# Companies offer children phones with parental controls and limited features

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/parents-want-safer-phones-for-kids-these-companies-are-answering-the-call-2/
- Published: 2026-11-07T19:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-07T19:17:38+00:00
- Original publisher: TechCrunch
- Original article: https://techcrunch.com/2026/11/07/parents-want-safer-phones-for-kids-these-companies-are-answering-the-call/
- Topics: Gadgets, Technology

## Key points

- Kid-focused phones limit apps, web access or online risks.
- Parental controls can manage contacts, screen time and location.
- Prices and monthly costs vary across the options.

## Summary

Companies are offering phones designed to give children ways to communicate while limiting exposure to online risks and distractions. The devices range from modified smartphones with parental controls and monitoring to simpler phones focused on calls and texts, reflecting parents’ concerns about unrestricted smartphone access.

Bark scans messages and other supported content for potential concerns and lets parents gradually unlock features; its phone costs $240, with plans from $29 a month. Gabb removes browsers and social media, with phones from about $159.99 and service from $24.99 monthly. Pinwheel offers app approvals and daily modes, with phones from $119 and a portal subscription from $14.99 monthly; Teracube’s Thrive starts at $99, with plans from $35 monthly. Pinwheel has also launched home phones, while Ooma MyPhone is another home-based option; the article text ends before giving Ooma’s full feature details.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.