9 compared

Smartwatches for kids, compared

By Jason, father of two · Facts checked October 2026

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We compared 9 kids' smartwatches using each maker's official specs, checked October 2026. The right one depends on your phone, carrier, and rules. For iPhone families: Apple Watch SE. No iPhone needed: Verizon Gizmo Watch, Gabb Watch, T-Mobile SyncUP KIDS Watch, Fitbit Ace LTE, Xplora X6Play, Bark Watch, Pinwheel Watch, and TickTalk Watch.

Which one fits your family?

For iPhone families

Needs a parent's iPhone to set up and manage

Apple Watch SE

No iPhone needed

Doesn't need a parent iPhone

No camera listed

The maker lists no camera

Side by side

Device	Needs parent iPhone	Camera	Open web browser	Carrier	Plan from
Apple Watch SE	Yes	None listed by Apple	Not stated by Apple	AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Cricket Wireless, Xfinity Mobile, Boost Mobile, C Spire, Cellcom, BetterRoaming	Not published
Verizon Gizmo Watch	No	Video calling, per Verizon	No	Verizon only	~$10/mo
Gabb Watch	No	No	No	Standalone Gabb plan	~$12.99/mo
T-Mobile SyncUP KIDS Watch	No	Yes	Not stated by T-Mobile	T-Mobile only	Not published
Fitbit Ace LTE	No	None listed by Google	Not stated by Google	LTE included in the Ace Pass plan	~$9.99/mo
Xplora X6Play	No	Yes	No	Xplora Connect SIM (AT&T / T-Mobile)	~$12/mo
Bark Watch	No	No	No	Bark's own cellular service	~$15/mo
Pinwheel Watch	No	Yes	Not stated by Pinwheel	Pinwheel Wireless	~$14.99/mo
TickTalk Watch	No	Yes	No	TickTalk Wireless (AT&T or T-Mobile networks)	~$9.99/mo

Prices are approximate and change often; checked October 2026. Confirm with the provider before you buy.

Every option, in detail

Apple Watch SE

Apple · Web risk (our rating): Low, with guardrails

Per Apple, parents manage Screen Time and Content & Privacy Restrictions from their own iPhone
Find My location with arrival and departure alerts, per Apple
Schooltime mode silences non-emergency distractions on a schedule, per Apple
Emergency SOS connects your child to emergency services, per Apple

Requires the parent to have an iPhone, per Apple; there is no Android support
Per Apple, standalone use needs the GPS + Cellular model plus a carrier's wireless service plan

Pricing: Per Apple, the watch starts from $249, and a child without their own iPhone needs the pricier GPS + Cellular model, from $299. That model also needs a wireless service plan from a carrier; Apple says to contact your service provider for details, so confirm the price with your carrier. Prices from Apple, checked October 2026.

Full profile View at Apple

View Apple Watch SE on Amazon

Verizon Gizmo Watch

Verizon · Web risk (our rating): None, per the maker

Up to 40 parent-approved contacts and no web browser or social media, per Verizon
Real-time GPS with safe-zone alerts and a parent-scheduled School Mode, per Verizon
Video calls with approved contacts, and water resistant to 50 meters, per Verizon

Works on Verizon only and needs its own $10/mo watch line, per Verizon
Per Verizon, the SOS button calls your preset contacts, not 911
Per Verizon, a video call has a three-minute time limit

Pricing: Per Verizon, the watch is about $180 (or about $5/mo financed over 36 months), plus a $10/mo Verizon watch line. Verizon says a one-time $40 activation fee may apply (waived for new customers and those opted into Verizon Loyalty). Its service is added to a Verizon mobile account. Prices from Verizon, checked October 2026.

