Kids' phones and smartwatches: the free option first, then what is worth buying
Most families do not need a purpose-built kids' phone or watch: a hand-me-down with Screen Time or Family Link, or an Apple Watch set up through Family Setup, costs nothing extra for the phone, and an Apple Watch through Family Setup costs a monthly cellular plan if you already own the watch. A kids' phone or watch earns its place when you want fewer apps by design, and the number to compare is the monthly plan, not the price of the device.
Start with a phone you already own and the free controls from Apple or Google, or with an Apple Watch set up through Family Setup if you already have a cellular one. Buy a purpose-built kids' phone or watch only for a reason you can name, usually fewer apps by design rather than by settings. Every device below needs a monthly plan or subscription on top of its price, so compare the monthly cost and any contract term before the device itself. Prices and plan terms were read on each maker's own page on 2026-11-12 and change often. Each card ends with a rough first-year cost, before taxes and fees, where we could read the numbers.
Brands in this guide
- Gabb2 picks
- Bark2 picks
- Pinwheel1 pick
Teracube1 pick · safety review- Troomi1 pick
- Garmin1 pick
- TickTalk1 pick
- Apple1 pick
Start with what you already own
Most families can skip this page's shopping list. A phone you already own, set up with a child account, gives you purchase approval, downtime, content limits and limits on who the child can contact. We have a setup guide for each: parental controls on iPhone and iPad and Google Family Link, set up properly. If you already own a cellular Apple Watch, Apple's Family Setup can turn it into a child's watch with no iPhone of their own. Apple's page lists only cellular models (Series 4 or later with cellular, or SE or later with cellular), and it needs an iPhone of yours, a Family Sharing group and a cellular plan with a carrier Apple lists. The cellular plan is a recurring monthly cost; we did not read a price for it.
When a kids' phone or watch earns its place
A purpose-built device is worth a look when you want fewer apps by design, not by settings. A phone with Screen Time can have the apps switched off. A phone made for children never had them. That is the real difference, and it is worth paying for only if you would otherwise be fighting the settings.
The cost of that choice is usually the plan. Every device below needs a monthly plan or subscription, from the maker or from a carrier, and several tie you to a contract term or a financing plan. Read the plan first and the device second. For the apps and monitoring side, see our assessment of parental control apps.
Two names we cannot link
Verizon's Gizmo Watch is the largest name in this category and it is not sold on Amazon, so we cannot link it. Verizon's page (read 2026-11-12) lists the Gizmo Watch 4 as its current model, shows it starting at $4.99 a month over 36 months at 0% APR. That is the device financing; Verizon's plans page lists the Unlimited for Gizmo line plan at $10 a month on top. Jiobit, the small clip-on GPS tag now sold by Life360, is not on Amazon either, and we could not confirm its current price (see the FAQ). Both are named so you can look them up, and neither earns us anything today. If we add links, the page will say so.
Trackers: what they are and are not for
A GPS tracker that clips to a backpack is a different thing from a watch. It reports where the bag is, with no calls or texts. An AirTag is not a child tracker at all: Apple's own page describes it for items and says these products should not be used to track people. If the aim is to find a child who is out of sight, a watch or phone that your child knows about is the better tool, and your child should know that it shares location.
Ready for a phone?
No age is right for every child, and a watch or a basic phone may fit a younger child better than a smartphone. Our age-by-age guidance gives the questions to ask, and the kids' devices guide covers the account and the setup before you buy anything.
Prices on this page
Plan prices, contract terms and device prices were read on each maker's own page on 2026-11-12 and are dated on the card. They move often, particularly around the holidays, and where we could not read a figure we say so rather than fill it in. The price on each Amazon card is Amazon's live price and can differ from the maker's page.
Our top pick
Gabb Phone 4 - Kids Phone, GPS Tracker, No Internet, Black | Phone for kids ages 8-12, parental controls, no social media, no internet browser, phone plan required
Gabb Phone 4 — a reasonable place to start if a hand-me-down will not do and your child needs calls and texts rather than apps. Gabb's page says it has no app store, no social media and no internet browser. Contacts are child-managed by default, so switch on parent-managed mode in the MyGabb app if you want to approve who can reach your child. We could not read Gabb's per-tier plan prices or its month-to-month price, so total the year before you decide. This is not a ranking: the shelves below are alphabetical, and every card links to Amazon, where we earn a commission on qualifying purchases. That did not set the order or this pick.
Kids' phones
Five phones built for children, in alphabetical order by maker. None is ranked by what any maker pays us. Only Amazon links earn us a commission today, so every card here links to an Amazon listing. Each phone needs the maker's monthly plan or a compatible carrier plan.
