Choose the family-management setup before choosing the device: Apple Family Sharing and Screen Time are relevant to an iPhone or iPad, while Google Family Link’s main supervision tools require a supported Android device or Chromebook. If calls and messages matter more than broad app access, a cellular Apple Watch set up for a family member is another route, but it needs compatible hardware and a supervising iPhone. Whichever route you choose, test the controls and discuss them with the child; they are not a complete safeguard.
A phone or tablet may be under consideration when a child starts using apps and games more independently. App approval, content settings, purchase controls and time limits are central to this decision, as described in UK government, Apple and Google guidance.
For carers who want calls, messages and location sharing without starting with a general-purpose smartphone, Apple’s family watch setup offers a distinct route. Its hardware, account and network requirements need checking before choosing a watch.
A child might also use a Chromebook, Windows computer or Xbox alongside a first mobile device. Google and Microsoft describe controls with different device and browser limits, so one family-management setup should not be assumed to cover every screen.
Decide whether the first priority is broad app access or a narrower way to stay in contact, then check the accounts and devices needed to manage it. A phone or tablet choice still needs a compatible supervision setup; a cellular watch has different setup and feature limits.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Control-system compatibility | Check the child’s device and account, the adult’s device, and which controls work with that combination. Google says most Family Link supervision tools do not work on iPhone or iPad. | If I need to approve access from my own device, I want to know the family accounts and operating systems work together before choosing hardware. About 36% of consumers put control-system compatibility first. |
| Contact without broad app access | For Apple Watch Family Setup, check cellular-watch and supervising-iPhone compatibility, carrier support and the features that need a mobile-data plan. | When keeping in touch matters more than giving a child a general-purpose phone, calls and messages shape my device choice. For about 29% of consumers, that narrower contact role is the primary need. |
| Apps, games and spending | Review the intended apps, their communication settings and the billing route. Google Play purchase approvals apply only to purchases billed through Google Play. | If games and downloads will be the main use, I need rules that match the stores and services my child will actually use. Managing that access comes first for about 21% of consumers. |
| Controls that can change | Test app requests and time limits before handover, then review settings when the child gains access to another device or service. | As my child’s routines change, I need settings we can revisit rather than rules we set once and forget. About 14% of consumers make that adaptability their primary concern. |
Age-based service rules also deserve a check before committing to an account or subscription. In September 2026, the UK Government said its first Regulations on planned under-16 social-media restrictions would be laid before the end of 2026, with changes expected in spring 2027. Those plans are not a substitute for checking a service’s current eligibility rules or the final Regulations.
The operating system, child account and supervising adult’s device affect which controls are available. Apple’s family controls use Family Sharing and the child’s own Apple Account; Google says most Family Link supervision tools will not work on an iPhone or iPad.
Set out the controls you need, then confirm the exact device and account arrangement before buying.
Apple Watch Family Setup requires compatible cellular hardware and a supervising iPhone. Apple says some watch functions are unavailable with this setup.
Check the watch model, Family Setup requirements, carrier support and the functions your child would use.
Some functions also require a mobile-data plan, although a plan is not required for initial setup.
Google Play purchase approval covers transactions through Google Play billing, not every payment a child might encounter in an app or online service.
Check how intended apps process purchases and protect payment methods outside the store’s approval system.
UK government online-safety guidance says parental controls are helpful but cannot fix everything. Settings also need attention when a child starts using new apps or devices.
Test the controls before handover, explain the household rules to the child and revisit them together as use changes.
Relevant when a child will use an iPhone, iPad or compatible cellular Apple Watch managed through Apple family accounts.
Relevant to supervised Android phones and tablets or Chromebooks used with a child’s Google Account and Family Link.
Relevant as an additional family-management layer where a child also uses Windows, Xbox or Android.
This selection is for families considering a first smartphone alongside a Google family-management setup. Check the controls and child-account arrangement required for your household on the exact phone before committing to it.
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For a household considering a first smartphone and Google Family Link; confirm the child’s account setup and required supervision features on this phone before buying.
This is the 128GB Obsidian variant. Check the current age rules of any apps or services the child intends to use.
Not with most of its supervision tools. Google says a child can sign in to its services on an iPhone or iPad, but most Family Link supervision tools will not work there. For either Apple device, assess Family Sharing and Screen Time against the controls you need.
Apple lists a compatible cellular Apple Watch and supervising iPhone, Apple Accounts for the adult and child, two-factor authentication for the adult’s account, and a Family Sharing group in which the adult has the required organiser or parent role. Check carrier support and which features need a mobile-data plan; some watch functions remain unavailable through Family Setup.
No. Google Play says a content rating indicates the maturity level of an app’s content, not whether it was designed for a particular age. Also review its communication features, purchases, privacy settings and account-age terms.
No. In September 2026, the UK Government said the first Regulations would be laid before the end of 2026 and that changes should be implemented in spring 2027. Check the final Regulations and each service’s current rules before relying on the planned restrictions when choosing a device or subscription.
No. UK government guidance says controls are helpful but cannot fix everything. Check that the settings work before giving the child the device, and keep talking about the apps and services they use.