The Complete Kids Smartwatch Buying Guide (2024): Everything Parents Need to Know
GPS accuracy, battery life, monthly costs, safety features — everything you need to know before buying a smartwatch for your child, from a dad who's tested dozens.
Looking for the best kids smartwatch for your daughter? We tested every top option and picked the 7 best for girls based on color options, design, features, and real-world performance.
TickTalk 5
$159.99· 4.3/5 rating
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Let me get something out of the way right at the top: there is no such thing as a "girl's smartwatch" or a "boy's smartwatch." Every watch on this list works equally well for any kid. The technology inside does not care about gender.
What I have learned after years of testing kids smartwatches, though, is that parents searching for "best smartwatch for girls" are usually asking a very specific practical question: which watches come in colors and designs my daughter will actually want to wear? That is a fair question. A watch sitting in a drawer because your kid hates how it looks is a waste of money no matter how good the GPS is.
So this guide focuses on the watches that tend to be most popular with girls based on what I hear from the families I work with -- watches that come in colors like purple, pink, and lilac, watches with customizable bands, watches that look stylish rather than clunky, and watches with features like cameras and music that my testers have told me they love. Every single one of these also has the safety and communication features that matter to parents: GPS tracking, calling, SOS buttons, and parental controls.
If you want the full picture of every kids smartwatch on the market regardless of design preferences, start with our 10 best kids smartwatches in 2026 roundup. If you are here because your daughter has strong opinions about what goes on her wrist (and in my experience, she absolutely does), keep reading.
| Rank | Watch | Price | Monthly Cost | Best For | Colors Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TickTalk 5 | $159.99 | $9.99/mo | Best Overall | Purple, Pink, Black, Blue |
| 2 | Garmin Bounce 2 | $299.99 | $9.99/mo | Active Girls | Light Purple (Lilac), Turquoise, Slate Gray |
| 3 | Gabb Watch 3e | $149.99 | $12.99/mo | Younger Girls | Multiple clean colorways |
| 4 | Apple Watch SE 3 | $299 | Carrier plan | Tweens | Dozens of band options |
| 5 | VTech KidiZoom DX3 | $44.99 | $0 | Budget / Young Kids | Pink, Purple, Blue |
| 6 | Xplora X6Play | $149.99 | Carrier plan | Customization Fans | 3,400+ color combos |
| 7 | Fitbit Ace LTE | $229.95 | $9.99/mo | Sporty Girls | Changeable bands |
Price: $159.99 + $9.99/mo | Rating: 8.5 / 10 | Ages: 5-12
The TickTalk 5 is our top overall pick for kids smartwatches in 2026, and it is also the watch I recommend most often to parents shopping specifically for their daughters. The reason is simple: it combines the best communication features on any kids watch with color options that girls consistently choose.
The TickTalk 5 comes in purple and pink alongside black and blue. The purple option, in particular, has been the single most popular color choice among the girls in my testing network. The silicone band is comfortable, the watch sits reasonably flat on the wrist, and for most elementary-age girls, the size is natural rather than overwhelming.
But the color is just the surface. What makes the TickTalk 5 genuinely special is the feature set. The 5MP front-facing camera enables video calling -- real face-to-face conversations from the wrist. Every girl in my testing group used this feature constantly. Calling grandparents, checking in with parents, showing off their art projects. The camera also lets them take photos and share them with approved contacts, which becomes part of how they communicate with family.
iHeartRadio integration means kid-friendly music streaming directly from the wrist. For girls who love music (which, in my experience, is most of them), this is a feature that gets daily use. Battery life at 48 hours means you are charging every other night rather than stressing about a dead watch at school pickup. The AI SmartPin GPS is accurate and reliable, and TickTalk gives parents over 40 parental controls to manage exactly who can contact the watch and what features are available.
The one meaningful limitation for active girls is water resistance. IP67 means it handles rain and hand washing, but it is not swim-safe. If your daughter is a swimmer, the Garmin Bounce 2 lower on this list is the better choice for that specific need.
