Phone help please

[Stayingpositivetoday]

My DD really wants a mobile phone for her 11th birthday and I am in need of some advice.

1. Which phone should I buy? - Happy to pay up to about £120
2. Should I get into a monthly contract or buy a phone, then a sim?
3. I have an android phone so is it better to get her an android too- thinking about linking parenting apps?
4. I will set rules from day one such as no phone at night and I will stick to not allowing her access to any SM where the age is set at 13 are there any other things I need to be mindful of?

Thank you.

I would buy a phone (refurbished) and then a sim from someone like Giffgaff.

agree with PP that there are good prices on GiffGaff for refurbished phones. B-in-Law has bought lots of gadgets from there and is pleased.

If you are familiar with Android and how to use the controls/parental linking, stick with that. I gave mine an iPhone for the same reason.

We are all low users so are on PAYG with 3 - good prices for that and especially for international if that's a thing for you. DD uses about £5/month or less.

DD does not go on SM so much - no apps or profiles yet b/c she is 12 - but does watch a lot of youtube and CBeebies teen melodramas on the wifi. She also uses her phone for maths h/w, set on a site, and researching lots of other stuff. That was the main reason I gave her an iPhone, her weedy smartmini7 from vodafone just couldn't cope.

Yes better an android phone, look on amazon for a good cheap phone then for a sim. Use Google Family Link parental control to limit screen time (1 or 2 hours a day, no at night), filter adult stuff, block inappropriate app and prevent new app installation (that needs parent's approval first).

Thank you all for your advice.

When my son turned 11 I bought him a Samsung J5. Perfect phone but he broke the screen 3 times (often after just being fixed). After the 3rd time I didn't get it fixed and made him pay out of his own money for his own phone- a Huwei for £100. He broke the screen yet again but it works. He's not in a phone contract thank goodness and I pay £6 for a virgin sim with 2GB. He often uses it all up before the month is up but he can't spend anything else as I blocked all expenditure beyond his allowance. I have the J5 still and as it's a £200 phone I'm planning to get it fixed and give to DD when she turns 11 in September.