Bark Phone for Kids & Teens - GPS Tracking & Parental Controls - A16 | Monitor texts, social media, and more, tamper proof, unlimited talk/text, safest phone
A Samsung Android phone with the controls built into the phone rather than added as an app. Bark's page lists the Bark Phone (Galaxy A16) at $360 and a Bark Phone Pro at $600 for devices bought from 2026-11-03. Amazon's listing, sold by Bark, shows a different price, so check which handset and terms you are getting. A Bark wireless plan is required to activate it: $29 a month for Starter (talk and text, no internet, app store or games), and $39 to $79 for the Advanced tiers with data. Bark's page mentions no contract or minimum term, and offers a 60-day money-back guarantee on the device cost only. Bark's return policy says phones bought from Amazon follow Amazon's return policy, so that guarantee applies to purchases on bark.us. First year on Starter is about $708 ($360 plus 12 × $29), before taxes; the Advanced tiers cost more. Parents can manage it from an Android phone or an iPhone, but the child's phone is an Android.
Gabb Phone 4 - Kids Phone, GPS Tracker, No Internet, Black | Phone for kids ages 8-12, parental controls, no social media, no internet browser, phone plan required
Our overall top pick — see the card at the top of this page.
No app store, no social media and no internet browser, by Gabb's description, with 16 preloaded apps. Gabb's page shows $229.99 on sale ($249.99 otherwise), and a Gabb plan is required: Gabb's homepage footnote gives a service plan range of $12.99 to $17.99 a month and a $30 activation fee. We could not read the per-tier prices on the phone page, so check the tier you are buying. Gabb offers 1-year and 2-year terms with early-termination fees ($100 or $150 at the start, falling over time, per Gabb's terms) and says a month-to-month option exists; Gabb says the contract terms save money, so month-to-month may cost more than the range above, and we could not read that price. Parents manage it in the MyGabb app. Contacts are child-managed by default, and a parent-managed mode is switched on in the app, so turn that on if you want to approve who your child can contact. Location updates about every 15 minutes, which is not live tracking. Gabb does not name its carrier. First year is roughly $416 to $476 on the range above (phone, $30 activation, 12 months), before taxes.
Genesis 4 Kids Smartphone (Age 8-18) | First Month Free, No Activation Fees | Millions of Apps with 1,200+ Safety Ratings | Unlocked | Customizable Controls | No Social Media
Pinwheel's Caregiver Portal Only plan, $17.99 a month ($174.99 a year), works with a SIM from a major carrier, so you can keep your own plan. Its Pinwheel Wireless plan is $29.99 a month ($284.99 a year) with unlimited calls and texts and 5 GB of data. The Genesis 4 is listed as compatible with T-Mobile and AT&T, not Verizon and not 5G, so check your carrier before you buy; Pinwheel's other handsets list wider carrier support. Pinwheel's page says there is no web browser by default, a safelist of approved contacts, remote text monitoring, and that you can turn on the Google Play Store except for social media and adult apps. The page we read showed no handset price, so the card's price is Amazon's. Pinwheel lists no contracts for Pinwheel Wireless. First year on Pinwheel Wireless is about $404 ($119 at Amazon's price plus the $284.99 annual plan), before taxes.
Teracube Thrive Kids Smart Phone – Safe Android Phone for Kids & Teens with Parental Controls, Block/Limit Social Media and Internet, GPS, Talk & Text, Spam Blocker (Monthly Plan Required)
A repairable Android phone with parent approval for apps. Teracube's FAQ lists two versions: $129 with Teracube Wireless, which works only on that network, and $249 to use your own network, listed as working on T-Mobile-based carriers and not on AT&T or Verizon. The Amazon listing here is the $129 version, titled "(Monthly Plan Required)". Teracube Wireless runs on T-Mobile with no contract: $35 a month for talk and text, $39 with 1 GB, $49 with 4 GB. Teracube's FAQ is undated and its product page would not load when we checked, so confirm the price on the day. It says "periodic software updates" without a year count, so ask how long this model will get security updates before you buy. First year is about $549 to $717 on the $129 version ($129 plus 12 months of the $35 to $49 plans), before taxes.
