Phones for kids and teenagers
Choosing a mobile phone for your child that’s safe and affordable can be tricky. We've brought together a range of options to suit every need, helping you to make the right choice for your family.
What makes a great phone for kids?
Choosing your child's first phone needs careful consideration, which is why we're here to guide you through the process.
We've listed some of the features you might want to think about for your child's first phone:
Strong security and safety settings
Affordable pricing
Easy-to-use interface
Internet and app access
Our best phones for kids
We have a range of phones to suit every need and budget. Choose between our refurbished phones, affordable smartphones and basic feature phones.
Basic phones have the essential features your kids need, but with limited internet access. Alternatively, our smartphones let kids download the latest apps, stream content, and connect with friends over social media.
Basic phones for kids
Basic feature phones are non-smartphones or brick phones with limited features. These phones provide essential functions, like texting or calling, but can’t access all online content or apps. Some models have no internet access at all. If you want to keep your child connected while avoiding some online content or apps, a Pay as you go basic phone could be the best choice.
Best for simple tasks
Easily send texts, make calls and take photos without the distractions of apps
Long-lasting battery
Helping you stay connected to your kids all day
Easy communication
Keep your kids safe by keeping them connected as they gain independence
Compact device size
A device that nicely fits into pockets, meaning they can always carry it with them
HMD Barbie Phone
Relive the joy of simpler times and do a digital detox with this glamorous flip phone – it’s pink, chic, and even has a mirror for touch-ups on the go.
Nokia 105 4G (2023)
The Nokia 105 is a well-designed phone with an FM radio, a torch and a long-lasting battery, offered at an affordable price.
Nokia 110 4G (2023)
As one of our best budget phones, the Nokia 110 is a smart, durable feature phone with a camera, an MP3 player, and a battery that will last days on standby.
TCL OneTouch 4042S
This affordable 5G phone boasts big buttons, ample display, impressive sound, long-lasting battery, MP3 player, calculator, alarm and torch.
Doro 6820
The Doro 6820 is a great option for a retro flip phone. It boasts loud, clear sound, well-spaced buttons, and large, bright screen. Features include a camera and radio.
Refurbished phones for kids
Choosing a refurbished phone is kind to your pocket and kinder to the planet - plus, they're still in top working condition. With our Great, Pristine and Good condition devices, you can get the phone your kids want for your budget. Find out more about our three types of refurbished phones
Kind to your pocket
Save up to £162 when you buy refurbished instead of brand new, plus, choose what price you pay each month
UK's only Lifetime Service Promise
Every phone comes with Battery Refresh and Lifetime Warranty at no extra cost
Kinder to the planet
Buying a refurbished phone has a lower carbon footprint than buying a new one
Vodafone Assured
Fully tested with a 32-point health check and data-wiped, plus 14-day returns for peace of mind
Apple
iPhone 16 Pro 128GB (Refurbished - Pristine)
Apple
iPhone 14 128GB (Refurbished - Pristine)
Apple
iPhone 12 64GB (Refurbished - Pristine)
Samsung
Galaxy S23 Ultra (Refurbished - Pristine)
Samsung
Galaxy S23 Ultra (Refurbished - Good)
Smartphones for kids
The safety features of these smartphones will help you keep your kids safe by helping you to choose appropriate privacy and content settings. With access to apps and online content, these devices ensure that you can stay connected with your kids. You can check out our full range of Pay monthly smartphones
Parental controls
Help keep kids safe by choosing appropriate privacy and content settings for them
GPS tracking
Share locations with your kids and track their whereabouts for peace of mind
Gaming and apps
Kids can download the latest apps, stream content, and connect with friends on social media
Photos and videos
A high-resolution camera capturing crisp imagery - still or moving
iPhone 16e
iPhone 16e offers safety, functionality, and entertainment. Its sleek design and durable build make it a stylish and reliable companion for the younger generation. With advanced security features like Crash Detection and Roadside Assistance via satellite, iPhone 16e helps you get emergency assistance when it counts the most¹. Moreover, it’s powered by Apple’s latest-generation chip, the A18 – perfect for creating images with Apple Intelligence, browsing, and gaming.
Google Pixel 9a
Pixel 9a is perfect for children and adults alike. Its Adaptive Battery can last over 30 hours, and up to 100 hours with Extreme Battery Saver¹. It has top-notch security features – it can detect severe car crashes, call emergency services, and share your location². With enhanced drop protection and water resistance, it’s built to handle life's little accidents³. You can create, edit, and share emojis with Pixel Studio⁴. Your online activity is protected by passkeys and VPN by Google⁵.
