The best budget smartphones for your kids

More and more parents are getting phones for their kids, but a quick Google search proves the gadgets are certainly not cheap, with some devices fetching prices upward of $1,000.

Speaking on the TODAY Show, tech expert Trevor Long shared some of the thriftier phone deals available about town.

For a smartphone that hosts all the apps kids want these days, and has basic functions plus a sleek, modern design, Long suggests the Alcatel 1C, available for $89.

“This one blows my mind: it's a beautiful phone, it’s got all the things you need,” Long said.

“It’s a pre-paid phone from Telstra, so you have to be on the Telstra network, but for $89. 

“The screen is not as bright of some of the other phones, the camera is not as good, but for any 10 or 11-year-old or for someone who just wants a basic phone - this is a great option.”

Climbing up the cost ladder, the LG Q6 is Long’s next pick, priced at around $299.

“This one’s been out for a year now but it’s now only $299, so you’re getting what was a very, very good phone when it came out.”

The tech expert said a sleek screen, great camera and good performance, plus the added assurance of buying from a well-know brand, makes the LG phone a top budget gadget.

At the top of the range is the Huawei nova 3e, Long says.

“Its retail price is $399, but I found it at OfficeWorks for $375, so just under $400,” he added.

“It has a beautiful bright screen, great camera and I can't imagine a teenager, let alone the youngest of kids complaining about that phone.”

Phone plans

Once you have the phone, Long says there are a range of budget phone plans available to cater for all the ways your kids use their devices.

Telstra
Forking out $30 a month on a Telstra plan will get you unlimited calls and texts plus 2.5GB of data, Long says. 

Aldi
Meanwhile, if you head to Aldi, you can pick up a $15 sim card which gets you a bunch of data plus unlimited calls and texts on the Telstra network.

Kogan Mobile
With a plan from Kogan, users pay an upfront fee of $179 for a year’s worth of unlimited calls and tests, plus 3GB of data every 30 days. 

“That works out being $15 a month,” Long said.

But before you hand over the phone, the tech expert said there are a range of nifty apps available to help parents keep an eye out for their children.

“My advice is to download an app called Life 360,” he adds.

“Life 360 is free, it allows you to track your kids and see where they are, but they can also see where you are so its a two-way street.

“You get a little alert letting you know if your child has left school, arrived at school, gone to a mates place etc.

“That gives you peace of mind as a parent because you’re basically handing over a little bit of independence to your child.”