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Price: $299.99 + $9.99/mo | Rating: 8.5 / 10 | Ages: 6-12
The Garmin Bounce 2 comes in a Light Purple (lilac) color option that is genuinely beautiful. It is not a garish purple slapped on as an afterthought -- it is a sophisticated, muted lilac that our 12-year-old tester described as "the only kids watch that actually looks cool." Coming from a tween girl, that is about as high a compliment as a product can receive.
The round AMOLED display sets the Bounce 2 apart visually from every rectangular-screened competitor. It looks like a miniaturized version of an adult fitness watch, which matters enormously to girls who are approaching the age where they care about style. The display itself is stunning -- deep blacks, vivid colors, and excellent outdoor visibility.
For girls who swim, do gymnastics, play sports, or are generally rough on their gear, the 5 ATM water resistance is the headline feature. Your daughter can wear this in the pool, at the beach, during swim lessons, and in the bath without a second thought. No other full-featured kids smartwatch handles water this confidently.
Activity tracking is built into the DNA of this watch. Steps, active minutes, and 20+ activity profiles cover everything from soccer to yoga to snow sports. The Garmin Jr. app's chore and reward system adds an extra layer of engagement, and the girls in my testing network were especially motivated by the daily step challenges.
The trade-off is clear: no camera and no video calling. The Garmin Bounce 2 is a safety and fitness tool, not a communication gadget. For girls who want to take photos and do video calls, this is a real limitation. But for active girls who care more about style, durability, and fitness features, the Bounce 2 in lilac is hard to beat. For a detailed comparison of the top two picks, see our TickTalk 5 vs Garmin Bounce 2 head-to-head.
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Buy the Garmin Bounce 2 on Amazon
Price: $149.99 + $12.99/mo | Rating: 7.0 / 10 | Ages: 5-12
The Gabb Watch 3e is built on a specific philosophy: kids tech should do less, not more. For parents of younger girls -- roughly ages 5 to 8 -- who want GPS tracking and calling without any of the complexity, cameras, internet access, or potential distractions that come with full-featured watches, the Gabb Watch 3e is exactly that.
The design is clean and minimal. It does not look like a toy, which means girls who are starting to develop style preferences will not reject it on sight. The interface is so simple that our youngest tester picked it up immediately with zero instruction. GPS tracking, calling to approved contacts, messaging, SOS button, and nothing else. No internet. No camera. No games. No apps.
Wireless charging is the feature that puts the Gabb Watch 3e ahead of similar minimalist options. Your daughter drops the watch on a charging pad before bed instead of fumbling with a proprietary magnetic cable. It sounds minor, but for younger kids managing their own charging routine, the difference is real. Our 6-year-old tester could charge her Gabb Watch without any help, which was not true with every watch we tested.
Speech-to-text means your daughter can reply to messages by talking rather than trying to type on a tiny screen. Focus Mode allows you to restrict features during specific hours. The Gabb Watch 3e supports up to 100 approved contacts.
The limitation is obvious and intentional: it is feature-light. Girls who want a camera, music, or anything beyond the basics will outgrow the Gabb Watch quickly. The $12.99 monthly plan plus a $30 one-time activation fee also makes the cost feel steep for a deliberately limited device. Read our full Gabb Watch 3e review for the complete assessment.
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Buy the Gabb Watch 3e on Amazon
Price: $299 (cellular) + carrier plan | Rating: 7.5 / 10 | Ages: 8-14
Here is the thing about the Apple Watch SE 3 and girls: the customization options are unmatched. Apple sells dozens of band colors and styles -- Sport Bands, Sport Loops, braided loops, and more -- and the aftermarket accessory ecosystem is enormous. Your daughter can change her band to match her outfit, her mood, or just because it is Tuesday. For tween girls (ages 10-14) who care deeply about personal style and self-expression, this level of customization is a genuine selling point that no dedicated kids watch can match.
