Buying a phone these days presents a lot of options, and when you’re looking for a device for your child, you may be blown away by just how pricey it can be. The good news is there are a lot more affordable Android phones out there than you may think, and the value they bring to the table makes them great devices for your kids.
Whether you’re looking for a device that’s mainly for talking and texting, or you want to give your teenager a phone that can do it all at a reasonable price, you can find it all right here. These are the best phones for kids you can buy right now.
Top wallet-friendly phones for kids
Google Pixel 7a
Google’s newest midrange masterpiece
Don’t want to go with last year’s model? The good news is that the Pixel 7a is a stellar midrange Android phone that will offer your kid many perks, and you won’t have to worry about spending too much. At a reasonable price tag, it offers good performance, arguably the best cameras at this price point, and still has all those excellent Google AI features that help deal with spam calls and more.
- 90Hz display
- Wonderful software
- Camera is still top notch
- Not as cheap as other options
- Battery life could be better
The Pixel 7a is Google’s latest addition to its A-series phones and is an impressive device that combines the features of the Pixel 6a and Pixel 7. It offers superior performance with an almost identical design to that of the Pixel 7, but with a slimmer camera bar and a durable plastic back. Moreover, the phone is available in some colorful new options, which is a welcome addition to the lineup.
Google Pixel 7a review: If déjà vu were a smartphone
This year’s A-series is more like its flagship counterpart than ever before — for better and for worse
However, there are a few things to consider when purchasing this device. For instance, the 90Hz display that makes scrolling and gaming smoother is disabled out of the box. Additionally, the wireless charging feature at just 5W is more suitable for overnight charges than for boosting battery life throughout the day. The battery life is also not the best, with our review indicating between 3 and 4 hours of screen-on time with light use, so if your kid is phone-obsessed, that battery will drain fast.
OnePlus 12R
Premium features at an approachable price
The OnePlus 12R stands out with its elegant, minimalist design and impressive features, all at a mid-range price point. And it certainly doesn’t skimp on features. For a reasonable cost, you’ll get a beautiful 6.78-inch display with high brightness and a 90Hz refresh rate. The phone also offers a robust 5,500mAh battery that’ll last longer than some higher-end phones. While the 12R lacks a higher IP rating for complete water and dust resistance, its performance makes it a notable option.
- Beautiful display and quick refresh rate
- Incredibly long-lasting battery
- Stylish looks
- IP64 rating is not the greatest for kids
OnePlus has steadily become a popular contender in the smartphone arena for its affordable price and laundry list of features. Once more, OnePlus has raised the bar with the 12R. For starters, it’s a beauty to look at, with its sleek minimalist design. This does not look like a midrange smartphone, so your kid will probably dig its looks, too.
Another highlight is the OnePlus 12R’s display. The 6.78-inch screen offers exceptional brightness up to 1,600 nits and supports a 90Hz refresh rate, ensuring smooth scrolling and gaming. The display’s vibrant visuals enhance pretty much anything you throw at it. You’ll have a hard time finding a display this gorgeous for $500.
Gaming and scrolling can drain a smartphone’s battery — we’re looking at you, Pixel 7A. Not so with the OnePlus 12R. The 5,500mAh battery lasts for days, perfect for the average teenager who perpetually forgets to charge their phone. Even better, the included 80W SuperVOOC charger doesn’t mess around. It should only take about half an hour to recharge.
OnePlus 12R review: A real flagship killer for $500
A phone that packs all the power you need for the price you want to pay
The biggest ding to the OnePlus 12R is the lack of an IP67 dust and water resistance rating. It goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyway: buy a case. The 12R’s IP64 rating can handle minor splashes, but we wouldn’t want this beautiful phone dropped in your kid’s cereal bowl.
Samsung Galaxy A15 5G
A lot to offer for the price
The Samsung Galaxy A15 blends style with practicality. Its durable plastic casing houses a large 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a smooth 90Hz refresh rate, perfect for scrolling and light gaming. For the price, the A15 scores bonus points for its cameras, which perform well in the proper lighting. Other features like a headphone jack and MicroSD slot are welcome add-ons, too. And thanks to its 5,000mAh battery, the Samsung Galaxy should last all day.
- Lightweight and durable
- Impressive battery life for the price
- Surprisingly good display
- Cameras won’t blow you away, especially the macro lens
It’s no secret that we love the Samsung Galaxy lineup, so we weren’t surprised that the A15 continues that positive streak. Sure, it’s not as fancy as its higher-end counterparts. For example, the A15 trades the sleek metallic casing for plastic. But as our review notes, this phone doesn’t feel cheap at all. With a triple camera setup and a subtly elegant color gradient, you’d swear this was a premium phone.
