Gabb vs Bark vs Troomi: Which Kids' Phone Is Best in 2026?

Updated 2026-11-10 · By the Touch Grass editors

Quick answer

Pick the Gabb Phone 4 (about $230 plus $29.99/mo) if you want no internet at all. Pick Bark Phone (about $360 plus $29/mo) if you want built-in monitoring and room to unlock a full smartphone later. Pick Troomi ($6.94/mo for the phone plus $24.95/mo) for the lowest first-year cost and features you add one at a time.

Gabb, Bark and Troomi all sell phones that look like smartphones but start out locked down. Each takes a different approach. Gabb keeps the internet off. Bark watches what happens on the phone. Troomi lets you switch features on one at a time.

Here's how they compare on cost, internet access, monitoring and network, and which kid each one suits.

	Gabb Phone 4	Bark Phone	Troomi Phone
Device cost	about $230 + $30 activation	about $360	$6.94/mo over 36 months
Monthly plan	$29.99 to $39.99 + about $2 recovery fee	$29 (Starter) up to $79	$24.95 to $34.95, no contract
Internet	None. No browser, app store or social media	None on Starter. Parents can unlock more on higher plans	None by default. Optional browser limited to parent-approved sites
Apps	16 preloaded + parent-approved library	Parent-approved installs	Parent-approved Troomi store, no social media
Monitoring	AI filtering on messages with parent alerts	Texts, email and apps, built in and can't be removed	Approved contacts only; parent controls on apps and sites
Location	GPS about every 15 min, Safe Zones	Location alerts	Not listed in our data
Network	Gabb's own nationwide 4G service (carrier not named)	Bark Wireless on T-Mobile	AT&T
First-year cost	about $644	about $708	about $383

What's the main difference between Gabb, Bark and Troomi?

Gabb removes the internet, Bark monitors the phone, and Troomi unlocks features plan by plan. That one difference drives most of the decision.

Gabb Phone 4: no browser, no app store, no social media. Kid-safe apps come preloaded or from Gabb's approved library.
Bark Phone: a smartphone with Bark's monitoring built in at the system level. It starts as talk and text on the Starter plan, and you unlock more as your kid is ready.
Troomi: a Samsung phone running locked-down Android. Start with talk and text, then add photos, group chat or a curated app store.

Gabb Phone 4: best for no internet, period

The Gabb Phone 4 is the simplest choice if you don't want internet on your kid's phone at all. Gabb lists it for ages 9 to 14.

Cost: about $230, plus $30 activation and plans from $29.99 to $39.99/mo, plus a recovery fee of about $2/mo.
Safety tools: GPS about every 15 minutes with Safe Zones, and AI filtering on messages that alerts parents to concerning content.
Network: Gabb says its devices run on its own nationwide 4G service and can't be used on other networks. It doesn't name a partner carrier.

Not for: kids who need an app that isn't in Gabb's library, or families who plan to unlock a full smartphone on the same device later.

Gabb

Gabb Phone 4

The best-known kids' phone with no internet $229.99+ from $29.99/mo

Bark Phone: best for monitoring and growing into a smartphone

Bark Phone is the pick if you want monitoring you don't have to set up yourself, and one phone that can grow with your kid.

Cost: about $360. The Starter plan is $29/mo for unlimited talk and text with no internet. Plans go up to $79/mo with data.
Monitoring: texts, email and apps are monitored, and kids can't delete it.
Controls: approve contacts and app installs, set screen-time schedules, block apps and sites, get location alerts.
Network: Bark Wireless, which Bark says runs on T-Mobile's network.

Not for: families who don't want a company scanning their kid's messages, or who want the cheapest option.

Bark

Bark Phone

A monitored smartphone that starts as talk-and-text only $360+ from $29/mo

Troomi Phone: best value, features one at a time

Troomi has the lowest first-year cost of the three and the most gradual path. You pay for the phone monthly and choose a plan that matches what your kid is ready for.

Cost: $6.94/mo for the phone over 36 months, plus a plan from $24.95 to $34.95/mo. Month to month, no contract.
Internet: off by default. An optional browser only opens sites you approve.
Apps and contacts: apps only from Troomi's parent-approved store, no social media, and only approved contacts can call or text.
Network: AT&T.

Not for: families who want to own the phone outright from day one, or who live where AT&T coverage is weak.

Troomi

Troomi Phone

A kid-safe smartphone you grow into, plan by plan $6.94/mo + plan from $24.95

Which is cheapest in the first year?

Troomi, at about $383. Here's the math with each brand's lowest plan, before taxes:

Troomi: (12 × $6.94 = $83.28) + (12 × $24.95 = $299.40) = about $383. Phone payments continue for 24 more months, about $250 total for the device.
Gabb Phone 4: $229.99 + $30 activation + (12 × $29.99 = $359.88) + (12 × about $2 = $24) = about $644.
Bark Phone: $360 + (12 × $29 = $348) = about $708.

In year two, the gap narrows because Gabb and Bark have no device cost left. Check each brand for today's price and any fees not listed here.

Which network does each kids' phone use?

Troomi runs on AT&T, Bark runs on T-Mobile through Bark Wireless, and Gabb runs its own nationwide 4G service without naming a partner carrier. Check coverage where your kid actually spends time: home, school, practice and the other parent's house if that applies.

Which should you buy?

Choose by how you want to handle the internet.

You want no internet and no decisions about it: Gabb Phone 4.
You want to see what's happening and expect to unlock more within a year or two: Bark Phone.
You want the lowest cost and to add features slowly: Troomi.

If your kid mostly needs calls and location, a watch may do the job for less. See kids' smartwatches without internet and the full stage-by-stage list in best first phones for kids.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Gabb Phone 4 have internet?

No. It has no web browser, no app store and no social media. Kids get preloaded apps and anything you approve from Gabb's library.

Can a Bark Phone become a normal smartphone?

It can be unlocked step by step. The $29/mo Starter plan is talk and text only, and higher plans up to $79/mo include data. Bark's monitoring stays on either way.

Does Troomi have a contract?

No. Troomi plans are month to month. The phone itself is paid at $6.94/mo over 36 months.

Which kids' phone has the best monitoring?

Bark Phone has the deepest monitoring, covering texts, email and apps, and kids can't remove it. Gabb filters messages with AI and alerts parents. Troomi focuses on approved contacts and approved apps.

Can I use my own carrier with these phones?

Gabb says its devices only work on Gabb's network. Bark Phone uses Bark Wireless on T-Mobile, and Troomi uses AT&T. You buy service from each brand directly.

What age is a Gabb, Bark or Troomi phone for?

Gabb lists the Phone 4 for ages 9 to 14. Bark and Troomi don't list a fixed age in our data. Both let you unlock more features as your kid gets older.

Sources

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