As a dad on the cusp of having teenagers, I’m constantly hunting for the perfect phone, one that offers everything a kid needs in this day and age, and nothing that they don’t. I’ve written at length on this subject, including how to handle when a tween asks for a phone, how schools are currently handling phones (and whether or not they’re on the right track), and even what an ideal mindful parenting phone would look like.
The Gabb Phone 4 Pro is the closest a phone has come to being perfect for my kids. With precise monitoring of contacts, messages, and locations, a hefty list of reviewed apps to choose from (including a robust streaming music service), and a brand-new option for safe video calling, only a few things keep this phone from a perfect score.
Staff pick
Gabb Phone 4 Pro
$100 $200 Save $100
The Gabb Phone 4 Pro promises to protect your kids and teens from the dangers of digital life. Gabb’s custom software is overlaid on a Samsung Galaxy A15 5G, utilizing Samsung’s robust yet budget hardware to power a system that monitors calls and texts, can locate your child, and keeps them in communication without browsers or social media. Gabb also offers its own safe video calling feature and a music app with an appropriate and deep catalog to keep kids and teens entertained.
- Gabb services work to secure your teen’s digital life
- Long battery life and fast charging
- Decent cameras
- Simple setup and monitoring
- No RCS
- Not all third-party apps have been reviewed for access
Price, availability, and specs
What your teen needs is all here
Like other competitors, Gabb smartly uses Samsung hardware to power its software experience. This means you get a decent screen (and a smooth 90Hz refresh rate), solid build quality, and enjoyable cameras. Keep in mind, however, that the Samsung Galaxy A15 is still a budget phone — but when it comes to “budget,” I’d rather have something from Samsung than other hardware brands. (For reference, the Pinwheel’s Plus 4 also uses a Samsung Galaxy A15 5G, so it also might be worth considering.) The Gabb Phone 4 Pro only comes in a dark blue colorway, but there are plenty of trendy case options for your teen to switch up their style.
At $200, the 4 Pro is the perfect price for peace of mind. Just know that after that initial price, you’re looking at a monthly fee for service beyond that. This includes Gabb’s software and the wireless services, which is reasonable compared to phone plans from places like Cricket and Mint Mobile.
Gabb also allows you to port existing numbers to their service or get a new number altogether. However, it won’t work if you bring your own SIM; you’re stuck with Gabb’s wireless service, which, luckily, is rock solid as it uses Verizon towers. You can buy the Gabb Phone 4 Pro at places like Amazon, or sometimes, for even better deals, directly from Gabb itself.
What’s good about the Gabb Phone 4 Pro?
Gabb delivers on all fronts
No matter how much you instill otherwise, aesthetics matter at this age, so Samsung’s Galaxy A15 hardware will help your kids keep up appearances. Here in the U.S., the iPhone is still a status symbol, but if that’s not on the table, Samsung or Pixel will do.
Gabb’s software is also the cleanest of all the teen phone options out there right now. It takes the guesswork away from vanilla Android parental controls but doesn’t drown you in menus and options like the Bark phone or even Pinwheel. It’s extremely straightforward, and I had zero issues getting the phone to a place that would work for my daughter — this includes the use of third-party apps like GroupMe, which her student government uses for communications.
Read our review
I reviewed the Bark Phone, a rebranded Samsung Galaxy built for kids and their worried parents
The Bark Phone takes a Samsung Galaxy A-series phone and puts a coat of armor on it
Protection-wise, there’s no browser or social media — or anything else that would distract a child or make a hard tween life even harder from an emotional and social standpoint. In addition to this, I can easily locate the phone when my daughter is out and about, and Gabb’s software will alert me if questionable things are happening in chats — including crude language, bullying, and more.
I also appreciate the ability to add safe zones that will alert me when she enters or leaves certain locations (like school, for instance). It’s a good way of knowing if she went somewhere without remembering to check in. Most of this is done through the MyGabb app on my phone, though some functions require heading over to the online browser portal to complete, like managing the Gabb Phone 4 Pro’s apps.
Plus, thanks to the Samsung hardware, the phone also takes good photos and videos, both of which are essential for kids at this age as they self-document memories with their friends.
What’s bad about the Gabb Phone 4 Pro?
There is one tech limitation
Gabb needs to embrace RCS. While the Gabb Messenger app is secure, sending photos and other media — and fun things like reactions — don’t work as well as they would if the Gabb Messenger platform incorporated RCS. In fact, since my wife has an iPhone (which only recently gained RCS capabilities in iMessage) I could sense the frustration when sharing photos and videos between the platforms.
The only other thing to mention, of course, is that the list of available Gabb-reviewed third-party apps isn’t all-encompassing. While GroupMe was there, a different app the student government used for a scavenger hunt game during a recent team-building experience was not available. While annoying, Gabb’s list of approved third-party apps is ever-growing.
Should you buy it?
It’s a solid choice among other options
I have yet to dislike any of the kid-based phones I’ve tried; I was pleasantly surprised by each of them. They all have very similar goals (to protect kids while getting you to pay for another subscription) and methods (custom software on recognizable hardware). However, the software looks and feels is where they differ. Bark, for instance, is incredibly granular. Pinwheel does an excellent job of reviewing third-party apps and offers even more hardware choices. But Gabb is the cleanest experience, while offering video calling and music through its self-built apps.
If you want the easiest experience, I suggest Gabb above all else. But for a step-up in hardware, Pinwheel offers a Pixel in their lineup for a higher price. I wonder if Gabb would want to add one to theirs eventually as well, offering a truly superior camera to pair with their honed software.
The main goal, however, is to protect your kids as they grow. All these companies succeed, and all are very similar — even in cost. As far as ease of use, though, Gabb currently outpaces the rest.
Staff pick
Gabb Phone 4 Pro
$100 $200 Save $100
The Gabb Phone 4 Pro promises to protect your kids and teens from the dangers of digital life. Gabb’s custom software is overlaid on a Samsung Galaxy A15 5G, utilizing Samsung’s robust yet budget hardware to power a system that monitors calls and texts, can locate your child, and keeps them in communication without browsers or social media. Gabb also offers its own safe video calling feature and a music app with an appropriate and deep catalog to keep kids and teens entertained.
