Fitbit Google Ace LTE - Kids Smartwatch with Call, Message, GPS, and Activity-Based Games, Ace Pass Data Plan Required - Mild - Strange Arcade

After reading other reviews and really carefully considering this purchase, we are happy we decided to give it a try. I have had fitbits for over 7 years now, and my husband and I currently each have the fitbit versa 2. I was a little worried the Ace might be too big for my 8yo's wrist, but its actually a great size. It is a little thicker than the versa, but I expect that given its meant to have the housing to be able to use a 4G network. Setting it up was quite easy, and being able to add other family members was great. The app is easy to sync to the phone, and both parents have the app (as well as grandparents for emergency uses). It seems pretty durable, as someone who has knocked the crap out of her Versa 2, I dont really have any concerns for the Ace. I did buy a protective case for it that is really thin and came in a 2 pack, just because things happen and its an 8yo, but I really dont have any concerns about its durability. It is fairly accurate in letting you know when the watch is on or off your kids wrist (came in handy when I was able to figure out why they weren't answering my messages) and gives you a close approximation of where they are via GPS. Did it know that my kid was at a neighbor's house? Yes. Was it so accurate that it knew the moment he crossed the street? No. Once they were further into the neighbors yard, it showed as much, but to expect 100% accuracy is probably just going to let you down. It does at least get you 95% accuracy, so you can make sure they haven't wandered off to somewhere they shouldn't be, and again, lets you know if the watch is on, which could be a useful feature if your kid is prone to trying to sneak. The keyboard on it is incredibly small, again not surprising given its a watch. My kid enjoys it because its like a little spy watch, but mainly uses quick responses or just chooses to call if he needs something more elaborate. So far, we haven't encountered any low signal issues, and we truly live out in the middle of no where (i.e. 20 minutes from the closest town, not even city) and its worked well. However, because it is on 4G and always looking for signal, we've found we can only go 1.5 days before needing to charge the watch. I really dont know how they could make that better, considering phones do the same thing if they dont have signal with a much larger battery. For as small as it is, I'm impressed it lasts that long, with my kiddo turning the screen on every 10 minutes to check step progress and time, lol. Overall, this has been a great purchase for our family and a great alternative to a phone!

Man this is awesome! Simple, effective and safe. My kids love to play on it. And we limit their calls to who we trust. Great value for the money, the monthly “cellphone fee” for calls is only 10.00. This has gps etc, no social media.. this is a parents dream for communication and safety

Super easy to use! My 7 yr old loves it. It’s very accurate when showing me where he is at. It’s also motivating for him to see when he has reached a move goal or step count. Very nice quality and totally worth the price. It does not look cheap at all.

This is my first time touching a kids smart watch, so I can't compare it to anything else. Although, i will say this. I'm overall happy with the watch. Me and the kids don't use many of the features. I mainly use it to locate and message/call my kids. A few things: -A screen protector is a must...you know, because kids... -One watch was stuck on boot logo and i couldn't reset it. Luckily it was still in manufacture's warranty for 6more days and Google is replacing it in a week or two. -The provided strap.. my god the Velcro is garbage or that's just the life span (~10 months) Watch flew off son's arm and cracked the screen. Only use the click bands if possible or inspect the Velcro every so often. -Tracking feature is normally really good, other times it takes a while for some reason so I'll restart the app -Messaging is nice now, voice to text available after a software update and you can add other people to your trusted contacts list. -Battery life is garbage in my opinion. Lasts less 20hrs with light use. I would like to see ~26-30 hours worth of battery for when the kids forget to charge it. -Offers Google pay for kids which is awesome. The only downside is I can't add a regular bank card and the other options cost a fee (i.e. greenlight) -Call speaker is weak Overall id say it's a great first model watch. If they release a new version, I'd very likely upgrade for the well needed improvements.

I was super stoked when Fitbit came out with an LTE watch for kids. We needed a way to communicate with our kid after school and during camp so we took a chance and purchased the Fitbit Ace LTE. We're currently at about a week of use so these are our pros and cons so far: Pros - LTE service available that doesn't rely on wifi to allow text, calls, and voice messages. - GPS enabled so you know where your kid is located. - Parents have full control via the Fitbit Ace app. - Promotes kids to get active by giving points (Move Points) based on activity that can be used for games and building their avatar (eejie) and home (Bit Valley) . Does have a step counter. - It is water resistant to 50 meters and has held up really well in the swimming pool. - Customizable home screens and activity ring (noodle). - School time option so you can turn off gaming during school but still allows your kid to communicate if they need to. - The current Fitbit Ace Pass (data plan) for the LTE service is a great deal at $60 for a one year plan that also includes your choice of watch band for free. Pro/Con - Each Fitbit band has technology that unlocks features and "hauls" once connected to the watch. This is cool and fun for kids but I can see it getting really expensive at $35 per band. I'm keeping that part hush hush unless my kids wants to save up his allowance towards a new band. Cons - You are restricted to 20 contacts and the biggest issue I have with this watch is that they must have a Gmail account and must download the Fitbit Ace app. This is super annoying especially for older users that don't want the hassle of dealing with another account or app. There is no option to add a phone number. - No option to call 911 or dial/text any other number. - Battery sometimes doesn't quite make it all day long. - It's a bit pricey for the watch compared to other techy watches out there like Samsung and Apple. Having to download an app and have a Gmail account for all contacts is probably the biggest issue I have with this watch. I'm hoping Fitbit will change this but with it being owned by Google, I highly doubt anything will change. I think this is a great watch for kids, especially if you're wanting to avoid them having access to a cell phone at a young age. It really helps them get motivated to move more and it gives parents peace of mind knowing their kid's whereabouts and having the option to contact each other. So far, my kid enjoys it and I'm happy being able to keep in touch with him. Hints - If you're trying to change the noodle or time format, hold down on the home screen. - To access the settings to change the volume, brightness, etc., hold down the top button (with the circle) on the side of the watch. - There is an option for your kid to do an emergency call for help by holding the circle button on the side of the watch. This will call emergency contacts and text help until somebody answers.

