Gabb Wireless
1.6
5.0
Overall Score
LAST UPDATED: April 26th, 2024
Gabb Wireless is on a mission to keep kids and families connected and protected. The company believes there is a growing problem with kids having too much tech too soon, unlimited access to the internet with harmful content, and unhealthy interactions.
Gabb Wireless is equipping families with products that keep kids safe while still connecting them to friends and family, allowing them to experience the world in a positive way.
Gabb Devices have an innovative spam filter for texting, no internet browser, no social media apps, and no third-party app store. Gabb plans include coverage on a nationwide 4G LTE network with unlimited talk and text on a flexible monthly plan to fit the needs of each child. Gabb Devices help kids focus on connecting in ways that help build relationships and allow them to spend more time developing skills and hobbies.
Simply put, Gabb’s mission is three-fold:
- Protect children
- Connect families
- Encourage life outside the screen
The Good
- National Coverage Minus Alaska
- Safety Features to Protect Kids
- Affordable Phone and Plan
- Customer Reviews
National Coverage Minus Alaska
Kids, like everyone, need a phone with reliable service. Gabb phones are built on the back of the nation’s most reliable network and offer great cell phone service coverage. Coverage is offered throughout the United States.
Hawaii is included in Gabb Wireless’ cell service coverage; however, the company does not currently offer any coverage in Alaska.
Safety Features to Protect Kids
The cell phone market for kids is growing, and there are many options for parents and guardians to choose from. Gabb Wireless’ phones offer several safety features to keep kids safe, including the following:
– No internet, no social media
– Active GPS tracking
– Unlimited talk + text
– Gabb Music kid-safe streaming
– Gabb Guard spam blocker
– Parent-managed safe third-party apps on the Gabb Phone
Plus, there is an ever-growing list of safe (parent-approved) third-party apps on the Gabb Phone Plus.
Affordable Products and Plans
Gabb Wireless sells two types of phones as well as a watch (a phone kids wear).
Gabb Watch 2
This is a great option for younger kids or those who prefer a stand-alone watch device. The Gabb Watch 2 triples as a cell phone, GPS device, and interactive watch. It comes in two colors: Silver and Space Gray. It has an affordable upfront cost as well as a competitive monthly fee. You can see the company's website for a cost breakdown.
The Gabb Watch 2 also comes with the following features:
- Reliable GPS and tracking functionality with customizable safe zones that notify you when your child leaves and enters specified locations
- Unlimited talk and voice/preset text on the nation’s most reliable network
- 15 customizable text message presets, voice messaging, and emojis
- Up to 25 parent-managed contacts (no outside calls or texts)
- SOS/emergency button for primary contact
- Parent-controlled lock mode to limit distractions during school hours
- Flashlight app easily accessible from the drop-down menu
- Resistant against sweat, water, dirt, and sand
- Gabb Go (a fun task manager and step counter)
Gabb Phone
A device that looks like a regular smartphone, the Gabb Phone allows unlimited talk and text with the option for MMS (the ability to send/receive picture messages and group text). This device has no access to the internet or any third-party app stores. It can be tracked via GPS and is a great option for a first phone. The Gabb Phone has a competitive upfront price and monthly cost. You can see the company's website for the cost breakdown.
Gabb Phone Plus
In addition to all the features of the Gabb Phone, the Gabb Phone Plus is a premium Samsung quality device and comes pre-installed with safe apps as well as optional parent-managed safe third-party apps.
Customer Reviews
Reviews left on BestCompany.com consist of parents thanking Gabb Wireless for creating a mobile device that allows them to easily communicate with their children but doesn't include all the headaches or safety concerns that come with modern smartphones.
In fact, most Gabb customers were extremely satisfied with the included apps and features installed on the phone, stating that it was just enough to entertain their child but not cause them to ignore the world around them. Other customers were happy with the phone and its long battery life (due to the fact that kids can't drain the battery on internet browsing or social media).
A number of reviews also mentioned the company's customer service. In particular, many customers felt that Gabb Wireless responded to their questions in a timely manner and often went above and beyond to help.
The Bad
- Cheaper Options Available
- GPS Capability Limitations
Cheaper Options Available
If you are looking for an even more basic and affordable phone that lets you keep in touch with your child and track their location using GPS, there are lower-priced options with great reviews. While the company's pricing is competitive for what you get, parents can find options for half that cost with lower tech features. Think walkie-talkies on steroids with a large range.
GPS Capability Limitations
Other companies' phones allow GPS to navigate using a maps app, which may be an added feature on the Gabb Phone Plus in the near future.
The Bottom Line
Gabb Wireless gives parents and children the option of affordable and safe tech. It is designed to teach kids healthy screen habits and give them independence while allowing parents peace of mind.
Cell phones can have a lot of benefits for children and families, but they can also come with issues. Many parents want their child to have independence and would like to be able to communicate with them while they are away from home but they may not like the idea of giving their child full internet, app store, and social media access. Gabb Wireless helps alleviate these worries with its devices. It also offers kids a limited selection of apps to allow them to learn healthy screen habits while having fun and growing.
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Kristen Conley
Phone worked for less than 4 months with light use. Total Junk. Terrible customer service. Music is not clean as advertised. Phone was glitchy from day one. They threatened to charge my payment method for multiple different things (the cost of the phone and a restock fee) for a phone that quit working without any accidents or damage and that they don't stock or carry anymore. Offered a replacement at full cost with an activation fee after I had been asked to provide 19 different photos of the non working phone and spent over 2 hours chatting with a rep. Ridiculous. Purposely chose the no contract option and I'm glad I did. This company is awful.
