Best phone for a 11yr old girl?

Vidar

Vidar

Vidar

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I'm in a situation where I need to buy my daughter a mobile phone, long story but I'm not happy with her having one but it's become a necessity.

I have a budget of up to £200, and just looking for something decent but not clued up on current handsets. Not interested in 2nd hand units or ios and needs to have good parental controls.

What do you guys recommend?
 
SkodaMart said:
Cast me down iPhone.
Don’t buy one
Sim only.
Click to expand...
Even though I've read the Op's post, I'd also agree with this.

All her mates will be on iOS and if she's anything like my 11 year old daughter, she will be on Facetime constantly.
2nd hand because she will drop it/break it/lose it
Sim only because it's cheap
 
I also agree. An iPhone 7 or 8 is the perfect size for an 11 year old to carry around and with iMessage there’s no need to worry about running out of texts or minutes, as long as there’s some data left on the plan.

Otherwise pick up a massive Chinese Android brick that’ll be unsupported 2 weeks after purchase.
 
I was looking for the exact same requirements for my son, also 11.

In the end, I went for a Pixel 4a on a 30gb contract for £19/month. Think I got a bit of cashback through quidco, and reasoned it was effectively £200 for the phone and then £10/month for the 30gb contract.

The Pixel 4a is a much better size than the £200 Chinese phones I was looking at (smaller, so more suitable for an 11 year old's hands and pockets), and is just a better phone.

Google's Family Link gives you decent controls across Android devices.
 
i know this is controversial. some of my friend's children around the same age had this problem, a lot of their friends had iPhones. color of those chats lol. they initially bought a nice Samsung phone. they would not use it. as it was not in not what the other kids used., they wanted to be like the rest of the cool kids, so in the end, they bought a second-hand iPhone. they will look after something a lot better they actually want than something that is forced appon them, ask them what phones her friends use, I would advise then go off that.
 
i thought ios had the best parental controls

"With Content & Privacy Restrictions in Screen Time, you can block or limit specific apps and features on your child's device. You can also restrict the settings on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch for explicit content, purchases and downloads, and privacy."
 
dave28 said:
i thought ios had the best parental controls

"With Content & Privacy Restrictions in Screen Time, you can block or limit specific apps and features on your child's device. You can also restrict the settings on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch for explicit content, purchases and downloads, and privacy."
Click to expand...
Family Link on Android does all that too. Can also track where the phone is and use Maps to get directions there.

I've never tried the ios option, which I'm sure has a full feature suite, but haven't felt unequiped with android.
 
Got to agree with all the above. Even though I'm a die hard android fan. The teenagers/young girls have got to be on iPhone. Even the Mrs has changed over to iPhone. The eco system is ideal for them and the Mrs to keep an eye on things.
We didn't want to make our daughter the odd one out either.
 
I got my kids oneplus nords when they were on offer. Android is a must due to the ecosystem were all in.

Don't worry about facetime, at my kids school at least everyones on andriod.
 
batfink said:
Even though I've read the Op's post, I'd also agree with this.

All her mates will be on iOS and if she's anything like my 11 year old daughter, she will be on Facetime constantly.
2nd hand because she will drop it/break it/lose it
Sim only because it's cheap
Click to expand...

Exactly this, add an IDMobile rolling 30 day SIM 3gb £6.
 
Vidar said:
I'm in a situation where I need to buy my daughter a mobile phone, long story but I'm not happy with her having one but it's become a necessity.
Click to expand...

Don't get her a smartphone. At least not immediately. An ordinary phone cable of sending SMS texts. Then tell her she can have a smartphone once she's proven she can keep that one in good condition.
 
Quartz said:
Don't get her a smartphone. At least not immediately. An ordinary phone cable of sending SMS texts. Then tell her she can have a smartphone once she's proven she can keep that one in good condition.
Click to expand...

Sorry that might have worked 10 years ago but not now. No matter how you think your kids don't want to be in the cool club ie ios(i hate ios btw hard android fan here), I know it should not be like it is but it is. you cannot do Facebook and other social media on a txt only phone. not to mention when they are that young the colour of their chat and facetime does matter to them. Do not be that parent that gives your child the odd phone out, they will not thank you for it.
 
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