Kids Device Match
4 compared

Kids' phones, compared

By Jason, father of two · Facts checked October 2026

Heads up: Some price links on this page may earn us a commission, at no extra cost to you.

We compared 4 kids' phones using each maker's official specs, checked October 2026. The right one depends on your phone, carrier, and rules. No web browser: Gabb Phone. Monitored browsing: Bark Phone and Troomi Phone.

Not compared here because it hasn't shipped yet: Freckle Phone (Pre-order, shipping starts December 2026). See new devices

Is there a "safe" phone for kids?

We don't call any phone "safe": no phone can keep a child safe on its own. What we can check is what each maker says about the web browser: whether its phone leaves one out, and whether a plan or a parent can add one.

Each phone's page quotes its maker.

Which one fits your family?

No web browser

The maker says there is no open web browser

Monitored browsing

Browsing can be allowed, with parent filters and monitoring

Side by side

DeviceNeeds parent iPhoneCameraOpen web browserCarrierPlan from
Gabb PhoneNoYesNoStandalone Gabb service plan~$29.99/mo
Bark PhoneNoYesOnly on plans that add oneBark's own nationwide cellular service~$29/mo
Troomi PhoneNoYesOnly on plans that add oneStandalone Troomi plan~$24.95/mo
Pinwheel PhoneNoYesOnly if a parent adds oneBring your own carrier, Pinwheel Wireless~$29.99/mo on Pinwheel Wireless (less with your own carrier)

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

Every option, in detail

Gabb Phone 4, back and front, showing the Gabb home screen
Image: Gabb

Gabb Phone

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

  • No internet browser, app store, or social media, per Gabb
  • A 6.1-inch touchscreen smartphone design, per Gabb
  • GPS with Safe Zones and AI-filtered safe messaging, per Gabb
  • Per Gabb, it requires an active Gabb service plan, and most Gabb devices work only on the Gabb network (Gabb says the Phone 4 Pro can be released on request)
  • Per Gabb, contacts are child-managed by default until a parent changes it

Pricing: Per Gabb, the phone is about $250, on a standalone Gabb plan from about $30/mo with a 2-year contract (about $32/mo with a 1-year contract, or about $35/mo with none), plus a one-time $30 activation fee. Gabb's terms also list cost-recovery and regulatory charges on top of the plan. 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 profileView at Gabb
Bark Phone, with a Bark Watch beside it
Image: Bark

Bark Phone

Bark · Web risk (our rating): Monitored / filterable

  • AI alerts for bullying, predators, explicit content, and distress, per Bark
  • Remote app approval and web filtering from the parent dashboard, per Bark
  • The Bark Phone is a Samsung A16, per Bark
  • Per Bark, monitoring works through alerts that parents review in the Bark app
  • Per Bark, plans that allow web browsing cost more per month than the Starter plan

Pricing: Per Bark, the phone (a Samsung A16) is $360, a one-time purchase separate from the plan (the Bark Phone Pro, a Samsung A37, is $600), and you can choose Affirm at checkout to pay over time. Bark's plans run from about $29/mo (Starter, no web browser) up to about $79/mo, all including Bark's monitoring. Bark says phones bought from it can be returned within 60 days for a refund of the device cost only (plan payments aren't refunded). Prices from Bark, checked November 2026.

Full profileView at Bark

View Bark Phone on Amazon

Troomi Phone, front and back, with Troomi's home screen
Image: Troomi

Troomi Phone

Troomi · Web risk (our rating): Monitored / filterable

  • Safe-list contacts and per-app approval by parents, per Troomi
  • Growth-based controls (KidSmart OS) that expand as your child matures, per Troomi
  • Text monitoring, content filtering, and GPS location, per Troomi
  • Per Troomi, it's carrier-locked to a standalone Troomi plan (no bring-your-own-carrier)
  • The top Discover plan can turn on a browser, including full Google Chrome, per Troomi, so safety depends on the plan and settings you pick

Pricing: Per Troomi, the Samsung Galaxy A17 5G is about $250, or about $7/mo over 36 months, on a month-to-month Troomi plan from about $25/mo up to about $35/mo (the top Discover plan is the one that can turn on a web browser). Prices from Troomi, checked October 2026.

Full profileView at Troomi

View Troomi Phone on Amazon

Pinwheel Genesis 4 phone, back and front, showing the Pinwheel lock screen
Image: Pinwheel

Pinwheel Phone

Pinwheel · Web risk (our rating): None by default, per the maker

  • No web browser, app store, or social media out of the box, per Pinwheel
  • Parents approve every app from a curated library, per Pinwheel
  • Modes and scheduling, safe-list contacts, and GPS location, per Pinwheel
  • Per Pinwheel, carrier compatibility varies by model (the entry model skips Verizon)
  • A parent can add a browser or apps later, per Pinwheel, so 'safe by default' depends on your settings

Pricing: Per Pinwheel, it comes in three models (about $119, $199, and $299), with cellular service from Pinwheel Wireless about $30/mo, or Pinwheel's subscription alone about $18/mo if you bring your own carrier (that carrier's service is extra). Pinwheel says carrier compatibility varies by model, so check before buying. Prices from Pinwheel, checked October 2026.

Full profileView at Pinwheel

View Pinwheel Phone on Amazon

Popular comparisons

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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

How much do kids' phones cost per month?

Every one of the 4 kids' phones in this guide needs a monthly plan. Published starting prices run about $24.95 to $29.99 a month (prices checked October 2026). Prices change often, so confirm with the provider.

Which kids' phones have no web browser?

Gabb Phone has no open web browser, according to its maker.

Can a kids' phone allow some web browsing?

Yes. Bark Phone and Troomi Phone can allow browsing that parents filter and monitor. Each device page explains how it works.

Not sure which fits your child?

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

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