The Best Phones for Kids, According to Parents and Experts

Three phones for kids arranged on a yellow background — Parents / Alli Waataja

In this day and age, it’s inevitable that your kid will need a cell phone at some point. Buying a phone for your kid is a big decision, though. Not only is it a financial investment, but you’ll also need to consider internet safety and how kids can use electronics in a healthy way. "Today's parents are both blessed and cursed by technology options made available to their children," says Titania Jordan, the chief parenting officer of parental-control app Bark. "While the ability to locate and communicate with your child in real-time is incredible, the ability of others to do so can be frightening and dangerous."

When considering which cell phone to buy for your child, consider their age, the intended uses of the phone, and the parental control options. If your teen just started driving, a smartphone with a built-in GPS and full calling abilities in case of emergency may be a good bet. For a younger kid, a simple phone with no internet access that lets them text their parents may be all they need. You may even decide that they don’t need a phone quite yet but can instead use a smartwatch to text you and make short phone calls with approved contacts.

To find the best cell phones for kids, we surveyed nearly 500 parents to learn about the phones they’ve bought for their own kids, as well as how their families navigate technology use. We also spoke to internet safety experts that specialize in kids’ safe use of phones. Additionally, we reviewed guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) regarding when to give your child a cell phone.

Our Favorites

Best Overall: Pinwheel Plus 3 Kids Smartphone
Best Budget: Gabb Phone Smart Phone for Kids & Teens
Best for Teenagers: Apple iPhone 12
Best Smartwatch: Xplora XGO3
Best First Smartphone: Apple iPhone SE (3rd Generation)
Best Android Smartphone: Samsung Galaxy S22
Nokia 2780 Flip

Best Overall: Pinwheel Plus 3 Kids Smartphone

Amazon Pinwheel Plus 3 Kids Smartphone — Amazon

Buy on Amazon $489

Why We Like It: It doesn’t have social media, and parents have control over which apps get downloaded. It also has a locator function for tracking your kid on their walk to and from school.

But Take Note: The parent app needs frequent updates, and texts are sometimes delayed.

When you’re buying a cell phone for your elementary- or middle school-age kid, you want one that has everything they need—and nothing they don’t need, like social media. The Pinwheel Plus 2 does just that, offering texting, calling, and location tracking, while also blocking social media, spam calls, YouTube, and web browsing.

One parent we surveyed purchased the Pinwheel Plus 3 for her son when he started going to school. She wanted to be able to see when we left and arrived at school, but “wanted to limit some of the most corrosive things about a phone,” like TikTok, in her opinion. She appreciates that she can use the compatible parent app to see where he is, and loves the phone’s different modes. For instance, during the day, she can enable school mode, which makes the phone “virtually useless to him till the school officially ends.” When it’s not in school mode, kids can text or call approved contacts.

When it comes to parental controls, caregivers can see their kid’s texts and call history, set the various modes, and approve all contacts and apps. “If you trust your child and set ground rules, it creates a space for a child to feel like it’s their own phone, but with a sense that a [parent] can still watch, so it teaches them healthy phone behaviors,” our respondent says. “Like, don’t send mean texts, or don’t just add anyone to your contacts.”

One downside is that the parent’s compatible app requires frequent updating, which sometimes means deleting and reinstalling it, which is a pain. Plus, texts can get delayed at times. On the other hand, setup is “pretty intuitive” and the phone is indestructible, the parent user says. While $369 is a higher price than some other options, at the end of the day, it is a smartphone with a camera and (non-social media) apps, so we feel the price tag is justified.

The Details:

Compatible carriers: Any
Monthly cost: $10 or your own plan
Installment plan available: Not listed
Display: 6.5 inches
Features: Camera, location tracking, texting, calling, school mode
Parental controls: App approval, contact approval

Best Budget: Gabb Phone Smart Phone for Kids & Teens

Buy on Amazon $75 Buy on Gabb.com

Why We Like It: It’s reasonably priced, has GPS tracking, and doesn’t have internet or social media.

