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Buying Guide: The Best Phones for Kids in 2026
The Cardinal Rule for Kids' Phones
One big reason to give your child a phone is for when they are out of sight of trustworthy adults and might need to contact you or another caregiver. If your kid wants to play games or watch videos but doesn't need cellular connectivity, a base-model iPad, a cheap Android phone, or a Fire tablet are all good alternatives.
The Wait Until 8th campaign, which advocates only giving kids smartphones once they reach the 8th grade, makes some good arguments. However, it too easily conflates smartphones and social media, which are different things. The campaign's central point is that younger kids generally need phones only for calling and limited texting.
When you do step up to a smartphone, don't spend too much money. Kids generally aren't responsible with high-priced items. They might lose, drop, soak, or otherwise break the phone you get them. Assume that all of those events will happen. A ton of good phones in the $200 to $400 range run relatively new, secure versions of today's operating systems, aren't frustrating to use, and don't look shamefully uncool. And many have at least some sort of IP rating.
We won't get into the never-ending debate—never resolved—about cell phone radiation and kids, but many parents have expressed concern about it. The "good" news is that radiation concerns come into play only when you hold a phone up to your head for long periods. Kids don't talk on the phone with their friends much anymore; instead, they message each other on various platforms. Short conversations with parents on a basic phone, for safety or logistical uses, won't hurt anyone.
Make sure to buy a nice, rugged case for whichever phone you get. You can never be too careful.
The Best Flip Phones for Kids
Voice phones are a solid on-ramp to communication for kids. Yes, they are terminally uncool. Your kids will whine. But simple voice phones solve one of the biggest problems parents of middle schoolers have: "How do I give my kid a way to call me without letting them get on Instagram or TikTok?" We've tested a range of simple voice phones, and the TCL Flip 4 is the best inexpensive solution for basic calling, though some kids might prefer the Barbie Phone.
How to Track Your Kids
In many cases, you might want to get your kid a phone to keep an eye on their location. Android and iOS make tracking a smartphone's location easy for account holders. Flip phones and other simple phones don't usually have the same capability. Adding a dedicated tracker to your kid's clothes or backpack is one solution. (It's worth saying that you should never do this to an adult—that's called stalking.) Depending on whether you have an Apple or an Android phone, AirTags, Samsung SmartTags, and Tile trackers all leverage the network connections of other phones to tell you where they are.
Do Kids Need iMessage?
Some teens live in these little tidal pools where all of their friends have iPhones and thus use iMessage for communication. When most of the people on a group chat are in iMessage, significant benefits accrue to also being on iMessage: The texts are more reliable, the threading works, and reactions appear appropriately. That's the primary reason for a kid saying they specifically want an iOS phone.
One thing to remember as a parent is that your child doesn't need an expensive iPhone to use iMessage. The $599 iPhone 17e works just fine, as do reasonably recent refurbished models. For more on this topic, see our analysis of which iPhone you should buy.
The Best Phone Plans for Kids
When you get your kid a phone, whether a new one or a hand-me-down, you must add a service plan.
The lowest-cost option is to go Wi-Fi only, with no SIM card. With this option, your kid can only connect to known Wi-Fi networks. They won't be able to send standard text messages or make regular phone calls. They can, however, use iMessage and FaceTime on iPhones or the equivalent on Android phones—and make 911 emergency calls. Even phones that have no cellular service can connect to 911 networks.
Your carrier might have a good or convenient deal to add a line, which may also mean that you can get a phone on a monthly payment plan. If you're sharing a data bucket with a child, make sure to limit their line to a certain amount of monthly data so that they don't use all of yours.
You might also be able to save money by connecting your child's phone to a low-cost service. Explore our list of the best cheap phone plans. For instance, if your kid only wants to text, you can get a plan from Tello with unlimited calling and texting for $10 per month.
How to Make Your Kid's Phone Safe
Make a deal with your kid: If they get a phone, you can look at it.
Android and iOS both have built-in parental controls. On either OS, you can block purchases (and you should, immediately, because it's way too easy to buy things accidentally) and app access. Apple's Screen Time and Google's Family Link software give you activity reports and let you set screen time limits as well. The Bark Phone goes one step further with custom parental control software.
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With flip phones and other basic phones, you are generally stuck with network-level controls from your carrier.
Apps that are breeding grounds for cyberbullying should stay off any child's phone. These apps tend to change a lot as each new cohort of kids finds something new. The general rule is that anything with a social aspect, or anything that allows public posting or private messaging from strangers, is potentially dangerous. You should be able to look through the apps on your kid's phone and see the sorts of messages they receive.
You may be thinking, "What about kids sneaking and lying?" It isn't the phone's fault if your kid lies to you. Ultimately, you have the power to take the phone away.
The Best Phone for Every Age
We've tried to keep this list diverse with low-cost, used, and new phones. Whichever one you get, make sure to lock it down.
Ages 8 and Under: The Best Phone Watch for Kids
Small children who need phones often need them because they have complex caregiving arrangements in which they're handed off between adults. A phone or tracker can also be useful if your kid tends to get lost on the playground or likes to run and hide.
For talking to mom and dad, the GizmoWatch 3 keeps a kid in touch and is trackable by up to 10 trusted contacts.
Ages 9 to 13: The Best Cell Phone for Kids
As tweens and young teens gain their first bits of independence, they might need phones to tote around the neighborhood and message their friends. Yet tweens are still kids, and you often can't trust them with expensive devices.
This is the prime time to get your kid a voice phone. Carriers shut down their 2G and 3G networks, so you need a phone that works on your carrier's new networks for the best coverage and voice quality. As mentioned, the TCL Flip 4 is a good first voice phone and supports 5G.
Low-cost or used smartphones are also good choices for this set. The Samsung Galaxy A17 5G and A25 5G both offer excellent value.
If you're an iOS family, make sure to get an iOS 26-compatible phone. We recommend the $599 iPhone 17e as an entry-level model (or a used iPhone 15 or 16).
Ages 14 to 17: More Capable (and Expensive) Phones
Teens need smartphones, though they're still often a little irresponsible. Always turn on location tracking for your teen's phone as soon as they set it up, whether in your Google account, Samsung account, or iCloud account. That helps prevent panic when your kid leaves their phone behind at a party or school event.
Teenagers will want better cameras and more gaming potential than younger kids. The Pixel 10a has the lowest list price for an Android phone with a flagship-level camera.
If your kid wants an iPhone, the iPhone 17e still offers the best balance of price and quality.
For more recommendations, see our lists of the best cheap phones and the best phones we've tested overall.