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Balance Phone Kids is a child-focused phone built on Samsung Galaxy A17 4G hardware and running Balance OS. In Tech Advisor’s account, its filters blocked several app and web categories, but AI chatbots and news sites remained accessible. That makes it a possible part of a child’s first-phone plan—not an “unhackable” or complete safety solution.
What is Balance Phone Kids?
Balance Phone Kids combines the hardware of the 4G-only Samsung Galaxy A17 with Balance OS, the vendor’s software layer for restricting apps and websites. The restrictions described by Tech Advisor belong to Balance OS; the report does not say that a standard Galaxy A17 includes them.
Tech Advisor’s Mobile Editor Anyron Copeman published his account on September 30, 2026, based partly on his use of the phone. It is an opinion article, not an independent security audit or child-safety study. Its headline calls the phone “unhackable,” but the reporting does not verify that claim. Read Copeman’s Tech Advisor article.
What did the reported testing find?
Blocked apps and a blocked website
Copeman says targeted social media, gaming, betting, video-streaming, online-dating and adult-content apps were blocked when opened. He also reports that entering instagram.com in Chrome produced the same blocking screen as opening Instagram’s app.
#1 Best Overall
- Multifunctional Kids Smart Phone:The upgraded touchscreen kids' cell phone comes with various features, including a selfie camera, MP3 player, games, paint, voice recorder, country and daily guide, alarm, flashlight, stopwatch, calculator, theme and screensaver selection, time format, volume control, and more. It offers convenience, fun, and a new experience for kids ages 4-12.
- Educational Kids Toy:The upgraded kids' toy phone features 26 alphabet lessons, 10 storybook fables, 24 country landmarks, 5 daily activities, and 13 puzzle games to enhance logic, thinking, and reaction skills. With the drawing feature, kids can express themselves artistically anytime, without needing paper or a dedicated drawing area.
- Habit Tracking: The toddler toy phone includes a built-in flashlight for exploring and a timer for managing time. The habit recorder helps remind children to engage in activities like studying, eating, and exercising, promoting the development of good habits and improving self-discipline and focus.
- MP3 Music Player and Funny Photo Frames: The kids pretend phones features high-quality speakers for enjoying music without headphones. It includes an SD memory card for downloading MP3 songs, pictures, and videos. Children can take photos with 23 funny frames, capturing happy moments with family and friends.
- Great Gift for Girls and Boys Ages 3-8:The kids smartphones is small, lightweight, and made from safe materials. It's an ideal gift for birthdays and Christmas for boys and girls aged 3 - 10.
Apps could be downloaded before being blocked
The article describes a gap in timing: a child could download an app from Google Play, and Balance OS would identify it as blocked only when the child tried to open it. That is different from preventing the app from being downloaded in the first place.
What are the two loopholes?
AI chatbots
According to Copeman, ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude remained unrestricted. He worries that chatbots may provide misinformation or harmful suggestions, and writes, “There’s no such thing as a ‘safe’ AI chatbot.” That is his judgment, not a finding established by independent testing in the article.
Rank #2
- Multifunctional Kids Smart Phone - 2.8" Touchscreen kids phone rich features, easy to use. Wide range of entertainment and learning options, such as 13 puzzle games, music, ABC learning themes, etc, and equipped with useful gadgets that children need, such as recorder, calculator, calendar, alarm clock, torch, countdown timer, stopwatch, etc. Kids toy cell phones, all in entertainment and learning, are designed for kids aged 3-12 years old
- New Upgrade Kids Phone Learning Toys - Luoba toddler phone newly added learning A-Z letter, ABC learning is easy and fun by combining letter pronunciation and associated animal sounds. 24 iconic buildings from different countries to enrich children's knowledge and inspire automatic exploration of learning. 5 daily learning and 12 habit tracker time alarm management helper, can maintain your child's good daily habits and develop a sense of time
- Joy and Relaxation Time - Kids toys phone has 13 fun puzzle games, it can help children relax and release stress, exercising their logical thinking, reaction skills, and hand-eye coordination. Graffiti painting function can let children give full play to their imagination and creativity. Kids smartphone built-in 10 fun stories, high-quality MP3 music player, support 3.5mm headphone jack, Make child enjoy music on the go. The included 8GB card can store more music
- Dual Camera Recording Good Times- kids smartphones support dual cameras to take pictures and video recording, just like a real smartphone, and quickly switch between front and rear, easy selfies. With 23 cute stickers. Kids choose their favorite stickers to take photos and record the beautiful moments and interesting experiences in their lives with family or friends. To prevent the loss, kids phone for girls boys comes with a durable lanyard for easy carrying
- Great Gifts for Girls Boys - Kids play phones, the touch screen is sensitive, and han 31 styles of wallpaper and 10 desktop background wallpapers to choose from. Comes with a cute pattern design silicone phone case, it can be drop-proof and more durable. Small and exquisite phone, easy to carry, with a 600mAh battery, it offers more usage time. This fake phone is a popular kids toy for girls boys age 3-12, the great surprise Christmas birthday travel gift for kids
News websites
News sites also remained accessible in Copeman’s account. His concern is that children could encounter distressing or misleading material. The article does not provide a site-by-site test or establish that every news website behaves identically.
