If your family uses iPhones or iPads, BrightCanary is the better choice.
BrightCanary monitors what your child types across every app — including Snapchat, Discord, text messages, and internet browsers (even incognito mode).
Bark can’t monitor most apps on iOS, limiting its visibility into your child’s digital life.
| Feature | BrightCanary | Bark |
| Monitors all apps (Snapchat, Discord, TikTok, etc.) | Yes | Limited list on iOS |
| Text message monitoring | Yes, including explicit images and deleted texts | Limited |
| AI monitoring (ChatGPT, Character.ai, etc.) | Yes | Not supported on iOS |
| Real-time alerts | Yes | No |
| 24/7 monitoring | Yes | Can only scan when child is home |
| iPhone & iPad monitoring | Yes | Limited |
| Apple Watch monitoring | Yes, on Text Message Plus plan | No |
| Price | Starting at $79.99/year | Starting at $99.99/year |
BrightCanary uses a secure on-device keyboard that monitors what kids type across every app — social media, messaging, AI chatbots, and more.
It delivers real-time alerts and AI-powered summaries about your child’s online interactions and emotional state. You can choose how much insight you need, whether you want to skim the summaries or dig into each message.
Bark, by contrast, has limited effectiveness on iOS. If you add Bark Home or a router with Bark built-in, you can block and filter apps and websites to all internet-connected devices — but only while your child is home.
BrightCanary was built to complement Apple’s Screen Time controls for parents, which are free. These settings allow you to block and filter apps and websites no matter where your child is with their phone.
Bark has many of the same features as Apple Screen Time as part of their paid app.
Choose BrightCanary if you want to:
Choose Bark if you want to:
“It actually captures my daughter’s bazillion iPhone texts when Bark did not. Thank you!”
— Julie
“Parents! I just found BrightCanary. (If you know about it shame on you for not telling me!) It helps monitor your kiddos phone. It detects bullying and anything inappropriate for kids! And yes you can see the messages they send — including Snap, Discord, Roblox.”
— Carly
If your child uses Apple devices, BrightCanary gives you the insight Bark can’t. You’ll see what your child types — across every app — and receive alerts the moment something concerning happens.
Start your free trial today. Get 10% off a year of Text Message Plus with code PARENTS10.
Yes. BrightCanary monitors everything your child types across all apps on iPhones and iPads. Bark’s iOS monitoring is limited and only scans certain data when the child’s device is connected to Wi-Fi at home.
Partially. Bark’s monitoring on iOS is restricted due to the way the company works with Apple’s privacy rules, so it can’t see most direct messages or app activity.
Yes. BrightCanary monitors what kids type in Snapchat, Discord, TikTok, and all other messaging and social apps in real time.
No. BrightCanary focuses on message visibility and emotional safety, not app blocking. Screen time controls are freely available on Apple Screen Time.
Yes. BrightCanary doesn’t read passwords or private documents. It monitors only what your child types and stores data securely with encryption.
