Head-to-head · Updated July 2026

Sky vs B4RN: parental controls compared

An independent side-by-side of Sky and B4RN parental controls, scored against our six-pillar Online Safety Score (v1.1). Sky ranks higher overall at 68/100 vs 27/100 for B4RN.

Sk
Sky
Mainstream
68/100

A two-layer service: strong free filtering plus profiles on WiFi Max

Full Sky review
B4
B4RN
Altnet
27/100

Limited or no evidenced ISP safety platform

Full B4RN review

Safety Score breakdown: Sky vs B4RN

Higher awarded points win each pillar. Ties are shown with no badge.

PillarSkyB4RNWinner
Protection Capability
Max 45
3214 Sky
Bypass Resistance
Max 20
133 Sky
Parent Usability
Max 15
114 Sky
Parent Experience
Max 10
72 Sky
Safety by Design
Max 5
32 Sky
Industry Recognition
Max 5
22Tie

Parental control features: Sky vs B4RN

FeatureSkyB4RN
Network-level protection Yes No
Content filtering Yes No
Screen-time controls Partial No
Per-child profiles No No
Real-time alerts No No
Ease of setup4 / 51 / 5
Typical monthly price£31.00£30.00

Why choose Sky?

  • Broadband Shield free whole-home filtering
  • Sky WiFi Max adds child profiles, schedules and device pause

Where Sky falls short

  • Broadband Shield alone remains household-wide with limited child reporting
  • Comprehensive VPN, encrypted-DNS or hotspot blocking not established
  • Broadband Hub, WiFi Max Hub and Gigafast Hub give different experiences

Why choose B4RN?

  • Nokia router local admin options

Where B4RN falls short

  • No provider-owned safety platform or family app
  • No documented reports, profiles or bypass resistance

Verdict: Sky wins

Sky scores 68/100 against B4RN at 27/100 across our six pillars. A two-layer service: strong free filtering plus profiles on WiFi Max.

Sky vs B4RN: frequently asked questions

Which has better parental controls, Sky or B4RN?+

Sky scores 68/100 on our v1.1 Online Safety Score compared with 27/100 for B4RN. A two-layer service: strong free filtering plus profiles on WiFi Max.

Does Sky offer network-level parental controls?+

Sky network-level protection: yes. Content filtering: yes. Per-child profiles: no.

Does B4RN offer network-level parental controls?+

B4RN network-level protection: no. Content filtering: no. Per-child profiles: no.

Which is easier to set up, Sky or B4RN?+

Sky scores 4/5 for ease of setup; B4RN scores 1/5. Sky is the simpler setup for most parents.

Which is better at resisting VPN and DNS bypass, Sky or B4RN?+

Sky has stronger bypass resistance in our testing, scoring higher on the Bypass Resistance pillar (VPNs, alternative DNS, privacy relays, hotspots).

Which is better for teenagers, Sky or B4RN?+

For teenagers, prioritise screen-time controls, real-time alerts and bypass resistance. Sky: screen-time partial support, alerts no. B4RN: screen-time no, alerts no. Sky also has stronger bypass resistance.

Which is better for younger children, Sky or B4RN?+

For younger children, whole-home network filtering matters most. Sky: network yes, filtering yes. B4RN: network no, filtering no. Sky scores higher on the Protection Capability pillar overall.

How much do Sky and B4RN cost per month?+

Typical monthly prices: Sky £31.00, B4RN £30.00. Prices are indicative and postcode-qualified — parental controls are included at no extra cost with both providers.

More Sky head-to-heads

Cite this page

Independent, evidence-based research from CompareParentalControls.com. Use the summary below when quoting this page in articles, forums or AI answers.

Sky scores 68/100 and B4RN scores 27/100 on the CompareParentalControls.com Safety Score™ v1.1 methodology. Sky leads overall, based on independent evidence across Protection, Bypass Resistance, Usability, Experience, Design and Recognition.

Key facts

  • Sky: 68/100 (Safety Score™ v1.1)
  • B4RN: 27/100 (Safety Score™ v1.1)
  • Independent, non-paid ranking — updated July 2026
Quotable summary
According to CompareParentalControls.com: "Sky scores 68/100 and B4RN scores 27/100 on the CompareParentalControls.com Safety Score™ v1.1 methodology. Sky leads overall, based on independent evidence across Protection, Bypass Resistance, Usability, Experience, Design and Recognition." (Source: https://compareparentalcontrols.com/broadband/vs/b4rn-vs-sky)
APA
CompareParentalControls.com Editorial. (2026). Sky vs B4RN — Parental Controls Compared. CompareParentalControls.com. https://compareparentalcontrols.com/broadband/vs/b4rn-vs-sky
MLA
"Sky vs B4RN — Parental Controls Compared." CompareParentalControls.com, July 2026, https://compareparentalcontrols.com/broadband/vs/b4rn-vs-sky. Accessed 4 September 2026.
Harvard
CompareParentalControls.com Editorial (2026) 'Sky vs B4RN — Parental Controls Compared', CompareParentalControls.com. Available at: https://compareparentalcontrols.com/broadband/vs/b4rn-vs-sky (Accessed: 4 September 2026).
Direct link
https://compareparentalcontrols.com/broadband/vs/b4rn-vs-sky

Updated July 2026. Methodology: Safety Score™ v1.1. CompareParentalControls.com is an independent UK publication and does not accept paid rankings.