My kids (2nd grade and 4th grade) have absolutely LOVED their Ace. It provides me peace of mind because of the tracking and communication aspect, it provides my more anxious kid peace of mind that he can text me easily, and the kids genuinely enjoy the games and features on the watch which encourage movement. Pros - kids love the games, which encourage movement. They'll jog in place or dance around just to earn points and complete quests. It's fun to have them ask me how to pronounce certain city names that are featured in games, so they've learned how to read/pronounce Nagasaki or Nairobi. I appreciate the 'school mode' feature so the kids aren't tempted to play the games at school. - Kids easily use it to text me, including voice memos - Kids always know the time instead of asking me for the time - Location tracking works well for me; haven't had any major complaints. Very occasionally it'll take an extra second or two, but it's not annoying enough to merit concern. - Kids have self-taught themselves how to use all the various features on the watch, and will explore the features using the tutorials or just by poking around - Step tracking encourages them to increase their daily movement/step count. Cons - Kids love the games, like kaiji golf where they mimic a golf swing, and they'll whack me in the face if i round a corner and they're standing there trying to advance the level - Kids easily use it to text me (the time I panicked during basketball camp because I got the message 'Help'...then followed by 'coach made us plank for 5 min and my arms are dying'; or they text me to tattle on each other), including voice memos (a 60 sec long clip of my kid saying 'BLORP BLORP BLORP BLORP' - Kids always know the time instead of asking me for the time, so when I say "it's 7:30 let's get going before you're late", they say "NOOOO it's actually 7:29" - LTE plan is separate and can't be more cheaply bundled with existing plans, but this is super minor. - The tiny screen and text makes me feel super old when I try to look at it or text using it. How the heck are my kids navigating it so easily!? - Step tracking means the kids ask me what my step count of the day was, and they smugly tell me they got 3x my count.

Got this for my autistic son so he could keep an eye on his heart rate during activities. He wasn't all that active before, but since getting the watch he has become way more active trying to meet the daily goals! It definitely gets him wanting to move more. The tracking feature and ability to call me, or whoever else I have approved on his watch is an added bonus. The only downside to the calling feature is that you must do it through the app on the phone since it doesn't have a phone number. So anyone you want to add on there, must download the app to their phone. Safer for children who don't really need or have interest in wanting a phone yet, but still allows you to communicate with and keep tabs on them. Battery life isn't amazing, roughly lasts for most of the day. It charges up pretty quick so it isn't too much of an issue. It's water resistant (not waterproof), up to 50 meters I believe. Kid forgot it was on and wore it in the bath and it survived. Screen is bright and easy to read. Overall a great purchase that keeps my kid motivated to be more active, and allows me and family to communicate with him as needed.

Ordered on February 13, 2026, and both my kids (ages 8 and 10) have been using their watches for about 10 days now. So far, the experience has been very positive, both for them and for us as parents. Call quality is clear and reliable. GPS location sometimes takes a minute or requires one or two refreshes to update, but overall it has been dependable. The watch feels highly durable, which is important for kids. Battery life lasts at least 12 hours easily. My kids usually charge it at night or while showering to extend battery life. When I asked my son about the games, he said they’re fun. As a parent, I worry about screen time, but thankfully the games are activity-based kids need to achieve certain movement goals before unlocking them. One big plus is that both of my kids now actively check their step counts and make an effort to stay active. The best feature for us has been the Family Quest in the Fitbit Ace LTE app. Parents can track their own steps too, and when the family collectively hits step goals, rewards are unlocked. It has become a fun family motivator. Another standout feature is Family Chat parents and kids can message each other in one shared space. We use it to share jokes, riddles, funny thoughts, and even small math problems while they’re on the way to school or waiting somewhere. This feature alone has brought us closer as a family. We’ve set school hours in the app, which restrict calls and games during school time a very useful control. There is also an option for Google Wallet, which we haven’t enabled yet. When subscribing to the Fitbit LTE annual plan, we also received a free band (worth $34.99), which was a nice bonus. The watch is advertised as waterproof, though we haven’t fully tested that yet since the kids remove it before showering and haven’t used it in a pool yet. Pros: Clear call quality Reliable GPS (may need occasional refresh) Durable build Activity-based games that promote movement Excellent Family Quest feature Family Chat strengthens communication Good parental controls Peace of mind for parents Cons: GPS can take a minute to update Requires LTE subscription plan Overall, I would definitely recommend this watch for kids. It gives parents peace of mind when children are outside the home, encourages healthy activity habits, and adds a meaningful layer of family interaction.