Top Kids-Friendly Phones of 2024: Safe, Durable, and Fun Picks for Your Little Ones
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You can’t rely solely on your kid to let you know when they’re ready for a phone, you know, considering they’ve probably been asking for one since they learned how to talk. There’s no right answer when it comes to the appropriate age for a child to get a phone — yes, even if all their friends have one. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) doesn’t even offer an opinion, except that parents should consider the “child’s age, personality, maturity, and your family’s circumstance,” according to the FTC’s smartphone guidelines.
Your child may not make the final decision on when it’s time to get a phone, but they can certainly help you decide which phone they’d like to get.
Best Phones for Kids
Best Overall: Apple iPhone SE
Best Budget: Nokia 2780 Flip Phone
Best Parental Controls: Bark Cell Phone
Best First Phone: Gabb Phone 3 Pro
What to Consider
Age
According to the Child Mind Institute, there’s no right age to get your kids a phone; it’s all about your child’s specific needs and level of maturity. A lot of it is also dependent on your level of comfort. Many parents want even their youngest child to have access to communication when they’re in school for any number of reasons.
If you need a phone with simple features — aka the “starter phone” — for your elementary or middle schooler, your best bet will be one like the Gabb phone that doesn’t have internet or social media, only allows safe apps, and is good for texting and calling. For teens who just started driving, a good option is the iPhone SE, which has Maps and GPS, so you can track their location as they head to work or to “the mall” with friends.
Safety
A top priority for many parents when buying a kid’s phone is safety. With social media being the toxic hellscape we know it to be, and even text messages and calls can be fraught, it makes sense to make safety a top priority. Parental controls are key to being able to ensure your child’s phone safety as well as monitor their phone from your phone. The Bark phone is well-known among parents for its excellent message-monitoring app that keeps kids safe on their devices. Also, phones like the iPhone allow you to set limits on app usage, even when they can or cannot access certain functions of the phone.
Durability
No matter how responsible your child is, kids are really good at breaking things. If your kid is extra prone to accidentally dropping their phone in a toilet (or even just the ground), you may want to steer clear of the more expensive and glass phones like top-of-the-line iPhones; otherwise, a sturdy phone case is essential.
To be extra safe, you might want to consider phone insurance, which you can purchase through your phone carrier, most major credit card companies, or AppleCare if you are buying an iPhone.
Price
Not to be overlooked, the price of the phone you buy for your kid matters. If you’re going top-of-the-line, you can’t go wrong with an iPhone. In fact, Stefan Vazharov, Best Products senior tech editor, says that the iPhone is an excellent choice for kids. “The main reason I’d recommend the iPhone to parents is its platform,” Vazharov says. “Apple iOS is intuitive, secure, and easy for parents to set up for their little ones.”
Vazharov adds, “Regardless of the model, any iPhone is also fully waterproof, incredibly durable, and easy to safeguard further with a vast selection of protective cases. The iPhone SE — a compact iteration that’s perfect for kids — is also reasonably priced. It starts at $429.”
Since Apple sells so many models that cost more than some mortgages unless it’s in your budget, you might want to stick with a less expensive model for kids, the low end being around $75 for the lower end and in the $200 range for a middle-of-the-road pick.
How We Selected
As a mom of two kids who aren’t old enough for phones, I spoke to several friends who have kids with phones and got their opinions on the best ones. Parents have a lot of opinions, which in this case, was actually very helpful. I’ve also tested several of the phones (although not all) to determine which would work best for my own kids down the road. Lastly, I scoured the reviews of each of the phones on this list to read what parents had to say about their safety, durability, and value.
You’ve waited this long to get your child a phone, so there’s no better time than now to get scrolling for the best phones for kids in 2024.
iPhone SE for Kids
A fantastic option for tweens and teens, the iPhone SE is the most affordable iPhone on the market, but it’s still jam-packed with many of the coolest Apple features. In addition to all the fun iPhone features you probably already know about, the iPhone SE allows for location sharing so you can always see where your child is. This feature also makes it easier to locate the phone when it gets lost in the abyss of a messy bedroom or left at a friend’s house.
