SkieFor parents
Kids phones and tablets compared with Skie
Companies such as Gabb, Pinwheel, Bark and Troomi sell a locked-down phone together with a plan. Kids tablets from Amazon, Samsung and others do the same job for tablets. Skie gives a family the same kind of control on a phone or tablet it already owns, with no hardware to buy. These pages compare the products side by side so you can see what each one costs and controls, and where each is the better fit.
How to choose
Match the tool to the job.
- Choose a kids phone or tablet when you want one box with the device, the controls and in some cases the mobile plan included.
- Choose Skie when your family already has a suitable Android phone or tablet, or wants to buy any device and keep its own mobile plan.
- Look at the total cost over two years: hardware, plan and software together.
- Check where each product is sold. Some are limited to a few countries, while Skie is available worldwide.
18 comparisons
- Skie vs Gabb (Gabb Phone, Gabb Watch)Gabb sells a locked-down kids phone and watch with its own wireless plan. Skie puts device-owner control on a phone or tablet you already own.
- Skie vs Pinwheel (phones, watch and Caregiver Portal)Pinwheel sells kids phones and a watch with a Caregiver Portal and lets you choose your own carrier. Skie gives device-owner control on hardware you already own.
- Skie vs Bark Phone (with Bark's monitoring)Bark Phone pairs a Samsung phone with Bark Wireless and Bark's monitoring. Skie gives device-owner control on a phone or tablet you already own.
- Skie vs Troomi (Troomi Wireless and Troomi OS)Troomi puts its own kid-safe software on Samsung Galaxy phones with its own carrier service. Skie puts device-owner control on a device you already own.
- Skie vs Balance Phone and Balance OSA Samsung phone with a fixed block list, or the same software on your own Samsung, against Android management you control per child on any brand.
- Skie vs WingioPre-configured Samsung phones and tablets, or Wingio OS on your own Samsung, against device-owner control on any Android brand.
- Skie vs Wisephone II (Techless)A minimalist US phone with a monthly software subscription, against device-owner control you apply to a phone or tablet you already own.
- Skie vs MMGuardian Phone and MMGuardian appA Samsung phone with MMGuardian built in, or the MMGuardian app, against device-owner control on any Android brand.
- Skie vs Xplora (watches, XploraOne and HMD Fusion X1)Kids smartwatches and a no-internet starter phone with a bundled SIM, against device management for a phone or tablet the family owns.
- Skie vs Spacetalk (watches, mobile plans and app)An Australian family safety brand with kids smartwatches, prepaid mobile plans and a parent app, against device management for a phone or tablet.
- Skie vs Light Phone IIIA minimalist phone with no browser or app store, against parental control and device management on a normal Android phone.
- Skie vs Verizon Gizmo Watch 4A carrier-linked kids smartwatch with a monthly watch line, against device management for a phone or tablet on any carrier.
- Skie vs Amazon Fire Kids tabletsA bundled kids tablet with a case, a replacement guarantee and a content subscription, against software for a tablet you already own.
- Skie vs Samsung Kids on Galaxy TabSamsung Kids is a free kids space on Galaxy Tab models, with a PIN and screen time tools, against device-owner rules on any Android tablet.
- Skie vs Lenovo tablets with Google Kids SpaceLenovo's Tab M11 comes with Google Kids Space inside, a standard Android tablet with a kids mode, against device-owner rules.
- Skie vs Google Kids Space and Family Link on Android tabletsA free Google kids space and a parent app on preinstalled tablets, against rules enforced at device-owner level on any Android tablet.
- Skie vs Apple iPad with Screen Time for kidsAn iPad with Screen Time and Family Sharing is a capable kids tablet, while Skie is for Android tablets you already own.
- Skie vs Huawei MatePad SE 11 Kids EditionA Kids Edition tablet with a silicone case and a Kids Corner mode, against software that works on tablets from any brand with Google Play services.