Full profile View at Verizon

Gabb Watch

Gabb · Web risk (our rating): None, per the maker

No camera, internet browser, or social media, and no traditional, addictive games, per Gabb
Up to 100 parent-approved contacts and GPS with Safe Zones, per Gabb
Water-resistant (IP68), per Gabb

Per Gabb, it needs a Gabb cellular plan, and most Gabb devices work only on the Gabb network
Per Gabb, the SOS button contacts your designated parent or guardian only, Gabb Watches cannot call 911, and GPS refreshes about every 15 minutes

Pricing: Per Gabb, the watch is about $230 plus a one-time $30 activation fee, on a standalone Gabb plan from about $13/mo with a 2-year contract (about $15/mo for 1 year, or about $18/mo with no contract). Gabb lists an early termination fee of $150 plus taxes if you cancel before the end of the 2-year term, or $100 plus taxes on the 1-year term, and says the fee decreases month by month later in the contract. Prices from Gabb, checked October 2026.

Full profile View at Gabb

View Gabb Watch on Amazon

T-Mobile SyncUP KIDS Watch

T-Mobile · Web risk (our rating): Not rated

Approved-contacts-only calls, texts, and video, and School Mode, per T-Mobile
Real-time GPS, geofencing, and a Help button that alerts emergency contacts and can call 911, per T-Mobile
Cameras for photos and video calls, per T-Mobile

Per T-Mobile, it's locked to T-Mobile and needs a T-Mobile account with a voice line
Has a camera and video calling, per T-Mobile

Pricing: Per T-Mobile, the watch is about $174, plus up to a $35 device connection charge and a monthly SyncUP watch line (confirm its current price), and it requires a T-Mobile account with at least one voice line. Prices from T-Mobile, checked October 2026.

Full profile View at T-Mobile

Fitbit Ace LTE

Google · Web risk (our rating): Not rated

No ads or third-party apps, and approved contacts only, per Google
Real-time GPS and School Time, and location history is deleted after a short time, per Google
Activity games (Bit Valley) that reward moving, per Google

Per Google, it needs the paid Ace Pass plan to work
Per Google, the watch is not capable of calling emergency services; its Call for help calls a parent

Pricing: Per Google, the watch is about $180, plus a required Ace Pass plan (about $10/mo or $119/yr) that bundles the LTE, so there's no separate carrier to set up. Prices from Google, checked October 2026.

Full profile View at Google Store

Xplora X6Play

Xplora · Web risk (our rating): None, per the maker

No internet or social media, and approved-contacts-only calls, texts, and photos, per Xplora
GPS, SOS, Safe Zones, and School Mode, per Xplora
Comes with a SIM installed, so no separate carrier setup, per Xplora

Per Xplora, it needs the paid Xplora Connect plan to work
Per Xplora, the SOS function contacts guardians, not emergency services, and 911 can't be saved as a contact in the U.S. or Canada

Pricing: Per Xplora, the watch is about $170, with the Xplora Connect plan about $12/mo; a SIM comes installed (runs on AT&T/T-Mobile), so there's no carrier trip. Xplora's own store says the plan has no commitment and no cancellation fees. Prices from Xplora, checked October 2026.

Full profile View at Xplora

Bark Watch

Bark · Web risk (our rating): None, per the maker

No camera, browser, games, or social media apps, per Bark
Per Bark, its monitoring scans texts and alerts parents to concerns like bullying
Talk and text, with optional parent approval of contacts, per Bark

Needs Bark's service plan; per Bark, if you cancel it more than 60 days after purchase the watch is yours to keep, but its apps are grayed out after the billing period ends
Per Bark, the Emergency call option calls 911 (it is preset and can't be customized), and the current watch doesn't send alerts for saved places

Pricing: Per Bark, the watch is $288, a one-time purchase, plus a required Bark service plan at about $15/mo, which includes cell service and parental controls, and a Bark App subscription for the whole family. Bark says you can choose Affirm at checkout to pay over time, and that watches bought from it have a 60-day money-back guarantee (plan payments aren't refunded). Prices from Bark, checked November 2026.