But Take Note: It may be too simple for older kids, and it’s not compatible with several major networks.

The Gabb Phone is a kid-friendly phone that’s great for younger kids or those first adjusting to owning a phone. And at $150, it’s a particularly budget-friendly pick. Though it’s technically a smartphone, there are plenty of safety features built into it, including the fact that it has no access to the internet or social media apps. Additionally, there is no app store for kids to download potentially harmful or inappropriate content.

A GPS tracker helps parents keep an eye on their kids’ location and doubles as a handy “find my phone” system in case the phone gets misplaced. Pre-programmed into the phone are a camera, calculator, clock, voice recorder, radio, photo album, phone, and messenger app—and that’s pretty much it. It also has Gabb Music, a music streaming platform that exclusively contains clean content that kids can listen to with Bluetooth or wired headphones.

The phone comes with unlimited talk and text, but there are safety features built into both. We appreciate that Gabb Guard has advanced filters that block high-risk content from reaching your kid’s phone in the first place, whether it’s an inappropriate text or a spam call. You can also monitor all of your kid’s incoming and outgoing messages on your own phone using the Gabb Messenger for Parents app.

It’s worth noting that this phone works primarily through Gabb’s own proprietary wireless network, meaning you can’t add it to an existing plan with companies like AT&T or T-Mobile. And even though the Gabb network runs through Verizon, you’ll need a separate contract. While this may mean a little more paperwork, that hassle comes with safety features and peace of mind.

The Details:

Compatible carriers: Gabb wireless network
Monthly cost: $25 per month
Installment plan available: Yes
Display: 5.45 inches, 720 x 1440 pixels
Features: GPS tracking, unlimited talk and text, fingerprint scan, geofencing safe zones
Parental controls: No internet or social media access; caregivers can monitor messages from their own phone

Best for Teenagers: Apple iPhone 12

Buy on Amazon $542 Buy on Walmart $791 Buy on Verizon $649

Why We Like It: Ideal for teens and older users, this is a full-featured smartphone with the ability to add parental controls.

But Take Note: It’s a pricier option with fewer parental controls than other options.

As kids become teens, they’ll likely need a smartphone, particularly after they start driving. The iPhone 12 was the most popular smartphone choice among the parents we surveyed—it’s not the newest option out there, but it has the full range of features you’d expect from an iPhone. Teenagers can call, text, use GPS and map services, and access the internet and other apps (unless you’ve enabled parental controls), so this phone can be a good starting point for conversations about using the internet responsibly and safely.

Though it does have all these features, caregivers can still enable certain parental controls, including screen time limits, content and privacy settings, restricting iTunes and App Store purchases, enabling a Driving Focus feature, and more. You can also enable settings that only allow one trusted adult to change the phone’s password and other settings, so your kid can’t undo the parental controls themselves.

It’s no secret that iPhones are pricey, and at $599 for the 64 GB version, you’ll want to have a discussion with your teen about caring for the phone before purchasing. However, you’re getting a high-quality phone that can function as a full-featured smartphone as your kid gets a handle on using their phone safely. But, caregivers will also appreciate all of the parental control options that let you tailor the phone’s functionalities as they fit your family’s needs.

The Details:

Compatible carriers: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile/Sprint
Monthly cost: Varies by carrier
Installment plan available: Yes
Display: 6.1 inches
Features: Camera, GPS tracking, talk, text, video chat, and more
Parental controls: Content and privacy restrictions, screen time limits, Driving Focus, and more

Best Smartwatch: Xplora XGO3

Buy on Amazon $99 Buy on Target $130 Buy on Walmart $130

Why We Like It: Since it can text, call, and send voice messages, it’s a great option if your kid isn’t quite ready for their own phone. Plus, it has impressive GPS tracking capabilities.

But Take Note: Setup can be tricky, and there is no print manual.