Troomi Safe Phone for Kids Samsung Galaxy A17, 1 Month Service Included
A Samsung phone on AT&T's network with Troomi's parent portal. Troomi's page shows the phone as $6.94 a month for 36 months, and plans of $24.95 (Do: calls, texts, GPS, no internet), $29.95 (Dream: adds picture and group messaging) or $34.95 (Discover: adds Troomi's app store and browser, with optional mobile data) a month, plus the phone payment, taxes and fees. Troomi says social media apps stay blocked on every plan and that it plans around readiness rather than a set age. It describes month-to-month service with no contract; what happens to the phone balance if you cancel was not on the pages we read, so ask. The Amazon listing says one month of service is included. A first year is roughly $383 to $503 across the three plans (12 × the plan plus the $6.94 phone payment), before taxes and fees.
| Attribute | BarkPhone for Kids & Teens | GabbPhone 4 | PinwheelGenesis 4 Kids Smartphone | TeracubeThrive Kids Smart Phone | TroomiSafe Phone for Kids Samsung Galaxy A17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $258 | $229.99 | $119 | $129 | $225.70 |
| Availability | In stock | In stock | Check retailer | In stock | In stock |
Kids' smartwatches that work on their own
A smartwatch suits a child who needs to reach you but is not ready for a phone. These four have their own number and need no phone, and each needs a plan or subscription. The SOS button does different things on different watches. Alphabetical by maker, not ranked.
Bark Watch - Smartwatch for Kids - GPS Tracking, Talk/Text - Galaxy Watch 8 | Text, video, & phone monitoring, SOS feature, manage all contacts, safest smart watch for kids
A standalone Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 with its own number and no phone required. Bark's page lists a one-time $288 for the device only, and a required $15 a month plan that includes cell service, parental controls and the Bark app for the family. Amazon's listing, sold by Bark, shows a different price, so check. Bark says it monitors texts, photos and videos, gives parents control over contacts, and has an SOS that calls 911, with no browser, games, social media or camera. Bark offers a 60-day money-back guarantee on the device cost only, which Bark's return policy says applies to purchases on bark.us, not Amazon. It cannot currently be paired with a Bark Phone, per Bark's page. First year is about $468 ($288 plus 12 × $15), before taxes.
Gabb Watch 3e - Kids Watch with GPS Tracker, No Internet, Dark Gray | Smart watch for kids, GPS tracker, SOS button, water resistant, parental controls, phone plan required
Gabb's page shows $229.99 and $209.99 for the watch and does not say which is current, plus a plan at $12.99, $14.99 or $17.99 a month depending on the plan and a $30 activation fee. A plan is required, and 1-year and 2-year terms carry early-termination fees that fall over time, and month-to-month may cost more than those prices (we could not read it). It works without a phone, with up to 100 parent-approved contacts managed in the MyGabb app, and Gabb labels it ages 5 to 12. Two things to know. Location updates about every 15 minutes. And Gabb's page describes the SOS button two ways: it calls the child's SOS contact, and it contacts your designated parent or guardian only. Either way it does not call 911. First year is roughly $396 to $456 on the $209.99 watch (watch, $30 activation, 12 months of the $12.99 to $17.99 plans), before taxes.
Garmin Bounce™ 2, Kids Smartwatch, Calling & Texting, 43mm, Slate Gray | Two-Way Calling, Voice Messaging, Text Messaging, Real-Time Location Tracking, Active Subsciption Required for LTE Features
Garmin's page shows $299.99 and says LTE features, which include phone-free texts and voice messages and the safety and tracking features, need a subscription plan. It works without changing your own phone provider. Garmin's page, as we could read it, did not show the subscription price or the age range, so check both on Garmin's page before you buy, and we cannot give a first-year cost.
TickTalk 6 Kids SmartWatch with GPS Tracker, Calls, Texts, & SOS Ages 3-12 | HD Face Calling, SMS, Real Time GPS Tracking, Parental Controls, LTE Walkie-Talkie, Kid-friendly Music and Wellness
TickTalk's homepage describes a 4G LTE watch for ages 3 to 12 with video calls, texts, GPS and SOS, and a parent app for iOS 15.6+ or Android 6.0+. It says a wireless plan is required, from $9.99 a month (Essential: 1 GB of data, 1,000 talk minutes, unlimited text) to $19.99 (Premium: unlimited), with no contracts or activation fees. That plan section was labeled "Coming Soon" when we read it, so confirm what you would be charged. Approved contacts and blocking unknown calls and messages are the controls TickTalk lists. The product page would not load, so the card's price is Amazon's listing, sold by MyTickTalk. First year is roughly $290 to $410 at Amazon's price and those two plans, before taxes.
| Attribute | BarkWatch | GabbWatch 3e | GarminBounce™ 2 | TickTalk6 Kids SmartWatch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $272 | $209.99 | $299.99 | $169.99 |
| Availability | In stock | In stock | In stock | In stock |
Apple Watch with Family Setup
The one watch here that needs a parent's iPhone. If your family is on iPhone and you want Apple's controls, it is the option to price against the standalone watches above.
