Verizon Gizmo Watch Review

Verizon sells three smartwatches for kids ages 6 through 12: the GizmoWatch 2, the GizmoWatch Disney Edition, and the brand-new Gizmo Watch 3.

We think the new Gizmo Watch 3 is the Goldilocks model thanks to better features and an average price. GizmoWatch 2 is an excellent GPS tracker and communication device for families on a budget, but the Disney Edition is overpriced compared to other kids’ smartwatches. 

The GizmoWatch 2, Gizmo Watch 3, and Disney Edition share the following features:

• Real-time GPS tracking
• Time-based location alerts
• Geofencing
• Parent-controlled contact list
• Pre-defined text options
• Auto answer
• Step counter
• To-do list
• Funny sounds game
• School/quiet mode
• Remote shutdown
• Compatible with Verizon network only
• Swappable wristbands
• 36-month financing

Through the GizmoHub smartphone app, you can view your child’s location to confirm that they made it to school or are still at a friend’s house. Best of all, you can do so without seeming like a nagging parent, since your child won’t know that you’ve looked up their location.

Your child can also manually check in by tapping the location symbol (a white arrow on a teal background). Contacts marked as guardians or caregivers will be notified of the child’s location.

Only the Gizmo Watch 3 generates a location history report. Use the time-based location alerts feature on the GizmoWatch 2 and Disney Edition to receive updates throughout the day.

You can also receive location-based alerts. First, you have to set up and name the locations you want to monitor, such as school, home, the park, the library, or friends’ houses.

A circle appears around each location on the map. This is the geofence (digital perimeter). You’ll get notifications when the GizmoWatch enters or exits this boundary.

You can adjust the size of the circle on the map by tapping and dragging.

The only downside is that this won’t work well in apartment complexes or other large buildings. You won’t necessarily know which floor they’re on.

You have full control over who can call or text your child through the phone and vice versa. The contact list has room for just 10 people on the GizmoWatch 2 and Disney Edition, but the Gizmo Watch 3 offers up to 20 contacts. 

You can assign different permissions to each contact:

• Buddy: can send and receive calls
• Gizmo Buddy: can send and receive calls and texts from another GizmoWatch
• Caregivers: can send and receive calls and texts, see real-time GizmoWatch location, and receive various alerts
• Guardian: same as Caregiver but with the ability to add and remove contacts, turn the GizmoWatch on and off, and change its settings

Text content is also completely within your control. From the parent app, you can create a list of quick messages for your child to choose from when sending texts. The GizmoWatch also features a list of emojis for children to send instead.

Children can share images with the Disney Edition.

All GizmoWatches feature an “auto answer” option for parents. If your child isn’t answering calls, enable this mode from the parent app to turn their watch into a two-way speaker.

A new smartwatch is exciting, and your child might need a little help focusing on school. You can set up a period of time when the watch won’t work (except for emergency calls on the Disney Edition). It’s called School Mode in the Disney Edition and Quiet Mode in the GizmoWatch 2.

But note that there’s no way to limit the watch’s daily use or receive alerts about excessive usage. Parents do have the option shut down the device through the GizmoHub app.

Many other kids smartwatches let you choose your own cellular provider, but you're stuck with Verizon if you want a GizmoWatch. 

That's fine if you live in a Verizon coverage area, but stinks if you need something like AT&T or T-Mobile instead. 

Verizon verifies coverage during the checkout process, so you shouldn't be in for a surprise once the GizmoWatch arrives, but it doesn't hurt to double-check the FCC’s map (check the “Verizon LTE Data” box). Zoom in to confirm your exact area is covered.   

You have two color choices when purchasing the GizmoWatch 2: pink or blue wristbands. The Disney Edition comes in an off-white color with the option to add an Elsa, Darth Vader, Buzz Lightyear, or Minnie wristband for around $35 at checkout.

For kids who want something way different, other manufacturers have come to the rescue. You can find replacement 20 mm wristbands in all kinds of colors and patterns for creative self-expression:

• Nylon wristbands with Velcro closures
• Funky and colorful patterns
• Silicone bands with more sophisticated colors

The watch’s original wristband features a buckle fastener and a secondary clasp to keep the long “tail” tucked out of the way. It provides a secure fit so your kid can run around without losing the watch.

Verizon offers 36-month financing for all GizmoWatches. We aren’t aware of any similar kids smartwatch with this option other than T-Mobile's SyncUp Kids Watch.

You do have to pay a $35 activation fee for any of the GizmoWatches. And don’t forget the Verizon service plan, which runs around $10 per month.

Get the full scoop on how Verizon's three GizmoWatches compare to similar watches in our Best Kids Smartwatches Guide. Or, compare GizmoWatches to the popular Gabb kids watch in our Verizon Gizmo Watch vs Gabb Watch review.

In the meantime, here's what to think about before you buy a GizmoWatch.

On the Gizmo Watch 3 and Disney Edition, kids can activate an SOS button by pressing and holding for five seconds, then swiping on the touch screen to place the call.

You can set up only one contact as the designated emergency number. If you’re not available, the phone doesn’t cycle through to a back-up number. Your child would have to manually go through their contact list and place another call.

There's neither a direct-to-911 option nor a way to make 911 an approved contact. This isn’t unusual for a kids smartwatch, but if it’s a dealbreaker for you, check out the TickTalk 4.

It seems like a swing-and-miss to add Bluetooth earbud compatibility to the Gizmo Watch 3 but fail to offer music of any kind. The TickTalk4 and Xplora X5 Play do play music.

Aside from the pedometer, there are no health-tracking features for active kids. The Garmin Bounce and Angel Watch offer health-tracking options.

Older kids might feel frustrated by having to use pre-written text messages on the GizmoWatches. There's no talk-to-text or keyboard to allow them to write whatever they want. 

While both of these features are rare among kids smartwatches, talk-to-text is available on the TickTalk4 and a full QWERTY keyboard is found on the SyncUp. 

Don't count on a Verizon GizmoWatch to help you keep track of your kid on an international vacation—it won't work. The TickTalk4, Angel Watch, and Xplora X5 Play do have worldwide coverage.

After comparing all of Verizon's kid smartwatches, it's easy to see that the Gizmo Watch 3 offers the best features—including a location history report—at a price that shouldn't break the bank. 

But sometimes simple features are better, which is why the Verizon GizmoWatch 2 is an excellent choice for kids who are too young for a phone but still need a way to contact their parents. 

We have a hard time recommending the Disney Edition since there are more affordable kids smartwatches on the market with the same features, like the TickTalk 4 or the Angel Watch. That said, if your kid's a big Disney fan, it's worth it.

For our Verizon GizmoWatch review, we talked to Verizon and downloaded copies of the user manuals. We read what other parents were saying in dozens of reviews and used our industry knowledge of other kids smartwatches to put the GizmoWatch’s features into context. Learn more on the SafeWise methodology page.

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