Giving your child a phone requires you to maintain high vigilance levels, ensuring that your little ones are not misusing the phone. Although it should not make you lower your guard, choosing the right option among the best cell phone plans for kids can make the process less tasking and worrying.
The right cell phone plan for your kids depends on what they will use it for and their age. Children under the age of ten do not need a cellular connection. A deactivated smartphone or an iPod Touch will cater to young kids’ needs like gaming and studying, as long as it has a WiFi connection.
However, if your kid is older, you will need a cell phone plan for parental controls to help you easily monitor what your child is doing with a phone. This article will show you how to choose the right cell phone plan for your kids and bring you the best, most affordable ten plans for children.
How To Find The Best Cell Phone Plans For Kids
Do not let fear destroy your good relationship with your child. If you fail to give your child a phone, they will feel inferior when around peers with phones. They might also hate you due to your controlling nature. It is safe and economical to slowly introduce your child to the digital world while maintaining control. Some of the key factors you should consider before choosing the best cell phone plan for a child in Canada include:
1. Purpose
Why do you feel that your child needs a phone? It could be that you are working long hours, and you need to maintain contact at all times. Your child could be spending a lot of their time with your phone calling relatives and friends, and you feel giving them their phone will help your kid maintain communication even when you are away.
Maybe your kid is of age and needs to browse the web, access social media networks, watch videos, or take pictures. Buying your kid a phone can keep them happy while giving you peace of mind as you can easily find their location and maintain communication in an emergency.
2. Data
Most mobile phones can browse the internet, send and receive an email, stream music, send photos, and run games and apps. If your child is using any of these services, the best cell phone plan should have data. The amount of data the cell phone plan can have will vary depending on the child’s needs and whether you have Wi-Fi at home.
If you have WiFi at home, data should not be a priority unless the kid will spend most of the time away from home. An entry phone plan with 1GB of data will be adequate for browsing and social media. Start small and increase the data amount as necessary.
3. Talk Time
Does the child spend most of the time talking to friends and relatives? Most kids do not need a lot of minutes unless they are highly talkative. It will be good to look for a cell phone plan that lets you limit the use to specific days or times. Some children’s cell plans come with a control feature that enables you to cap minutes.
The cap does not apply to emergency services, ensuring that your kid can ask for assistance when necessary. Some plans further let you add up to ten numbers that the child can dial at all times to the exception list. The child will contact the numbers on the exception list, even if they are over the limit on minutes.
4. Text Messages
Texting is a popular way for kids to communicate. However, it can be addictive and time-wasting, making it necessary to control text messaging. It is also costly for those without unlimited text messages or a message plan.
You need to look for a kid’s cell phone plan that lets you put a cap on the number of messages your child can send or receive. Some plans enable you to block the text messaging feature entirely. Alternatively, the phone service should let you block texts from specific numbers.
5. Entertainment
You can be sure that the phone will be a major source of entertainment for your child. Most entry mobile phones support gaming, music, videos, and pictures, offering your child different possibilities. Downloading new content, watching videos, or playing online games can add extra costs if the child is on a pay-as-you-go service plan.
A plan that lets you put a cap on things like daily usage can help you control the cost. The right plan should have content filters that prevent the child from watching mature content.
6. Phone Tracking
Since you cannot prevent your child from going out, it is helpful and comforting to know where your child is at all times. The best cell phone plans for kids use GPS to help you find your kid’s actual location. Some plans go further to let you set up safe zones that your child can visit, giving you an automatic alert to notify you whenever they leave the safe zone.
A cell phone plan that lets you set up a safe area makes it easy to keep an eye on your child’s activities without the need to make disturbing calls. You can easily tell when your kid leaves school, the playing field, and the neighborhood.
7. Parental controls
As opposed to buying a different plan, you can add a second line to your existing family plan. The benefit of adding a second line for your child is the level of control. You can choose when and how the child uses their phone, keeping the child focused on schoolwork while reducing phone costs.
Parental controls help to keep your child safe by blocking calls and texts from bullies. It also lets you keep your child away from mature content online. However, you may have to pay an additional fee to get parental control.
