Buying a kids watch is trickier than it looks — the market is flooded with near-identical models at wildly different price points, and most of them are only reviewed by the seller. We bought three of the most popular kids watch models ourselves (not sent for free, not sponsored) so we could tell you honestly which one is actually worth it.
Kids Watch Comparison: 3 Models We Actually Tested
Smarter or sillier? Which watch is the best and for who?
We reviewed these three most popular hottest watches for kids, so you won’t have to!
Aladeng W5 Android Watch for Kids
Check out this nice plastic cube-box. Inside we got the very popular W5 Android 9 watch.
According to the seller this model includes 4-core processor, 2 gigabytes of ram and 16 gigabytes of storage space. I have no idea how to easily control media volume here, so if you have a clue please write it in the comment bellow.
The watch is sturdy enough and runs a standard version of android 9. Its unfortunate it still uses micro USB cable instead of type-C. You can make regular phone-calls either via the built-in speaker or with a Bluetooth headset
Although the user manual is in English, its not always easy to understand.
The watch is thicker than I expected but its not too thick. There are 2 similar models of this watch, the H1 and the W5. They look slightly different but according to seller, the functionality is identical.
There are 2 cameras, which seem to have disappointing identical quality.
The 1080 mili-amps battery can be easily replaced if needed. Underneath the battery we got the sim and the SD card slots.
This watch supports many different languages, including Hebrew, just like any regular android would. The keyboard on this watch is so tiny, that I had to pair a Bluetooth mouse to operate it without cursing all the time. I have no idea how to easily control media volume here, so if you have a clue please write it in the comment bellow.
The google play store works fine and you can download and install almost any app.
Google Photos and google maps work well, including location sharing. But the GPS accuracy is not so great. Whatsap works well too, but I was not able to use it with whatsap web because the tiny screen cannot seem to render the QR code page properly.
Youtube also works not bad here and the video playback is smooth.
The cameras are pretty bad, and while the seller claims its HD quality, the images are small and nowhere near HD quality.
The mobile companion app is not very good either. The design is outdated and there are not enough features. But at least there are no annoying commercial adds. In total, it is a cool gadget for kids. The product quality fits the relatively low price. If you want your kid to have some basic whatsap messaging, without all the forbidden pleasures of a convenient full-size android phone, this is a good solution.
Children 4G Smart Watch with GPS & Phone LT08
Check out this lovely box!
It’s the new inexpensive gps smart watch for kids.
It comes with colorful and comprehensive user guide.
The build quality feels solid.
On the left side we have the sim card slot and on the right side we got the home and SOS buttons.
And here is the charger, the little screwdriver, and a small surprise. Very thoughtful.
This charger is kinda clunky but it works. The charge speed is pretty slow for a small battery like this in my opinion.
Once you turn on the watch it makes a lowd noise, I am not sure its possible to disable it. It can be problematic in some situations.
It’s a very basic version of android, with just a few enough apps to make this watch fun, but not a total distraction for a child in school.
There are plenty of languages to chose from. And there are also quite a few watch faces.
The voice and video calls all work well and there are even a couple of learning games.
Overall this a cool phone watch to give to a child to keep track and stay in touch.
For this price I totally recommend.
Minecraft Kids Watch with Camera and voice recorder
The Minecraft kids watch is the slimmest and the lightest of the three.
As it’s light in size and weight, its also light in features. You cannot make phone calls with this one.
It does not have any wireless capability, but it is fun for the little ones with its built-in camera and voice recorder.
The cheapest price and the cool design make it great toy for kids and a lot of fun!
Which Kids Watch Should You Actually Buy?
After testing all three, here’s the honest breakdown. If your kid is old enough for a real phone-replacement with WhatsApp and Google Play, the Aladeng W5 Android watch is the most capable, but the tiny keyboard makes typing painful and you’ll want to budget for a Bluetooth mouse just to set it up. If you mainly want GPS location tracking and an SOS button for peace of mind, the 4G GPS watch (LT08) is the better pick — it’s simpler, the calls actually work well, and the loud power-on chime is a minor annoyance rather than a dealbreaker. If your child is younger and you just want a fun toy with a camera and voice recorder, without phone or wireless features to worry about, the Minecraft watch is the cheapest and safest option since there’s no SIM card or internet connection at all.
A few things worth knowing before you buy any kids watch: check your local carrier supports nano-SIM in a watch device before ordering a model that needs one, expect battery life of a single day with heavy use on the Android and GPS models (the Minecraft watch, with no wireless radio, lasts much longer), and always test the SOS/location-sharing feature with your child at home before relying on it anywhere else.
Also Worth Checking on Amazon
If you’d rather buy locally-stocked alternatives instead of importing, these Amazon categories cover the same ground as the three watches above:
- Kids smartwatches for boys and girls
- Kids GPS watches with SIM card support
- MicroSD cards for storing photos on the watch
- Replacement charging cables for kids watches
One more thing worth thinking about before buying any kids watch with GPS or calling features: these are internet-connected devices, so it’s worth taking a few minutes to understand what data they collect and who can contact your child through them. Most of these watches rely on a companion app to manage the whitelist of allowed contacts and to view location history, so set that up carefully before handing the watch over. If your child’s model connects to the Google Play Store, treat it the same way you’d treat a real phone – review the installed apps periodically and keep the parental controls on.
Price-wise, all three of these kids watch options land well under the cost of a hand-me-down smartphone, which is really the whole appeal. You’re trading some polish and a few rough edges in the companion apps for a device that’s hard for a child to damage, doesn’t tempt them with a full app store’s worth of distractions, and won’t leave you devastated if it ends up lost on a school trip.
