The Best First Phones for Kids in 2025

Budget tiers that actually work

• Under $200: Moto G Play + Bark Jr. or Mint Guardian ($25/mo) gives LTE, whitelisted contacts, and a battery that shrugs off 3 days of idle time.
• $200–$350: Galaxy A15 KidSafe or Teracube Thrive pair better cameras with faster chipsets so FaceTime/Meet homework calls stay smooth.
• Premium ($400+): iPhone SE (3rd Gen) with OtterBox Defender and AppleCare+ is the only route if the rest of the family relies on iMessage reactions, AirDrop, and Find My automations.

Mistakes to avoid

• Skipping a written tech contract—our template below keeps expectations clear and stops kids from claiming they “forgot.”
• Leaving payment methods inside the phone; instead, load a prepaid gift card if you want to teach micro purchases without risking surprise Roblox charges.
• Ignoring Wi-Fi calling setup, which is critical for basements, gyms, or storm shelters where LTE bars disappear exactly when you need them.

Non-negotiable checklist

• Remote locate + sound alarm so a left-behind phone is found before the school janitor locks up.
• Emergency calling that still works when every app is paused—test it monthly just like fire drills.
• A simple routine for handoff: we label the charging spot, attach an NFC tag linked to our family checklist in our smartwatch guide, and make bedtime drop-off instant.

What is the safest first phone for kids in 2025?

For most U.S. families the Galaxy A15 KidSafe bundle strikes the best balance of control, durability, and value.

Bark’s SIM profile lets you whitelist contacts, pause data, and get real-time alerts before a problem escalates. The included MIL-STD case and 5,000 mAh battery survived 90 days of bus rides without a cracked screen or surprise zero-percent mornings.

How much should I budget each month for a kid phone plan?

Expect $25–$38 per month for LTE plus monitoring.

Bark Phone plans start at $29, Troomi at $24.95, and Mint Guardian runs $30 with 10 GB of data. That cost includes cloud logging, SafeSearch enforcement, and emergency voice priority so you are not paying twice for separate apps.

Can I hand down an old iPhone instead of buying new hardware?

Yes, but only if you factory-reset, add Screen Time limits, and pair it with a kid-hardened case.

We handed down a 2022 iPhone SE using Apple’s guided setup plus our favorite charging pads to keep it topped off. The key is removing payment methods and disabling iCloud Messages forwarding so adult conversations stay private.

What age is appropriate for a first phone?

Our testing families introduced phones between ages 9 and 12 based on commute complexity and after-school independence.

The NIH-backed research we cite above shows readiness is more about consistent routines than birthdays. If a child walks home or manages their own extracurricular schedule, a locked-down LTE phone can be safer than relying on borrowed devices.

Should I choose a smartwatch instead of a phone?

Smartwatches work for very young kids but limitations show up quickly once homework and clubs require messaging apps.

We still recommend LTE watches for ages 7–9 (see our wearables guide), but middle schoolers need camera homework uploads, group chat context, and easier typing—all reasons these phones beat watches in day-to-day use.

How do I keep kids from installing random apps?

Use Bark, Family Link, or Apple’s Ask-to-Buy and keep the app store behind a parent PIN.

During testing we required app requests through Family Link. Kids had to explain the goal of each app, show who else was using it, and agree to a 30-day trial. Half the “must-have” games never made it past that conversation, which saved us moderation headaches.

What about privacy and data collection?

Pick vendors that publish third-party audits and process data in the U.S.

Teracube, Bark, and Apple each publish transparency reports. We avoid ad-supported kid phones entirely and disable personalized ads within Google/Apple IDs during setup.

How often should I upgrade the hardware?

Plan for a three-year cycle unless the phone is lost or destroyed.

All six picks receive OS updates through at least 2027. We schedule mid-cycle refreshes for accessories (screen protectors every six months, cases yearly) and only upgrade hardware when battery health dips below 80 percent or new radios (like 5G Standalone) become mandatory at our carrier.

What if my kid needs international texting for relatives?

Stick with Wi-Fi-first apps you can monitor, such as Google Voice or supervised WhatsApp accounts.

The Galaxy and iPhone picks let you restrict international SMS while still allowing supervised Wi-Fi messaging. We also add global contacts to Bark’s whitelist before trips so nothing is blocked mid-airport.

How do I handle school policies that ban phones?

Treat the phone like medication—label it, keep it powered down inside the backpack, and communicate with the homeroom teacher.

Most districts allow phones when a parent needs medical alerts or custody communications. We print a one-page summary of our expectations plus Bark receipts and store it with the nurse so staff knows the device is heavily supervised.

What emergency features should I test monthly?

SOS gestures, Medical ID, ICE contacts, and Wi-Fi calling.

We rehearse by calling a parent, an out-of-state aunt, and 911 (after alerting local dispatch). Logging those drills in a shared doc builds confidence that the hardware will behave when adrenaline spikes.

How do I transition from first phone to full smartphone privileges?

Use milestone unlocks tied to consistent behavior, not arbitrary dates.

We add one feature at a time—maybe group texts for sports, then a single social app—after 60 days of clean Bark reports. If a slip happens, we roll back privileges without drama. That iterative approach mirrors the upgrade cadence we use in our home office tech upgrades.