The 10 Best Cell Phone Plans For Kids
We understand that different kids have unique needs depending on their age and character. However, there are some elements that every top plan for kids should have. We looked at good network coverage, quality of the call, competitive pricing, parental control, and additional perks that set the plans apart.
Finding the best cell phone for your kid is a complex task requiring you to carry out in-depth research on the available plans in the market. You have to take into account carriers with the best network coverage in your area to ensure that your child is reachable at all times.
You also have to compare different plans to ensure that you are getting an excellent deal at a reasonable price. Beyond the cost and coverage, you will further need to look at the features that make plans better, like parental control and GPS tracking. Luckily, we have done the hard work to bring you the best ten kids’ plans, making your selection less tasking.
| SL. No. | Company Name | Data Plan | Minutes & Text Plan | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tello | 1GB | 100 minutes and unlimited texts | $7 |
| 2 | Mint Mobile | 3GB | Unlimited minutes and texts | $15 |
| 3 | Visible | Unlimited | – | $40 |
| 4 | US Mobile | 500MB | Unlimited Talk and texts | $15 |
| 5 | Verizon | Unlimited | Unlimited Talk and texts | $25 |
| 6 | Xfinity | 1GB | – | $15 |
| 7 | Spectrum | 1GB | – | $14 |
| 8 | Twigby | 3GB | Unlimited Talk and texts | $15 |
| 9 | Republic Wireless | 1GB | Unlimited Talk and texts | $20 |
| 10 | AT&T | 50GB | Unlimited Talk and texts | $40 |
1. Tello $7 Plan
Tello prepaid plans are flexible with low rates, making them ideal for kids. As an MVNO, the carrier does not require users to sign a contract or pay activation fees. You will not have to worry about the termination fees if you choose to end your plan early.
The company services are on Sprint’s 4G LTE network, ensuring strong networks in most areas, including indoors. The plans are highly customizable, enabling you to choose what your child needs. The plans start at $5 per month, depending on the minutes, text, and data you need.
Tello’s $7 plan is perfect for most children. At $7 per month, your child will get 100 minutes, unlimited texts, and 1GB of LTE data. The plan offers several benefits, including full-speed data, 5G access, a hotspot, unlimited 2G data once the data limit is reached, Wi-Fi calling, visual voicemail, and Wi-Fi calling. Your child will be able to take part in group and picture messaging and make stateside international calls.
It is also easy to upgrade your Tello cell phone plan if you need more data or minutes. You can upgrade the plan to get 2GB of data at $14 or 4GB of data at $16 per month. However, it is important to note that the plan does not support domestic roaming, international data roaming, or a feature to add a smartwatch.
Features
- Strong sprint coverage
- 1GB full-speed data
- Unlimited 2G data upon reaching the data limit
- Wi-Fi calling
- Hotspot
- Group and picture messaging
2. Mint Mobile $15 3GB Plan
You should opt for Mint if you are looking for a value plan. The carrier plans feature 4G LTE high-speed data, a free SIM card, unlimited talk, and text, a mobile hotspot, and nationwide network coverage. The company sells its plans in bulk or in increments of three, six, and twelve months.
Mint offers a free seven days trial that lets you test the quality and reliability of the service. The company currently provides all its customers with free unlimited high-speed data add-ons, ensuring that you should not run out of data. However, it is worth noting that Mint Mobile has a confusing renewal plan that makes plans expensive on renewal. Nevertheless, you can guarantee low prices by signing a 12-month commitment upfront.
At $15 per month, you get 3GB of data, unlimited minutes, and texts, making it one of the best phone plans for students who will likely spend most of the time talking with friends and relatives. The 3GB of data is adequate for social media, Google Maps navigation, web browsing, and occasional video streaming. Your child will never worry about running out of calling minutes or messages.
You can sign up for a three-month, six-month, or twelve-month plan. Signing up for a longer plan offers greater savings in the long run. The Mint Mobile $15 plan comes with several benefits, including 1080p HD video streaming, unlimited 2G data after data limit, Wi-Fi calling, group and picture messaging, and an international calling add-on feature. However, you should keep in mind that Mint Mobile’s $15 plan does not support eSIM, domestic roaming, and a smartwatch option.