7 hours ago
Tracy Walker
Worse experience ever! We got the pro 3 phone for our daughter for Easter and it’s been nothing but a headache. Setting up the device is way too cumbersome and not at all easy. Getting thru to customer service is a joke. The only option you really have is a “live” chat which I’ve used countless times and have never had my problem resolved. Told multiple times that they were working on figuring out the issue and would email me an update - and that has yet to happen. No response to emails AND don’t even try to call - they always have “a high call volume” and disconnect the call as there’s no option to leave a message. I several of my friends told me to avoid this nightmare and just buy an iPhone and utilize all of their many user-friendly parental controls, but I didn’t listen. This whole experience has been awful. And now, after reading all of the many negative reviews, I’m very concerned that it’s going to be another huge headache trying to cancel this terrible service.
1 week ago
Erica Gramajo
Do not do business with this company. Impossible to get in touch with, billing representatives are via email only and take forever to respond. Phone wouldn’t work, and has been a nightmare to get compensated and line cancelled. Absolute garbage.
1 week ago
Verified Customer
Review Source
Kelsey Graham utah
1 year ago
Reply from Gabb Wireless
We love to get this kind of feedback! We appreciate you Kelsey, thank you!
Dec. 26th, 2022
Jessica G
I’m so disappointed with Gabb. The Gabb 3 watch has given us problems since the very start. Starting with its inability to charge when it’s put in the charging station to now being unable to respond to any prompts. I have insurance, yet Gabb is refusing to replace my phone because they saw a “crack” in the photo. It’s no crack I assure you, it’s scratches from usual wear and tear. You think a watch targeted to children won’t have any scratches on it? Shame on you. I will never purchase any of your products again.
3 weeks ago
Samuel Kennedy [STUDENT]
I am an active user of the Gabb software. I'd just like to say that overall, the entire thing is a load of crap. The idea of protecting kids is nice and all, but it's a seriously unrealistic idea. I'm not here to complain about customer service or anything, but about the actual phone itself. If anyone's reading this and considering buying a Gabb phone for their kid, I HIGHLY suggest you look somewhere else. Pretty much every single one of Gabb's phones that they make are less than subpar.
For the Messaging app, you receive messages on group chats at LEAST a solid 3-5 minutes after everyone else. Messages take around 10 seconds to actually send through. Plus, whenever typing, the software counts the space after a word as part of that word, so when you hit the backspace button to delete a word, it merges it with the word before it and makes your life miserable. There are $20 phones on Amazon that are actually better in some areas. The software that Gabb installs downgrades the phone by making it slower, and sometimes, apps won't even load.
Calling is arguably worse. You can only call on wifi, and you can't even receive voicemails, let alone set one up yourself. On any other Android/iPhone product, the quality of everything is so much better.
You can implement the same parental restrictions on an iPhone as Gabb does, while still being able to receive calls and texts like normal, take pictures that don't appear grainy, no matter how still you hold the phone, and it'll actually run quickly.
My final complaint is just as frustrating. Whenever more than about 15-20 texts come through in the span of about a minute, the phone simply doesn't display them in their respective contacts, but rather shows a "Received Media" button in the contact and asks if you want to download it. If you don't, you simply never get the message. If you do, it drains your battery downloading it and slows performance.
Overall, Gabb phones suck. Don't buy one unless you intend on making you or your kid's life a living hell. If your kid has a decent social life, definitely don't get one. The phone won't be able to keep up with texts or calls.
1 month ago
Crystal DAdamo
Watch never turned on from opening box, hard to get a live person!
Literally was so excited to receive my kids watch and set up for my kiddo. As soon as I pulled it out, it wouldn’t turn on. It would vibrate when I pushed the power button but the screen always stayed black. So I tried charging, still didn’t work!! Never got to even TRY to set it up and use it. After HOURS on the chat area (because there is no number) I had to google the company in Utah itself and find a number. When I called it they say it’s too busy and hang up. Finally got a different area and they transferred me thank God! And the girl I got helped me cancel the service and return my product! Beware there is a restocking fee usually, they claimed they will waive it so I hope so. The customer service agent I spoke to was SUPER sweet and patient with me- that’s the only good out of this. I IMMEDIATELY boxed it up and mailed it back out within 4 hours of receiving the dang thing. Biggest regret of a buy. My phone line will add a kids watch to us for free and just charge me $10 a month at T-Mobile right now so that’s what we will be doing instead. Save yourself- don’t purchase Gabb!! Also, if I don’t get my money back as promised I will report to bank and BBB!
1 month ago
stefan peterson Salt Lake City, UT
I purchased two Gabb Watch 3s for my children. Like many other reviews state, the concept of this product is great. The execution, however, is very poor. Both watches have had multiple extreme issues that a production-ready device of this nature absolutely should not have.
I understand that Gabb is a newer company and developing technology can be complex, but the issues I've experienced with my Gabb devices reflect a level of incompetence that is really not okay, especially considering Gabb's price-points imply their products and services should be competitive with other major carriers.
Customer support seems to have very limited options when it comes to... assisting customers. I was never able to have any of the issues with my devices resolved in a satisfactory manner.
