Aura vs Bark 2026: Which Parental Control App Is Better?
Last Updated: February 26, 2026 | Comparison Type: Head-to-Head Feature Analysis
In a digital world where online predators lurk in gaming chats and social media feeds, choosing between Aura's strict content blocking (best for phones and tablets) and Bark's comprehensive monitoring system (tracks messages across 30+ platforms on virtually every device) could mean the difference between catching dangerous interactions early or discovering them too late.
This honest comparison breaks down Aura vs Bark in a way that actually makes sense—covering device coverage, monitoring capabilities, content filtering, location tracking, screen time controls, setup difficulty, and pricing.
Aura vs Bark: Quick Comparison
Aura
Strict blocking • Set & forget
Best For:
- Phones & tablets focus
- Gaming chat monitoring
- Younger children
- Simple setup needs
Key Strengths:
- ✓ 28 content filter categories
- ✓ 200+ gaming platforms monitored
- ✓ Identity theft protection included
- ✓ 5-10 minute setup
- ✗ No location tracking
- ✗ No social media DM monitoring
Bark
Deep insights • All devices
Best For:
- All device types
- Social media monitoring
- Teens needing privacy balance
- Location tracking needs
Key Strengths:
- ✓ 30+ platforms monitored
- ✓ Texts, DMs, emails tracked
- ✓ Location tracking & check-ins
- ✓ Works on ALL devices
- ✗ Longer setup time
- ✗ Requires VPN to be active
Device Coverage: What Can Each App Actually Protect?
| Device Type | Aura | Bark |
|---|---|---|
| Phones | ✓ Yes (iOS & Android) | ✓ Yes (iOS & Android) |
| Tablets | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Computers/Laptops | Limited (Safe Gaming only) | ✓ Full coverage |
| Chromebooks | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Gaming Consoles | ✗ No | ✓ Yes (via Bark Home) |
| Smart TVs | ✗ No | ✓ Yes (via Bark Home) |
| Any WiFi Device | ✗ No | ✓ Yes (via Bark Home) |
Aura: Phones & Tablets Focus
Aura basically handles phones and tablets—the usual stuff. They do have Safe Gaming for computers, which is handy if your kid is obsessed with online games.
The Limitation:
If your house is bursting with devices—laptops everywhere, school Chromebooks, gaming consoles, and all the smart gadgets kids have to have—Aura's just not going to cover everything.
Watch our complete video guide to choosing between Aura vs Bark Parental Control App in 2026
Bark: Literally Everything Under Your RoofWinner
Bark works on literally everything: phones, tablets, computers, Chromebooks—everything.
With Bark Home, it even monitors whatever's connected to your WiFi:
- Gaming systems (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch)
- Smart TVs
- Streaming devices
- Any internet-connected device
Bottom Line: If you've got tech scattered all over your house like most families these days, Bark is absolutely worth looking into.
Monitoring: What's Actually Being Tracked?
Aura's Monitoring: Gaming & Discord Focus
Aura focuses specifically on online games and Discord. It monitors both voice and text chats in over 200 popular games.
What Aura Monitors:
- ✓ Voice chats in 200+ games
- ✓ Text chats in multiplayer games
- ✓ Discord servers and channels
What Aura Does NOT Monitor:
- ✗ Text messages
- ✗ Social media DMs (Instagram, Snapchat, etc.)
- ✗ Emails
- ✗ Other messaging apps
You're also not going to get any alerts about sketchy messages unless they happen in one of those gaming environments.
Bark's Monitoring: 30+ PlatformsWinner
Bark goes much deeper. It monitors text messages, direct messages, emails, and activity on more than 30 platforms.
What Bark Monitors:
- ✓ Text messages (SMS)
- ✓ Snapchat
- ✓ Instagram DMs
- ✓ TikTok messages
- ✓ Gmail and other email
- ✓ Discord
- ✓ 25+ more platforms
How Bark's Alerts Work:
Bark only flags messages that trigger concerns like:
- Cyberbullying
- Sexual content
- Mental health red flags
- Online predators
- Violence or self-harm
You'll get an alert when something's wrong, but your kid still keeps some level of privacy for everything else.
