Gabb Phone vs Bark Phone: which is right for your child?
By Jason, father of two · Facts checked October 2026
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We compared Gabb Phone and Bark Phone using each maker's official specs, checked October 2026. They differ on web browsing and carrier. Choose Gabb Phone if you want no web browser at all (per Gabb). Choose Bark Phone if you want to allow some web browsing that you can filter and monitor.
Choose Bark Phone if…
- You want to allow some web browsing that you can filter and monitor.
Side by side
| Gabb Phone | Bark Phone | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Kids' phone | Kids' phone |
| Open web browser (differs) | No | Only on plans that add one |
| Web risk (our rating) (differs) | None, per the maker | Monitored / filterable |
| Camera | Yes | Yes |
| Needs a parent iPhone | No | No |
| Carrier (differs) | Standalone Gabb service plan | Bark's own nationwide cellular service |
| Starting hardware (differs) | ~$249.99 | ~$360 |
| Plan from (differs) | ~$29.99/mo | ~$29/mo |
Highlighted rows are where they differ. Prices are approximate and change often; checked October 2026. Confirm with each provider before you buy.
Pros, cons, and pricing
Gabb Phone
- 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. Checked October 2026.
View at GabbBark Phone
- 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). Checked November 2026.
View at BarkCommon questions
What is the difference between Gabb Phone and Bark Phone?
We compared Gabb Phone and Bark Phone using each maker's official specs, checked October 2026. They differ on web browsing and carrier. Choose Gabb Phone if you want no web browser at all (per Gabb). Choose Bark Phone if you want to allow some web browsing that you can filter and monitor.
Does Gabb Phone or Bark Phone have a web browser?
Gabb Phone: no web browser, per Gabb. Bark Phone: web browsing can be allowed, with parent filters and monitoring. See each device page for how its web access works.
Which carriers do Gabb Phone and Bark Phone work with?
Gabb Phone: Standalone Gabb service plan. Bark Phone: Bark's own nationwide cellular service.
How much do Gabb Phone and Bark Phone cost?
Gabb Phone: 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. (checked October 2026). Bark Phone: 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). (checked November 2026). Prices change often, so confirm with each provider.
How we compared them
Every spec comes from the maker's or carrier's own pages, and each device page links to its source. “Choose if” points come only from specs that differ, not from our opinion, and no company pays to be included or ranked. How we verify
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Still deciding?
We match on your child's age, your phone and carrier, and your dealbreakers.