The Always-On Retina display is the best-looking screen on any watch on this list. Period. It is sharp, bright, and looks like real grown-up technology. For girls who are starting to feel self-conscious about wearing a "kids watch," the Apple Watch SE 3 looks like the watch their friends' parents are wearing, just in a smaller size. That social factor matters more than any spec sheet.
Family Setup lets you manage the watch from your iPhone without your daughter needing her own phone. Schooltime mode disables distracting features during class hours. Find My integration means you can locate the watch from any Apple device in your household. Crash Detection and Fall Detection are genuine safety features unique to the Apple Watch.
The downsides are real. At $299 for the cellular model plus a carrier plan (expect $10 to $15 per month added to your phone bill), this is the most expensive option on the list. There is no camera, so no photos or video calling. Battery life demands nightly charging -- about 18 hours with cellular active. The interface was designed for adults and has a steeper learning curve for younger users. And it requires an iPhone 8 or later in the household. For more details on making this work for a child, read our Apple Watch SE for kids guide.
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Buy the Apple Watch SE 3 on Amazon
Price: $44.99 (no monthly fee) | Rating: 7.0 / 10 | Ages: 4-8
The VTech KidiZoom DX3 is a completely different kind of product than everything else on this list. It is not a GPS tracker. It is not a communication device. It is a fun, camera-equipped activity watch for younger girls who want "a smartwatch like mom's" without the cellular connectivity, monthly fees, or safety features of the other options here.
The DX3 comes in pink and purple -- two colors that are consistently the most requested among girls in the 4-to-8 age range when I ask what color watch they want. The dual cameras (front selfie camera plus outward-facing side camera) are a feature that young girls absolutely love. The photo quality is basic -- we are talking 0.3MP equivalent -- but for a young child who just wants to take silly photos of herself and her friends, it is genuinely delightful. Our 6-year-old tester took over 200 photos in the first week.
Built-in games, a step tracker, and downloadable content through VTech's Learning Lodge platform give the DX3 enough features to hold a younger child's interest. Activity tracking with steps and active minutes provides a gentle introduction to fitness awareness without the complexity of a full fitness tracker.
At $44.99 with absolutely no monthly fees ever, the KidiZoom DX3 costs less than two months of cellular service on most GPS watches. For families who are not ready to invest in a full GPS smartwatch -- maybe your daughter is 5 and not yet walking to school independently, or maybe you want a starter watch to see if she will actually wear one consistently -- the DX3 is a low-risk entry point.
The limitation is clear: no GPS, no calling, no messaging, no cellular connection of any kind. You cannot locate your daughter or call her with this watch. If safety and communication features matter, you need one of the other picks on this list. For a complete look at affordable options, see our best budget smartwatches under $100 guide, and for more on this specific watch, read our VTech KidiZoom DX3 review.
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Buy the VTech KidiZoom DX3 on Amazon
Price: $149.99 + carrier plan | Rating: 7.5 / 10 | Ages: 5-12
The Xplora X6Play has a feature that no other kids smartwatch can match: over 3,400 color combinations for the band and case. If your daughter is the kind of kid who wants her watch to be uniquely hers -- not the same color as every other kid in her class -- the Xplora gives her the tools to make that happen. Customization is the core selling point, and for style-conscious girls, it is a powerful one.
Beyond the colors, the X6Play is a solid all-around kids smartwatch. The 5MP camera takes decent photos, and our test kids used it constantly for snapshots and sharing with approved contacts. GPS tracking is reliable, though not as precise as the TickTalk 5 or Garmin Bounce 2. Calling to approved contacts works well. The IP68 water resistance rating handles rain, splashes, and hand washing without concern.
The GoPlay fitness reward system turns physical activity into Xplora Coins that your daughter can redeem for real prizes through the Xplora app. The girls in my testing network were more motivated by the tangible reward aspect of GoPlay than by abstract step counts, which makes sense -- earning something real is more compelling to most kids than watching a number go up.