If your kiddo is younger—or simply not yet ready to have their own phone—a smartwatch is a handy alternative. The Xplora XGO 3 impressed our 8-year-old tester and her mom with its top-notch location tracking: A trusted adult can use the brand’s app to track their kid in real time, complete with timestamps and the buildings’ street addresses. Plus, geofencing features alert the caregiver whenever the child leaves a pre-programmed trusted zone. We did find that only one adult can be the primary account holder, which isn’t ideal for two-parent families. (The other caregiver will need to be programmed as a regular contact, without access to location tracking.)

The Xplora XGO 3 has many of the same features as a phone, including the ability to talk, text, and send voice messages. You—and approved contacts—can communicate with your kid using the app, though note that kids can only send pre-written texts, which may be frustrating for older children. On the other hand, they will enjoy that they can earn virtual coins for every 1,000 steps, which they can then spend on games in the watch’s Activity Platform.

We found that the initial setup of this smartwatch can be frustrating. The directions are online-only, and we had some trouble navigating the website and seemingly non-existent customer service. Then again, at $130, this is a budget-friendly starter pick.

The Details:

Compatible carriers: 4G LTE via Xplora Connect, Wi-Fi
Monthly cost: $10/month
Installment plan available: No
Display: 1.3 inches
Features: Voice calls, messages, camera, Wi-Fi and network compatibility, pedometer, waterproof, school mode, stopwatch, alarms, and reminders
Parental controls: GPS and safety zone, SOS button

Best First Smartphone: Apple iPhone SE (3rd Generation)

Buy on Amazon $429 Buy on Walmart $349 Buy on T-mobile.com

Why We Like It: It has most of the conveniences of an Apple iPhone without the hefty price tag of fancier models.

But Take Note: It’s an older style, with a home button and no Face ID.

If you’re looking to buy your kid’s very first smartphone that’s not a dumbed-down “kid’s phone,” we recommend the iPhone SE. It has plenty of the features we expect from iPhones, including a high-quality camera, GPS tracking, internet access, and strong connectivity. However, it has a relatively more accessible pricetag, making it a good jumping-off point into the world of advanced tech.

This phone is built to withstand wear and tear—the brand says it “shrugs off” liquids like water and juice—and has super tough glass for when your kiddo inevitably drops it. Kids can even get creative with the camera thanks to fun features like slo-mo videos, Portrait Mode, and more. It’s worth mentioning that the phone has an older design, with a home button—which has mostly gone by the wayside in other models—and no Face ID, though we think it still has plenty of cool features.

Like the iPhone 12, there are plenty of parental control options, despite this not being a phone designed just for kids. You can limit screen time, block explicit content or social media sites, disable the internet, and set yourself as the sole administrator of privacy settings. Priced at $429, it’s only $60 more than the Pinwheel Plus 3, though it’s a less little-kid-oriented pick.

The Details:

Compatible carriers: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, others
Monthly cost: Varies by carrier
Installment plan available: Yes
Display: 4.7 inches
Features: Camera, GPS tracking, talk, text, video chat, and more
Parental controls: Content and privacy restrictions, screen time limits, Driving Focus, and more

Best Android Smartphone: Samsung Galaxy S22

Buy on Samsung $700 Buy on Verizon $700

Why We Like It: It's compatible with kid-safe apps and parental control apps.

But Take Note: It has a shorter battery life than comparable smartphones, and its list price is quite steep.

For families that prefer Android (or don’t want to switch their current operating system), the Samsung Galaxy S22 was another popular smartphone pick among the parents we surveyed. The Galaxy S22 has a large display and impressive battery, and it’s compatible with Samsung's kid-friendly digital ecosystem, Kids Mode.

You can also enable parental controls through Google's Family Link, which lets you set restrictions on the apps your kid can download, the websites they can access, how much screen time they can have, and more.

According to Jordan, Android is the best operating system for parents wanting to monitor their kids’ phone use. "[Android] plays well with third-party apps and provides more monitoring coverage for YouTube, Snapchat, and Instagram,” she says.

