Gabb – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Gabb

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

app2020

76%

WISE Score

4.5

App Store

Parent control center for Gabb's kid-safe phones and watches—GPS tracking, contact management, and Safe Zones without the social media nightmare.

Gabb

app

Everyone, 2020

76%

WISE Score

4.5

App Store

Parent control center for Gabb's kid-safe phones and watches—GPS tracking, contact management, and Safe Zones without the social media nightmare.

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Where to Find

App Store

Google Play

Screenwise Verdict

MyGabb is a solid tool for parents who've decided to go the 'dumb phone' route but still want GPS tracking and contact controls. The philosophy is sound: give kids communication tools without the dopamine-hijacking nightmare of social media and infinite scroll. The app itself is clean, ad-free, and purpose-built.

But here's the rub: Reddit users are pretty vocal about Gabb devices being unreliable—'constant issues,' 'more stress than it's worth.' If the hardware fails, this app becomes useless. So you're betting on Gabb's execution, not just their vision.

For parents who want to delay smartphones and social media, this is one of the better ecosystems out there. Just go in with eyes open about potential tech hiccups, and maybe have a backup plan if the GPS goes wonky at the worst possible moment.

Age Fit

This app is for parents of kids ages 5-18 who own Gabb devices. It's not age-specific content—it's infrastructure for managing your child's safe tech, whether they're in kindergarten with a Gabb Watch or high school with a Gabb Phone.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

The MyGabb app exists purely to support healthy parent-child connection and foster growing independence in a safe framework. It's built around trust and communication rather than surveillance-for-surveillance's-sake, giving kids freedom within boundaries. The entire Gabb ecosystem (phones, watches) removes social media, internet browsers, and unsafe apps—addressing the root causes of digital toxicity for kids.

Imaginative

This is a utility app for parents to manage devices and track locations. There's zero creative expression, exploration, or play involved. It's a tool, not an experience. The Gabb devices themselves offer some safe apps like Gabb Music, but the MyGabb parent app is purely functional—GPS tracking, contact management, geofencing alerts. It does what it needs to do, but imagination isn't part of the equation.

Safe

The app itself is very safe—no ads, no social features, no data harvesting beyond what's necessary for GPS tracking. It's designed to protect kids, not exploit them. However, web search results reveal reliability issues: Reddit users report 'constant issues' and devices being 'unreliable and more stress than it's worth.' That's a practical safety concern for parents depending on this for their child's location. The concept is rock-solid safe; execution has some cracks.

Enriching

The app teaches kids responsibility and independence within safe guardrails, which is genuinely valuable. Parents can gradually expand boundaries (via Safe Zones and approved contacts) as kids mature—that's real-world skill-building. But the app itself doesn't directly teach anything; it's infrastructure for parenting decisions. The broader Gabb ecosystem (devices without social media/internet) protects kids from digital harm, which is enriching by subtraction. Still, this is more about harm prevention than active growth.

Parent Info

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Why It Might Be Great

Designed for the 'tech in steps' philosophy—giving kids phones/watches without internet, social media, or unsafe apps
GPS tracking and customizable Safe Zones let you grant independence while staying informed
Parent-approved contacts only, so you control who your kid can text or call
No ads, no social features, no data exploitation—it exists to protect, not profit from kids
Supports multiple devices if you have several kids with Gabb gear

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What to Watch For

Only works with Gabb devices (Watch3, Phone 4 Pro, Phone 4, Phone 3 Pro)—you're buying into an ecosystem
Reddit users report reliability issues and 'constant problems' with Gabb products, which could undermine the whole safety premise
GPS tracking is the core feature, so if that fails, the app loses much of its value
This is a parenting tool, not something your kid will interact with directly—set expectations accordingly

Conversation Starters

"How does it feel to have a phone without social media or a browser? What do you miss, and what do you not miss?"
"Let's talk about Safe Zones—where do you think we should set them, and when should I get alerts?"
"Who do you want on your approved contacts list? Anyone you think should be added or removed?"
"What does 'independence' mean to you right now? How can we use this tech to help you grow that?"

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