Putting a cell phone in your child’s hands is a significant step that is fraught with uncertainty. Is it too early for me to give it to them? They’ll be secure, right? How can I keep tabs on what they’re up to?
The choice of when and if to give your child their first cell phone is a personal one, but after you’ve made it, there are some actions you can take to assure their safety.
One of the greatest methods to keep tabs on someone’s smartphone activities is via cell phone monitoring software and two of the most popular brands in the market are mSpy and Bark. But which one should you pick?
In this article, we will compare mSpy vs Bark to help you understand what each one offers, how much they cost, and which is best for you.
A Quick Glance at mSpy vs Bark
mSpy is one of the best monitoring apps for Android and iOS. It has various features making it a good tool for parents who wish to keep an eye on their children’s smartphone activity.
It allows users to see where their kids are located using an app on their phones and laptops. However, the mSpy parental control tool goes beyond Bark by including features such as text message tracking and call recording. The app is not available on any app store and can only be downloaded with the company’s link.
The Bark app is another option for parents who want to know what their children are doing online. The app works by blocking access to a category of websites, such as social media sites. It uses artificial intelligence (AI) which makes it quite helpful in limiting children’s access to harmful content online.
You won’t see your child’s location on a map or track the route they took to school. Instead, you set up specific addresses to get alerts once your child arrives or leaves the area. Moreover, the app allows you to request a location check-in for your kids to track their real-time location.
It is compatible not only with Android and iOS devices but also with Chromebook and Amazon Fire Tablets. The app is easily available and can be directly downloaded from the official website.
What is mSpy?
As the name implies, mSpy provides spyware-like monitoring features that help in protecting kids from the dangers of the digital world.
Although mSpy doesn’t employ artificial intelligence (AI) as Bark does, it nonetheless offers parents data to examine to identify potential issues.
Users of the software have access to a control panel to examine connected devices, obtain in-depth reports, and manage controlled phone settings.
Parents can also check recent call logs and messages from other social media sites. Examples include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, WhatsApp, Skype, Snapchat, and Viber.
To top it all off, it is also possible to search locally stored media like videos and photos to find inappropriate content.
What is Bark?
Bark is a monitoring app that enables you to keep an eye on your child’s smartphone usage. It provides you with a detailed overview of your child’s phone activity, including texts, calls, Facebook messages, and Instagram postings.
Additionally, it alerts parents of possible indications of cyberbullying and violence. Bark covers an impressive number of social media networks and mobile apps. The software can detect even the most subtle clues in the text, audio, photos, or text taken from images.
The spy software can provide you with all the information if you want to know who your child is talking to or dating. The app gives you the ability to access your child’s phone remotely. You can see everything that happens on their phones.
How Does mSpy Work?
This app can tell you where your kids are and what they’re up to. The premise of mSpy’s work is to remotely take over an existing mobile device, be it an iPhone, Android, or tablet.
The app can be installed on the target device without the user’s knowledge and then sends all collected information back to the mSpy server, where you can log in and see the data in a clear and easy-to-use dashboard.
This dashboard provides a wealth of information for all users, including call logs, contacts, text messages, social media activity, GPS location (as long as the target phone is GPS enabled), SIM card ID, and more.
A remote lock/wipe option is also included, ensuring you always have control over the target phone. If you ever need to take the device away for any reason, you may do so with the help of this function. The best feature of this app is its ability to record every action your kids take while using their smartphones.
How Does Bark Work?
Bark is an application that secretly records all incoming and outgoing calls, SMSs, and instant messaging chats, including WhatsApp, Kik, and Skype.
Bark parental control app is best for parents who want to monitor their children’s activities. Parents can control what their children do on their phones. They can block certain websites or restrict them from downloading any applications on the device. It can be installed on any Android and iOS smartphone and tablet.
The app lets you choose whether or not you want to let your kids know about the app installed on their phones. If you want to keep your children aware of it, the app allows you to set up a profile using their email addresses. (https://prodavinci.com) The app then monitors their online activity 24/7 and sends notifications whenever they do something you don’t want them to do.
Pros and Cons – mSpy vs Bark
mSpy
Pros:
- mSpy allows you to track your child’s calls, messages, and locations.
