Bark vs. Life360 – Comparison Review

All parents want their kids to be safe all the time, not only when they are nearby but also when they are at school or walking with friends. One of the best solutions is to use a smartphone to watch your kids, but you do not need to call or text them constantly. You need to install the parental control application, which has tons of useful features.

You can see through them real-time geo-location, check if they are in a safe neighborhood, control their Internet usage, or the kid in case of emergency, can quickly ask for help, and many more.

On the market, there are numerous proposals for the supported devices, subscription plans, and provided features. In this article, we will review two parental control programs – Bark vs. Life360. If you are interested in other products, you can check our comparisons with Qustodio and Famisafe.

Bark vs. Life360 – Comparison Table

Purpose	Parental control for digital devices, geolocation tracking	Tracking the location of family members, digital and driving safety, and emergency assistance
Number of devices monitoring	30+	Up to 99
Website and app filter
Managing screen time
Monitoring contacts and communication
Location and check-in updates
SOS alerts
Driving reports
Crash detection
Available in countries	USA, South Africa, Guam, Australia	USA, UK
Language support	English, Spanish, Afrikaans	English
OS support	Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Amazon Fire tablet
Mobile application	iOS, Android	iOS, Android
Price plans	Paid / Two options	Free / 3 paid options
Free trial	7 days	7 days
Technical support	Email	Email, chat
Additional features	Recommendations of psychologists based on digital content analysis	Crime reports in the neighborhood area, IP theft protection, lost phone coverage, credit monitoring, medical support
Other proposals	School monitoring for free and filter for the router
LINK	Check Price	Check Price

Main Differences between Bark and Life360

Life360 and Bark are both parental control software but have different functionalities. We have to say that they have less similar features than different ones. The main differences between them are:

As you can see, Bark and Life360 are apps with different functionalities. We suggest going through our detailed face-to-face comparison to understand what software better suits your needs.

Face-to-face comparison Bark vs. Life360

Our comparison is split into several sections: overview, features, supported devices, installation guide, price, and other products from the two brands.

Overview

Bark is software for the advanced management of your kid’s digital life. You can block apps and sites that you suspect are harmful to your kids, or you can schedule their time off using the Internet.

Regarding all dangerous communication with adults or bullying of other kids, you will be immediately alerted. Bark works in the background and scans all digital activities using AI, understanding all contexts, photos, emojis, slang, and potential threats.

With the help of the app’s advisors, you can switch any problem into a teachable lesson. You can install extra protection on Smart TVs, tablets, gaming consoles, and laptops using the Bark Home device. The function of location sharing helps to track kids in every place; you will receive alerts if your kid arrives or leaves the destination place.

Bark values privacy and does not copy your kid’s activities; it is a tool to help your kids rise in a safe environment and provides useful tips on how to use digital devices smartly. 6.9 million children are covered already by Bark.

Life360 is one of the most trusted apps that has ensured family safety for quite a few years already. This app allows you to track the location of your family members at all times. It uses a combination of a GPS signal and a phone signal. The application is user-friendly, and all actions are performed within a couple of taps.

You can track if your kids arrive at school or your spouse is on the way home to start to prepare dinner. Parents can review past trips and check how much time was spent in the specific locations. The app also can be used among groups of classmates or friends to share their locations.

Life360 is extremely supportive of young drivers, as it records their driving style and helps them call the police in case of a crash. In case of any emergency situation, you can use the SOS button.

The application also receives information about crime nearby to be alerted and make a proper decision. 1 out of 9 families in the USA uses Life360.

verdict

Both applications are used by many families in the USA (in some countries as well). You are promised to have a user-friendly interface and plenty of useful features. It is not possible to make a winner in this part of the comparison Bark vs. Life360.

Supported devices

Bark is supported on iOS (version 11 or higher) and Android (version 5 or higher) smartphones and tablets; they can be downloaded from corresponding online stores. You can also install Bark on the desktop on a Windows or Mac.

