Hello Reader,

Have you wondered which phone is best for your teen? Holidays are around the corner, and if you’re considering buying a phone for your teen, we want to help you make the smartest choice possible.

Traditional phones are designed for adults, not kids.

In fact, parents tell us that parental controls like Apple's Screen Time and Google’s Family Link are just not enough–they’re riddled with loopholes that teens exploit. That’s why we recommend safer phones.

Notice I said safer?

That’s because no phone is totally safe. But some phones make your life a whole lot easier with

• stronger filters,
• better parent dashboards, and
• fewer opportunities for your kid to stumble into trouble.

I’ll be honest. I’m cautious about young teens having smartphones at all.

But we also know parents want connection and protection. So if you’ve decided it’s time to get a phone, we want you to have the facts so your teen stays as safe as possible.

We tested the top five brands: Bark, Gabb, Pinwheel, Troomi, and MMGuardian. You’ll find our extensive review and comparison of each phone in our new article, Best Phones for Kids in 2026: Our Ultimate Guide.

You’ll find:

• Parental control features for each brand
• Honest pros and cons from real parent testers
• Cost info and exclusive discounts for every brand

Oh, and one of our phones tracked a kid on a roller coaster at 85 mph—so yes, we tested these thoroughly! 🎢

Kindly,

Kristen

P.S. Before you rely on smartphone filters, start with an INTERNAL one. Nothing can stop a kid who wants to see porn. That’s why we need to work on the “wanting” bit. Help your child develop a disposition to reject pornography’s toxic messages. This takes good information and persistent, consistent convos.

​Good Pictures Bad Pictures: Porn-Proofing Today’s Young Kids can get you started by explaining the brain science behind developing a dependence on pornography (yes, I mean addiction). Plus how porn teaches dehumanization, objectification, and being mean to someone for fun. 🤢 There’s a better, happier way if kids have a CAN DO plan in place! 💪​
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​And if you’ve got young kids, ages 3-8, start now with Good Pictures Bad Pictures Jr.: A Simple Plan to Protect Young Minds. Teach them to Turn, Run & Tell! It’s the easiest, most comfortable way to help kids recognize and reject pornography. Long before they ever hold a smartphone.