Five kid phones compared, and the simplest one has no screen

A Tom's Guide reviewer compared five kid-friendly phone makers and picked the one that looks least like a phone. The Waffle Go has no screen. It costs $169, and parents decide exactly who a child can call. The other four are Bark, Gabb, Pinwheel and Yello!, which are all Android-based phones with parental controls.

What was compared

The review looked at device price, monthly plans, apps and parent controls. These phones need a cellular plan on top of the device cost. Bark runs on T-Mobile's network as a budget carrier, and Gabb runs on Verizon. Every maker offers a parent portal where adults can set time limits and choose which numbers can reach the phone or be called from it.

How much freedom each one gives

Bark is the closest to a normal smartphone. It can run apps like Instagram and YouTube, and parents can block apps they do not want. Gabb uses its own apps, including a curated music app and a messenger. Pinwheel sits in the middle, with a library of 900 apps rated by color for how suitable they are. Yello! is the strictest, with no web browser, social media or app store.

Calling rules differ too:

• Bark and Gabb offer spam blocking and monitoring, but anyone can call these phones.
• Pinwheel, Waffle and Yello! let parents control which numbers can call in or out.
• The reviewer sees the stricter group as best for a first phone.

One caution. The reviewer notes that some parents on Reddit say their kids found ways around blocks to get online or into blocked apps. These are still smartphones, and that makes them harder to lock down.

The one with no screen

The Waffle Go looks more like a walkie-talkie. Lights show the time, battery level and who is calling, using the label a parent gave that contact. Parents add approved contacts through an app. Other Waffle devices, such as a friend's, can be added too. Live GPS tracking is included.

The reviewer calls it the simplest kid phone system found that is not just a weak smartphone. Its monthly plan costs less than the others. The $169 device price lands about in the middle. The reviewer admits the price feels high for something that looks like a walkie-talkie, but still leans toward it. There are no apps to manage, no complex controls and no easy backdoor to the internet.

Other routes

Families not ready for any of these have other choices. A landline-style Wi-Fi phone is one, and Pinwheel, Ring Ring, Tin Can and Waffle make them. A locked-down smartwatch with GPS and cellular is another. A leftover Android phone can also be made kid-friendly with Google Family Link, which lets a parent supervise the device.