TextNow's $150 Yello Phone Is Built for Kids, With a $20 Monthly Plan

TextNow has launched the Yello Phone, a $150 handset customized for kids and sold alongside a $20 monthly plan. The pitch is a device meant for a child's first phone, paired with a service fee that costs less than many standard wireless contracts.

The kid-focused customization is the main selling point. Parents buying a first phone for a child are usually looking for limits on who can call or text and on what the device can do, and a phone designed around those needs speaks directly to them. The announcement summary did not spell out which controls are included, what software the phone runs, or how it compares with other kids' phones on the market, so buyers should check TextNow's product page for those details.

The $20 monthly price is the other number to watch. A flat fee on top of a one-time device price makes the yearly cost easy to estimate. Whether the plan's data, calling, and texting allowances suit a child will depend on the terms TextNow publishes.