The Phone+ Review
While The Phone+ looks like a standard smartphone, its capabilities are intentionally limited to calls and basic SMS with emojis, making it exceptionally child-friendly.
We initially introduced The Phone+ in our home as a shared family device in January 2026. We got it for our children to borrow when needed. (They are still too young to need a personal phone.) For that reason it was used only sporadically.
The strongest value of The Phone+ appeared when one of us adults in the family, moved the main SIM card into it full-time. This triggered an immediate digital detox, restricting all on-the-go communication to basic calls and text messages with zero internet access. 🧘🏻♀️
At the time of writing, this trial has lasted over one month with no plans to switch back to a smartphone. We found that managing smartphone use strictly over Wi-Fi — at home or in the office — is completely doable for an adult.
This experiment made us appreciate the device even more as an alternative mobile phone for kids. It is the alternative to a smartphone we find ourselves constantly recommending. Below, we break down why it works so well, along with a few areas that have room for improvement.
The Phone+ In Short
Best for: Children and teens who need a mobile to call and send text messages.
Why it stands out: It does not have a camera and it cannot connect to the internet = substantial childhood benefits.
Setup: Plug in a cheap SIM card (no mobile data needed) from your local carrier and you are ready to go!
Anyone Can Call
Anyone can call and text The Phone+. You can block a number after a call comes in, but you cannot limit incoming contact to saved numbers only.
We asked The Phone for a contacts-only option. They confirmed it is something they are considering for a future update. Until then, a child using this phone can still be reached by any number. That is why we cannot yet Startphone-certify The Phone.
Despite that, The Phone is one of the uncertified devices we recommend most often. Very few alternatives on the market have no camera. You can teach a child not to answer unknown calls. You cannot ask them to unsee an image or video someone has already sent. That is a strong reason to choose The Phone over any option that carries a camera.
Core Features
4G calling. Ordinary two-way calls on the 4G network, on a normal SIM.
SMS with emoji. Send and receive regular text messages. No WhatsApp, no iMessage, no group threads.
Looks like a smartphone. Touchscreen and smartphone shape. It does not open a browser, an app store or social media.
No camera. No photos, no video, no MMS.
No mobile data. It is built so the child cannot go online. Cheap voice-and-SMS plans work.
Simple setup. No companion app, no Bluetooth pair, no shared Wi-Fi. Put in a SIM and use it.
Key Specifications
| Feature | The Phone+ Specification |
| Communication | Two-way 4G / VoLTE calls and regular SMS with emoji. No voice messages. No group chats. |
| Contacts | Incoming calls and SMS from any number. The Startphone Standard asks for contacts only. That option is not on this phone. |
| Connectivity | 4G with VoLTE. Nano-SIM. No mobile data required. Cheap voice-and-SMS plans work. |
| Display | 5.45″ FWVGA+ IPS touchscreen (480 × 960). Smartphone shape. |
| Battery Life | Maker says several days. 2500 mAh Li-ion. USB-C. |
| Size & Weight | 145 × 67 × 10 mm. 169 g with battery. |
| Other | Included: USB-C cable, screen glass, wired headphones, soft case. |
Open Feedback to The Phone
All of the available ringtones are subtle and discrete. While the volume is adjustable, it cannot be turned up very loud, and vibration mode only works when the phone is set to silent. None of this is an issue during normal handling, but it becomes easy to miss incoming calls when the phone is tucked away in a bag.
Because of this, we recommended that the team behind The Phone investigate adding higher ringtone volumes and a simultaneous ring-plus-vibrate option in future updates. They are currently looking into both requests.
Basic Headphones Included
When you order The Phone+, it comes with a protective case, a screen protector, and a basic pair of wired headphones. This is a nice inclusion, and given how committed the team is to keeping the device affordable for families, it makes sense that the bundled headphones are fairly simple.
For quick calls, the included pair gets the job done. However, during our testing, we quickly swapped them out for a better pair (a set from Sony), which delivered significantly better sound quality.
Geo Phone
While we were testing The Phone+ in the summer of 2026, a new model launched: the Geo Phone. This updated version adds on-demand geolocation via a companion app for parents. To clarify, we are not talking about permanent tracking. Instead, the parent requests the phone’s location when needed.
The main difference between The Phone+ and Geo Phone is the optional geolocation feature.
On-Demand Geolocation
The geolocation feature on Geo Phone is optional and remains inactive until you subscribe and pair the device.
To request the phone’s current position, parents use the UMAY app on their own smartphone.
For location pings to work, the Geo Phone must be turned on, charged, connected to the network, and equipped with a SIM card that includes a small amount of data (a plan with 1–2 GB per month is recommended).
Availability & Market Expansion
The Phone+ can be ordered from thephone.fr to:
Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
If you want a first phone that looks like a smartphone but only makes calls and sends SMS, The Phone+ is one of the strongest options on the market.
“My little brother got a smartphone so he could get to and from sports practice, but we noticed it had a negative effect on him.
So my mom, who is an entrepreneur, and I decided to create what was missing on the market: a kid-friendly phone that is modern, but not a smartphone.”
Viktor Bach
Co-Founded The Phone at age 15