The lower-cost phone has a parent portal for managing calls and texts, checking the phone’s location and enabling games.
Low-cost carrier TextNow is launching its first child-friendly phone on Tuesday, pairing a heavily discounted Motorola handset with a software portal that lets parents control who their kid can call or text.
Yello is a customized Moto G Play that costs $150 — $100 less than the standard model’s current retail price — and comes with a $20 monthly plan, with no other required contracts or service commitments.
The Android phone restricts access to Google’s Play Store and doesn’t allow users to install additional apps or services. It’s designed primarily for calls and texts with parent-approved contacts, which parents can manage through a web-based portal that also lets them check the phone’s GPS location. Kids can call or text those contacts from a menu of large icons reminiscent of Netflix’s profile selection screen.
Other software available on the phone includes access to the cameras — a 32-megapixel main camera and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera — along with the calculator, clock and a weather app. Seven preloaded games can be enabled, which include phone classics such as Snake, Mines and Tic-Tac-Toe. Photos taken on the phone can only be shared with parents.
This more restrictive approach should let kids stay in touch with approved friends and coordinate pickups with parents while limiting distractions and access to content inappropriate for young children.
The 2026 Moto G Play is a good choice for Yello’s software approach.
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