how Bark and Norton Family stack up in terms of cost and value:
Bark has four different subscription tiers ranging from $5 to $39 per month depending on the features you need:
- Bark Jr ($5/month) – Essentials like screen time management and web filtering
- Bark Home ($6/month) – Wi-Fi based internet filtering and scheduling
- Bark Premium ($14/month) – Comprehensive monitoring of texts, email, YouTube, and 30+ social media platforms
- Bark Phone ($39/month) – Includes a dedicated kid-safe Android phone with monitoring built-in
All Bark plans include unlimited devices and come with a free 7-day trial.
Norton Family keeps things simple with a single plan that costs $49.99 for the first year and $99.99/year after that. You get all available features like detailed web filtering, time limits, location tracking, and more. There are no device limits and your subscription covers your whole family.
When comparing the two, Bark Premium at $14/month provides the best balance of robust monitoring features and value, especially if you have kids with smartphones. The Bark Phone plan is pricey but could be worth it for the built-in safeguards if you‘re buying your child their first Android phone.
Norton Family is a bit harder to justify from a cost perspective, as you‘re paying a hefty annual fee for features that mostly focus on web and app blocking. However, the included geo-fencing and location tracking provide some additional peace of mind.
Bark Excels at Monitoring & Alerts While Norton Focuses on Web Filtering
The biggest difference between Bark and Norton Family is their core approach to protecting kids online. Bark is all about monitoring online activities and communications to detect potential dangers, while Norton aims to proactively filter and limit what kids can do online in the first place.
Bark‘s AI-powered monitoring covers an unmatched breadth of platforms, including:
- 30+ social media apps like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat
- SMS/MMS texts and photos on Android and iOS
- Emails from Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, iCloud, and more
- Chat from WhatsApp, Discord, GroupMe, etc.
- YouTube search histories and comments
Bark scans all these sources for contextual clues and keywords indicating adult content, bullying, drugs/alcohol, depression, suicidal thoughts, and sexual content. Parents get automatic email and push notification alerts that link directly to the concerning content found.
While this alert-based system keeps parents very informed, it‘s more reactive than proactive. Some parents may not like that Bark knowingly allows children to still encounter inappropriate content before flagging it after the fact.
That‘s where Norton Family takes a distinctly different approach by emphasizing web content filtering and blocking first and foremost. With 47 content categories to choose from, parents can easily restrict access to mature content across every device.
Norton Family also includes more preventative features not found in Bark, such as:
- Detailed time scheduling to set usage limits and allowances
- Extensive video monitoring for YouTube and Hulu histories
- App blocking and permissions for Android devices
- Location supervision with geo-fencing alerts
- Locking Safe Search on for search engines
- School Time limits to block distractions during remote learning
The main downside is that Norton Family is quite limited on iOS, with no ability to track or block specific apps. Its content monitoring and alert capabilities also pale in comparison to Bark‘s when issues do slip through.
For most families, Bark‘s unmatched social media and communication monitoring make it the clear choice for digital safety, as long as you‘re okay with its reactive approach. Norton Family is best suited for parents of younger kids who are more interested in strict content blocking and scheduling.
Bark and Norton Family Go Head-to-Head on Security & Compatibility
Regardless of which parental control solution you choose, you need to be able to trust that your data and privacy are secure. Both Bark and Norton Family take precautions to protect your personal information, but there is still room for improvement.
On the plus side, both apps use industry-standard encryption, require two-factor authentication on parent accounts, and limit data collection to only what‘s needed for their services. However, neither one supports multi-factor authentication yet which would provide an additional layer of security.
Compatibility is another key consideration, and this is where Bark really shines. Bark works on the widest variety of devices and operating systems, including:
- Android smartphones and tablets (Android 5-13)
- iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch (iOS 11-16)
- Amazon Fire tablets
- Chromebooks
- Windows (7-11) and macOS (10.10+) computers
- Xbox One, Xbox X/S, PS4, and PS5 gaming consoles
That means Bark has you covered whether your kid uses an old hand-me-down iPhone, a Chromebook for school, or a gaming system. The wide compatibility also makes it easier to monitor multiple children‘s devices from a single Bark dashboard.
Norton Family is a lot more limited in terms of compatibility. Its main apps only support Windows (11, 10, 8.1, 8), Android (5-13) and iOS (13-16) devices. There‘s no support for macOS, Chromebooks, Amazon Fire, or gaming systems at all.
More concerning are the restrictions on monitoring capabilities for iOS devices. Norton Family can track web searches and browsing on iPhone and iPad, but it cannot monitor social media, texting, calls, or block specific apps due to Apple policies.
Bark faces some of the same iOS limitations, but it still manages to cover more ground than Norton thanks to its integrated third-party app monitoring. However, Norton Family does offer a unique feature in School Time limits to manage devices during remote learning hours.
Norton Wins with 24/7 Live Chat While Bark Relies on In-App Support
Hopefully you never need it, but quality customer service is something you should consider when choosing a parental control solution. After all, you need to be able to quickly resolve any account or technical issues so you can keep your kids safe online.
Norton Family offers the best support of the two, with 24/7 live webchat on top of an extensive knowledge base of troubleshooting and how-to articles. That means you can get near-instant help from a real person regardless of the time of day. Phone and email support are also available.
Bark provides support primarily through email and in-app channels. The support team is responsive and helpful, but live chat is not available. Instead, you can send a direct message through the Bark app anytime. Bark also has a detailed online help center with guides, videos, and FAQs.
One unique aspect to Bark is the Bark Blog, which provides helpful original articles on online dangers, concerning trends, kid slang, social media safety tips and more to empower parents. The blog is completely free, even if you‘re not a Bark subscriber.
Which Parental Control App is Best for Your Family?
As we‘ve explored in this detailed Bark vs Norton Family comparison, both are powerful tools that can help keep your kids safe online in 2024 and beyond. But they excel in different areas, making each one better suited for specific parental priorities and needs.
Bark is the clear choice for parents who want the deepest, widest monitoring and alerts to quickly identify potential issues like bullying, sexual content, drug references, and mental health concerns. The wide device compatibility also makes Bark ideal for families juggling multiple types of devices.
Norton Family is a better pick for parents focused more on content filtering, scheduling, and location tracking. It has some of the most customizable web blocking and time management features available, especially on Windows and Android. But the lack of iOS app management and limited social/chat monitoring hurt its appeal for many.
Ultimately, I recommend Bark to most parents, as it provides the most robust, multi-layered monitoring to identify and alert you of concerning activities and content across devices. The pricing is also more flexible and affordable than Norton Family‘s.
Of course, Bark and Norton Family aren‘t the only stellar parental control options in 2024. Qustodio, Net Nanny, and Aura Parental Controls are also worth considering depending on your family‘s specific needs and devices:
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Qustodio excels at social media monitoring and time management on unlimited devices. Detailed reports help spot red flags.
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Net Nanny has highly customizable web filters, app blocking, and internet scheduling. Great for younger kids‘ devices.
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Aura bundles full identity theft protection and antivirus with VPN alongside parental controls. A great value for families.
No matter which you choose, I strongly recommend pairing any parental control app with frequent open conversations about social media literacy, digital etiquette, privacy, and online dangers. Building trust and critical thinking skills are just as important as having the right software safeguards in place.
With the combination of proactive measures, reactive monitoring, and ongoing communication, you can help your children make the most of 2024‘s technology while avoiding the ever-evolving risks. Parental control software like Bark and Norton Family are effective tools in that mission when applied consciously.