The biggest advantage of the X6Play is carrier flexibility. Unlike watches locked to a specific cellular provider, the X6Play works with any carrier that supports 4G LTE on a nano-SIM. That lets you shop around for the cheapest plan or use a prepaid SIM.
The hardware design is starting to feel a generation behind compared to the TickTalk 5 and Garmin Bounce 2, and there is no video calling. But at $149.99 with the option to find an affordable carrier plan, the X6Play offers solid value for families who want GPS, calling, a camera, and serious customization options. Read our full Xplora X6Play review for the deep dive.
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Buy the Xplora X6Play on Amazon
Price: $229.95 + $9.99/mo | Rating: 7.5 / 10 | Ages: 7-13
The Fitbit Ace LTE is Google's entry into the kids smartwatch market, and it is built around a specific idea: make fitness so fun that kids want to be active. For girls who play sports, take dance classes, swim competitively, or just enjoy being active, the Ace LTE turns daily movement into an interactive game.
The OLED display is bright, colorful, and protected by Gorilla Glass 3 -- which means it survives the daily abuse that active kids inflict on their gear. The 5 ATM water resistance rating makes it genuinely swim-proof, joining the Garmin Bounce 2 as the only watches on this list safe for the pool. For girls in swim team, water polo, or who just spend summer at the pool, this matters.
Fitbit Arcade presents fitness challenges as interactive games. Our test kids were genuinely motivated to move more, at least for the first several weeks. Bit Valley is a virtual world that unlocks content as your daughter earns activity minutes. Family Quests let the whole family participate in challenges together. The gamification is well-designed and age-appropriate.
Changeable bands let your daughter customize the look, though the options are not as extensive as the Apple Watch ecosystem. The round case design is clean and modern.
There are meaningful limitations. The battery life is the shortest on this list at roughly 16 hours -- your daughter will need to charge it every single night, and a forgotten charge means a dead watch at school. There is no camera and no video calling. Setup requires an Android phone (no iOS support), which is a dealbreaker for iPhone households. And the Ace Pass subscription at $9.99 per month (or $119.99 per year) is mandatory for core features. For the complete picture, read our Fitbit Ace LTE review, or see our best fitness trackers for tweens guide for more fitness-focused options.
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Buy the Fitbit Ace LTE on Amazon
The criteria for choosing a girls smartwatch are the same criteria you would use for any kids smartwatch, with one important addition: your daughter's personal preferences about design and style. Here is how I would prioritize.
Every watch on this list except the VTech KidiZoom DX3 provides GPS tracking, calling, and an SOS button. These are the features that matter most from a parent's perspective. Before you worry about colors and cameras, make sure the watch covers the safety basics. Our kids smartwatch safety features explained article walks through exactly what each feature does and why it matters.
A watch she refuses to wear is a waste of money. If your daughter has strong color preferences -- and most do -- check what each watch offers before you buy. The TickTalk 5 in purple, the Garmin Bounce 2 in lilac, and the VTech DX3 in pink are the most popular choices among girls in my testing network. The Apple Watch SE 3 and Xplora X6Play offer the most customization options.
In my experience, girls tend to be heavier users of camera and video calling features than boys. This is not universal, but it is a consistent pattern I have observed across hundreds of families. If your daughter wants to take photos, do video calls with grandparents, and share images with approved contacts, prioritize watches with cameras: the TickTalk 5, Xplora X6Play, and VTech DX3 all have cameras. The Garmin Bounce 2, Apple Watch SE 3, Gabb Watch 3e, and Fitbit Ace LTE do not.
For younger girls (ages 4-7), the VTech KidiZoom DX3 or Gabb Watch 3e are age-appropriate starting points. For the 7-11 sweet spot, the TickTalk 5 and Xplora X6Play offer the best balance. For tweens and teens (11+), the Apple Watch SE 3 and Garmin Bounce 2 deliver the mature look that older girls want. Our guide to the best smartwatches for 8-year-olds can help if your daughter falls right in the middle of the range.
