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DISCOVER THE BARK PHONE

Bark Phone vs Best Buy Cell Phones For Kids: Which Is Best?

Created in collaboration with parents, the Bark Phone provides families with our award-winning parental controls that allow parents to completely customize phone access and monitor phone activity. Best Buy offers a variety of options for kids, like flip phones, standard smart phones, toys, and dummy cell phones. These are not always designed specifically for kids today and parental controls are not included.

 

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Why the Bark Phone is Better
than Best Buy Kids Cell Phones

Out-of-the-box parental controls

The Bark Phone comes with easy-to-use parental controls out of the box. Parents can customize phone activity with no extra apps required. Most Best Buy cell phones for kids require a third party app or multiple phone settings to set parental controls.

Get alerts for concerning content

Bark’s advanced monitoring technology alerts parents to digital dangers in their child’s texts, emails, and social media accounts. This is not offered with most parental control apps or out-of-the-box kids phone options at Best Buy.

Approve apps & contacts

Choose what apps are off-limits to your kids and approve new phone contacts. Bark lets you manage everything your child can access on their phone. For most phone carriers, a third party app is required and may not include these features.

Save with an all-inclusive phone plan

Bark offers no contract phone plans and the phone is free after 3-months of service. Most Best Buy phones require a phone plan to be purchased along with the device.

Rest assured your kid can’t delete texts

With the Bark Phone, there’s no way that kids can erase messages they send or receive. Best Buy phones do not currently offer text message monitoring. A third party app, like Bark, would be required for phone monitoring.

Remotely lock the phone & set time limits

Bark enables parents to set app-specific time limits and easily configure the phone for calls and texts only, with no internet access, with the click of a button. Best Buy’s smart phones require additional phone settings or a third-party apps to set time limits depending on the phone model.

Featured On:

Real-life Bark families. Real-life stories.

  • Dorothea S.
    February 12
  • Heather W.
    March 9
  • Prjrm M.
    January 9
  • Jessie J.
    April 5
  • Jena R.
    January 10
  • Stephanie W.
    December 20
  • Marianne H.
    March 15
  • Kimberly S.
    January 16
bark phone

Pricing & Details

Choose a plan that fits your family's needs. All plans include:

  • Unlimited talk and text
  • Exclusive features like undeletable texts, location tracking, remote phone lock, and more
  • Advanced content monitoring built in
  • USB-C charging cord
  • A Bark Premium subscription for the entire family
  • Free transfer of your kid's current phone number to the Bark Phone
  • Month-to-month with no contract
  • Free shipping
Starting at
$ 39 /mo USD
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Features You’ll Love

Monitor texts, apps, social media, and web searches
Get alerts for digital dangers in your child’s online activities with Bark’s advanced technology.
Track location for peace of mind
Worry less when your kid is out and about with our GPS-powered location tracking.
Block websites and apps
Help protect your child from harmful and distracting content on the internet.
Approve app downloads
Stay on top of the apps your child has and decide which ones are okay to get.
Set app time limits
Help set healthy boundaries around when your child can use their favorite apps.
Remotely lock the phone
Limit access to apps and messaging whenever your child needs a break.
Manage calls and contacts
Help protect your kid from strangers by choosing who they can talk to.
Receive alerts for dangers
Get notified of issues like bullying, online predators, sexual content, and suicidal ideation.
Kids can’t delete texts without permission
You decide as a parent whether messages can be removed from the Bark Phone.
Remote Alarms
Set one-time or recurring alarms to go off on your child's Bark Phone.

FAQs

What type of phone is the Bark Phone?

The Bark Phone for kids is a Samsung A series. We purposely designed it so that it wouldn’t be recognizable as a “kiddie” phone. No one will know it’s a kid phone unless you tell them. Bark’s powerful parental controls are all internal — there’s no Bark branding, logos, or other tell-tales that would broadcast it as a kid’s cell phone. 

It comes with all the standard features of a Samsung phone.

Regardless of whether a parent has an iPhone or an Android, they will be able to manage the Bark Phone with no issues, so don’t worry about compatibility problems.

How is a Bark Phone different from a phone with the Bark app?

Because Bark’s software is built directly into the phone, it automatically monitors texts, emails, social media, and apps. Bark also can't be deleted from the Bark Phone, which helps ensure the settings you put into this cell phone for kids will stay.

The Bark Phone also offers exclusive features that the app doesn’t, including:

  • Contact approvals
  • App install approvals
  • Remote alarms
  • Daily screen time limits
  • Completely tamper-proof settings
What does the Bark Phone come with?

Every Bark Phone comes with:

  • Unlimited talk and text
  • Bark Premium subscription for the entire family
  • USB-C charging cord
  • A data plan that fits your family’s needs (non-starter plans only)
  • Quick start guide for easy setup
What if I want to buy the Bark Phone but already have a Bark subscription?

If your family already has a Bark Premium subscription, no problem! After your first Bark Phone payment, we'll adjust your plan and add any credits due from your old subscription to your next month's Bark Phone payment.

How much does the Bark Phone cost?

The Bark Phone has no activation fee. You’ll pay $10/month for 24 months to cover the cost of the device plus your monthly wireless plan. 

