Phones built for kids are booming, from $99 phones to landlines

Parents who want to put off a full smartphone now have a lot more choices. A growing number of companies make phones just for kids, from touchscreen devices with the risky parts removed to simple home phones. Prices start at about $99 for a phone, and several home phones cost less than that.

What these phones do

Most kid phones look like regular phones, with a touchscreen and a camera. The software is changed to cut or limit web browsers, social media and app stores. Parents use a companion app to approve contacts, check location, set screen time limits and pick which apps are available. Some also send alerts about cyberbullying, explicit content or online predators.

Phones with a screen

• Bark Phone: $240, plus a required plan from $29 a month. Built on Samsung Galaxy hardware, it scans texts and photos for danger signs.
• Gabb: from about $159.99, with service from about $24.99 a month. No browser, social media or app store.
• Pinwheel: from about $119. Parents approve every app and can set daytime modes. Its parent subscription starts at $14.99 a month.
• Teracube Thrive: $99, with plans from $35 a month. It is closer to a regular smartphone, so it suits older kids.
• Yello from TextNow: $149.99, plus $19.99 a month. No app store, social media or open web access.

Bark stands out for letting parents unlock browsing and apps over time as a child matures. Pinwheel lets parents change what the phone does at different times, such as calls and navigation only during school hours.

Home phones with no screen

Some companies skip the mobile phone entirely. These devices work like a landline and only connect to contacts a parent has approved. That also keeps spam calls out.

• Tin Can: about $100, connects over Wi-Fi. Free for calling other Tin Can users, or $9.99 a month for all approved contacts.
• Ooma MyPhone: $99.99, with service from $7.99 a month. It has quiet hours and address-based 911 service.
• Pinwheel landlines: two models, at $68 and $79.
• Waffle: Home is $119 and Go is $169. Go is a portable device that only makes voice calls and plays voice notes. Both are open for preorder.

What to know before buying

Sticker prices do not tell the whole story. Bark requires a wireless plan, and Pinwheel sells cell service separately through participating carriers. Monthly fees can matter more than the phone itself over time. The article does not rank these products or say which is best, so the right pick depends on your child's age and how much freedom you want to give. Check current prices before you buy.