The Details:

Compatible carriers: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile
Installment plan available: Yes
Display: 6.1 inches
Features: Camera, GPS tracking, talk, text, video chat, and more
Parental controls: Screen limits, website restrictions, app restrictions, and more

Nokia 2780 Flip

Buy on Amazon $90 Buy on Target $90 Buy on Best Buy $90

Why We Like It: It’s an elevated flip phone with access to the internet, and it’s not a big investment.

But Take Note: There are no real parental controls, though social media access is limited.

A flip phone is a great choice for your kid’s first phone, and it’s a smart option if you’d like to limit their access to social media. The Nokia 2780 is an elevated flip phone with a digital screen on the outside, which displays the time and caller IDs. It has internet access—as well as access to YouTube, though the process is clunky—but no other social media apps, like Instagram or TikTok, which many parents will find comforting. It does, on the other hand, have some helpful apps like Google Maps and a camera.

Kids can call or text from this phone, which has up to 18 days of battery life. Its buttons are easy for little fingers to press, though they’ll have to text with the number keys, like we did in olden times. A camera records photo and video, and the thing is built to last—even if your kid tends to be rough on stuff. While there are no official parental controls, there is an SOS button on the side that can be programmed with a caregiver’s number in case of emergency.

This trusty little flip phone will run you just $90, and since it comes unlocked, you can use it with just about any carrier.

The Details:

Compatible carriers: Verizon, AT&T, Boost, Cricket, H2O Wireless, Metro, Net10, Simple Mobile, T-Mobile, Tracfone, and more
Monthly cost: Varies by carrier
Installment plan available: Yes, at some retailers
Display: 2.7 inches
Features: Keypad, internet access, camera
Parental controls: Emergency SOS button

Other Notable Phones for Kids

iPhone 11: This phone was a popular pick among our parent testers, but it’s pretty much only available refurbished these days. Though that can be a more affordable way to purchase a fancy phone, it’s also a riskier move.
Palm Phone: True to its name, the Palm Phone is so small it fits in the palm of your hand, making it a good choice, size-wise, for younger kiddos. However, it doesn’t get high ratings, and it’s only compatible with Verizon.
iPhone 13: While this is a high-quality, full-featured smartphone, we don’t feel like the price tag—starting at $680—is reasonable for a kids’ cell phone.

Our Testing Process

To find the best cell phones for kids that are safe, age-appropriate, and high quality, we surveyed over 480 parents about the phones they’ve bought for their children, how their families have navigated cell phone use, and more. We also conducted thorough research, evaluating the top products on the market. Additionally, we spoke with Caroline Cadwell, CEO and co-founder of Unpluq, and Titania Jordan, the chief parent officer of parental-control app Bark, about kids’ safe phone use.

We took all of this information into account when making our list, finding these top-performing phones for a variety of ages, uses, and prices.

Factors to Consider When Buying Phones for Kids

Intended Use

Before buying a phone for your kid, Jordan recommends asking yourself a few questions about what you want from the product: “Do you want your child to have access to the internet? Is location-tracking an important feature their device should have? Do you want your child to be able to download apps? Do you want to limit who your child can communicate with (and when)?” And so forth.

Similarly, Cadwell recommends assessing how much—and what—you want to control or monitor. “If you're looking to limit content, a device with this built in, such as Gabb Phone, might be appropriate for you, especially if your child is on the younger side,” she says. “It also depends how long you expect to keep the device—a year? Three? If you expect to keep the phone for longer, you may want a more flexible device like an iPhone or Android that you can ‘loosen’ access restrictions to as your child gets older and more mature.” Once you’ve decided what’s most important to your family, you’ll have more clarity about which phone is best for your intended use.

Age and Maturity

Your child’s age is a determining factor when selecting the right phone for them. Additionally, take their maturity levels and sense of responsibility into consideration, according to the AAP. Younger kiddos likely don’t need to be exposed to the internet or any fancy features, and their schools might not even let them bring their phone with them during the school day.