Full profile View at Bark

View Bark Watch on Amazon

Image: Pinwheel

Pinwheel Watch

Pinwheel · Web risk (our rating): Not rated

Only approved numbers can call or text, and parents can review texts and call history, per Pinwheel
Per Pinwheel, the watch works whether you use an Android, an iPhone, or no smartphone at all, and you control it from a browser or the parent app
Location on the parent dashboard and a focus mode for school and bedtime, per Pinwheel

Per Pinwheel, it can't be bought without its subscription, and it hasn't been tested on other carriers
Per Pinwheel, it has front and rear cameras (which can be disabled) and an AI chat app, PinwheelGPT
Pinwheel says parents enable 911 and other emergency numbers by adding them in the Caregiver Portal, and the watch isn't available in Alaska yet

Pricing: Per Pinwheel, the watch is about $129 on its product page (its help article says $159), plus a required Pinwheel subscription at about $15/mo, or about $43 quarterly or $165 yearly, that includes its own Pinwheel Wireless plan and the Caregiver Portal. Pinwheel lists a 30-day money-back guarantee on the watch and says a subscription can't be refunded once it's billed, except that an annual plan can be refunded within 30 days of purchase once the device is returned. Confirm the current price and terms at Pinwheel. Prices from Pinwheel, checked October 2026.

Full profile View at Pinwheel

TickTalk 6 watch in white with a teal band — Image: TickTalk

TickTalk Watch

TickTalk · Web risk (our rating): None, per the maker

No internet browser, social media, app store, or games, per TickTalk
Per TickTalk, your child can call, video call, and text only the contacts you approve
Holding the red SOS button for five seconds calls a designated emergency contact, per TickTalk
No contract or activation fee on its wireless plans, per TickTalk

Per TickTalk, blocking unknown calls and messages is a setting parents enable in the app
Per TickTalk, it needs a TickTalk Wireless plan for U.S. use, and can't be added to an AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon family plan
Per TickTalk's wireless terms, once a plan's allowance is used up and a grace period ends, regular service is suspended for the remainder of that billing period
Per TickTalk, it can call 911 only when a parent has enabled the feature in the TickTalk Parent App
Has a 5MP camera for video calls and can share photos and videos, per TickTalk

Pricing: Per TickTalk, the watch is about $170, plus a TickTalk Wireless plan from about $10/mo (Essential, with 1 GB of data and 1,000 talk minutes) or about $20/mo (Premium), with no contract or activation fee; taxes and fees are extra. TickTalk says returns are accepted within 30 days of delivery, subject to its return policy, under which customers pay return shipping. Prices from TickTalk, checked October 2026.

Full profile View at TickTalk

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How we compared them

Every spec comes from the maker's or carrier's own pages, and each device page links to its source. The groupings above are based on those specs, not on a ranking, and no company pays to be included or ranked. Where a maker doesn't say, we write “Not stated”. How we verify

Common questions

Do kids' smartwatches need a monthly plan?

Every one of the 9 kids' smartwatches in this guide needs a monthly plan. Published starting prices run about $9.99 to $15 a month (prices checked October 2026). Apple Watch SE and T-Mobile SyncUP KIDS Watch don't have a current plan price on their makers' sites. Prices change often, so confirm with the provider.

Which kids' smartwatches don't need an iPhone?

Verizon Gizmo Watch, Gabb Watch, T-Mobile SyncUP KIDS Watch, Fitbit Ace LTE, Xplora X6Play, Bark Watch, Pinwheel Watch, and TickTalk Watch don't need a parent iPhone, according to their makers. Apple Watch SE needs a parent's iPhone to set up.

Which kids' smartwatches have no camera?

Apple Watch SE, Gabb Watch, Fitbit Ace LTE, and Bark Watch have no camera listed by their makers.

Do kids' smartwatches only work on certain carriers?

It depends on the watch. Verizon Gizmo Watch: Verizon only; T-Mobile SyncUP KIDS Watch: T-Mobile only; Apple Watch SE: AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Cricket Wireless, Xfinity Mobile, Boost Mobile, C Spire, Cellcom, BetterRoaming; Gabb Watch: Standalone Gabb plan; Fitbit Ace LTE: LTE included in the Ace Pass plan; Xplora X6Play: Xplora Connect SIM (AT&T / T-Mobile); Bark Watch: Bark's own cellular service; Pinwheel Watch: Pinwheel Wireless; TickTalk Watch: TickTalk Wireless (AT&T or T-Mobile networks).

Not sure which fits your child?

We match on your child's age, your phone and carrier, and your dealbreakers.

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