Parents concerned about smartphone dangers are driving demand for kid-specific phones. A growing crop of companies now offers devices that restrict access to social media, app stores, and web browsers while giving parents monitoring and control tools.
Bark Phone, built on Samsung Galaxy hardware, costs $240 upfront plus wireless plans starting at $29/month. It restricts calls and texts to approved contacts, scans communications for cyberbullying and grooming, and lets parents gradually unlock features as children mature.
Gabb takes a different approach by removing online risks entirely rather than monitoring them. Its phones lack social media, browsers, and app stores, offering only calling, texting, and preloaded apps like camera and calendar. Gabb phones start at $159.99 with service at $24.99/month.
Pinwheel phones begin at $119 with a $14.99/month subscription. Parents can create different "modes" throughout the day, limiting features during school hours before unlocking them after homework. The company also launched landline phones for $68 and $79, plus a smartwatch at $160.
Teracube offers Thrive OS, a modified Android version, for $99 with plans starting at $35/month. It allows app approval, web filtering, and location monitoring, though it targets older children due to more traditional smartphone features.
For families wanting landline-style options, Ooma MyPhone costs $99.99 with service at $7.99/month and restricts calling to approved contacts. Tin Can, a Wi-Fi connected device priced at $100, charges $9.99/month for calls to non-Tin Can users.
Waffle recently opened preorders for screen-free devices. Waffle Home costs $119, while Waffle Go, a portable walkie-talkie style device, costs $169. Both ship November 23.
TextNow launched Yello, a touchscreen phone without an app store or unrestricted web access, for $149.99 upfront plus $19.99/month service.