MMGuardian Phone vs Gabb Phone
Summary
- Gabb phones consist of an outdated Samsung A10e released in 2019 and a low-end ZTE phone. Both MMGuardian phones are powerful Samsung phones and the latest in their lines.
- Gabb phones come locked in with cellular service with expensive pricing of $29.99/month for unlimited text/calls and no data. MMGuardian phones only cost $9.99/month for the subscription. You can add your own cellular service or purchase one from our partner which offers many affordable plans, such as $10/month for unlimited text/call and 1GB of data.
- Gabb phone features are very simplistic and don’t even include group texting and basic apps that are often required by schools and families. Gabb phones will not meet the requirements of even a young child and certainly not most teens. On the contrary, the MMGuardian Phone offers a robust set of features that can grow with the child- from a starter phone for a young child all the way to a fully functional smartphone for teens with flexible restrictions and monitoring to keep them safe.
| Feature | MMGuardian Phone | Gabb Phone |
| No Social Media | ||
| GPS Location | ||
| Find Phone Siren | ||
| Child Can Not Disable Location | ||
| Allows Other Cell Service | ||
| Allows Group Texting | ||
| Automatic Location Tracking | ||
| Remote Management | ||
| Message Monitoring | ||
| Message Safety Alerts | ||
| Picture Monitoring | ||
| Download Approved Apps | ||
| Filtered Internet | ||
| Limit Screen Time | ||
| Supports Multiple Carriers | ||
| Phone Lock | ||
| App Block | ||
| Contact Safelist | ||
| Latest Samsung Model | ||
| Monthly Subscription Price* | $9.99/month | $24.99/month minimum |
*The Gabb Phone monthly price includes a cellular plan, whereas the MMGuardian Phone subscription does not.
| Spec | MMGuardian Phone A03S | Gabb Phone Plus |
| Screen Size | 6.6" | 5.83" |
| Camera | 50MP | 8MP |
| Battery | 5000mAh | 3000mAh |
| Storage | 32GB | 32GB |
| Operating System | Android 12 | Android 11 |
| RAM | 3GB | 2GB |
| Price | $189 | $199 |
Monitoring & Control
MMGuardian:
With the MMGuardian Phone, parents can monitor and control their child’s phone as much or as little as necessary, all from their own phone! You can keep track of:
- who your child is communicating with,
- what they are texting, even if they delete the text,
- which websites they are viewing,
- how long they are spending on apps,
- and more!
You also have in-depth control over your child’s ability to use those functions, and you will receive AI-generated alerts about concerning content in messages.
Gabb:
With a Gabb Phone, parents cannot monitor their child’s phone unless they physically confiscate the phone to monitor communication, such as checking messages. There is no way to remotely monitor the phone. There is also no way to control or limit the phone at all.
Apps & Games
MMGuardian:
The MMGuardian Phone gives parents full freedom to block or allow any app available on Google Play, with downloaded apps automatically blocked by default. Parents can also assign apps daily time limits or block them according to custom schedules.
Gabb:
The Gabb Phone comes with a limited number of apps and does not yet allow parents to add any new apps. Parents in reviews mention how inconvenient this is for harmless apps like some games or apps for school. There is also no way to block or set time limits for apps.
Contact Blocking
MMGuardian:
The MMGuardian Phone lets parents have full control over who their child is communicating with. You can create a safe list of “allowed” contacts, and communication with any other number not on the list will be blocked automatically. Parents can also block specific numbers if they wish.
Gabb:
The Gabb Phone can block suspected spam and specific numbers, but there is no way to preemptively block communication from strangers or new, unknown contacts that you have not approved of yet. They have a spam filter that they describe as “90% effective” but user reviews on their own website suggest it is not very reliable.
Note: Gabb has now removed these 3 star reviews from their website, but you can still see them below.
Screen Time
MMGuardian:
With the MMGuardian Phone, parents have extreme flexibility in limiting their child’s phone use. The MMGuardian Phone can be totally locked, allowing only for communication with emergency contacts. This can be done on-demand, from the parent’s own phone, or according to custom schedules which will lock the phone automatically at specific times and days. The MMGuardian Phone also comes with extremely granular controls for apps, allowing parents to highly customize which apps their child is able to use, along with when and for how long.
Gabb:
With the Gabb Phone, there is no way for parents to limit how much their child is using the phone.
Location
MMGuardian:
With the MMGuardian Phone, parents have the option to get their child’s location right away with the click of a button. Alternatively, they can set tracking schedules to automatically retrieve their child’s location, such as on their way to/from school.
Gabb:
With the Gabb Phone, parents are able to retrieve their child’s location on-demand, just like with the MMGuardian Phone. However, there is no tracking feature. It’s also worth mentioning that many recent reviews for the Gabb app in Google Play indicate that the location feature may not be reliable.
Future Considerations
As your child matures and becomes more responsible, the MMGuardian Phone can be adapted accordingly. Your child may outgrow the Gabb Phone quite quickly.
Final Thoughts
The Gabb Phone comes with cell service which, while preventing you from choosing a different provider, can save you an extra step.
The Gabb Phone also includes a number of custom, kid-friendly apps that are unavailable on Google Play.
On the other hand, the MMGuardian Phone provides the same core first kids phone functionality, plus so much more.