And the cherry on top of it all was the cancellation fees I had to pay to get out of the service contract. This is after being plagued by multiple issues that were so extreme I can only call the devices defective at this point.
Do yourself a favor and if you're considering a Gabb Watch, just go with a small Apple Watch with one of the major carriers. You can implement the same parental controls, the products work how they're intended to, and they can do much more. This is what I wish I would have done initially. Also, the price points doing it this way with the major carriers are similar to what I was paying with Gabb.
1 month ago
Megan Frump
The pros:
The service is good, never dropped calls. There are also no spam calls, which is awesome. I love all the parental controls, really the phone and what we need is great!!
The cons: getting someone on the phone. It’s absolutely dreadful. We have been with Gabb now for a full year, and just upgraded the phone to the pro 3, and signed a 2 year contract. Oh my word! Getting a hold of people is unreal… you call, basically told, you need to call back. They need to invest in the call back system. I go on live chat, wait for hours, totally forget I was on chat, and then when they finally come on, it ends, because I’m not there. Emailing isn’t great either. If you are busy and overwhelmed, that awesome, hire more people. Because the LACK OF CUSTOMER SERVICE IS AWFUL. Now when you actually get to someone, pray your call doesn’t drop!!! Yes, that happens and they don’t call you back!!!
But they are very nice once you get them on the phone.
Truly, there shouldn’t be many issues where you need to reach them- BUT when you do, it could be weeks (not kidding).
We have two issues we can’t get resolved on our own, and we just have to “keep trying” to reach them!!!!
3 months ago
Lin
Customer service is terrible. It’s really hard to get through to a live person.
When my kids device contracts were up I emailed Gabb, sent a chat message, and tried (unsuccessfully) to get through via phone to the billing dpt to cancel services. They continued to automatically bill me for several months after that. I’m still trying to get my refund.
1 month ago
Brittney Anderson-Martinez Austin, TX
The phone is great...
The customer service is horrible. The website is incredibly hard to navigate, took 2 hours to activate service and it was so confusing. The people that I spoke with seemed like they had no idea what to do. I messaged today trying to follow up on app requests and she told me to email [email protected] which I did and it is not even a valid email address. It is IMPOSSIBLE to get anything done past just basic phone and service.
2 months ago
Garth Hinze Nacogdoches, TX
Love the concept... Execution has been absolutely failed.
Customer service is more painful than you can imagine. Nothing gets resolved simply or at all, regardless of how black and white the matter. Hours spent with customer service on numerous occasions just trying to get a functional product... Countless emails and chats to try to utilize the paid extended warranty.... useless, and I was informed they are too busy to deal with it after many hours invested and warranty paid for well over a year.
Again, I love the heart behind the concept, but if you have hair and want to keep it, I'd try a competitor. I don't even know anything about the competition, but I'd try them blindly over gabb. That's how bad the service is. I might even say it makes AT&T customer service look good 😬
2 months ago
John Tweeddale Apopka, FL
Gabb is the worst mobile company I have encountered. Their products are mediocre, and their customer service is terrible. I regret being a Gabb customer and do not recommend anyone purchase their products or use their services. Here’s why.
• I ordered two Gabb 3 watches, one Gabb 3 Pro phone, one phone case, screen protectors for the phone and watches, and an additional watch band.
• The phone case was never sent, although I paid for it. After multiple interactions with Gabb’s customer service department, I still have not received the case. Gabb charged me for an item they never delivered. This is unacceptable.
• One of the charging cables for the watch did not work. Thankfully, customer service sent me a new one.
• The products have not been reliable. For example, the watches consistently fail to send or receive calls. The voice-to-text feature is non-functional. The step-tracking feature is highly inaccurate. The location tracking feature is unreliable.
• On several occasions, my wife and I attempted to call, email, or chat with customer service, but (1) either never received a response or (2) received an automatic reply stating, for example, “Our Gabb Experts are at Capacity! Our Gabb Experts are currently at capacity due to our Holiday Sales and Promotions. We invite you to check in a little later.”
• We also received a generic email from the CEO, Nate Randle, stating that, due to the holidays, their support systems were “overwhelmed” and that many customers “have had a negative experience trying to get in touch with us.”
• While I appreciate that Mr. Randle acknowledges these negative experiences, Gabb has refused to take responsibility for their poor service.
• The cumulative effect of these experiences has left my wife and me with no confidence in the dependability and reliability of Gabb products and services.
• We made several requests for a full refund. However, Gabb rejected our requests for a refund since we were past the return period. We were further told that we would have to go through tech support with a product agent to confirm that our devices were not working in order to approve a late return. This was communicated to me without acknowledging Gabb’s persistent failure to deliver quality service in a timely fashion.
• The reason we were past the return period by the time we finally connected with Gabb agents via their chat services was that Gabb failed to respond to our earlier correspondence.
• At this point, requiring us to troubleshoot our problems with a product agent is unreasonable. We made multiple good-faith efforts to rectify our issues, while Gabb consistently failed to deliver reliable products and customer service.
While I have repeatedly asked to cancel my subscriptions and get a refund for the products I purchased, Gabb has refused my requests. Gabb’s poor-quality products, unreliable control processes, and difficult-to-reach customer service have made for an entirely unsatisfactory experience. My recommendation: do not purchase Gabb products.
