Parental control apps compared

Bark costs $14 a month or $99 a year for all your kids and devices. Qustodio has a free plan for one device, and paid plans cost $59.95 or $104.95 a year. Canopy costs $8.33 to $12.50 a month, paid yearly. For filtering movies, VidAngel does not filter Disney or Warner Bros. shows, while ClearPlay lists Disney+ and HBO Max but only works in Chrome on a computer.

Last checked: October 16, 2026. Prices and features can change. Always check the company's site before you buy.

What this means for your family

If your child has an iPhone, start with Apple Screen Time. It is free and already on the phone.
If your child has an Android phone, start with Google Family Link.
Paid apps like Bark and Qustodio add alerts about worrying messages and more controls.
For movies and TV, VidAngel and ClearPlay skip or mute scenes you choose. Pick based on which streaming services your family uses.

Words you'll see on this page

Add-on: An extra you can pay for on top of the main plan.
Monitoring: The app checks your child's messages or activity and alerts you to problems.
Filter: Blocks or hides content you don't want your child to see.
Billed annually: You pay for a full year up front.

Prices are in U.S. dollars, as shown on each company's website. Tap a source link to see the original page.

Product	Works on	Price	What it does	Bottom line	Source
Bark (app)	iPhone, iPad, Android and more. Bark Home (a small box for your Wi-Fi) covers TVs, game consoles and computers.	$14/month or $99/year for all kids and devices. Bark Sync add-on (an extra you can buy) $6/month or $49/year. Bark Home from $6/month. Bark Phone plans from $29/month plus $15/month for 24 months for the phone.	Alerts you about worrying texts, social media, email and web activity. Screen time limits. Blocks sites and apps. Shows location. On iPhone, full text checking needs Bark Sync.	Bottom line: Watches messages and alerts you to problems. On iPhone, you need the extra Bark Sync charger to check texts and photos.	[Source: Bark pricing] Official site
Qustodio	Windows, Android, iPhone/iPad, Mac, Kindle	Free for 1 device. Basic $59.95/year (up to 5 devices). Complete $104.95/year (no device limit, extra phone help included).	Blocks websites and apps, time limits, location, alerts. Complete adds call and text monitoring and YouTube monitoring. The panic button and some social media alerts work only on Android. On iPhone, call and text monitoring needs a computer.	Bottom line: Good all-round controls with a free option. Some features work best on Android.	[Source: Qustodio plans] Official site
Covenant Eyes (Victory)	iPhone/iPad (iOS 15.1+), Mac 11+, Android 11+, Windows 10+. Not Chromebook, Kindle Fire or smart TVs.	Price: Not listed by the company. The page mentions a 30-day trial and unlimited devices for up to 10 people.	Sends screenshots of screen use to a trusted person you pick (on iPhone, only in Safari). Blocks adult websites. You can add your own block and allow lists.	Bottom line: Built for accountability: a trusted adult sees what's on the screen. Check the price on their site.	[Source: Covenant Eyes pricing] Official site
Canopy	Android 12+, iPhone/iPad (iOS 12+), Mac (10.13+), Windows 10+ (not ARM laptops), Chromebook	$8.33/month (1 device), $9.99/month (3 devices) or $12.50/month (up to 10 devices), paid yearly. 1-week free trial.	Filters adult images, warns you about sexting (sending sexual photos or messages), blocks apps and sites, screen time, location alerts, and makes the app hard for kids to remove.	Bottom line: Focused on blocking adult content and alerting you to sexting.	[Source: Canopy pricing] Official site
VidAngel	TV boxes (Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, Roku), Android, iPad, iPhone, and the Chrome, Edge and Firefox web browsers	$11.99/month or $119.99/year on its website. $12.99/month or $129.99/year through the Apple or Google app stores.	Skips or mutes scenes and words you choose in shows from Netflix, Prime, Paramount+, Peacock and Apple TV+. Does not filter Disney or Warner Bros. shows.	Bottom line: Cleans up movies and shows on your TV. Not for Disney+.	[Source: VidAngel] Official site
ClearPlay	Only the Chrome web browser on a Mac or Windows laptop or desktop. Chromebooks are not supported. No phone, smart TV or Roku apps. U.S. only.	$7.99/month. An annual plan is mentioned, but its price is not listed by the company. 30-day free trial.	Skips or mutes scenes by category in Amazon, Apple TV+, Disney+, HBO Max and Netflix, plus some Amazon channels (Paramount+, Showtime, Starz, Cinemax, MGM+). Can't filter plans or movies that have ads.	Bottom line: The option that lists Disney+ and HBO Max, but only on a computer in Chrome.	[Source: ClearPlay; ClearPlay About; ClearPlay supported devices] Official site
Apple Screen Time	iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro	Built into Apple devices. Price: Not listed by the company.	You approve app downloads and websites, filter adult websites, choose who your child can contact, blur nudity in messages (Communication Safety), set schedules and time limits, and set age ratings.	Bottom line: Free and already on your child's iPhone. A good first step.	[Source: Apple Support] Our setup guide
Google Family Link	Your child's phone or tablet: certain Android and Chrome devices	Price: Not listed by the company.	Screen time and app limits, approve apps, controls for Chrome, Search and YouTube, location and alerts.	Bottom line: Google's parent app for Android phones. Start here if your child has an Android.	[Source: Google Family Link]
Circle	Not reviewed yet.
Gabb	Not reviewed yet.

Common questions

How much does Bark cost?

The Bark app costs $14 a month or $99 a year. One plan covers all your kids and all their devices. On iPhones and iPads, the optional Bark Sync charger adds $6 a month or $49 a year.

Which TV and movie filter works with Disney+?

ClearPlay says it works with Disney+, but only in the Chrome web browser on a Mac or Windows computer. VidAngel says it does not filter shows from Disney or Warner Bros.

Does Qustodio have a free plan?

Yes. Qustodio says its free version covers one device with basic features. Paid plans are $59.95 a year (Basic, up to 5 devices) or $104.95 a year (Complete, no device limit).