The Best Phone for Kids — Powered by Bark’s Parental Controls

Starting at $49/month. No contract required.

The Bark Phone

The only phone that comes with Bark built in

Woman holding a Bark Phone for Kids and setting it up.

A kid’s phone that doesn’t look like a kid’s phone

Girl taking a selfie while smiling with the Bark Kids' Phone

You call the (digital) shots

Tamper-proof parental controls you can feel confident about

Girl in yellow sweater holding the Bark Kids' Phone

Pricing & Details

No upfront cost. No contract required. Cancel anytime.

  • Bark Phone with USB-C charging cord
  • Comes with a subscription to Bark Premium for the entire family
  • Includes exclusive Bark Phone features like undeletable texts, location tracking, remote phone lock, and more
  • Protective case
  • Unlimited talk and text with data plans that fit your family’s needs
  • Free shipping
Starting at
$ 49 USD /mo

Coverage Map

Check out the Bark Phone on The Drew Barrymore Show

Features Youll Love

WATCH: Why the Bark Kid’s Phone is the best option for families

The Bark Phone vs Other Kid's Phones

See how the Bark Phone’s comprehensive protection stacks up against other popular phones for kids.

Select a competitor:

Bark Phone vs Gabb Phone Plus Bark Phone vs Pinwheel Slim Bark Phone vs Troomi A13 LTE Bark Phone vs iPhone SE 3rd Generation
Bark built in
Read More
Bark
Bark Premium is included in the phone's price, comes built into the Bark Phone and can't be deleted. Bark Premium includes text message and content monitoring alerts, screen time, web blocking, safe search browsing, YouTube restricted mode, and location tracking.
Gabb Phone Plus
Gabb has its own parental controls built in, which does not include content monitoring and alerts.
Pinwheel Slim
Today, Bark comes pre-downloaded on the Pinwheel and can be purchased separately for $5/ mo. However, Bark will be unable to be purchased through Pinwheel devices after 12/20/22.
Troomi A13 LTE
Troomi’s parental controls are called KidSmart OS and include things like text message monitoring and the option to add a safe web browser.
iPhone SE 3rd Generation
iPhones come with Apple Screen Time, but it doesn’t have a monitoring tool.
Child can only delete texts with permission
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Bark
You decide as a parent whether messages can be removed from the Bark Phone.
Gabb Phone Plus
Kids can delete texts, but parents can recover them.
Pinwheel Slim
The Pinwheel Slim doesn’t allow kids to delete texts.
Troomi A13 LTE
Child can delete messages on the device but parents can still view deleted messages through their parent portal.
iPhone SE 3rd Generation
Child can delete messages on the device.
Free protective case included
Read More
Bark
A case is included in the cost of the Bark Phone.
Gabb Phone Plus
Cases are available for purchase at checkout.
Pinwheel Slim
Cases are available for purchase at checkout.
Troomi A13 LTE
Cases are not offered for sale.
iPhone SE 3rd Generation
Depends on the provider.
Automatic monitoring of many apps and social media platforms
Read More
Bark
Bark automatically monitors texts, Chrome, TikTok, Snapchat, Discord, WhatsApp, KIK, and more — if you chose to allow these apps. You can also block them whenever you choose.
Gabb Phone Plus
Gabb Phone Plus does not have internet access or the ability to download social media apps.
Pinwheel Slim
Only if you pay for a Bark Premium membership.
Troomi A13 LTE
Since Troomi has its own curated list of apps, they do not monitor activity on them.
iPhone SE 3rd Generation
iPhones don’t come with a monitoring tool.
Tamper-proof parental controls
Read More
Bark
Kids can’t change your settings.
Gabb Phone Plus
Kids can’t change your settings.
Pinwheel Slim
Kids can’t change your settings.
Troomi A13 LTE
Kids can’t change your settings.
iPhone SE 3rd Generation
Kids often find workarounds for Apple Screen Time.
Sleek and modern design
Read More
Bark
The Bark Phone is a Samsung A13.
Gabb Phone Plus
The Gabb Phone Plus is a Samsung A10e, but is easily recognizable as a “Gabb” device because of branding.
Pinwheel Slim
The Pinwheel phone is a BLU G91s.
Troomi A13 LTE
The Troomi phone is a Samsung A13.
iPhone SE 3rd Generation
iPhones are regular phones.
Access to app store when needed
Read More
Bark
You can allow access to the app store at any time — or block it. You can also control which apps your child can install.
Gabb Phone Plus
The Gabb Phone Plus does not allow access to the app store, but instead, has a curated list of third-party apps that they deem safe. Apps outside of this list cannot be downloaded on the phone.
Pinwheel Slim
The Pinwheel Slim allows access to only curated apps. It’s not possible to add apps not included on that curated list.
Troomi A13 LTE
Troomi has a list of curated apps that can be downloaded on the phone. Apps outside of this list cannot be downloaded.
iPhone SE 3rd Generation
Parents can allow the app store when needed.
Web browsers allowed
Read More
Bark
You can allow access to a web browser at any time — or block it. It’s up to you. Safe search browsing and YouTube restricted mode are automatically enabled.
Gabb Phone Plus
The Gabb Phone Plus does not allow web browsers.
Pinwheel Slim
Web browsers are not allowed on Pinwheels.
Troomi A13 LTE
Parents can add Troomi’s KidSmart Safe Browser, which allows you to add acceptable sites one at a time.
iPhone SE 3rd Generation
Safari is Apple’s built-in web browser but you can also download others.
Grows with child and allows you to add functionality and apps
Read More
Bark
Nearly every setting on the Bark Phone is customizable, making it work for kids of any age.
Gabb Phone Plus
The settings on the Gabb Phone Plus are not customizable and there is no option to add certain functions later on.
Pinwheel Slim
Some things older teens may need – like social media and a web browser – are never allowed.
Troomi A13 LTE
There are some customizable settings on the Troomi phone but other things — like social media apps — are never allowed.
iPhone SE 3rd Generation
You can customize settings on iPhones.
No contract required
Read More
Bark
The Bark Phone is available on a month-to-month basis and you can cancel at any time.
Gabb Phone Plus
Technically no contract is required but there’s a higher upfront cost if not chosen.
Pinwheel Slim
No contract is required with the Pinwheel. But you will have to add cell service separately, which could require a contract.
Troomi A13 LTE
No contract is required.
iPhone SE 3rd Generation
Depends on your plan and carrier.
Cell service included
Read More
Bark
Unlimited talk and text is included with every Bark phone plan.
Gabb Phone Plus
Unlimited talk and text are included under the Gabb plan.
Pinwheel Slim
You can add your own cell service or use the Pinwheel-recommended Mint Mobile for an additional fee.
Troomi A13 LTE
Unlimited talk and text with tiered data plans.
iPhone SE 3rd Generation
Depends on your plan and carrier.