2 months ago
Amber Syer Kansas City, MO
I have had a Gabb line for a watch for over a year. I decided to try a phone and it’s been nothing but problems. The location is never correct, texts and calls don’t go through. It’s been more trouble than it’s worth. So I decided to cancel even though I still have 9-10 months on the contract.
I’m not pleased having to pay a cancellation fee for a line that doesn’t work. But, I get it. It’s a contract. I owe $116.57. $100 for the early cancellation and $16.57 for the taxes. It’s pretty crazy how they charge so much for cancelling a line that didn’t work more than half of the time. It took days for this to be “handled” and I was not treated with transparency and respect. As if this was a situational issue on my behalf and not an issue with YOUR SERVICE. Then it took another 20-30 mins for your online support to basically shrug me off and then give me this email to file my complaint to. I still have another line active!! I’m still a customer!! I even stated how I have not had issues with the watch. But, I feel as though I have been treated with such disrespect for something that wasn’t even my fault!!
Do better. We are just people trying to make sure our kids are safe. You obviously have lost that vision.
2 months ago
P. M. Athens, AL
The worst phone for kids! No service, even though they use verizons towers. Even if connecred to homes wifi! Calls dont cpme through, you can sign up for MMS but they still wont be abe to download the photos or ringtone you send. Youll also get a notification stating they are over their limit for data, even though they are on the wifi 90% of the time, and if you call they cant tell you what data was over. Not worth saving a few bucka, or the "keep your chood safw from the internet" selling points. Better off with straight verizon and use the family app to control what and how long your child can be on. 2 year contract from he//!. Run away.
2 months ago
Maria Woras
I would stay away from Gabb wireless!
All other cell phone providers now offer safe and secure settings for young users, don’t get sucked into Gabb’s contracts unless you are ready to suffer. Their customer service is atrocious! You will never be able to talk on the phone with support help. I just waited 30 minutes!! on the chat trying to speak and get help from one of their representatives.
This company is unprofessional and doesn’t seem to be out for your best interest. They make it extremely difficult and confusing to cancel any service with them. The GPS on my kid’s phones never worked correctly either. I wish I could say more positive things about this company, but truly the whole experience with them has been so frustrating.
2 months ago
Christopher Leigh West Richland, WA
We've been with Gabby for 2 years, the product has worked fine. The phone is large for how little it can do. In general the product would be fine for most.
Their service/support is non-existent. If you try to call you get the message they are too busy, can't take any more calls so go read their website to answer any questions. And the phone hangs up. Unfortunately, you don't get an option to stay on hold waiting for anyone to help you. There is a "live chat " option that I've waited hours for and no luck and if they do message you back and you don't respond immediately they end your chat. We have sent emails requesting calls or communication with no luck. And they keep charging our account. I don't recommend starting with this company. There are plenty of other options open to parents now days
3 months ago
Trischa Wass Hanover, NH
The idea behind this phone service is terrific. This company works well if you can set up your kids phone and then NEVER have an issue but that's not realistic. This company has grown too quickly to keep up and now they don't have any way for a parent call and speak to a customer service representative. They are great at getting new customers but treat their current customers like crap! They lock you in to their service and then say their too busy with high volumes of new customers to take phone calls at this time. What??!!! What Kind of phone service is this?! I have a billing issue that I have now emailed and reached out by phone and tech support with no help at all.
Think twice if this kind of service is worth it. Now, I would just get a regular phone for my daughter's and use the parental controls!
3 months ago
Mike Kemp Sanford, FL
Android parents beware! It is important to understand that there is a separate app (Gabb Messenger) used for the crucial parental controls (view/approve contacts and view text message content). This app is currently NOT AVAILABLE for Android users.
The My Gabb app has very limited features. You can see your child's location and setup a Safe Zone (received notification if your child's phone moves outside a pre-defined area).
The online website dashboard allows you to see your child's call and message log, but it does NOT display the actual message content.
I contacted Gabb about the glaring issue, and they advised that an Android version of the Gabb Messenger is in the works, but no delivery date is available. They also refused any sort of bill credit or consideration and stated that the app has "nothing to do with monthly billing". This sounds absurd to me, but evidently their logic is that they offer the app for free? (But isn't the app worthless unless you have a Gabb device and plan?) Nevertheless, they further pointed out that the website notes that the Gabb Messenger app is only available for iOS (iPhones). This is true, but I would argue that 1) they eagerly promote these features as foundational to their product and 2) it is not clear that the Gabb Messenger app is necessary in order to have these important features.
If were were iPhone users, we may be OK. But since we are not, we greatly regret having purchased Gabb. We would have opted for Bark. And the Gabb customer service chat was pathetic. The agent flatly refused to escalate my concern.
3 months ago
Brian Kennedy Burkburnett, TX
I previously left a review about the new Gabb Phone 3 Pro and the issues I was having. Kimberly from the company reached out to me personally to find out what the issues were. After listening to what I had to say she offered to send a replacement phone to me at no charge and credit my account. Although after getting the replacement phone it still had issues and was not working right and tech could not get this figured out, Kimberly worked with me every step of the way. After frustration I told her that I would just rather go back to my old z2 since it worked properly and wanted to keep the MMS as well. She worked with billing and though I couldn't get my old rate back she was able to get me a decent plan with the MMS & SMS and only on a month to month basis which is what I asked for. Overall I still like the company as I can see merits in the phone and the things that did work were great and helpful. Sad that the Gabb Phone 3 Pro had issues and hopefully they can get these worked out, but overall I am happy with the resolution that we came to and the support that I received from kimberly through the whole process.