Features
- 3GB full-speed data
- Unlimited 2G data upon reaching the data limit
- Group and picture messaging
- International calling add-on available
- International data roaming add-on available
3. Visible $40 Phone Plan
Getting unlimited cell phone plans for kids does not have to cost you an arm and a leg. You also do not have to hold back your kid because of the cost that comes with most the unlimited plans. Your child can watch movies, stream music, and play online games at will without worrying about exhausting their data before the end of the month with a Visible $40 unlimited plan.
The cost is inclusive of all taxes and fees. Your child also gets the chance to reduce the price further to $25 per month by joining a Visible party group. The carrier uses the Verizon network, ensuring great coverage across the country. Nevertheless, the $40 plan does not support domestic roaming, international data roaming, stateside international calling, eSIM, and adding a smartwatch.
Features
- Verizon network coverage
- Full-speed data with deprioritized data during congestion
- Wi-Fi calling
- Group and picture messaging
- 5Mbps hotspot data
4. US Mobile $15 500MB Plan
Parents with Wi-Fi at home need a plan that offers minutes and text as children can use home Wi-Fi to download and stream. The US Mobile $15 plan is a good option for those not interested in buying a lot of data. The carrier offers you a chance to choose what you want.
At $10 per month, your child will get unlimited talk and text and 500MB of data for browsing and social media when away from home. The company uses Verizon’s network, providing strong coverage across the country.
The US Mobile allows users to have multiple lines on one account with the ability to give each line a unique name for easy management. The plan comes with several benefits that include a hotspot, full-speed data, stateside international calling, group and picture messaging, and visual voicemail. Nonetheless, the plan does not offer domestic roaming, Wi-Fi calling, unlimited 2G data, and smartwatch compatibility.
Features
- Verizon and T-Mobile network coverage
- 500MB data
- Unlimited minutes and text
- eSIM
- Group and picture messaging
- Hotspot
5. Verizon Just Kids
Parental control is a major element of a child’s phone, especially if your child is younger. The Verizon just kids plan is a winner if you are looking to give your child a phone while retaining control. At $25 per line per month, Verizon offers your child unlimited data, talk and text to 20 parent-approved contacts.
The plan lets you give your child a phone without worrying about their safety. The plan lets you keep up with your kids. You can easily track your kid’s location, filter their content, pause your kid’s internet, and manage calls and texts. The kids can also share their location and request a ride with their parents, bringing flexibility.
Features
- Unlimited data
- Unlimited talk and text to 20 select contacts
- Track the kid’s location
- Filter kid’s content
- Pause kid’s internet
- Request pickup
- Manage calls and texts
6. Xfinity Mobile By The Gig
If you are looking for the best cell phone plans for kids, the Xfinity by the gig plan is an innovative solution for parents with several kids. The amazing thing about Xfinity by the gig is the fact that different lines can share data. If one child goes over the chosen amount, you do not need to buy additional data as the kids can share the remaining data. The gig plan lets you share data with anyone, including your lines, family, and friends.
The plan comes with a mobile app with data controls for greater savings. With the Xfinity gig plan, you can buy an unlimited plan for one line and buy the Gig 1GB for $60, giving both lines unlimited. The second line on a 1GB plan will use the unlimited data share upon reaching the 1GB limit. The Xfinity by the gig plan with 1GB for one line costs $15.
Features
- Sharable data on all the gig lines
- 4G LTE data full-speed data
- 5G access where available
- 720p and 1080p HD streaming on phones and tablets
- Hotspot
- Free SIM card
7. Spectrum By The Gig Data Plan
Managing cell phone lines for different kids can be expensive as you have to purchase higher data for all lines, but that is not the case with the Spectrum mobile gig plan. The Spectrum prepaid phones for kids plan lets your children share partial data across your account for greater savings. The billing is across an account based on the lines, and every line comes with 1GB of sharable data at $14 per month.
The plan also offers unlimited talk and text, a mobile hotspot, and DVD-quality video streaming. You can share data with up to five lines, enabling you and your kids to maximize data usage for greater savings. The mobile app makes it easy to manage and track data for informed decision-making.