Important Detail:
Bark's monitoring only works when its VPN is active. Most families won't even notice it, but if your kid is especially tech-savvy, they may try to disable it or find a workaround.
It's not completely foolproof, but it is still one of the most comprehensive systems out there for keeping tabs on digital communication without being super overbearing.
Content Filtering: Blocking vs Alerting
Aura: The Rule Setter28 Categories
Aura is the rule setter with 28 categories to filter and block.
What You Can Block:
- Adult content
- Violence
- Shopping sites
- Financial tools
- Certain media
- Custom websites
- Specific content rules
Aura is better for strict prevention. Content is blocked before it ever appears.
Bark: Real-Time Alerts19 Categories
Bark takes a more real-time approach. It filters by category (19 of them), but its strength is really in the alerts.
How It Works:
If someone stumbles onto something problematic, Bark flags the moment and lets you decide how to respond.
Bark is better if you want to stay informed and respond as things happen. You get context, not just blocks.
It's kind of like picking your control style: preventative (Aura) vs responsive (Bark).
Location Tracking: Where Are Your Kids?
Aura: No Location Tracking
If you need to know where your kids are, we'll skip Aura completely. They just don't do it.
Bark: Total Game-Changer for Worried ParentsWinner
What Bark's Location Features Offer:
- See where your kids are in real-time
- Request check-ins when they arrive somewhere
- Get alerts when they leave places they shouldn't
- Driving behavior tracking (speed, harsh braking)
It's like when we used to say "call me when you get there"—except now we don't have to rely on them actually remembering to call. The app does it automatically and gives you proof.
Bark Smartwatch for Younger Kids
If you've got a younger kid who doesn't have a phone yet, Bark has a smartwatch that includes:
- GPS tracking
- Step counting
- SOS button for emergencies
It's a great middle-ground option for kids who aren't quite phone-ready yet but still need a way to stay connected and safe.
Screen Time Controls: The Eternal Battle
Aura: Straightforward & Simple
Aura keeps things pretty straightforward:
Features:
- Set daily time limits
- Different schedules for weekdays and weekends
- Block specific apps or websites
- Pause the internet entirely when it's time for dinner or somebody's having a full-on meltdown over Minecraft
Aura is better if you want something simple and easy to manage.
Bark: Micromanage Like a ProWinner
Bark also has an internet pause feature, but in general, it gives you way more control.
Advanced Features:
- Block certain apps only during school hours
- Allow educational websites all day but restrict YouTube until after homework
- Build multiple schedule blocks in one day (school hours, after-school time, bedtime)
- Create rules for entire app categories (gaming, social media)
Real-World Example:
School hours: Block gaming and social media
After school: Allow 1 hour of gaming
Homework time: Only educational sites
Evening: Family time, internet paused
Bedtime: Everything blocked
It's super customizable, which is awesome if you like having full control over your kids' digital routines—or just making sure your kid isn't secretly gaming during algebra.
Setup & Ease of Use
Aura Wins the Setup Round5-10 Minutes
Download the app, follow the prompts, and you're done in 5 to 10 minutes.
⚠️ Important:
Make sure you're choosing the parental controls version and not accidentally signing up for identity theft protection—unless that's also your vibe (and honestly, it's not a bad idea).
Bark Takes Longer (But Worth It)
Bark takes a little longer, especially if you're on Android.
Why It Takes Longer:
- Not in the Play Store—you download from their website
- More customization options to configure
- Setting up monitoring for multiple platforms takes time
They'll walk you through it, but it's definitely more of a time investment. On the flip side, it gives you way more customization options once it's set up.