4 months ago Edited December 14, 2023
Reply from Gabb Wireless
Hi Brian, we are very sorry to hear you are having these issues with your new device! We hear you and can understand the frustration, we are sorry that you have had issues getting ahold of our support team. This is certainly not the level of service that we aim to provide. We want to learn a little more background into these issues that you have been running into with your device. We would love to get the chance to help make this right with you. We have reached out!
Dec. 5th, 2023
David Hall Salt Lake City, UT
This is an update to my previous review below. Gabb has contacted me to ask for advice on how to improve. I'm very impressed at how they valued my opinion and made real changes based on my input. I'm changing my review from a 1 star to a 3 star. I wish that they had 24/7 customer support. And I would like to be able to monitor my child's phone calls and text messages through my Gabb app. Instead I have to log in from a computer. Lastly, we have had to restart my son's phone twice in the one month that we've had it.
Unclear instructions for setup. And I'm pretty good at stuff like this. "Internal Server Error" while trying to connect to my son's phone. No customer service in the evening or on Sunday at all. Buying accessories is almost impossible due to website errors.
5 months ago Edited November 20, 2023
Reply from Gabb Wireless
Hi David, thank you for taking the time to leave this updated review! We appreciate all feedback and will make sure to pass this along to our team. We would like to learn more about the issue that you are having with your device, we have reached out!
Nov. 1st, 2023
Verified Customer
Review Source
Colin May Charlotte, NC
Our son love his Gabb watch! Can’t wait to put it on every morning and is more confident knowing he can always get a hold of us if needed. And we certainly feel more relaxed being able to keep an eye on his whereabouts when playing outside or at school. Highly recommend!
1 year ago
Lena C. D.
Gabb is a good, unique and inexpensive option for parents. Previous to purchasing the Gabb phone, our son used a Verizon phone with Google Family Link installed. Although all the apps were disabled with Google Family Link (i think its called), there was no way to disable Google search and endless text memes and gifs, some which are not approprate for children. Also, I was playing $50 a month at version for barley service, this same service on gabb is $28.
With Gabb the location feature is pretty good, but perhaps doesnt update as often as Verizon's. That maybe location specific, perhaps we have more verizon towers in our area.
To the women who complained Gabb location was was way off, youre mistaken regarding the ability of cell phone location services. No cell phone location service is perfect, it depends which service has the most towers in your area. Though I understand your frustration.
One downside of Gabb is the website. Be prepared to do basic ordering, switching phone #'s or even sign in problems via the text chat feature on their website. Although the text chat customer service is very good and does everthing you could want to do, it is a little strange that the webcite cant even do a simple thing like order a phone.
10 months ago
Reply from Gabb Wireless
Hi Lena! Thank you for taking the time to leave this review. We're happy to hear that Gabb is a good fit for you and your family. We would love to show you how any of our devices can be ordered through our website as a new line or a replacement device through your MyAccount. Unfortunately, we are unable to find an account under this name. To ensure we can get you the information needed as soon as possible, please fill out this brief form so we can reach you! http://bit.ly/3hTabbT Thank you!
Jun. 13th, 2023
Review Source
Sean Smiley Shreveport, LA
First off let me begin by stating that I was on my last email exchange with Gabb Wireless and at my wits end ready to turn off my phone and switch to another carrier because I was so incredibly frustrated by email only tech support.
Then by pure chance I stumbled upon a phone number and Ruthie in Gabb Support answered the call to action and in less than 30 minutes was able to troubleshoot and masterfully guide me through fixing an incredibly *simple* fix (in retrospect) that was *completely* overlooked in a 22 round email thread spanning almost 3 weeks for a problem that had been stumping me for over a month.
I cannot overstate the power of exceptional customer service combined with a tenacious desire for problem solving. Again, I was ready to toss the phone and never look back at Gabb Wireless.
Thank you Ruthie, you made ALL the difference!
Sean S.
11 months ago
Reply from Gabb Wireless
Hi Sean! Thank you for this review. We are happy to hear that our amazing Customer Support agent was able to help resolve the issue you were seeing on your device. We apologize for any frustration this situation has caused. We appreciate your feedback on the situation. Thank you, Sean!
May. 19th, 2023
Stella Lee Fullerton, CA
With 6 months left on contract, watch stopped charging. No apologies. Just a phone call and email telling me of the penalty for early termination. If I could give it zero, I would. Do not sell a device and plan when your device cannot last till duration of plan.
1 month ago
OWEN DAYTON Ashburn, VA
"Unlimited"
Almost Every month my son has gotten a notification telling him that he has reached his data limit for the month, when he only has about 300 text and 4 minutes of calls. When he checks his data usage, it says that 400 MB of His 500MB limit is from gabb's own app, "Gabb Cloud Sync". I have reached out to costumer service 8 times to try to disable it, but they never got back to me.