However, one area where the price point becomes obvious is with the 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display, as the brightness and color accuracy aren’t the greatest. Don’t get us wrong. For a budget phone, this screen is quite exceptional. It’s a crisp display with excellent contrast and saturation. The 90Hz refresh rate keeps up with videos and scrolling, too, so your kids won’t be complaining.
For your budding little photographer (or hopeful influencer), the cameras are impressive. The 50MP main camera performs well in adequate lighting but struggles in low-light conditions, which isn’t surprising at this price range. Additional camera features include a 5MP ultrawide sensor and a 2MP macro lens, both of which can only capture softer images. The 13MP front camera should pass your child’s standards for their selfies, even if the images lack detail. Again, for $200, it’s hard to complain.
Samsung Galaxy A15 5G review: Everything you need for only $200
It’s not flashy, but the A15 gets the job done for people who don’t read reviews or care about specs
The A15 even offers a couple of other features we miss in our premium phones, like a headphone jack and a MicroSD slot. At this point, you might be wondering if you should just buy this phone for yourself. We won’t blame you if you do.
Apple iPhone SE (2022)
Apple’s ecosystem handles parental controls really well
If you’re already an Apple household, you must consider the iPhone SE strongly. Apple’s iOS software offers a ton of parental controls baked right into the phone, making it easy to monitor your child’s activity or even restricting your child’s ability to “accidentally” buy more add-ons in apps.
- Apple’s parental controls are top notch
- Great performance
- Old, dated design
The iPhone SE (2022) won’t likely win any style points with your kid, as the design is very old and dated, but as a parent, it offers a ton of control over your child’s activity. The major caveat is that you’ll need an iPhone yourself to really make the most of those features. If you are an Apple household, though, the iPhone SE is a great option for your child.
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The A15 Bionic chip that powers the device is quite powerful, so you can easily play games and use advanced apps with no problems. The screen is small — only 4.7 inches — but that does mean that it can fit much easier in smaller hands. With an IP67 rating against water and dust incursion, it’s quite durable, too, meaning the odd accident here and there wouldn’t be a huge issue. No Face ID, but Apple’s Touch ID sensor in the Home button is quite speedy.
Nokia 2780 Flip
Low tech in all the right ways
The Nokia 2780 is perfect for kids or anyone looking to avoid the inevitable smartphone distractions. It features reliable 4G LTE for clear calls, runs on the user-friendly KaiOS, and is powered by a 1.3 GHz Qualcomm processor. It’s not much, but it’ll get the job done. Although capable of running apps like YouTube and Facebook, their slow performance deters excessive use. The 2.8-inch display is all you need for simple tasks like texting and taking the odd photo once in a while, and its compact size will fit anywhere.
- Really affordable
- Seems to offer solid call quality
- Keeps digital distractions to a minimum
- Poor camera quality compared to even the cheapest smartphones
The Nokia 2780 Flip is as basic as you can get these days, and that’s the selling point. It’s a practical choice for parents seeking a straightforward mobile phone for their kids. You won’t find 5G capability, but the 4G LTE is more than capable of providing clear calls.
Also, it’s powered by a 1.3 GHz Qualcomm processor and runs on KaiOS, a Linux operating system that’s handy for apps. Don’t get too excited, though. While the Flip can run apps like YouTube and even Facebook, they’re slow and glitchy. But we consider this limitation a good thing because it discourages prolonged use. As for the likes of TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram? Well, your kid will just have to borrow your phone for those apps.
You won’t find a fancy 4K HDR camera on the Flip. All you get is a modest 2.8-inch display with an equally modest 5-megapixel rear camera. However, the phone captures some nice shots with adequate lighting.
Overall, the Nokia 2780 does what it’s supposed to do. It provides a reliable way to text and call your kid.
Bark Phone
Comprehensive parental controls
Bark is for parents who want or need to take things a step further compared to traditional phones. Bark isn’t just a phone, but a comprehensive service aimed at providing the ultimate digital protection for your child. The phone is a Samsung Galaxy A14, but the Bark service lets you tailor the digital experience.