- mSpy is compatible with both Android and iOS smartphones and tablets.
- mSpy provides you with detailed reports about all the activities performed by your children on their phones and tablets.
- mSpy can be used around the globe and is available 24/7 to help its users with any app-related issues.
Cons:
- mSpy is not compatible with Windows and Chromebook.
- mSpy only allows monitoring one device simultaneously with one subscription plan.
Bark
Pros:
- The bark is compatible with many devices, including Android and iOS devices, Chromebook, and Amazon Fire Tablets.
- Bark allows you to monitor texts, images, videos, voice memos, and text within images along with 30+ social media platforms.
- Bark app for parents employs AI to monitor and analyze kids’ online activity.
- The app offers screen time management, including filtering and blocking specific websites and apps on the connected device.
Cons:
- The full benefits of Bark are only available for users living in the USA, Australia, South Africa, and Guam.
- Customer service is also tackled through follow-up emails that usually take a couple of hours to answer queries.
- Bark only sends alerts when your child arrives or leaves a specific area rather than offering live location tracking.
mSpy vs Bark Pricing
mSpy
mSpy costs a little more than other parental control programs, but its monitoring features make up for the price difference. Only one plan is offered, and the price decreases as the billing period extends. It accepts payments on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis.
Families can purchase Family Kit to monitor up to three devices; standard subscriptions cover a single device. Although there isn’t a free trial, mSpy does provide a free service demonstration and guarantees subscribers a 14-day money-back guarantee if the monitoring tool falls short of expectations.
Bark
When it comes to parental control tools, Bark is a reasonable option. It gives families a choice of two options and is offered with a monthly or yearly membership. By purchasing the annual subscription, which includes premium features like thorough app monitoring and real-time notifications.
More importantly, Bark provides a 7-day free trial to new users so they may test its monitoring tool.
mSpy vs Bark Feature Comparison Table
| Features List | mSpy | Bark |
| GPS Location Tracker | mSpy allows real-time location tracking and geofencing | Bark gets alerts, requests location check-in, and allows geofencing |
| Screen Recorder | mSpy records your child’s phone screen remotely and saves the recordings to your dashboard | Bark does not have a screen recording feature |
| Keylogger | mSpy can intercept keyboard strokes on a child’s phone and set up keyword alerts | Bark only allows monitoring text messages and text within images |
| Stealth Mode | mSpy works in a stealth mode and allows you to hide its icon on the target user’s phone | Bark lets you choose whether you want to keep it hidden from your kids or not |
| Installation Options | mSpy requires the device to undergo jailbreaking or rooting | Bark can be directly downloaded from the website and installed on the device |
| Live Demo | mSpy allows accessing features for free by accessing the demo version | Bark offers a 7-day free trial |
| Regions of Operation | mSpy operates all over the globe and supports multiple languages | Bark works only in the U.S, Australia, South Africa, and Guam |
mSpy or Bark – Which App is Better?
In this mSpy and Bark app review, we discussed a range of features and tools to help parents better monitor and manage their child’s online activities. However, as you look deeper into them, it becomes clear that they are two quite distinct beasts.
To oversee your child’s online activities, mSpy offers message monitoring and keylogging features. On the other hand, Bark uses AI to monitor and protect kids from potential online threats.
The argument over which monitoring software is the best ultimately concerns needs and budget. mSpy is expensive and Bark lacks useful features such as real-time location tracking, so you should consider the other valuable options in the market. A few options are available that provide a wide range of features at a reasonable price.
Xnspy offers all the useful parental control features that allow you to ensure that your children are safely using the internet and are not getting involved in any inappropriate activities. If you find anything harmful, you can remotely lock the device immediately and take live screenshots, which you can access later from the online dashboard.
Unlike mSpy, it does not require jailbreaking or rooting your device, and unlike Bark doesn’t lack any premium features such as live location tracking.
It offers a live demo option; you can use the app’s user-friendly dashboard without even buying its subscription. A highly supportive team is available 24/7 to help you with any potential issues regarding the app’s functionalities.
Xnspy is the most reasonable and budget-friendly option, providing top-notch monitoring services at a very low price. So, if you are looking for an app that perfectly meets your needs without putting a hole in your pocket, Xnspy could be the best choice.