DO NOT BUY
2 months ago Edited February 20, 2024
Brittany Colton Grapevine, TX
They went down hill, WORST customer service! We got a Gabb watch about a year ago. It worked OK for what we needed but did struggle with being able to charge correctly. For Christmas we ordered an upgraded watch and a new watch for our daughter. The upgraded watch came but never worked. Our daughter’s watch never came. We contacted Gabb multiple times before Christmas and they guaranteed it would make it it never did. We tried for three weeks straight to get a hold of someone to know avail. By the time we got a hold of someone after three hours on the phone, they told us that the package was mailed even though they couldn’t prove any UPS tracking number and we had no email evidence that it was sent. Instead of reimbursing, they wanted us to pay for a new watch for the one missing. They also would not take back the watch that would not work because it was past the return date. Mind you we have been trying to get a hold of them for three weeks easily within the return window but every time we try to contact them, they would say try again later we cannot take more calls. We emailed multiple times to no response. We are disputing the charge and would never recommend them to anyone.
3 months ago
Sara South Jordan, UT
We had the Gabb watch for 2 years and it did exactly what it said it would. It was perfect for our young daughter. We decided to upgrade to the Gabb pro3 for Christmas. The phone never worked correctly. It didn't seem to have enough cel. service to regularly place phone calls or send texts. Sometimes it works. Sometimes a text will arrive a few hours later. The GPS never worked. On December 26, I started trying to get help. Of course I didn't get anyone that day, too busy. I finally got someone on Chat on December 28. She said she would do an update that would take 24 hours. So, on December 29, when it still didn't work. I was back on chat for a long time. I was told that this was an issue she couldn't fix, and the technicians were gone for the holiday weekend, so try again after the New Year. So, when you try and contact them, you have 3 options: chat, phone call, e-mail. I sent e-mails and got an immediate response saying they are too busy, the request is cancelled. Most of the phone calls got a recording saying they are too busy, try again later or go online and read the "help " section. Which I have searched through many times. Chatting often said they were too full. But, I did get someone on January 3rd. We chatted for 4 hours. He said he didn't want to send me a new phone because he was going to keep trying to fix it. He would send me an e-mail. He NEVER sent an e-mail. So, after I week I started contacting gabb again. I finally got a human to respond to emails. She was very helpful, but she also was unable to get the phone working. So, after a month, I decided I was done. So, last night I filled out the service cancellation form and this morning I went on chat. It took half an hour for someone to come on and tell me that they will cancel my service, but since I agreed to the contract of 2 years, I have to pay an early termination fee. I tried to explain that the phone doesn't work and I have wasted HOURS trying to get them to fix it. Doesn't matter, I still have to pay! I am very disappointed in the service at this company. If you get a bad phone, you are out of luck!
January 22 - Update. After the very frustrating chat on Saturday, I contacted them again on Monday. This time I chatted with a more reasonable understanding gal. She looked over my account and the issues I have had. She was very helpful and told me that I would be refunded and would not need to pay a termination fee. Although I did not enjoy trying to get help for a month, I do truly appreciate the company taking responsibility for a faulty product.
3 months ago Edited January 24, 2024
Joseph Tenney San Jose, CA
I have been a customer for a while but I just upgraded my son's device to the pro3 phone. I need assistance with enabling apps and I have been trying to get support for weeks now. I have sent emails called and tried to chat online. I have not been able to get any assistance. I get that they are busy after the holiday but this is absurd. I have tried reading there documentation to do things my self but they apparently decided to make changes to there user portals and not upgrade the documentation. So I have been looking everywhere to find something in the documentation that does not exist in their portal. So now that they are not talking to their customers at all they just direct you read there support documentation. This makes me very worried about the longevity of this company and I think it is time to jump ship.
3 months ago
Meagan Olympia, WA
To preface, I originally was with Gabb for one year and it was great, but I did not need to contact them for any reason, so this could have been an issue long before now.
I purchased my son a new phone for Christmas. Set it up and began having issues with it to the point that he wasn't receiving or sending messages. I tried contacting Gabb using the contact us tab on their site... nothing. No one responded to the chat, no one answered the phone (I was on hold for awhile and then it had some automated message and hung up on me) and no one has responded to my emails and requests to cancel service. Would not recommend. If you dont believe me just look at their Better Buisness Bureau profile - it speaks for itself. Don't get scammed.
To Gabb- Yall need to figure your issues out, hire staff and refund all of your customers that you are taking advantage of. What you're doing is not okay.
3 months ago
Amanda Canyon Country, CA
I have had nothing but horrible experiences with this company and I'm sad that I'm just seeing all these negative reviews now. I purchased two gabb 3 watches for my children for Christmas with their black Friday Sale. I was told not to activate the devices until the 20th of Dec so they would be ready for Christmas. I was never able to activate them on the 20th, both devices would not connect to the network. I was told to try again the next day, the next day it was the same issue. I spent 3 hours on the phone with tech support, having to hide from my kids the entire time, 3 days before Christmas. The watches never ended up working, so they had to send me new devices. This was my children's Christmas present. Now I had nothing to give them. They didn't care. The entire time the girl who was helping me seemed annoyed and frustrated-I could literally hear her rubbing her face while talking to me. Customer service is horrible. Also- during this entire debacle I was able to find out that they only applied the black Friday discounts to one line! I would have been charged more without my knowing. After asking to speak with a supervisor, the agent on the phone asked me why I wanted to speak with a supervisor. Why? I need a justification ad to why I want to try and gain confidence in a company that is already failing me? Wow. I was finally patched through to Nathan and he told me he would put an urgent note on my order together my new watches shipped out by the end of the day (Friday before Christmas). We'll I didn't get a "label created" notice from Gabb until the following Wed (Dec 27) and they 2 day shipped it to me. I recieved the package on the Friday before new years weekend at 7pm-just past business hours. Come find out, they sent the wrong color watches!! Trying to call now you just get hung up on due to "influx of calls". Probably thousands of other people also dissatisfied.