Samsung Galaxy A16 5G
Galaxy A16 5G is an excellent choice for teens and children, combining elegant design with enhanced portability and advanced camera features. Powered by an upgraded 2.4GHz CPU, Galaxy A16 5G offers smooth performance for gaming and streaming¹. Its 5,000mAh battery ensures it stays powered throughout the day, and it can quickly get back to full power with Super Fast Charging². For safety, Samsung Knox Vault isolates PINs, passwords and other private information so hackers can’t gain access³.
Keeping your child safe on their phone
It's important to help your child understand the safety risks of being online by having age-appropriate conversations. Check out our tools and resources that are designed to keep your child safe while using their phone.
Digital Parenting
With regularly updated articles and expert advice, our Digital Parenting hub offers plenty of resources and support, helping you make the right digital choices for your family.
NSPCC's toolkit
The NSPCC and Vodafone have put together a guide to help your child feel secure and safe online.
Secure Net Mobile
Keep your family safe online, with all-in-one digital security from Secure Net.
Discover more
Explore how we can protect your child's first phone. From our inclusive Lifetime Service Promise to optional extras like screen protectors and insurance, we've got you covered.
Lifetime Service Promise
The UK's only Lifetime Service Promise with Lifetime warranty and Battery Refresh.
Protecting your child's phone
Cover your child's device for accidental damage and enjoy peace of mind.
Phone cases and more
Browse our range of phone cases, chargers and screen protectors from our partner, GetGoFone.
Frequently asked questions
Knowing when the time is right to get your child a phone will depend on many different factors. For example, your family's lifestyle may mean they need a phone. Whether that's to stay connected with your child or keeping them safe, we have lots of tools and resources to help put you at ease
Balancing affordability, ease of use and parental control when choosing your child's first phone is key. The phone you choose should include age-appropriate features and offer essential functions.
To save money and keep your child's phone safe, you may want to choose a refurbished phone and accessories such as screen protectors and phone cases.
We have a range of phones to suit all budgets and you can find them on our budget phone page
To get the phone you want for less, you can also check out our refurbished phones
It's important to keep your child safe online as smartphones provide access to the internet and social media. That's why it's important to have the right safety settings in place. We've put together some tools and resources together so that you can make the right digital choices for your family. For more advice, check out our Digital Parenting page
A basic phone is a term that is often used for non-smartphones. These phones provide essential functions, like texting or calling, but don't have the capacity to access all online content or apps. Some models have no internet access at all.
Basic phones are great for kids because they're easy to use and have all the necessary features your child could need, They're also a safe alternative for them to take to school or out with friends.
Legal terms
¹Vodafone has not manufactured this device and it may not contain official OEM parts. Phones are refurbished with care by our trusted partners:
TES AMM
Ingram Micro
New Way International
Elite Mobile
Unipart Logistics
Tech Tigers
PCS wireless
Olympia
All refurbished devices have had a full diagnostic, visual check and deep clean by our partners.
Each device has had a number of extensive tests performed, to ensure it is fully functional - checking the screen, battery, camera ensuring it is 100% fully functional.
Cosmetic checks are performed to determine if the device is either Pristine, Great or Good.
Vodafone Assured
Substantiation:
Vodafone Assured: means that all refurbished devices had a full diagnostic, visual check and deep clean by our third party refurbished suppliers.
Each device has had a number of extensive tests performed, to ensure it is fully functional - checking various components of the device, such as the screen, battery, camera ensuring it is 100% fully functional. Cosmetic checks are performed to determine if the device is either excellent or great. More details on the checks on the below table.
To find out more on the third party refurbished suppliers, see the relevant section below.
Refurbished phones are checked across the following components:
Display test on: | Battery life test on: | Connectivity test on: | Camera test on: | Sensor test on: | Key tests on: | Audio tests on: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Touchscreen | Discharge | Wi-Fi connectivity | Rear camera for picture and video - focus | Proximity sensor | Hardware keys | Audio (including hands free mode) |
Screen response | Minimum battery charge to 80% | Bluetooth connectivity | Rear camera for picture and video - quality | Ambient light | Power key | Headset port and sound |
Multi-touch | Plug to the system (data transfer) | Network connectivity | Camera flash | Gyroscope sensor | Volume up / volume down | Speaker |
Force touch | SIM card reading | Front camera for picture and video - focus | Accelerometer | Home key | Earpiece | |
Quality of the screen | Network connection | Front camera for picture and video - quality | Fingerprint | Mute key | Audio quality | |
LCD white / black | Call | Magnetometer | Microphone | |||
LCD RGB | Mother board |
Kinder to the planet
Buying a refurbished phone has a lower carbon footprint than buying a new one
Substantiation:
A life cycle assessment study (Pamminger, R., Glaser, S. and Wimmer, W., Modelling of different circular end-of-use scenarios for smartphones. International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment (2021) 26:470-482) found that a refurbished phone (used for an average 1.93 years) can have a 55% lower contribution to climate change (or 'GWP') compared to a new phone (used for 2.5 years) (according to the study results shown on page 479).
