Is your kid ready for their first phone? Or perhaps you’re ready to stop hearing them ask for one. Either way it can feel like a big step for parents to give their little one their first device that’s all their own. Even if they’re used to playing with yours, it’s a whole other thing when the phone is just theirs.
Of course children, teens and tweens aren’t known to be the most responsible, or careful so it’s reasonable to be hesitant to spend big bucks on their first phone.
Fortunately not every phone comes with a sky-high price tag, and your child won’t need the latest and greatest tech. What are they going to do with a 100x Space Zoom anyway? If you’ve decided that your child is ready for their first phone, then there are plenty of affordable options out there.
In this guide we look at:
Best phones for kids
These are our editor's picks for the best phones for kids, for more information on these devices scroll down or click on the link to read our full review.
- OPPO A72
- OPPO A53
- OPPO A53s
- Samsung Galaxy A21s
- Refurbished iPhones
- Nokia 5.4
- Vivo Y70
- Motorola Moto G8 Power Lite
What to look for in a phone for your kids
Affordability
For most parents, the biggest priority is price: while you might spend a cool grand (or two) on a high-end phone for yourself, you're unlikely to splash out on the newest iPhone for your 10-year-old.
Depending on what you're looking for in a phone, you can pick up great quality devices for as little as $300. All of the phones listed here are around $300 outright, and several can be bought on a plan if you'd prefer to spread out your payments.
Durability
As responsible as your child might be, there's still a good chance that their device will eventually end up dropped, wet, or even lost or stolen. Installing an app such as Find my Phone can help in cases of missing devices, but you may also want to make sure your kid's phone is durable, waterproof, and not a big deal to replace.
Battery life
We've picked out a few options below with better-than-average battery life - an essential for kids with a tendency to forget to charge their phone.
Parental controls
Most devices feature built-in control options for concerned parents, so you'll be able to keep an eye on your kid's app and data use. If your child has a Samsung phone, we've written up a detailed guide on parental control options; we've also created a similar guide to monitoring your child's iPhone use.Best phone plans for kids
Every phone needs a mobile plan to go along with it. When searching for one for your kid it's best to consider a few things like, spend, hidden costs, data allowances and of course how your child will be using the device.
Luckily most plans these days come with unlimited talk and text, so it’s unlikely that your little one will be stranded without being able to get in touch. Remember when you had to prank call your parents and get them to call you back? Good times. Good that those times are done with.
Prepaid options are a great way to limit over spending and prevent bill shock if your kid happens to go through their monthly data allowance. However, there is an argument for plans with unlimited data such as felix, Vodafone, Optus, and Telstra. With no extra data fees you won’t have to worry about any bonus dollars coming out of your account.
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#1
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Dodo
Editor's Pick
Medium Mobile Plan
$30.00/mth
Min. cost $15
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#2
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Vodafone
$58 Small SIM Only Plan
$45.00/mth
Min. cost $45
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#3
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felix mobile
felix 25GB Mobile Plan
$30.00
Per 1 Month Renewal
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#4
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Telstra
$54 Pre-Paid Mobile
$54.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
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#5
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Optus
$60 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$39.00/mth
Min. cost $39
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#6
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Belong
25GB Mobile Plan
$34.00/mth
Min. cost $34
Link not supplied
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Usually though, your child shouldn’t need a huge amount of data every month especially if you make sure they’re connected to WiFi when they get home. Below are our most popular prepaid options that won’t cost you more than $20 per month, followed by postpaid deals in this price bracket too.
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#1
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TPG
Editor's Pick
30GB Small Plan
$15.00
Per 1 Month Renewal
Link not supplied
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#2
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Boost Mobile
$14 Prepaid
$14.00
Per 7 Day Renewal
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#3
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Lyca Mobile
Editor's Pick
Unlimited Plan S
$15.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
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#4
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amaysim
7-day UNLIMITED 10GB Plan
$10.00
Per 7 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
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#5
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OnePass mobile
28 Day Plan - 22GB
$12.50
Per 28 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
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#6
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Vodafone
$13 Prepaid Plus Recharge
$13.00
Per 7 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
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#7
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iiNet
30GB Small Plan
$15.00
Per 1 Month Renewal
Link not supplied
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#1
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SpinTel
Editor's Pick
$23 Mobile Plan
$12.00/mth
Min. cost $12
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#2
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Pivotel
25GB Mobile Swift Plan
$11.45/mth
Min. cost $11.45
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#3
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Swoop
30GB SIM Only 5G
$14.00/mth
Min. cost $14
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#4
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Moose Mobile
Moose 23 SIM Only
$14.00/mth
Min. cost $14
Link not supplied
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Editor's Pick: Best phones for kids
OPPO A72
- Affordable
- Brand has reliable, long lasting battery life
- Solid camera set up
- Cheaper cameras can have lowlight performance issues
Price: $299
OPPO has a reputation for making affordable phones that punch above their weight. The A72 is incredibly similar to the A52, which was released in 2020 - read our review of the OPPO A52 here.
Based on the overt similarities between the specs, and OPPO's strong points we can hazard a safe guess that the A72 comes with solid battery life and an amicable camera set up for the cost.
OPPO devices are great starter phones, they offer bang for your buck, they don't look cheap, and they take great photos in the right environment.
| Retailer | Price | Buy now |
|---|---|---|
Amazon |
$299 | See price |
OPPO A53 or A53s
- Excellent battery
- Still has headphone jack
- 90ghz refresh rate
- Audio can be distorted
- No on screen fingerprint reader
- The two phones are very similar
Price: $299 - $349
There is no reason not to recommend another OPPO device for your little one. The A53 has all the same great points as the A72, but this one is the 2021 model.
When we tested the device we found that it lasted up to seven hours of screen time, the camera set up performed well in most situations, and the higher refresh rate on the screen made for a smoother scrolling experience.
Most importantly though, it is a phone that won't break the bank but will do everything your kid needs it to and more.
Samsung Galaxy A21s
- Promising battery capacity
- Generous display
- Fast charging
- Slightly slower processing than other Samsung models
Price: $385
Samsung is another trusted name, and one that your kid probably won't throw a tantrum about getting their hands on. The A21s was released in May 2020 and comes with a 6.5-inch display, a quad-camera set up, and 5,000mAh battery capacity.
Refurbished iPhones
- Quality, trusted product
- Great security and longevity
- Cheaper than a brand new iPhone
- More expensive than other options
- Typically older models
Price: From $359
iPhones are most likely too expensive to consider for the vast majority of kids phones, but refurbished devices can make it more palatable. Preowned iPhones start from as low as $300 from providers such as Boost, but it's unlikely that this price point will get you the newest model. Or even the second latest.
Of course there are a multitude of benefits that come with opting for an iPhone despite the higher price tag. You can utilise a range of family sharing options on apps like Apple Music and Apple Fitness+, iOS is known to have impeccable security, and of course your kid will be stoked.
Below are some pros and cons of getting a refurbished iPhone, but you can read more in our complete guide to preowned iOS devices here.
How to decide what’s the best phone for my child or teen?
Even if your teen is begging you for the latest iPhone, ultimately the adult will make the decision on what is the best phone to buy a kid. It all depends on how much money you want to spend, older models are usually less expensive than newer ones, and refurbished phones could also be an option. Weigh the pros and cons of each phone model and involve your child in the decision so you can pick a phone you’re all happy with. Remember to check our mobile plans guides as well to choose the best plan to go with their brand new phone!
Anula Wiwatowska
Offsite Editorial Lead | Instagram
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