Available Startphones
Our recommended phones for children under 16:
The Phone + – call & text only
Paris-based family business.
- No camera
- No internet browsing
- No app installation capability
- No e-mail access
- No group chats
- Can call and text
The Phone, from France, was founded in 2023 by Maïlys and her then 15-year-old son Viktor, to offer children a safe way to communicate, without distractions. The current model “The Phone” uses 3G which no longer works in many places. “The Phone+” runs on 4G and is available in several European countries.
KARRI – the voice messenger
Screen free communication device, founded by a father in Berlin who wanted to give his son more freedom and independence.
- No screen
- No camera
- No internet browsing
- No app installation capability
- No games
- Can voice-message parent-approved contacts only
- Optional GPS location tracking and Safe Zones
Note:
- KARRI offers both KARRI-to-app as well as KARRI-to-KARRI voice messaging. This means, for parents, the parental app is used to send and receive voice-messages with your child’s KARRI. Your child can also message other friends with KARRI-direct (after your approval.)
KARRI is currently available for sale in the EU, UK and North America. Read more about KARRI here.
Nokia 105 4G – the burner
Feature phone / dumb phone / retro phone by HMD.
- No camera
- No internet browsing
- No app installation capability
- No images, videos or MMS
- No e-mail access
- Can call, text and offers Wireless FM Radio
⚠️ Disqualifying features:
- Incoming calls/SMS from anyone (Startphone Standard recommends incoming calls/SMS from contacts only)
- Can send group text message (Startphone Standard recommends only one-to-one messaging)
- Preloaded games (Snake)
Anio – the watch
A communication watch for children, founded by two German pilots who are also fathers.
- No camera
- No internet browsing
- No app installation capability
- No e-mail access
- Can call and text parent-approved contacts only
- Offers GPS location tracking, SOS alerts, and Safe Zones
Note:
- Image screen (not a recommended startphone feature, but since images are added via the parent app rather than by the child, we do not consider this a risk factor)
- Unnecessary distractions such as a pedometer
Anio is currently only available for sale in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Read more about Anio here.
Garmin Bounce 2 – watch with music
American watch that, despite a few distractions, earns big bonus points for being able to play music (with Amazon Music, wireless headphones and built-in speakers).
- No camera
- No internet browsing
- No app installation capability
- No e-mail access
- Can call and text parent-approved contacts only
- Offers GPS location tracking, SOS alerts, and Safe Zones
⚠️ Disqualifying features:
- Image screen (not a recommended startphone feature, but since images are added via the parent app rather than by the child, we do not consider this a risk factor)
- Preloaded games
- Unnecessary distractions such as a pedometer, weather app, and sports tracking
Mighty – music only
Screen free music player, compatible with Spotify Premium and Amazon Music.
- No screen
- No network connection/WiFi needed
- Can play playlists from Spotify and Amazon Music offline
Note:
- Mighty is not a communication device, but an important complement to the Startphone-certified phones and watches that cannot play music.
Light Phone II – the rebel
New York-based phone company, founded by artist and product designer.
- No camera
- No internet browsing
- No app installation capability
- No e-mails
- Can call, text and play music
- Includes a calendar, timer, alarm, directions, directory and notes/voice memo
- Supports voice-to-text
⚠️ Disqualifying features:
- Incoming calls/SMS from anyone (Startphone Standard recommends incoming calls/SMS from contacts only)
- Can send/receive group text messages
- Can share it’s internet as a hotspot (not a startphone feature)
Light Phone founders, Kaiwei and Joe, noticed how much of life is being wasted on social media and infinite scroll, and decided to do something about it. We recommend the Light Phone 2 for children under 16. The Light Phone III (3) is an excellent choice for parents who want to be more present with their family.
After you click the link below, you’ll see the 10% discount applied at the final checkout step.
Light Phone II is currently only available for sale in North America.
Gabb Watch 3e – US only
- No camera
- No internet browsing
- No app installation capability
- No e-mail access
- Can call and text parent-approved contacts only
- Offers GPS location tracking, SOS alerts, and Safe Zones
Note:
- Image screen (not a recommended startphone feature, but since images are added via the Gabb parent app rather than by the child, we do not consider this a risk factor)
Gabb Watch 3e works in the US only.
Tin Can – the landline
Seattle-based landline alternative.
- Can call and receive calls from approved contacts only
- No screen
- No camera
- No internet browsing
- No apps
Note:
- Tin Can is not a mobile phone – it’s a stationary, home-based “WiFi landline” that relies entirely on your home internet connection.
Tin Can is currently only available for sale in United States and Canada.
Ahoy-Hoy – the house phone for the little ones
British landline alternative for the youngest, founded by Ryan – a father of three and former nursery teacher.
- Can call and receive calls from approved contacts only
- No screen
- No camera
- No internet browsing
- No apps
Note:
- Ahoy-Hoy is not a mobile phone – it’s a stationary, home-based “WiFi landline” that relies entirely on your home internet connection.
Ahoy-Hoy will initially be available for sale in the UK.
The Startphone Standard
Following public health principles, we’ve used the least harmful method to define what a startphone must exclude – prioritizing features that minimize risks to a child’s safety, privacy, well-being, and development.
The Startphone Standard starts from the understanding that: children are not born ready for the adult internet and need protection until they are. Just as we set age limits for films, alcohol, tattoos, and smoking, we believe children’s physical, mental, and emotional health must come first when deciding which technologies are safe for them to use.