Based on this study, buying and using a refurbished phone can be considered to be kinder to the planet in comparison to buying and using a new phone, because it has a lower negative impact on climate change.
See a consumer-friendly report of the study [PDF: 177KB]
For the full study, see the Springer Link website
USB charging cable
To charge this product from the mains, you'll also need a mains adaptor to attach to the USB cable.
You'll need to buy this if you don't already own one.
Old plugs may not charge new handsets at optimum speeds.
Features | Vodafone | O2 | Sky | EE | Three | Tesco | GiffGaff | iD Mobile | Asda |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lifetime Warranty Extended Warranty for as long as you have an active airtime plan | Yes | No - 3 years only | No | No - Extended Warranty valid for as long as you remain on current plan | No - 3 years only | No | No - up to 2 years | No | No |
Battery refresh Free checks and replacements for up to 3 years | Yes - 3 years | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Valid as of 1 August 2024, sourced from competitors' website.
¹ iPhone 16 models can detect a serious car crash and call for help. Requires a mobile data connection or WiFi calling. Roadside Assistance and Emergency SOS via satellite are included free for two years with the activation of any iPhone 14, iPhone 15 or iPhone 16 model. Connection and response times vary based on location, site conditions and other factors. See Apple’s Connect to a satellite with your iPhone page for more information. Fees are determined by the roadside assistance provider, and can vary based on your location and the type of assistance provided. See how to Use Roadside Assistance via satellite on your iPhone
¹ For “over 30 hours”: Estimated battery life based on testing using a median Pixel user battery usage profile across a mix of talk, data, standby, and use of other features. For “up to 100 hours”: Estimated battery life based on testing using a median Pixel user battery usage profile across a mix of talk, data, standby, and use of limited other features that are default in Extreme Battery Saver mode, which disables various features including 5G connectivity. For both claims: Battery testing conducted on a major US carrier network in California in late 2024 on pre-production hardware and software using default settings, except that, for the “up to 100 hours” claim only, Extreme Battery Saver mode was enabled. Tests began with phones fully charged. Battery life depends upon many factors and usage of certain features will decrease battery life. Actual battery life may be lower. Over time, Pixel software will manage battery performance to help maintain battery health as your battery ages. See how to Understand your Pixel battery
² Car Crash Detection is not available in all languages or countries. Car Crash Detection may not detect all accidents. High-impact activities may trigger Car Crash Detection. This feature is dependent upon network connectivity and other factors and may not be reliable for emergency communications or available in all areas. See how to Get help in an emergency using your Pixel phone
³ Designed to comply with dust and water protection rating IP68 under IEC standard 60529 when each device leaves the factory, but the device is not water or dust proof. The accessories are not water or dust resistant. Water resistance and dust resistance are not permanent conditions and will diminish or be lost over time due to normal wear and tear, device repair, disassembly or damage. Phone is not drop or tumble proof and dropping your device may result in loss of water or dust resistance. Damage from drops, tumbles, and other external forces is not covered under warranty. Liquid damage voids the warranty. See how to Help prevent water damage to your Pixel phone
⁴ Results may vary. Not available for all cameras, apps or modes.
⁵ Restrictions apply. Some data is not transmitted through VPN. Not available in all countries. Use of VPN may increase data costs depending on your plan. See how to Connect to VPN by Google on your Pixel device
¹ Memory and storage options and availability may vary by country, region or carrier. Available memory and storage capacity is subject to preloaded software
² The Wall Charger for Super Fast Charging (25W) is sold separately. The typical capacity has been tested under third-party laboratory conditions. The typical capacity is the estimated average capacity considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under the IEC 61960 standard. The rated capacity is 4,860mAh. Actual battery life may vary depending on network environment, usage, and other factors.
³ Security features or hardware and software architecture of Samsung Knox Vault on Samsung Galaxy A series smartphones may differ from those on Samsung Galaxy flagship devices including S series, Z series, S FE series smartphones and Tab S series tablets launched from 2021 onwards. Availability of Samsung Knox Vault may vary depending on the device model.
¹ Auto mode has a minimum device refresh rate of 60Hz and a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz; actual refresh rate may be less and will vary based on app or content limitations and requirements, device mode settings, and other factors.