Apple Watch SE 3 GPS + Cellular 40mm Smartwatch | Starlight Aluminum Case, Sand Sport Band - S/M. Fitness + Sleep + Cycle Tracking, Heart Rate, Vitals, Safety
Apple's page says a parent can set restrictions in Screen Time, use Schooltime to limit the watch during school hours, choose trusted contacts, and see the child's location in Find My with arrive and leave alerts, and that Emergency SOS and calls to designated emergency contacts still work in Schooltime. It needs a parent iPhone, a Family Sharing group and a cellular plan with a carrier Apple lists, and Apple names a cellular SE 3 as its recommendation. The cellular plan is a recurring monthly cost on top of the watch; we did not read a price for it, and Apple's page showed no regular watch price, so the card's price is Amazon's. Apple says some health features, such as ECG and Blood Oxygen, are not available on a watch set up for a family member. Apple's footnote says the newest models need a recent iPhone, so check yours.
What the controls on these devices do not cover
- Buying the device without pricing the plan — Every device here needs a monthly plan or subscription, and several carry a contract term or a financing plan on the handset. Over a first year the plan is often as large as the device, which is why most cards end with a rough first-year cost.
- Assuming "no social media" means no strangers — These phones block social apps and, on most, limit who can call or text. How that works differs: Gabb's contacts are child-managed by default until you turn on parent-managed mode, while Troomi and Pinwheel describe approved-contact lists. Check who can reach your child before the first day.
- Reading "location" as live tracking — Gabb's pages say its location updates about every 15 minutes. Other makers describe real-time location. Decide whether a check-in every quarter hour is enough for what you want it for.
- Assuming the SOS button calls 911 — Gabb's page describes its watch's SOS two ways, as calling the child's SOS contact and as contacting your designated parent or guardian only, and says it does not call 911. Bark's page says its watch's SOS calls 911, and Apple says Emergency SOS works in Schooltime. Read what the button dials and test it with your child.
- Controls that end at the device — A phone with tight controls does not govern a friend's phone, a school laptop or a game console. The device is one place the rules apply, so the family rules and the talk still carry most of the weight.
- Locking in a long contract for a device a child outgrows — Gabb's 1-year and 2-year terms carry early-termination fees that start at $100 or $150 and fall over time, per Gabb's terms, and some phones are financed over 24 or 36 months. Gabb says its contract terms save money, so month-to-month may cost more a month. Weigh that against a device a child may outgrow.
- Tracking a child without telling them — In our view, covert tracking tends to end the openness it was meant to protect. Tell your child the device shares its location with you, and why.
How we choose
We start from the free option, because a hand-me-down with Screen Time or Family Link, or an Apple Watch through Family Setup, does the same job for less. A purpose-built device earns a place only for a reason we can name, usually fewer apps by design. We read each maker's own page for the price, the plan it requires and what the controls do, and we say when we could not read something. Order within a shelf is alphabetical, not a ranking, and no maker's payment changes it.
- A free option considered first
- The monthly plan or subscription named, with any contract term
- What the parent can control, read on the maker's own page
- What the controls do not cover, said plainly
- No fear-based selling
Every source we cite is checked against our criteria first — see how we check our sources.
Sources
- Set up Apple Watch for a family member (page published October 27, 2026; read 2026-11-12) — Apple Support
- Apple Watch for your kids (read 2026-11-12) — Apple
- Apple Watch cellular: supported carriers (read 2026-11-12) — Apple
- What to do if you get an alert that an AirTag or compatible tracker is with you (published September 24, 2026) — Apple Support
- AirTag (read 2026-11-12) — Apple
- Bark Phone: handsets, plans and controls (read 2026-11-12) — Bark Technologies
- Bark Watch: price, plan and features (read 2026-11-12) — Bark Technologies
- Gabb Phone 4 (read 2026-11-12) — Gabb Wireless
- Gabb Watch 3e: plans and features (read 2026-11-12) — Gabb Wireless
- Gabb terms and conditions: early-termination fees (read 2026-11-12) — Gabb Wireless
- Gabb: service plan range and activation fee, homepage footnote (read 2026-11-12) — Gabb Wireless
- Pinwheel phones and plans (read 2026-11-12) — Pinwheel
- Teracube FAQ: Thrive pricing and plans (read 2026-11-12) — Teracube
- Troomi plans (read 2026-11-12) — Troomi Wireless
- Troomi: network and month-to-month service, homepage (read 2026-11-12) — Troomi Wireless
- Garmin Bounce 2 (read 2026-11-12) — Garmin
- TickTalk 6 (read 2026-11-12) — TickTalk Tech
- Gizmo Watch 4 (read 2026-11-12) — Verizon
- Smartwatch plans: Unlimited for Gizmo (read 2026-11-12) — Verizon
- Jiobit (read 2026-11-12) — Jiobit, a Life360 company
Common questions
Part of the Kids' Phones, Tablets & Devices hub— the rest of our coverage in this category.