The plan further comes with 2000 monthly minutes of free calling to Mexico and Canada, making it an ideal cell phone plan for Child Canada students. Nevertheless, additional Spectrum data increases by 1GB at $14.
Features
- Mobile hotspot tethering
- Unlimited talk and text
- Unlimited access to Spectrum Wi-Fi hotspots
- Dvd-quality video streaming
- Wi-Fi calling
- Free international texting from the US
8. Twigby $15 Value Plan
Twigby offers value plans that let you choose popular packages at an affordable price. If you need more data or less than included in a value pack, you can create your own plan. You can use the friendly create your own plan interface to choose the minutes and data that you need.
All Twigby plans come with unlimited texting. The $15 Twigby plan comes with 3GB of data, unlimited talk, and text, ensuring that your child will always have minutes and text to reach out to you. The 3GB of data is adequate for web browsing, social media, and light video streaming.
Features
- 3GB of data
- Unlimited talk
- Unlimited text
- Hotspot tethering
- Wi-Fi calling and texting
- Spanish or English voicemail
- 3-way calling
9. Republic Wireless $20 choice plan
Republic Wireless offers two modes of payment, including monthly for flexibility and annually for savings. The company does not have a contract or hidden fees. Every plan comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to switch confidently.
The company uses Sprint or T-Mobile, guaranteeing strong coverage across the country. The Republic Wireless $20 plan comes with unlimited talk and text and 1GB of data. You can purchase an additional 1GB of data at $5 if you run out of data to keep browsing.
Features
- Unlimited talk
- Unlimited text
- 1GB of data
- $5 for every additional 1 GB of data
- 14-days money-back guarantee
- Wi-Fi calling
- Hotspot
10. AT&T $40 Unlimited Extra
The AT&T unlimited extra at $40 per month offers unlimited talk and text, unlimited data, and 50GB of premium data. You will get 50GB of uncapped priority data with the plan that you can use to stream movies, browse the internet, and play online games.
The plan further offers unlimited calling and texting in Mexico and Canada, 5G access, and unlimited texting from the US to over 120 countries. The plan also comes with advanced mobile security that offers spam and call blocking. You can also install the AT&T secure family app for parental control to help you track your kid’s location, filter content, and monitor activity.
Features
- Advanced mobile security
- 15GB hotspot per line
- 5G access
- Unlimited talk, text, and data
- 50GB of premium data
- Unlimited in Mexico and Canada.
Different Types Of Cell Phone Plans for Kinds
The ideal option for you is to find cheap unlimited cell plans to enable your children to make calls, text, and browse as they want without limitation. Unfortunately, that is not possible for everyone, as it can be costly for people with several lines.
Buying phone plans for students does not have to be an expensive affair. You can find a perfect balance between cost and functionality by considering plans with features that your child needs based on their age. Instead of getting your child a new line, it is more economical and safe to include an additional line to your existing plan for a start.
Buying a different plan is ideal for older children who are more independent. Nevertheless, whatever cell service you choose, you should have a level of control to help you protect your child from bullies. The types of cell phone plans for kids readily available include:
1. Family Plan
It is easier and more convenient to manage family communication needs in one package. Family plans usually feature unlimited texts, minutes, and a sharable data pool, depending on the lines and the amount of data you need.
Adding a child phone line to the family plan ensures that you will get one phone bill at the end of the month. You may also qualify for family discounts that target accounts with several lines, helping you save on your monthly bill. Some family cell phone plans let you mix the different tiers of unlimited plans to customize user experience depending on their needs.
2. Add a Line to Your Existing Account
Adding a line to your existing account is the safest and most convenient way to introduce your child to phone service. It gives you full control over the line, including determining when and how the child will use it. Adding a second line is useful for younger children who need a higher level of vigilance. Furthermore, adding a line can help you qualify for buy one get one free phone, helping you save on the cost you could have used to buy a new phone for your kid.