Your monthly plan cost will include:

  • A Bark Premium subscription for the entire family
  • Our built-in parental controls
  • Unlimited talk & text
  • Mobile data (if you choose it)

Starter plan:

  • $29/month for unlimited talk, text, and no internet, app store, or games

Advanced plans:

  • $39/month for unlimited talk, text, and Wi-Fi only (no data)
  • $49/month for unlimited talk, text, and 4GB data
  • $59/month for unlimited talk, text, and 8GB data
  • $79/month for unlimited talk, text, and data1

1 After exceeding 35GB/month of data use, data speeds will be reduced for the remainder of the monthly billing cycle. After exceeding 50GB/month of data usage, data speeds may be reduced further and/or data connection may be turned off for the remainder of the monthly billing cycle.

Is the Bark Phone available outside the U.S.?

Right now, the Bark Phone for kids is only available for families located in the U.S.

Tell us what country you'd like to bring the Bark Phone to next.

What apps are available for the Bark Phone?

We have two options when it comes to apps on our cell phone for kids.

The starter plan is our locked-down version perfect for younger kids or teens who need more supervision. It allows for texting and calling — that’s it. No internet, no apps, no games.

Our advanced plans, on the other hand, allow your child to request any apps in the Google Play store. You can choose which ones to allow or block.

How is the Bark Phone different from other kids’ phones?

The Bark Phone stands out from other kid phones because of our advanced content monitoring that comes built-in. Our software automatically scans texts, photos, videos, apps & social media for dangers and sends you an alert if something concerning is found. 

We also made it completely customizable, because every family — and kid — is different. For younger kids, you can make the Bark Phone work essentially like a non-smartphone with our starter plan, which is talk and text only with no internet access.  

As they get older and become ready for more responsibility, you can easily upgrade to our advanced plan and add in access to apps and games. The best part? You keep the same phone!

Does the Bark Phone get software updates?

Yes! The Bark Phone is updated regularly and automatically to keep up with changes in technology and when we add new features — which happens frequently! We’re constantly in touch with actual Bark Phone parents and implement feedback that families would like to see.

What is the Bark Phone return and refund policy?

We offer a 60-day, money-back guarantee for the Bark Phone device (monthly wireless plan payments are not refundable). Simply send it back if you're not happy and you won't be on the hook for any more payments. You may, however, be liable for any damage that the phone incurred while in use.

After the 60 day period, you'll keep the device and pay off your Bark Phone’s remaining balance. If you have further questions you can contact us for help.

What happens when my child goes over on data on their Bark Phone?

This is a common concern for families! With our kid-safe phones, you’ll always be able to keep an on your child’s data usage from your Bark parent app/dashboard. 

If your child reaches their allotted data limit for the month, you won’t be charged anything. Their experience on the Bark Phone will simply be reduced speeds — this is called “throttling” and is standard practice for phone carriers. 

If you’d like to upgrade your child’s data plan, you can add more GB at any time from your account, and it will go into effect quickly.

Rest assured that your account will never automatically upgrade. Your child just may experience slower speeds for streaming and surfing the web. To help reduce data usage, encourage your kid to connect to trusted Wi-Fi networks whenever possible.

If I buy the Bark Phone can I also use Bark on my child’s tablet and computer?

Absolutely! When you buy a Bark Phone, you get free access to the Bark app, which you can put on other phones, tablets, computers, and more — perfect for siblings! Adding Bark to every device in your house helps create layers of protection for your family no matter how your children get online.

If I want to upgrade from the starter plan to an advanced plan later do I need to purchase a new phone?

Nope! You keep the same phone and simply upgrade (or downgrade!) straight from the parent app. Changes will go into effect in just a few minutes.

Is the Bark Phone compatible with hearing aid technology?

FCC Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) Regulations for Wireless Devices

The FCC established requirements for devices to be compatible with hearing aids and other hearing devices. For more information, visit the FCC website.

The wireless phone devices sold by Bark have been shown to be HAC compatible for GSM, LTE, and UMTS.

HAC for Newer Technologies:

The wireless phone devices sold by Bark have been tested and rated for use with hearing aids for some of the wireless technologies used. However, there may be some newer wireless technologies used in this device that have not been tested yet for use with hearing aids. It is important to try the different features of this device thoroughly and in different locations, using your hearing aid or cochlear implant, to determine if you hear any interfering noise. Consult your service provider or the manufacturer of this device for information on hearing aid compatibility.

Can I transfer over an existing phone number to the Bark Phone?

You sure can! Bark lets you transfer an existing number from another carrier — known as "porting" — at no additional cost! Check out this help article for step-by-step instructions.

How do I contact Bark with questions?

Visit bark.us/contact to get in touch with our customer support team — they’re standing by ready to help!

The Specs

bark phone
What's Included
Device
Data cable
Quick start guide
Product Name
A15
Brand
Samsung
Phone Style
Smartphone
Operating System
Android 14
Internal Memory
128 GB
Screen Size
6.5 inches
Water Resistant
No
Phone Memory (RAM)
4 GB
Front-Facing Camera
13 MP
Rear-Facing Camera
50 MP
Processor Model
Octa core (2.2Ghz + 2.0Ghz)
Internet Connectable
Yes, but not with Starter Plan
Voice Assistant Built-in
Google Assistant
Wireless Technology
5G
Color
Blue Black
Bluetooth Enabled
Yes
Charging Interface
USB Type-C
Carrier
Data and coverage provided by Bark

Get the only phone with Bark built in

Designed from the ground up with safety in mind, the Bark Phone will change the way you think about a kid’s phone.

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Coming soon to a wrist near you!