As far as safety features, Apple’s Family Sharing gives you the ability to manage what your child can do on their phone and for how long. From your own device, you can approve or decline things your child wants to buy or download and set limits on content they can access, including shows, games, and podcasts.
Budding photographers will appreciate the outstanding quality of the camera and 4K video. The camera doesn’t have night mode, however, so the clearest photos will be taken during the day. (Maybe that’ll give your teens a reason to go to bed early? LOLOL.)
For accident-prone kids, the iPhone SE is great. The front and back of the phone are made of glass, but it’s the toughest glass you can find on a smartphone, so it usually takes more than just a drop to cause a broken screen. Still, a phone case is highly recommended to provide an extra layer of protection. The phone is water-resistant, so small spills won’t cause long-term damage. Accidentally dropping it in the toilet, however, might.
More: The Best Tablets for Kids
iPhone SE for Kids
apple.com
$429.00
2780 Flip Phone for Kids
If you want a simple phone to give your kid that lets you keep in touch at an affordable price without any of the bells and whistles, the Nokia 2780 is a great option.
The flip phone is certainly old school, but it has some modern updates your kid will enjoy. It has all the basic features like email, apps, and internet browsing, but the internet is inconvenient enough to discourage aimless idle browsing.
While the phone allows for downloading many apps, some reviewers note that not all apps are available, like Facebook Messenger. (Let’s be real, are tweens and teens really using Facebook?) You can edit the security settings and manage the internet’s privacy settings, but unfortunately, there aren’t any parental controls.
A rear camera takes decent enough photos and videos. Caller ID appears on the outside of the phone when it’s closed, and when the phone is flipped closed, the call automatically ends. Like I said, old school. (Old school is cool now, though, right? So, the Nokia is really a win-win.)
A kid-friendly feature you’ll love is the battery life. A single charge can provide up to 18 days of standby time, so even if your child forgets to charge the phone, there’s plenty of time for them to remember to plug it in before the phone dies.
2780 Flip Phone for Kids
amazon.com
$89.99
Cell Phone for Kids and Teens
Even though it might sound like a starter phone based on the name alone, the Bark phone is not one of those kiddie phones that doesn’t actually feel like a real phone. Bark is a sleek Samsung Android smartphone that’s actually really smart.
The phone’s monitoring system scans your child’s texts, emails, apps, and social media for dangerous language and digital threats, sending you alerts — although sometimes the alerts can be a little slow. You can add or remove parental controls as you see fit, and there’s no way for your kid to change those or delete messages before you see them — even for the sneakiest hacker kids. The parent app also lets you set screen time limits, see your child’s location, and approve or block contact requests.
The plans are a little pricey starting at $29 a month for unlimited talk and text. While it might not be as cool as an iPhone, it’s absolutely a great phone to keep in touch with your child while keeping tabs, but also giving them a sense of independence.
Cell Phone for Kids and Teens
amazon.com
$199.00
Phone 3 Pro for Kids
If your child is ready for a phone but you aren’t comfortable with them having access to the internet, the Gabb Phone 3 Pro is the way to go. It’s a kid-safe smartphone that has some really excellent safety features designed to help you keep your child safe and productive.
A parental control I think is really great is focus mode, which lets you remotely mute your child’s device, increase ringtone volume (I find this to be a hilarious and effective way to get your kid to stop ignoring your calls), and lock messages, calls, and apps.
The phone is equipped with GPS, safe zones, and lost device tracking so you can keep tabs on your kid and the phone when it happens to not be with the kid anymore.
In addition to Gabb’s essential apps, the phone offers a variety of apps that can be helpful at specific stages of a teen’s life, including Gabb Music, Duolingo, Class Reach, Stellarium Mobile: Star Map, and Khan Academy. One hugely important thing parents love is the absence of social media on the phone.
Phone 3 Pro for Kids
gabb.com
$199.99
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