As kids get older, they may be ready for more freedom, such as the ability to access the internet or engage with their friends over social media. If you choose a tricked-out smartphone, like our best-for-teens pick the Apple iPhone 12, set boundaries and family rules about safe, kind, and healthy use of these features. “Also, understand teens are naturally curious,” one of our parent survey respondents says. “Don't be so quick to punish them for what you might find on their phones. Instead, it's an opportunity to have a real conversation with them about the content.”

Parental Controls

The internet can be a scary place, so many parents want to have some control over what their kids can and cannot access on their phones. Many kids’ phones have compatible apps that caregivers can download onto their own phones. These apps often allow you to restrict access to certain sites, control what apps kids can download, decide how much screen time they can have, and more.

Another key factor is a location tracker. Many parents we surveyed shared that the primary reason they bought a phone for their kid was so they could see their child’s location—checking that the bus arrived at school safely, for example. Typically, this location is visible in the parent’s app, and some options, like the Xplora XGO 3, even provide timestamps and addresses.

How to Use Kids’ Phones Safely

To promote safe cell phone use, discuss your family’s expectations around the internet, social media, and phone usage with your child prior to giving them the phone. Set up clear rules, such as no phones in the bedroom past bedtime, or letting them know that you will randomly be checking their messages. A phone is “a reward that can be taken away, but they have to believe you will actually take it away,” one parent tells us.

One way to encourage healthy habits is limiting or banning phone use at certain times, like at night, at school, or during study time, says Cadwell. “This can be as simple as taking the device away at night, or as complex as using parental control settings to disallow access to noncritical apps at certain hours, or budgeting the amount of time spent on each app per day,” she says.

Another idea is to create a phone “contract.” “All of my kids had to sign a phone contract before receiving their first phones, and I would recommend it to anyone,” one parent tester says. “We included the rules of when and where they could use their phones, what they could and could not do on their phones, behavioral expectations for interacting with others on social media, and a list of consequences for breaking the contract. No one could ever say they didn’t know they weren’t supposed to do something!”

“Your best tool to keep your kids safe online is good communication and dialogue about going online with your child,” says Cadwell, who recommends having this conversation sooner rather than later, before your child is in their teen years.

Your Questions, Answered

Is there a kids’ phone that only texts and calls?

The Gabb Phone and Pinwheel Plus 3 are two options that allow texting and calling—and not much else. Neither phone has social media or internet access, and only parent-approved contacts can reach your kid via text or phone call.

What is a good first cell phone for kids?

A good first cell phone for kids should be simple to operate, and usually, it should be pretty bare bones when it comes to features. We recommend the Pinwheel Plus 3 or the Gabb Phone for their very first phone, or a smartwatch like the Xplora XGO 3. If you’re looking for a smartphone, the Apple iPhone SE and Samsung Galaxy 22 are good entry points with plenty of parental control options.

What age should kids have cell phones?

There’s no one right answer to this question, as the best age for a kid to get their first cell phone will vary between different families and situations. However, Cadwell suggests that parents chat with their kids’ friends’ caregivers about the topic. “Having a pact between you and the parents of your kid's peer group [about] what age or time to do this will bring more success and less friction to your relationship with your child, because none of their peers will be in a different situation,” she says. “Waiting too long...after your child's friends already have devices can cause some unintended negative effects like conflict in the family, resentment, social isolation for your child, and teasing and negative attention from peers.”

Who We Are

Phoebe Sklansky is the associate commerce editor at Parents. Experienced in the parenting and lifestyle space, she’s also written for Verywell Family, Health, Travel + Leisure, People, and Momtastic. An avid shopper herself, Phoebe is dedicated to researching and testing products to provide the best recommendations to readers—she’s tested dozens in our lab and at home, from strollers to baby swings to diaper bags. For this story, Parents spoke with Caroline Cadwell, CEO and co-founder of Unpluq, Titania Jordan, the chief parent officer of parental-control app Bark.