At this point I'm done with this company and they WILL refund me at full cost for the horrible service, horrible devices, and inability to do as they say they will do. Avoid. Spend the extra $100 and get the apple watch.
3 months ago
Review Source
Susannah Craig Tallahassee, FL
Gabb is fantastic. We have the watches for both boys & I feel so much better when I have to drop them off somewhere that I can track them, call them, message them, etc. It gives them freedom too to talk with other friends that also have Gabb devices or grandparents/family. Plus they love the cool features! Customer service is excellent (thank you Ruthie)!
9 months ago
Reply from Gabb Wireless
We love hearing this feedback! Thank you, Susannah!
Jul. 17th, 2023
Review Source
Christian Renger Fort Collins, CO
I was helped over the phone by a young woman named Arlo, she was fantastic. So polite and attentive, she helped troubleshoot the issue we were having, and was quick to provide a solution. She exceeded our expectations! We have been customers of Gabb for several years now, we appreciate their mission, and it obviously translates to their team, because Arlo was a delight in terms of Customer Service! Thank you!
11 months ago
Reply from Gabb Wireless
Hi Christian! Thank you for this review! We love hearing about positive experiences from our customers with our Customer Support. Thank you for being part of our Gabb family.
Apr. 28th, 2023
Sandra Baltimore, MD
Well I initially purchased a watch for my son for Christmas but after setting it up we realized that he couldn’t Text , only using voice and he didn’t like that so he stopped using his watch. I reached out to customer service to ask for an upgrade to a phone and she gave me wrong information saying I couldn’t. Well, a few weeks later a customer service rep called Marceline sent me an email and went above and beyond to get me taken care of. She was an exceptional customer service rep and now I highly recommend Gabb to family and friends. I have peace of mind knowing my child isn’t on the internet or social media apps. Thanks Gabb wireless
1 year ago
Reply from Gabb Wireless
Hi Sandra! We apologize for any confusion or frustration this may have caused. We're happy to hear that our amazing Customer Support agent was able to help get this situation resolved. We're happy that the Gabb Phone is a good fit for you and your family! Thank you for this review.
Feb. 21st, 2023
Review Source
Tami Gomez San Jose, CA
I called customer service in need of support for my daughters’ account. Our service agent was really sweet. She also was pleasant but firm that she couldn’t share any information with me because I was not listed as an authorized user. It does seem like they have our kids safety first. I was really impressed actually that even with me having our order number, my girls Gabb numbers, etc, the service agent would not discuss account details with me until my partner cleared me with a PIN as an authorized user. We already loved the independence within boundaries that our Gabb watches have offered our 8 and 9 year olds. Now we appreciate the customer support too!
1 year ago
Reply from Gabb Wireless
Thank you, Tami. We love to hear this feedback! We're glad that safe tech is working for your family. And appreciate your support!
Feb. 6th, 2023
Review Source
Joey Jacksonville, FL
Over the last month our experience with gab customer service has been regulated to the chat online only. This was so frustrating of a way to communicate. Yesterday I received a phone number for customer service. Today I dial that number and spoke with a delightful young lady named Annie. And he was not only competent and understanding but she was also compassionate and gave me multiple ways to solve the problem. After what felt like knocking our heads against the wall to get our phone to work and he was our knight in shining gab armor. I am hopeful that the solutions she provided will not only work but will provide us with the service that we’ve come to expect from gab wireless. Gab is lucky to have a customer service employee like Annie who is kind, smart and compassionate
1 year ago
Reply from Gabb Wireless
We love to hear this, Joey! Thank you for this review!
Jan. 27th, 2023
Mary Monrose Honolulu, HI
Update: A rep named Rowan, reached out to me and has been phenomenal with helping to make sure all my needs were met. Rowan went above and beyond, was patient and very friendly. Thank you again!
I ordered a phone from Gabb Wireless for my daughter for Christmas. I purchased it during a Black Friday sale and was sold based off the reviews, the advertisement of keeping your old number and no social media. Well only to find out it was all false. I was unable to set up the GabbID nor keep the same number. And their return policy is a bunch of bs;15 days after the package is received and it can't be open. Very disappointed as I was looking for something without internet and social media for my daughter.
1 year ago Edited March 30, 2023
Reply from Gabb Wireless
Hi Mary! We're happy we were able to get this all worked out for you. We're happy to have you as part of our Gabb family. Thank you!
We hear you and apologize for any frustration this may have caused. We would love to help clarify and resolve these concerns with you! We do advertise and provide no social media and an option to port an existing number from a prior service provider to our Gabb devices. Your account information from that provider is requested during checkout. Occasionally, service providers can put a lock on the number being transferred to protect your number. When a number transfer has not completed, this could be the cause. We would love to take a look into this for you! We do provide a 15 day return policy that is unique to specific orders that were ordered during our Holiday Activation period. If Holiday Activation is selected during checkout, the 15 days starts the day the device is activated. We would love to take a look into this as well for you to help clear up the confusion. We have reached out!