3. Prepaid Plans
Prepaid phones for kids are ideal if you are looking for savings over perks. Also, prepaid companies have better offers that cost less. The plans usually start at less than $10 per month, offering flexibility and customization. You can choose the data and minutes you want as part of your plan, allowing you to pay for what you need.
A prepaid option is good for kids who do not frequently call as you will not have to pay for minutes that your child will not use. It is also worth noting that prepaid packages do not require you to commit to a long-term contract, which allows you to cancel anytime you want. If your child outgrows the basic plan, you can cancel or upgrade without incurring penalties.
Furthermore, most prepaid carriers allow you to bring your own phone, helping you save money on the handset as you can give your child an older handset that you no longer use.
4. Kid-specific Plans
The major cell phone carriers have kid-specific plans that you purchase as an add-on element to your plan. The services are affordable and flexible, allowing you to buy what your child needs. The kid-specific offers vary from one carrier to another and involve the use of different gadgets.
It is common to find phone providers offering kid tablet data plans as a bonus when you buy an unlimited plan. Kid smartwatches with tracking and gaming ability are on an upward trajectory. They come with helpful features like GPS tracking to help parents find the kid’s exact location at all times. The kid-specific plans are for the younger children and aim to keep them engaged and safe at all times.
5. Get a New Plan For Your Child
Getting your child a new line is a good option if your child can join college or the workforce. Children between the ages of 18 and 24 are ready to have their own cell phones. For young adults, you can opt for unlimited or tiered phone plans for students, depending on your child’s habits and needs.
A tiered plan is a good option if you are looking to keep costs down while an unlimited plan is ideal if your kid could benefit from the many perks that come with unlimited plans. Unlimited is better if your child streams movies and music a lot.
Conclusion
Buying a kid’s phone is no longer a privilege. A top kids’ cell phone and plan can help you monitor your children’s location, and activities, filter content and maintain communication at all times. However, you need to understand that different plans and phones come with features that make them better and, hence, choose the most ideal for your kid’s needs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
There is no appropriate age for a child to have a cell phone. The reasons why children are bought phones are personal and vary from one parent to another. According to Consumer Reports, about six out of ten US parents with children between the ages of eight and twelve have bought a phone for their kids. The reasoning varies among parents with 84-percent of the correspondent citing safety, 73-percent citing tracking a child’s after-school activities, and 16-percent claiming that the child asked for one.
You should get your child a line from the best cell phone plans for kids with parental control feature that lets you monitor and control your kid’s activity remotely like the Verizon just for kids plan. You can also look for family cell phone plans with an advanced parental control feature that allows you to monitor and control your kid’s phone line activity. Some carriers like AT&T offer parental control that works with your account. Most children’s plans let you track your kid’s location in real-time, filter content, view activities, and control data access.
Yes. AT&T offers AT&T secure family smartphone app to help you keep your family safe and connected. The app comes with a 30-day free trial. Upon the trial’s expiry, you will need to pay $7.99 per month to monitor up to 10 lines. The subscription renews monthly and is auto-billed to your AT&T account. The app lets you track your kid’s location in real-time, get arrival, and departure alerts. The app enables you to view up to seven days of location history. You can use the app limit or block the internet during specified times as well as pause your kids’ Wi-Fi access.
The best emergency cell phone for your kids depends on the concerns and risks at bay. Like adult phones, children’s phones come with different features that make them unique. Before deciding to buy a phone for your kid, you must understand what your kid will need in a phone. You must determine if you want your child to access the internet, take photos, and download apps. The phone’s security features should have include location tracking and remote access to monitor your child’s digital dangers. Some of the popular kids’ phones you should buy include the kids connect KC2 with GPS tracker and Snapfon ezTWO3G with the SOS button. It is also worth noting all cell phones for seniors can also act like a child’s phone. For older children, an introductory smartphone will be adequate.
The iPhone that you should buy depends on the features of your child’s needs and budget. Children at the age of 11 are less likely to need high-end expensive iPhones. The older models will function great for your kid. You do not need to spend a lot to get a phone for an 11 years old kid. If you have an older, functional iPhone at your home, you should give it to your child. Otherwise, you should save money by looking for iPhone 6, iPhone 7 and iPhone 8.