To set up a Bark Premium on an iPhone or iPad, you need to use a computer because of Apple safety rules. For installation of Bark Jr on iOS, the computer is not required. Other supported devices are Amazon Fire.

For each device, you can check on the official website what email clients, apps, and browsers will be monitored.

Life360 is supported on iOS (iOS 14 and higher) or Android (Android 9 and higher) devices.

The app is not supported on non-smartphones, Apple Watch, iPad, or other tablet devices, and some notifications are not displayed on other brand watches. The app is also not supported on Windows phones anymore.

For proper work of Drive Detection Technology, your device must have a gyroscope, gravity sensors, GPS, and accelerometer. iPhone 4/5/5c does not support Drive Detection technology.

verdict

Bark is supported on more devices than Life360. But in some cases, the installation process involves the usage of other devices. Nevertheless, Bark is the winner in this round.

Features

The summary of the main Bark features is as follows:

• Creation of different rules (healthy limits) per time slot of Internet access for your kid or kids on every device. Customization features for each kid separately.
• Possibility to pause the Internet access at any time.
• Automatic content monitoring for any sign of cyberbullying, sexual content, and other threats. You can connect more than 30 platforms in the app for monitoring. You will receive a notification for further action.
• Blockage/setting limits of websites and apps using 19 categories of content in addition to the specific ones. It is especially essential for bedtime and school.
• Possibility to approve all contacts of your kid and prevent text deletions from the phone.
• Alerts for downloading potentially harmful and forbidden apps and games.
• Possibility to check which blocked websites your kid wanted to access.
• Setting safe searches on Google, Bing, and YouTube.
• Tracking a kid’s location in real-time using GPS with location alerts. You can add frequently visited places to receive automatic alerts for arrival and departure.
• Tips from experts to parents on how to set up a trustful conversation with your kid regarding threats, boundaries, and digital safety.
• Possibility to purchase the special phone for kids with a built-in Bark app (available only in the USA).
• Possibility to monitor and approve apps downloaded by your kids.
• All data about you and your kids are SSL-encrypted and stored in an encrypted database.

We can summarize the main features of Life360 in the following list:

• Tracking the location of each device using the unique code.
• Possibility to show only general location using the “Bubble” (save some privacy).
• Possibility to set geo-fence in certain areas. You will get notifications if a certain device enters or leaves the designated area. You need the map to select the most common places for your family members, determine a time frame, and tap a bell.
• The SOS feature is activated from the main screen with a red button. The app will send the text notification to other people in your group and emergency contacts.
• Crash detection and immediate informing of emergency contacts (useful for young drivers).
• Roadside assistance in case of car damage/ dead battery/ no gas on the road (for gold subscribing – 5 miles free towing; for platinum subscribers – 50 miles free towing).
• Crime reports with the time and location (murders, thefts, etc.).
• Individual driver report (only for Gold subscriptions and higher). The app records the high speed, hard braking, and rapid acceleration. It even tracks how many times the driver uses the phone.
• Stolen phone coverage for Gold subscriptions ($250) and Platinum subscribers ($500).
• ID theft protection with $25K for gold subscribers and $1M for platinum users (per person).
• Digital protection from data breaches, malware and viruses, and mail theft.
• Credit monitoring with immediate information if your credit report has changed.
• Family assistance includes medical support, emergency disaster response, emergency dispatch, and travel support.

verdict

As you can see, the list of features of both apps is considerable, but they provide absolutely different parental support and control in different areas of life. Bark is focused mainly on digital safety with the slight possibility of tracking location, while Life360 has detailed reports of the most frequent places and a list of emergency support in numerous cases. It is not possible to call a winner in this round.