- Great parental controls
- Amazing monitoring capabilities
- No long-term contract
- Limited to Bark’s service
- Only one phone option
The Bark Phone gives parents a comprehensive suite of parental controls for the ultimate in digital protection. The Bark Phone is a Samsung Galaxy A14 with Bark’s cell service and customized parental controls. The Bark service is split into two categories; service for younger kids and service for teens. The service for younger kids provides unlimited talk and text, enables location tracking, contact management, text, and photo monitoring, and disables apps, browsers, and voicemails for $29 a month.
Service for teens is available for $49 for Wi-Fi only, $59 for 4G of data, $69 for 8GB of data, and $89 a month for unlimited data. These plans allow you to manage your child’s apps and contacts. It gives you tracking abilities and provides monitoring abilities for texts, social media, and web browsing. If you choose to, you can block websites, apps, remotely lock the device, and prevent text deletion without your permission.
Pinwheel Rugged 3
Rugged and capable
The Pinwheel Rugged 3 is a durable smartphone perfect for children who tend to be a bit more rough. The Pinwheel Portal gives you access to your child’s phone, but it does come with a monthly cost. This device also isn’t compatible with AT&T or Verizon and lacks 5G support.
- Durable design
- Good battery life
- Not compatible with AT&T or Verizon
- No 5G
Like the Bark Phone, you will need the Pinwheel Rugged 3 and its accompanying service to make it all work. The Rugged 3 features a 5.7-inch display, a triple-rear camera setup with a 13MP primary lens, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and a 5,080mAh battery. While the phone itself is capable, the real reason you would get this phone is for its durable design. If your child tends to drop or break things, then getting them a device that can handle a bit more abuse is definitely the way to go.
Unlike Bark, Pinwheel doesn’t supply its own cellular service. You will need T-Mobile or one of the many MVNO’s that utilize T-Mobile’s network for service. What Pinwheel does offer is a comprehensive suite of parental controls that costs $15 a month for the first device and $5 a month for each additional device. The Pinwheel service gives you a portal to monitor contacts, texts, call history, access to Pinwheel vetted apps, a GPS locator, set screen time, and create to-do lists. The curated app store helps build healthy digital habits by eliminating addictive games and a web browser.
Teracube Thrive
Rugged design with some options
The Teracube Thrive is another device that provides parents with enhanced control over their kids’ services. It’s also the least expensive option on this list, which may appeal to parents of young kids. It also allows you to buy the device outright and use it on a separate network.
- Fantastic pricing structure
- Access to the Android Play Store
- Built-in parental controls
- Not as robust as some of its competitors
- Costly repair service
The Teracube Thrive is about tailoring your child’s cellular experience to your wishes. The device itself is available with Teracube’s wireless service for $99 or $199 if you plan on using your own wireless carrier. The Teracube Wireless service starts at $25 a month. The Teracube Thrive runs Thrive OS, which is built on Android. It has a MediaTek Helio A25 chipset, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. It has a 6.1-inch 1560×720 display and a dual rear camera setup. The device ships with a protective case and a preinstalled tempered glass screen protector.
The Teracube Thrive gives full access to the Android Play Store, but every app needs to be approved with time limits. You get a safe internet browser, the ability to block or limit social media, safe contacts, and built-in parental monitoring. This is all done and configured using the Thrive Parent App, which is available on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
The right phone for your child
Buying your child a cell phone — especially their first one — can be a little daunting, but remember you’re the best judge of what your child should have in their pockets every day. Whether it’s a basic phone for calls and texts or a full-fledged smartphone for more technological independence, the possibilities are nearly endless. But the good news is you don’t have to break the bank to get a perfect phone.
The Google Pixel 7a really is the best pick you’ll find in a smartphone right now. Google has some great parental controls baked into their devices that should make it easier to restrict access to features or apps you don’t want your child to have. But, it’s also great for a teenager that you don’t really need to monitor as well, thanks to its great processor, amazing camera, and wonderful software that makes the phone a joy to use for making simple phone calls or playing the hottest new mobile games.
Of course, the Samsung A15 is another great pick, considering its low price, durability, and list of features. Plus, Samsung’s Kids Mode and Digital Wellbeing feature lets you monitor and restrict as needed. And for teenagers looking for more battery life and quite possibly the best display on a mid-range smartphone, the OnePlus 12R is the best bet.
Google Pixel 7a
Google’s newest midrange masterpiece
Don’t want to go with last year’s model? Good news, the Pixel 7a is a stellar midrange Android phone that will offer your kid many perks, and you won’t have to worry about spending too much. Its $500 price tag gives you really good performance, arguably the best cameras at this price point, and still has all those excellent Google AI features that help deal with spam calls and more.