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No. Copeman says the phone may be a middle ground, but does not treat it as a complete child-safety solution. He recommends combining restrictions with trusted parental-control software, conversations between parent and child, and supervised internet use. He does not endorse a particular control product.
Rank #3
- 【All in one Kids phone toy】: KOKODI kids' phone toy offers a variety of applications to suit toddlers' demands for a phone. With photoing and videoing, kids can freely capture any moment they want. Exclusive features include ABC, story, painting, etc to cultivate empathy and foster logical thinking skills. Besides, Habits help children manage time and help them feel less overwhelmed and in turn, make them feel more accomplished and confident in completing tasks throughout all areas of life.
- 【Make Shooting Effortless】: KOKODI kids' phone automatically locks onto people, pets, and birds. So kids can effortlessly take a snap or self-snap with 23 funny stickers. The 2.8-inch sensitive touchscreen makes it easy to start and stop recording. KOKODI kids' phone is designed to explore possibilities for kids' imaging expression with exceptional performance in taking pictures and recording videos.
- 【Pre-load & Play】: Can't wait for a game? 31 Pre-installed educational puzzle games to KOKODI toodler phone toy and play as soon as it's powered on. Three game modes are available: easy, normal, and hard. Choose from thousands of music and hundreds of stories supported by large memory. Start enjoying the precious parent-child moment anytime and anywhere your kids' most anticipated music or story is available when you pre-download it.
- 【Built For Everyday】: KOKODI kids phone toy comes with a premium silicone case that covers the phone all around to prevent accidental drop damage no matter at home or on the go. All of the phone's buttons and switches work flawlessly, with convenient open access to ports and speakers. 2 colors are in stock. Choose nebula pink or deep blue, each with a unique texture. A Raised surface design of a cute dinosaur or unicorn on the phone's back. Look closely, and you'll also find little stars!
- 【Perfect Gift】: Great as a birthday, back-to-school, and Christmas gift for your nephew or your little one aged 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. KOKODI kid's phones are easy to use, never out of time, and give kids the freedom to record, capture the world, and share photos with family or friends. Enjoy more ways to spend leisure time without kids being exposed to potential cyber dangers also keep kids away from your phones and remote control. Can't wait to be taken to home!!!
The practical distinction is between reducing access to selected categories and supervising everything a child can encounter online. The reported gaps mean families should decide separately how to handle chatbot access, news, and app downloads rather than assuming the phone covers them.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Availability, alternatives and reported prices
Tech Advisor’s September 30, 2026 article reports Balance Phone Kids at £279 in the UK and says the handset is not compatible with US networks. It also reports Balance OS for an existing Samsung Galaxy phone at £79 per year in the UK and $79 per year in the US. These are source-reported prices, not independently verified current offers.
Rank #4
- 200+ Educational Games – Ready to Play & Learn? This kids smart phone toy comes with 200+ learning games designed for ages 3–12. From ABCs and 123s to puzzles and brain builders, there’s always something new to explore—never boring! What will they discover today? It also includes a flashlight, fun camera, drawing tools, storybooks, and an alarm clock. Kids build core skills while having fun. (Note: No Wi-Fi or calling functions.)
- Dual Camera + 45+ Stickers – Say Cheese! Featuring both front and rear cameras, this 3.97" touchscreen phone lets kids record videos and snap selfies like little photographers. Want silly? Cute? Funny? With 45+ stickers and frames, every photo becomes a masterpiece. A perfect birthday, Halloween, or Christmas gift for ages 3–12—turn everyday moments into unforgettable memories!
- 190+ Drawings – What Will They Create? Packed with 190+ coloring and drawing pages, this kids’ phone inspires imagination, boosts color recognition, and improves hand-eye coordination. Plus, with 5 interactive story adventures included, every tap unlocks a new creative journey—transforming screen time into meaningful playtime.
- Long Battery & 8GB Storage – Powered by a 1500mAh rechargeable battery, this kids’ phone keeps the fun going for hours. The built-in 8GB memory safely stores hundreds of photos, drawings, and videos—no worries about running out of space. The shockproof silicone case protects against drops and everyday bumps, so kids can play freely.
- Parental Control Mode – You’re in Charge. With password protection, app and time management, and support for multiple child accounts, this phone creates a safe and distraction-free digital space. Parents control what kids access with confidence. (Note: Does not support app downloads to keep the focus on educational content.)
The article also names a regular Balance Phone based on Galaxy A37 hardware and Balance Phone Pro based on Galaxy S25 hardware, but does not provide a current, specification-by-specification comparison of those devices. Installing Balance OS on an existing Samsung phone is another route mentioned; compatibility details should be confirmed with the vendor before buying or subscribing. A standard Galaxy A17 4G is not the same product as Balance Phone Kids unless it comes with Balance OS.
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