If you’re looking to give your child a phone then two of the main network options you might be considering are ParentShield and EE’s Safer SIMs service, as these are both aimed at children, complete with built-in parental controls and other protections.
But they’re not identical, with each service having a different selection of features, and being priced differently. So below, we’ve looked at how EE Safer SIMs compare to plans on ParentShield.
Features
ParentShield
ParentShield is built from the ground up as a network designed to keep kids safe, so it gives you a lot of relevant tools. These include the ability to record calls and SMS conversations, so you can review your child’s conversations, and AI call summaries complete with a traffic light risk score, so you can be immediately alerted to worrying communications.
There are also time controls, which allow you to limit when calls, texts, and data can be used, other than for calling designated home numbers and emergency services. Plus, you can block numbers, or even choose to block all numbers except those you’ve specifically allowed, and you can opt to be alerted about specific words in sent or received SMS messages.
And there’s no opportunity for a child to overspend, with things like premium rate numbers and charity donations being blocked. There are also budgeting controls, allowing you to set a daily data limit, to ensure their allowance lasts the full month.
Of course, ParentShield’s plans also have internet restrictions, so you can block inappropriate content online.
EE Safer SIMs
EE’s Safer SIMs have preconfigured parental controls, with two levels of strictness, depending on how old and independent your child is.
The strictest level blocks 18-rated material, any content above a PG rating, and stops users from interacting with chat, dating, and unmoderated social networking sites whilst using the EE network. Google SafeSearch is also active, to filter out websites related to adult or unsecured content.
Pick a plan with ‘moderate’ parental controls and it will simply block 18-rated material.
Beyond that, premium rate calls and ‘charge to bill’ services are blocked on all EE Safer SIM plans. Plus, if an adult has an EE plan as well on the account then they can gift additional data to the child’s plan, and there’s scam call protection, to identify spam and scam callers.
Coverage and speeds
ParentShield
ParentShield mostly runs on EE’s network, so coverage between ParentShield and EE is generally identical, and with EE having widespread UK coverage, there shouldn’t be many places that you don’t get a signal of some kind.
That said, ParentShield also offers ‘all-network’ SIM cards, which can roam between the UK’s networks, using the one with the best coverage in a given area. So that allows for the best possible coverage.
As for speeds, that’s probably not a major concern for a child’s phone, but 5G is supported.
EE Safer SIMs
EE has widespread UK coverage with 5G and 4G, however its Safer SIM plans limit speeds by design. The most restrictive plan limits mobile data speeds to 0.5Mbps, which is very slow and will mean they can’t easily use video streaming apps and the like, but it’s still fast enough for text-based messaging apps, mapping apps, and even music streaming.
Then there’s a plan with 10Mbps speeds which additionally is suitable for video calls, and finally there’s one with 100Mbps speeds, which isn’t quite as fast as you could get from unrestricted 5G but should be plenty for any use case a child is likely to have.
Roaming
ParentShield
ParentShield SIMs can be used abroad, though this isn’t inclusive. To keep parents in control, roaming has to be activated from within the ParentShield Portal. You can say where your child will be going there, and clear costs for the destination will be displayed.
Also, roaming is more limited than on a standard network — your child will be able to call any UK mobile or landline number while abroad, and likewise their phone will be reachable from the UK, but with the exception of emergency services numbers, it won’t be possible for them to call overseas numbers.
EE Safer SIMs
EE Safer SIMs let you roam in the EU (but not beyond the EU) and you’ll have to pay a daily rate to do so, so it’s not inclusive. It’s also disabled on Pay As You Go Safer SIMs.
Plans and prices
ParentShield
| Plan name |
Allowances |
Price |
| Safe Stage 1 |
100 mins & texts
No data
|
£5.99
Buy Now
|
| Safe Stage 2 |
Unlimited mins & texts
2GB data
|
£15.99
Buy Now
|
| Safe Stage 3 |
Unlimited mins & texts
50GB data
|
£20.99
Buy Now
|
| Safe Stage 4 |
Unlimited mins & texts
100GB data
|
£29.99
Buy Now
|
| Safe Stage 5 |
Unlimited mins & texts
Unlimited data
|
£39.99
Buy Now
|
ParentShield sells a selection of monthly rolling SIM Only plans. These start at £5.99 per month for a plan with 100 minutes, 100 texts, and no data, and rise to £39.99 per month for unlimited everything. That’s for plans on EE’s network, but if you want an ‘all-network’ SIM then prices range from £9.99 per month for a plan with 250 minutes, 250 texts, and no data, to £29.99 per month for one with unlimited minutes and texts and 4GB of data.
Note though that even on plans with limited allowances, your child will still be able to call and text numbers that you’ve designated as ‘Home Numbers’ once they run out.
EE Safer SIMs
| Plan name |
Allowances |
Price |
| Protected Plan |
Unlimited mins & texts
Unlimited data at 0.5Mbps speeds
|
£9.00
Buy Now
|
| Guided Plan |
Unlimited mins & texts
3GB data at 10Mbps speeds
|
£12.00
Buy Now
|
| Trusted Plan |
Unlimited mins & texts
10GB of data at 100Mbps
|
£15.00
Buy Now
|
EE sells just three monthly rolling Safer SIM plans, with all of them having unlimited minutes and texts. The cheapest plan costs £9 per month and comes with unlimited data (at 0.5Mbps speeds) and strict parental controls, then there’s one for £12 per month with 3GB of data at 10Mbps and ‘moderate’ parental controls, and the priciest costs £15 per month and comes with 10GB of data at 100Mbps and moderate parental controls.
Those plans with data limits also include ‘Stay Connected’ data, which means that if your child runs out of data, they’ll still be able to connect at 0.5Mbps speeds, just like on the cheapest plan.
And EE offers as Pay As You Go Safer SIM, which for £9 per month includes 2GB of data at 25Mbps, 500 minutes and texts, strict parental controls, and no roaming — which as noted above is available on the monthly rolling plans.
Verdict
Ultimately, either of these networks should be a good fit for children, but ParentShield arguably wins, for having a wider selection of safety tools, and for having even better coverage if you pick an all-network plan.
However, if you feel more comfortable with a big-name network, then EE’s Safer SIMs are a strong choice too, and if you’re already on EE yourself then you can also gift data from your account to your child’s SIM, which is a nice benefit.
