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Verizon's 2026 kids watch adds a camera, video chat and up to 40 approved contacts, and Parents names it best for elementary age. But Parents found its location imprecise, and it was rated just 2.7 out of 5 by 105 reviewers on Verizon's own site. Wirecutter is still testing it.
Subscription: Required: Verizon watch line, from $10/mo (Parents); the Verizon Family app is included at no extra cost (Verizon)
Top complaints
- Location not precise
Parents says location wasn't as precise as other watches: it couldn't pinpoint the child within a city block and often showed the 12-year-old tester across the street. Its zones can be broad in a city.
- Scratches and a finicky charger
Parents' tester saw scratches on the glass right away (a screen protector stopped further damage) and says the charging port can be finicky, so the watch may still be dead in the morning.
- No Wi-Fi, low owner rating
Parents says it doesn't connect to Wi-Fi, so video messages use cellular data and an unlimited plan makes sense. Verizon's product page shows a 2.7 out of 5 average from 105 reviews, compared with 4.0 for the Gizmo Watch 3 Adventure; the review text didn't load.
What owners love
- Easy for Verizon families
Parents' tester found setup simple and says it makes sense if you're already on Verizon, calling it useful for school pickup.
- More ways to talk
Calls, video chat, typed texts, voice memos and preset messages (Parents), with up to 40 parent-approved contacts (Verizon).
- Safety features
Verizon lists real-time geofence alerts and 5 ATM water resistance. The Gadgeteer reports watch-removal alerts and a school mode, with severe-weather alerts listed as coming soon at launch.
- You need block-level location accuracy
- You don't want a camera on your child's watch
- You aren't on, or don't want, a Verizon line
- Families already on Verizon
- Younger kids who want video calls and games
- Swimmers (rated water resistant to 50 m)
Scores (tap for why)
What experts say
- Parents: Best for elementary age (updated 2026-09-23): convenient for Verizon customers, with fun games and video chat. The con is that it doesn't use Wi-Fi.
- Wirecutter (NYT): Testing the Gizmo Watch 4 and the new Verizon Family app as of August 2026; no verdict yet.