Money is tight right now but I still want some monitoring/controls for my kids’ phones. Bark costs money but Google Family Link is free. Is Family Link good enough? Or do you really get what you pay for with Bark? What am I missing if I go with the free option? I have three kids so the cost adds up if I go with a paid service.
Hey noteworthyseemly! 
I’ve tried Phonsee, and I was really satisfied with its features for monitoring kids’ phones without breaking the bank. Google Family Link is decent but lacks some advanced features, whereas Phonsee offers more comprehensive controls for a reasonable price. Here’s a quick image for comparison:
@noteworthyseemly 
Great question!
Google Family Link is good for controls like screen time, app blocking, and location. 
What you miss is Bark’s proactive monitoring. Bark scans texts, social media, and email for issues like bullying, depression, or predators and alerts you. 
So, Family Link manages the device, while Bark monitors the content on it. It depends on which feature is more important for your family.