The Least Harmful Method
The least harmful method is a decision-making approach that prioritizes minimizing potential harm – especially when designing tools for vulnerable groups like children. Long used in fields like medicine and education, it now offers a powerful lens for evaluating children’s access to digital technology.
When designing a phone for children, this method means selecting features that carry the lowest risk to a child’s safety, privacy, well-being, and development.
How to apply it:
Start with the child’s well-being as the primary goal.
Assume your child’s physical, mental, emotional, and digital safety is more important than entertainment, trendiness, or even convenience.
Ask yourself:
What’s the worst that could happen with this feature?
And how can we reduce or eliminate that risk?
By using this lens, we don’t just give children phones – we give them safer, more intentional tools that grow with them.
The Next Generation of Early Adopters
Being an early adopter has usually been an advantage – except when it comes to putting smartphones in the hands of children.
As firm believers in technology, we’re encouraged to see the next generation of early adopters steering demand in a better direction – one that prioritizes safety, healthy development, and tech that truly supports children.
Protecting freedom from censorship in the adult world must go hand in hand with protecting children through child-conscious hardware design.
The next wave of connected children won’t just be tech-savvy – they’ll be happier, healthier, and safer. Because the adults shaping their digital world will finally be putting them first.
Ready for Tomorrow?
AI will shape the next generation of communication tools in ways we can’t yet fully predict. This gives us a rare chance to think ahead – to explore, research, and define which “startphone features” truly belong in a device designed for children.
What capabilities should it include? Can we encourage the development of Startphone-certified apps that genuinely meet children’s needs – like gamification-free payment and savings tools, digital IDs, or support for conditions such as diabetes?
By starting these conversations now, we can help guide innovation toward phones that truly serve children – without compromising their safety.
”Parents should delay children’s entry into round‑the‑clock internet access by giving only basic phones … Let kids get through the most vulnerable period of brain development before connecting them to a firehose of social comparison and algorithmically chosen influencers.”
Jonathan Haidt
Professor, Social Psychologist, and Author
The Smartphone Trap
The widespread use of smartphones among children can create the illusion of safety. But just because something is everywhere doesn’t mean it’s beneficial – or even harmless. In reality, we are living through a vast and poorly understood experiment. The smartphone devices many children have in their pockets are not just tools; they are gateways into environments never designed with children in mind.
The long-term effects of this shift are only beginning to come into view. A growing body of research links early and prolonged smartphone use to rising levels of anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and attention challenges. These aren’t isolated findings. They’re consistent patterns appearing across countries and cultures. Social media – especially image-based platforms – plays a major role, encouraging compulsive use, distorting body image, and increasing feelings of isolation, particularly among adolescent girls.
Boys, too, are deeply affected – many regularly encounter adult content through web browsing, long before they are developmentally ready to process it.
Part of the risk comes from the design itself. Many platforms are built around algorithms that maximize engagement. Features like infinite scroll, variable rewards, and personalized feeds aren’t neutral; they are carefully crafted to capture attention and shape behavior – even in adults. Children, whose ability to self-regulate is still developing, are especially vulnerable.
There is also a more immediate danger. Smartphones offer open, often unsupervised, access to the adult internet. Agencies like the FBI and Europol have reported sharp increases in online child exploitation – much of it beginning on mainstream platforms. Predators use these channels to make contact, build trust, and in many cases, manipulate or coerce children. Criminal networks also use social media and messaging apps to recruit children into illegal activities.
Beyond the mental health and safety risks, smartphones and social media are also shaping the values of a generation. They are teaching children what to care about – what is cool, important, or worthy of attention – without any concern for their well-being, identity, or long-term development.
This isn’t to say that technology has no place in a child’s life. But it does mean that we – parents, educators, and society – must move forward with greater caution. Just because something is common doesn’t mean it’s safe. The question is not simply what everyone else is doing, but what is truly healthy, developmentally wise, and good for our children.
Everyone’s Problem
When one child gets a smartphone, it’s completely natural for them to share, show, and talk about what they see. Images and videos spread quickly – even to children without phones – as soon as one friend has access.
What may seem like a personal choice in one family quickly becomes a shared reality for many, especially when the open, adult internet ends up in the hands of curious, unsupervised children who have no way of knowing what the next click might bring.
That’s why we need to talk openly about the spillover effect – and why it’s time to join forces as parents. Very few families have the full, comprehensive technical knowledge to properly set up controls. And let’s be honest: most kids find ways around them anyway. It’s time to stop treating parental controls as real protection.
Whether you’ve already given your child a smartphone or are choosing to avoid touchscreens altogether, we all care deeply about our children. That is our starting point. And together we can make this work.
Protecting Childhood Without Limiting Connection
During the sensitive teenage years, social connection means everything. Research shows that when about 30% of a group adopts a behavior, it starts to feel normal. That means if just 30% of classmates choose startphones over smartphones, your child is much less likely to feel left out – while still being protected from the risks of full smartphone access.
You can take action today by speaking with other parents and sharing this website.
What You Can Do Right Now
When your child is ready for a phone, choose a startphone.
Talk to other parents about what choosing or switching to a startphone could mean for your children. Aim for at least 30% of the class to join in – to reduce the risk of children feeling isolated from the social connection and sense of belonging.
Encourage your child’s school to create a clear Digital Policy that all students and families agree to when joining. This could include allowing only devices without cameras on school grounds to protect children with sensitive or protected identities.
Sign – and encourage other parents to sign – the Smartphone Free Childhood pact: to delay social media until age 16 and smartphones until at least 14. Find your country’s SFC group here, or start one if it doesn’t exist yet.