Best Alternatives to a Smartphone for Keeping in Touch With Your Child

iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more

If your child needs a way to reach family but you do not want to hand over an unrestricted smartphone, consider a child-focused cellular watch. Gabb Watch 3e and Xplora’s XGO3 and X6Play are designed around calls and messages to approved contacts; Apple Watch For Your Kids offers another route if your family already uses an iPhone. None is a universal best choice: check contact controls, carrier and plan requirements, location and SOS behavior, and whether your child will wear and charge a watch.

What are the main alternatives?

These capabilities are manufacturer descriptions, not results of an independent head-to-head test. Verify details for the exact model and plan before buying.

#	Preview	Product	Price
1		Fitbit Google Ace LTE - Kids Smartwatch with Call, Message, GPS, and Activity-Based Games, Ace Pass...	$160.66	Buy on Amazon

How should you choose?

Start with the kind of access you want your child to have, then check whether the device can deliver it where you live.

• Who can contact your child? Check whether you can limit contacts to people you approve, and whether your child can add contacts independently.
• What messages are supported? Calls, texts, and voice messages are not interchangeable. Confirm which your child can send and receive.
• How much online access is available? Xplora says its watches lack an open browser and social media. Check the precise app and internet restrictions for any watch or phone you consider; do not assume all child-focused devices work alike.
• What does location sharing mean? Look for update frequency, Safe Zone or geofence behavior, and the conditions that can affect location. A GPS feature alone does not establish continuous tracking.
• What does SOS do? Find out whether the button calls a chosen family contact or emergency services, and what happens after it is pressed.
• What is the full service requirement? Check the carrier, regional availability, coverage, plan, and recurring service charge as well as the device price.
• Will it work in your child’s routine? Consider school controls, battery and charging habits, wrist fit, durability, water limits, and whether your child is comfortable wearing a watch.
• How much setup will you manage? Review the parent app, account requirements, contact approval process, and any limits on how the child’s device interacts with a parent’s phone.

What to know about each watch

Gabb Watch 3e: a standalone watch with defined location and SOS limits

Gabb lists talk and text, voice messaging, preset messages, parent-approved contacts, GPS, and Safe Zones for the Watch 3e. A phone is not needed for it to operate as a communication device, but Gabb says a phone plan is required.

#1 Best Overall

Fitbit Google Ace LTE - Kids Smartwatch with Call, Message, GPS, and Activity-Based Games, Ace Pass Data Plan Required - Mild - Strange Arcade

• KNOW WHERE YOUR WILD THINGS ARE - The Fitbit Ace LTE is the first-of-its-kind kids smartwatch and fitness tracker designed to move the next generation of gamers; with built-in cellular 4G LTE and GPS location, they’re never out of reach[1,4]
• IN-APP CALLS & MESSAGES WITHOUT A PHONE NUMBER - Stay connected and add up to 20 contacts (ages 13 and up) for them to call and message with; Works with most Android 11.0 or newer or iOS 16 or newer[20,21,22]; Google account and Fitbit Ace app required.
• A BATTERY THAT KEEPS ON GOING - With 16+ hours of battery life, Fitbit Ace LTE can keep up with kids all day long[15]; and fast charging provides 11 hours of battery life in just 30 minutes[16]
• LTE DATA FOR UNLIMITED FUN - The Fitbit Ace Pass data plan gives you access to calling, messaging, and location sharing; plus, kids get every game title in the Fitbit Arcade[4,7]
• HELP YOUR KIDS FOCUS AT SCHOOL - School Time lets you limit gameplay on your kid’s watch during the day to help them focus, while still letting them getting in touch if they need to; kids cannot message each other using Fitbit Ace LTE[8]

$160.66

Buy on Amazon

Gabb says location updates are approximately every 15 minutes, not continuous monitoring. It also says accuracy can depend on signal, connectivity, battery, and device conditions. The manufacturer gives expected battery life of 14–18 hours under normal usage; heavier GPS or activity use can reduce it. Gabb describes the watch as water resistant and advises against submerging it. These are manufacturer claims, not independently tested results.

Do not mistake its SOS button for a direct emergency-services connection: Gabb says it calls the child’s selected SOS contact and cannot call 911.

Xplora XGO3 and X6Play: approved contacts with a required service

Xplora describes both models as supporting calls and texts to contacts approved in the Guardian app, GPS, and SOS, without an open internet browser or social media. Its US help page says the watches use Xplora Connect on AT&T and T-Mobile. Confirm that the particular model and service are currently supported in your area, and check the current plan and device terms; availability and prices can change.

Before choosing one, establish what its SOS function does in practice. The cited product information establishes that SOS is a feature, but does not specify enough detail here to treat it as a call to emergency services.

Apple Watch For Your Kids: a family setup, not an iPhone-free setup

Apple says a child does not need to own an iPhone to use Apple Watch For Your Kids. An adult uses an iPhone to set up and manage the child’s watch. Apple’s support information requires a child account in Family Sharing, a cellular-capable Apple Watch, and a supported carrier; Apple says the feature is not available in all regions. A cellular plan is needed for the watch to connect when the parent’s iPhone is not nearby.

Apple’s support page lists Apple Watch SE or Series 6 or later as eligible, while its product information recommends SE 3 and says other Series 4 and later cellular models also work. Check Apple’s current eligibility information and carrier list before purchase, since model and regional support can change. Apple also notes that some interactions between a watch set up this way and the setup iPhone are limited.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1

Fitbit Google Ace LTE - Kids Smartwatch with Call, Message, GPS, and Activity-Based Games, Ace Pass Data Plan Required - Mild - Strange Arcade

$160.66

What should you verify before buying?

1. Identify the exact model and region. Check the manufacturer’s current compatibility and carrier information for the watch you intend to buy.
2. Confirm the service. Find out whether a separate plan or subscription is required, which network it uses, and whether coverage is adequate in the places your child goes.
3. Test the contact setup on paper. Make sure the approved-contact arrangement fits your family, including who can make changes and which message types are available.
4. Read the location and SOS details. Note update frequency and limitations, and distinguish a call to a parent-selected contact from a call to emergency services.
5. Check daily-use fit. Consider school settings, charging, water restrictions, fit, and whether the child can reliably keep the device with them.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.