Behind the Scenes
with the Bark Phone

FAQs

What type of phone is the Bark Phone?

The Bark Phone for kids is a Samsung A13. We purposely designed it so that it wouldn’t be recognizable as a “kiddie” phone. No one will know it’s a Bark 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 phone. 

It comes with all the standard features of a Samsung A13 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 much does the Bark Phone cost?

Bark Phone plans start at $49/month with no contract required. We have three monthly data options to fit your family’s needs:

  • $49/month for unlimited talk, text, and Wi-Fi only (no data)
  • $59/month for unlimited talk, text, and 4GB data
  • $69/month for unlimited talk, text, and 8GB data

Each phone plan comes with a Bark Premium subscription and will cover any other kids, devices, and accounts a user’s family has. You won’t pay for an extra Bark subscription if you already have Bark Premium — we will adjust your plan and prorate the remaining amount left and apply it to the subscription.

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

The Bark Phone for kids is the result of years of experience in the online safety industry and real-life conversations with the people whose opinion counts the most: families raising kids with phones in the digital age. 

We’ve created a device that integrates Bark’s software seamlessly, resulting in a comprehensive and robust parental control experience.

It also comes with exclusive features that weren’t possible with just a downloadable app. The Bark Phone gives parents unprecedented oversight of their child’s online experience, including GPS-powered location tracking, call blocking, contact management, and automatic monitoring for texts and many apps and social media platforms. 

Its native controls are tamper-proof, providing parents with peace of mind that the rules they set stay in place. Bark can’t be deleted, even if you factory reset it.

The best part of the Bark Phone? It grows with your child as they mature. For younger kids, you can keep the phone locked down with as little functionality as a flip phone. As they get older, you can add in additional freedoms, functionality, and apps — or scale back anytime boundaries are needed.

What does the Bark Phone come with?
  • USB-C charging cord
  • Unlimited talk and text
  • Protective case
  • A data plan that fits your family’s needs
  • Bark Premium subscription for the Bark Phone as well as for all of the other devices and accounts in your family
What if I already have a Bark subscription?

If you already have a Bark Premium subscription, that’s okay! We will adjust your plan and prorate the remaining amount left and apply it to your Bark Phone subscription.

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.

What apps are available?

You know your child best, which is why the Bark Phone gives you full control over the apps they can access. You can block every app that a Samsung A13 could download, or you can allow them all — or somewhere in between, which is where most families will fall.

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

The Bark Phone is powered by the award-winning technology that made the Bark app a trusted name for families across the world. It’s the result of years of experience understanding what families need and want when it comes to kids’ devices.

Secondly, we 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. As they get older and become ready for more responsibility, you can add in functionality and access to web browsing, apps, social media, and more.

The Specs

What's Included
Device
Data cable
Quick start guide
Product Name
Galaxy A13 32GB
Brand
Samsung
Phone Style
Smartphone
Operating System
Android 12
Internal Memory
32 GB
Screen Size
6.6 inches
Water Resistant
No
Phone Memory (RAM)
3 GB
Front-Facing Camera
8 MP
Rear-Facing Camera
50 MP
Processor Model
Exynos 850
Internet Connectable
Yes
Voice Assistant Built-in
Google Assistant
Wireless Technology
2G, 3G, 4G, 4G LTE, LTE
Model Number
SM-A135UZKDXAA
Color
Black
Bluetooth Enabled
Yes
Charging Interface
USB Type C
Carrier
Data and coverage provided by Bark

Ready for a phone that’s safer right out of the box?

Plans start at just $49/month with no contract required.