Bark Phone Review 2025

The Bark Phone is a custom Samsung Galaxy A13 with Bark’s parental approval software by the company of the Bark Premium and Bark Jr.

Bark claims it gives parents unprecedented access to their kids’ online activity, allowing them to see exactly who their kids are talking to and what they’re saying, and to be notified when danger is approaching.

In this review, we’ll break down all the features of the Bark Phone, why your kids will love it, and how it compares to other kids’ phones.

Bark Phone Review 2025

Design

The Bark Phone is basically a rebranded version of the Samsung Galaxy A13 running Android 13. It doesn’t aim to win any design awards, but it does its job well.

It’s a solid phone, and while it’s not the most stylish device in the market, it does provide all the essential features a kid needs.

Display

With a 6.6-inch PLS LCD display, quad cameras, and a side fingerprint scanner, it offers a complete smartphone experience.

Hardware

Let’s take a closer look at the Bark Phone’s features. The core processor, the Snapdragon 765G, outperforms other smartphones in its class.

This delivers incredible speed and performance, and it’s ready to handle everything your child needs to use their digital device. The ample RAM and storage make multitasking and app usage seamless.

The battery life is excellent enough to last a full day under normal usage conditions. The rugged durability is designed to withstand the wear and tear of frequent use by children.

Battery

With a built-in 5,000 mAh battery, you can use it all day long, even with Bark VPN running in the background for continuous monitoring.

Software and User Experience

The real strength of the Bark Phone is its software. With only the essentials like the camera, clock, and contacts, it may seem a bit plain at first, but parents can customize the app library to suit their usage environment.

Two main apps, Guard Dog and Bark, keep the phone’s safety features always active. Guard Dog displays the status of various features, while Bark provides a quick GPS check-in feature.

Parents can grant their children full access to the Play Store, allowing them to install games, social media apps, and more. This level of customization allows the Bark Phone to be as restrictive or as open as parents see fit.

Parental Controls

The Bark Phone’s biggest selling point is its parental controls. Unlike other smartphones for kids, Bark offers comprehensive monitoring tools.

Everything from screen time limits to location tracking is managed through the dedicated Bark app. Parents can set specific rules for school hours, bedtime, and free time to ensure the device adapts to their child’s daily routine.

One of its unique features is the Insights section, which provides detailed analytics on your child’s phone usage. From app usage to internet activity, parents can get a clear picture of their child’s digital habits and make informed decisions about access and restrictions.

Other Specs

The Bark Phone comes with a case, which saves you money. However, the basic black case lacks style points.

A USB-C charging cable is included, but there’s no charging adapter to charge the 5,000mAh battery via 15W charging (if you don’t have a USB-C charger, there are plenty of good options out there).

The battery life of the Bark Phone is pretty good, and I was able to use it all day without any issues. Considering that I’m always connected to Bark VPN to monitor my child’s activity, that’s pretty good.

If you’re careful with your phone, it should be good enough for a couple of days, but that’s not an easy task for most kids.

Conclusion

The Bark Phone gives parents everything they want in a phone without the hassle of social media or unlimited internet access. Having a phone with Bark’s parental controls is a lot more comfortable, especially since you can control who your kids are interacting with.

I don’t plan on letting my kids use social media until they’re in 8th grade, but I need to be able to communicate with them while they’re out and about on their own, and the Bark Phone is perfect for that.