Q
QParental control app for filtering content, limiting screen time and tracking kids
Free, from $5/mo
Bark vs NextDNS
Pricing, features, platforms and who each one suits — side by side.
B
Choose Bark if…
- you want to trial it before paying
- you work on iOS, Android
- you're in its core audience: parents of children aged 5–17, families with multiple kids and devices
N
Choose NextDNS if…
- you want a free plan to start with
- you want the lower entry price ($1.99/mo vs $6/mo)
- you're in its core audience: privacy-conscious individuals, parents
Side by side
Feature Bark NextDNS
Pricing modelFree trialFreemium
Starting price$6/mo$1.99/mo
Free plan
Free trial
API
Open source
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWeb
CategoryParental controlsSmart DNS & DNS privacy
CompanyBark TechnologiesNextDNS Inc.
Full feature lists
B Bark
- AI scanning of texts, email, browsers and 30+ social apps
- Safety alerts in over 29 categories
- Custom screen time schedules and one-tap pause
- Website and app blocking
- GPS location tracking and alerts
- Scans up to 60 days of text history on connect
- Adjustable alert sensitivity per category
- Kids' phones and smartwatch with controls built in
N NextDNS
- Blocks malware, phishing, cryptojacking and typosquatting domains
- Ad and tracker blocklists updated in real time
- Native Tracking Protection for OS-level trackers
- Parental controls with SafeSearch and YouTube Restricted Mode
- Recreation Time schedules for apps and websites
- Configurable log retention and log storage region
- DNS-over-HTTPS, DNS-over-TLS and DNSSEC support
- Custom denylist, allowlist and DNS rewrites
What you'd pay
The cheapest plan that fits, per month, billed yearly where the plan offers it.
| Team size | Bark | NextDNS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $4.08 Bark Sync | $1.66 Pro |
| 5 people | $4.08 Bark Sync | $16.58 Business |
| 20 people | $4.08 Bark Sync | $16.58 Business |
Work it out for your team
All plans and prices
Bark
Bark App (iOS/Android)$14/mo or $99/year
Bark Sync$6/mo or $49/year
Bark Home$6/mo or $79 one-time
Bark Watch$288 device + $15/mo
Bark Phone Starter$360 device + $29/mo
Bark Phone Advanced$39–$79/mo + device
NextDNS
FreeFree
Pro$1.99/month or $19.90/year
Business$19.90/month or $199/year
Education$19.90/month or $199/year
Strengths and limitations
Bark
- One app subscription covers unlimited kids and devices
- 7-day free trial for the Bark App
- AI looks at context rather than only keywords
- Bark Watch plan includes the app for the whole family
- Full monitoring on iOS needs the separate Bark Sync charger or desktop app
- Bark Phone available only in the U.S.
- Some social platforms require the child's login credentials
- Phones and watch require a monthly plan on top of the device price
NextDNS
- Free plan includes all features and 300,000 queries a month
- Unlimited devices and configurations on every plan
- Logs can be turned off completely or kept from one hour up to two years
- Accepts cards, PayPal and cryptocurrency
- Pro and Free plans get community support only
- Prices are listed in EUR
- Filtering stops on the free plan once the monthly quota is used up
More comparisons
Other options to consider
QQ
Free, from $5/mo
Q
Parental control app for filtering content, limiting screen time and tracking kids
Parental controlsFree plan
N
NN
From $3.33/mo
N
Parental controls, web filtering and screen time limits for family devices
Parental controls
A
AA
Freemium
A
Ad-blocking DNS that filters ads, trackers and adult content on all devices
Smart DNS & DNS privacyFree planOpen source
C
CC
From $2/mo
C
Encrypted DNS filtering for businesses, MSPs and schools on every OS
Smart DNS & DNS privacyAPI
P
PP
Free
P
Self-hosted DNS sinkhole that blocks ads and trackers for your whole network
Ad & tracker blockersFree planAPIOpen source
Q
QQ
Free
Q
Free public DNS resolver that blocks malicious domains and logs no IP addresses
Smart DNS & DNS privacyFree plan
Facts from each vendor's public pages, prices checked Nov 8, 2026. Editorial policy