Pricing: What's This Going to Cost?
| Service/Plan | What's Included | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Aura Parental Controls | Just parental controls | If you only want monitoring |
| Aura Family Plan | Parental controls + Identity theft protection + Credit monitoring + Dark web scans | All-in-one cyber fortress |
| Bark Junior | Basic filtering + Screen time | Cheapest parental controls option |
| Bark Premium | Full monitoring (30+ platforms) | Comprehensive monitoring needs |
| Bark Home | WiFi-level control for all devices | Families with many devices |
| Bark Phone | Phone with built-in controls | First phone for kids |
| Bark Smartwatch | GPS tracking + SOS for young kids | Kids not ready for phones |
Value Analysis:
- Cheapest option: Bark Junior (basic parental controls only)
- Best overall value: Aura Family Plan (parental controls + identity theft protection + more)
- Most comprehensive monitoring: Bark Premium
- Best for device-heavy households: Bark Home
Complete Feature Comparison
| Feature | Aura | Bark |
|---|---|---|
| Phones & Tablets | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Computers/Laptops | Limited (gaming only) | ✓ Full coverage |
| All WiFi Devices | ✗ No | ✓ Yes (Bark Home) |
| Gaming Chat Monitoring | ✓ 200+ games | ✓ Yes |
| Social Media Monitoring | ✗ No | ✓ 30+ platforms |
| Text/Email Monitoring | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Content Filter Categories | 28 categories | 19 categories |
| Location Tracking | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Driving Monitoring | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Screen Time Controls | ✓ Good (simple) | ✓ Excellent (advanced) |
| Internet Pause Button | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Setup Time | 5-10 minutes | 15-30 minutes |
| Identity Theft Protection | ✓ Yes (Family Plan) | ✗ No |
| Smartwatch Option | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose Aura If:
- ✓ You want strict content blocking and a "set it and forget it" approach
- ✓ Your household is mostly phones and tablets
- ✓ Your kids are younger (elementary/middle school)
- ✓ You want identity theft protection baked into the same service
- ✓ Gaming chat monitoring is your primary concern
- ✓ You value simple, quick setup (5-10 minutes)
- ✓ You prefer prevention over monitoring
Choose Bark If:
- ✓ You want to monitor texts, emails, and social media activity
- ✓ You need location tracking and check-ins
- ✓ You've got a mix of devices (computers, Chromebooks, consoles, etc.)
- ✓ You want total control over screen time and schedules
- ✓ Your kids are older/teens who need some privacy but still oversight
- ✓ You want to know about concerning content without blocking everything
- ✓ You want driving behavior monitoring
- ✓ You need a smartwatch option for younger kids
My Personal Recommendation
The Honest Take:
Personally, I lean toward Bark for broader coverage and deeper insights.
But if I had younger kids or I just wanted to lock things down without monitoring every conversation, Aura would probably be my go-to.
It Really Comes Down To:
- Prevention vs Monitoring: Do you want to block everything (Aura) or get alerts about problems (Bark)?
- Device Coverage: Just phones/tablets (Aura) or literally everything (Bark)?
- Age of Kids: Younger kids (Aura) or teens who need privacy balance (Bark)?
- Control Style: Simple rules (Aura) or granular schedules (Bark)?
Common Questions
Can kids bypass these apps?
No parental control is 100% bypass-proof. Tech-savvy teens can attempt to disable VPNs or apps, but both Aura and Bark send alerts when protections are disabled. Bark requires VPN to be active for monitoring to work.
Do these apps slow down devices?
Generally no. Both run efficiently in the background. Bark's VPN might cause minimal speed reduction, but most users won't notice in daily use.
Which one is better for gaming?
Aura specifically monitors 200+ gaming platforms including voice and text chat. If gaming is your primary concern, Aura wins. Bark monitors gaming but focuses more broadly across all platforms.
Can I see every message my kid sends?
Bark: No—it only flags concerning content. Most normal conversations remain private.
Aura: Doesn't monitor messages outside of gaming environments at all.
Which is better for multiple children?
Both handle multiple kids well. Bark might be better if kids have different ages/needs since you can customize rules per child more granularly.
Do I need both?
Probably not. Most families will be satisfied with one or the other based on their priorities. Some parents might use Aura's family plan for identity protection and Bark Junior for basic controls, but that's duplicating features.
Final Verdict
Both Are Excellent—Just Different
Aura excels at: Prevention, simplicity, gaming monitoring, and bundled identity protection
Bark excels at: Comprehensive monitoring, location tracking, device coverage, and granular controls
There's no universally "better" choice—it depends entirely on your family's needs, your kids' ages, and what type of control you want to maintain.
Don't forget to check out the discount links below to save money on either one!