Installation guide

The installation process of Bark depends on the plan you are going to purchase – Bark Jr or Bark Premium. The general installation includes 4 steps:

• Register on the Bark website and choose a payment plan.
• Download the app in the App Store or Google Play (or on the official website for other devices). You need to install the Bark app on your device and all monitored devices.
• Log in on all devices and synchronize them. You need to set the code on the parental device and the PIN for other devices.
• Turn on the geolocation function on the kid’s device.

The installation process of Life360 is easy and includes 4 steps:

• Choose the required subscription plan and sign up.
• Download the Life360 app in the App Store or Google Play.
• Create a Life360 account. You need to verify your phone number with a verification code by SMS. Sign in with your account credentials. The person who purchases the subscription and downloads the app first is, by default, the admin.
• Invite the family members into your circle. It is recommended to limit your membership to up to 10 members (the system limitation is 99 members). The members and admin have different permission rights in app management and different notifications. Each invited person has to download the app and create an account. Kids under 13 years old have to sign with adults’ help. You can create several Circles and easily switch between them.

verdict

The installation process for both apps is easy and includes only 4 steps before starting to set the required parental control parameters. Again, there is no winner.

Price

Bark has several products – Bark Phone (new), Bark Premium, Bark Jr, and Bark Home. For all products, you can start with a 7-day free trial.

Bark Jr is a basic subscription for $5/month to manage screen time, track geolocation, and set access filters for apps and websites. Bark Premium includes all features of parental control described in the features section. You can purchase it for $14/month.

The Bark Phone is available for $29/month; for this price, you get the built-in Bark app with all Premium features, exclusive features such as remote phone lock and undeletable texts, and unlimited talk and texts. The internet filter device – Bark Home – is available for $6/month.

Life360 has several subscriptions –free, silver, gold, and platinum. The price for the silver plan is $7.99, the gold plan is $14.99, and the platinum is $24.99. Not all features are available in the free version – only SOS help alert, crash detection, and family driving summary.

In the free plan, the location history is stored only for 48 hours and 2 places with unlimited alerts. In the gold package, the locations are stored for 30 days, with location notifications for unlimited places.

In the platinum package, the locations are recorded for 30 days. All subscriptions have a 7-day trial version. In gold and platinum plans, you receive the tile mate and tile starter pack to keep track of everyday things like keys and bags.

verdict

Life360 has a significant advantage – a free version with limited functionality. Bark has only a trial version, but Life360 also has it for all paid subscriptions. The price for services is different, as the functionality is different. But we call Life360 the winner in this part of the comparison Bark vs. Life360.

Other products from Bark and Life360 for parental control

Bark has a Bark Home, the upper level of protection for all devices at your home. It is connected to the Wi-Fi router at your home. It covers all devices connected to the Wi-Fi network, including PlayStation and TV. You can set screen timers for each device, pause the Internet, and set automatic bedtime.

As in the Bark app, it is possible to filter and block websites, apps, and games. The device is compatible with most routers, does not impact network speed, and supports up to 1 Gbps. Bark also has a special proposal for schools and students to monitor content for free.

There are no additional features of Life360 that can be purchased separately. All features are available in platinum subscriptions; in others, there are some limitations.

verdict

Obviously, Bark is the winner in the provision of other services, as Life360 has no additional proposals.

Conclusion

If you are choosing between Bark vs. Life360, you have to understand from our comparison that these apps have different functionality.

Bark includes only one feature that Life360 has – device geo-tracking with alerts for arrivals and departures. Bark proposes a set of solutions for AI filtering, blocking harmful content on the Internet, games, and apps. You can purchase a separate phone for kids – Bark phone – to increase digital safety to the highest level.

But if you need more detailed location tracking with the possibility of emergency help from the click of a button, then Life 360 is a good supporter. It helps to learn the routes and driving preferences of your kids. Moreover, it has travel support and emergency support in case of crashes and other cases. So, these apps are difficult to compare. For full protection, we recommend installing both products. Otherwise, you need to choose where safety is essential – in real life or the digital world.