All but two watches on this list require a monthly cellular plan. If monthly fees are a concern, the VTech KidiZoom DX3 ($44.99 one time, no fees ever) is the budget-friendly option. For cellular watches, the TickTalk 5 at $9.99/mo offers the best value relative to features. For a complete breakdown of every plan option, see our kids smartwatch monthly plans compared guide.
For most 7-year-old girls, the TickTalk 5 in purple or pink is my top recommendation. It has the camera and video calling features that girls this age love, reliable GPS for parents, a 48-hour battery, and a price that does not break the bank. If your 7-year-old is very active or a swimmer, the Garmin Bounce 2 in lilac is the better choice for its swim-proof construction and fitness tracking.
Yes, several do. The TickTalk 5 comes in purple and pink. The VTech KidiZoom DX3 comes in pink and purple. The Garmin Bounce 2 comes in Light Purple (lilac). The Xplora X6Play has over 3,400 color combinations including many pink and purple options. The Apple Watch SE 3 supports dozens of band colors including pink and purple options from Apple and third-party makers.
The VTech KidiZoom DX3 is the best no-fee option at $44.99 with zero ongoing costs. However, it does not have GPS, calling, or messaging -- it is a camera and activity watch. If you want GPS and calling without a proprietary monthly plan, the Xplora X6Play works with any carrier, which lets you shop for the cheapest prepaid SIM option. For more no-fee options, see our best kids smartwatches with no monthly fee guide.
For tween girls, the Apple Watch SE 3 and the Garmin Bounce 2 are the strongest choices. Both look like adult watches rather than kids gadgets, which matters enormously at this age. The Apple Watch offers the most customization with dozens of band options and feels premium. The Garmin Bounce 2 in lilac combines style with the best GPS accuracy and swim-proof construction. If video calling and a camera matter more than looks, the TickTalk 5 is still a solid option -- but tween girls are more likely to prefer the mature aesthetic of the Apple or Garmin. Our best smartwatches for 10-year-old boys guide covers similar considerations from a different angle.
Only watches rated 5 ATM are truly swim-proof. On this list, the Garmin Bounce 2 and the Fitbit Ace LTE both carry 5 ATM ratings and can be worn during swimming, at the beach, and in the bath without concern. The Xplora X6Play has an IP68 rating, which is better than splash-proof but not rated for sustained swimming. The TickTalk 5 (IP67), Gabb Watch 3e, and VTech DX3 are splash-proof only and should be removed before the pool. For a full guide to water-safe options, see our best waterproof smartwatches for kids article.
The best smartwatch for your daughter is the one that she will actually want to wear every day and that gives you the safety and communication features your family needs.
For most families, the TickTalk 5 in purple or pink is the strongest all-around choice. It has the camera, video calling, music streaming, and parental controls that cover both what girls want and what parents need, all at a reasonable price.
For active and sporty girls, the Garmin Bounce 2 in lilac offers the most durable, swim-proof, fitness-tracking package in a design that older girls genuinely think looks cool.
For tween girls who care most about style and personalization, the Apple Watch SE 3 with its endless band options delivers the grown-up look they want.
And for younger girls or families on a budget, the VTech KidiZoom DX3 in pink or purple is a fun, camera-equipped starter watch at under $45 with no monthly fees.
Whatever you choose, involve your daughter in the decision. Let her pick the color. Let her see what each watch looks like. A smartwatch she is excited about is a smartwatch she will wear every day -- and that is the whole point.
Want to explore more options? Read our complete 10 best kids smartwatches in 2026 roundup for every top pick, or check out our kids smartwatch buying guide for a detailed walkthrough of what to look for. If calling features are the top priority, our best kids smartwatches with calling guide covers every option.
GPS accuracy, battery life, monthly costs, safety features — everything you need to know before buying a smartwatch for your child, from a dad who's tested dozens.
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