We hear you and apologize for any frustration this may have caused. We would love to help clarify and resolve these concerns with you! We do advertise and provide no social media and an option to port an existing number from a prior service provider to our Gabb devices. Your account information from that provider is requested during checkout. Occasionally, service providers can put a lock on the number being transferred to protect your number. When a number transfer has not completed, this could be the cause. We would love to take a look into this for you! We do provide a 15 day return policy that is unique to specific orders that were ordered during our Holiday Activation period. If Holiday Activation is selected during checkout, the 15 days starts the day the device is activated. We would love to take a look into this as well for you to help clear up the confusion. We have reached out!
Jan. 13th, 2023
Heavensenthorse Clermont, FL
This product is marketed as a kids phone, with no internet access. However, we found that for a work phone, i.e. no access to internet, it is fantastic!! It has the features needed to do a job without the distraction of looking online for things. Also, it is a great phone for those not wanting to be tempted to be on social media, etc. It keeps a person humble, honest, andtrustworth. I think the only negative I have, and it's not much of one, is that it doesn't have a map software. But most vehicles have that today anyway, so that is why I didn't mark down my stars. We have had great customer service with this phone. We even bought one for our 16yo's first phone. It's been peaceful knowing he cannot surf the web whenever. It's a least a deterant!
2 years ago
Beth Los Angeles, CA
I like what the company has to offer. It’s been something I have searched for for my younger teens. A phone that looks like a smart phone without the freedom of the internet and apps. It also has a camera and the capability to down load music onto it as well as hold an extra SIM card for storage. I also like the fact that you can allow SMS/picture sending/receiving and group texts or not based on the plan you have. I think the plans are very affordable and the phone very reasonably priced as well.
I have had to use customer service twice since getting our phones and both times I got a reply before 24 hours. I used their email and both times they were able to help me and fix my problems with clear and easy to follow instructions.
3 years ago
Teacher Mom Modesto, CA
This is an AWESOME product (phone and cell plan) for young teens! I have a 13 year old boy who has enough screen distraction in his life. Gabb allows us to have a connection through phone, text, and GPS for safety, without all of the headaches that come with modern smartphones. It also gives my son a phone with the same look and feel of a modern smartphone--and this is more important than you'd think during the middle school years when they just want to blend in with the crowd. The company itself is FANTASTIC--they do exactly what they say they are going to do. Customer service is fast and easy. I've lost track of the number of people I have recommended Gabb to!
3 years ago
Angela Linville, CFCE Leavenworth, KS
We purchased the Z1 at Christmas time last year (2019) for our 13-year-old, and it served it's purpose well. The only features we really wanted that it didn't offer were GPS tracking, group texting, and image texting (selfishly for my own use). When the Z2 was announced, with the GPS tracking, and the option for the Plus plan with both image and group texting, it was a logical upgrade for this Christmas. We were going to pass the Z1 down to my 10-year-old, as he already had the Verizon Gizmo watch for tracking and basic texting. However, he had outgrown the watchband, and we decided to trade in the Z1 for a second Z2 with the basic plan, and cancel the Gizmo. Both boys were excited to receive their phones, and they do exactly what we wanted them to do. The customer service reps at Gabb have helped us receive promo discounts, transfer lines, upgrade plans, transfer SIM cards, and merge accounts. They are pleasant, helpful, and follow-up with more details or corrections when the situation calls for it. We have kept our Verizon accounts for the parent devices for now (as 15+ year customers), but are happy to have this option for the teen/tween, and have even contemplated switching the parent lines as well. We recommend this option to others and are grateful for a simple, effective, and safe way for our kids to stay in touch.
3 years ago
jedimvma Tysons Corner, VA
i purchased a phone for my 5 year olds to share. it was (is) going to arrive later than expected and i was worried because they're about to visit their dad out of state and i wanted them to have the phone for the visit. i first contacted because the billing is set on a certain day, which happened to be before we go the phone (but after we were supposed to get it) and i didn't want to be billed before my kids were even able to use the phone. the agent who helped me basically said they could disconnect the phone so i'm not billed, and credit me the bill amount that i'd already paid so that once i get the phone i can reconnect and use that credit on my account then. i contacted again 11 days after i was originally supposed to get the phone and that agent explained that there were 2 more days until the time when they would send a replacement, but because of my situation he went above and beyond and asked for approval to send one out 2 days early to make sure we have the phone on time. i have yet to get the phone but i'm already so happy because the customer service agents have been so very helpful, kind, and understanding. i'm so pleased with the help i've received and can't wait for my kids to get their first phone!
3 years ago
Review Source
Jason Muhlberger Flower Mound, TX
3 years ago
Ellen Blust Middleton, WI
Gabb Wireless offers all that it advertises - a smart, inexpensive way for teens to be in touch with their parents and friends without the addictive quality of internet connection, and without making them feel too different from their peers. I searched for a long time for something like this, and was so glad to find Gabb. Now that my son has his own Gabb phone, I can also say that it works great in all its apps and its network. The phone lasts for days without running out of battery, my son enjoys having it, and the assurance that he can get in touch with us without being tempted to spend all his time staring at a screen... is priceless!
4 years ago
Rebecca Caledonia, MI
I got the watch for my 6 year old. It's the worst. Doesn't let you add people from the adults side even though it says you can have more then 5 people. And it doesn't let kids type responses. Customer service takes more then 30min to get back to you and when they do they are not helpful in any way. Also can't track your child in real time like it says you can. They say you have to request to cancel. I'm switching to a real phone service and am so excited to get that wat h to see how it works.
3 months ago
Lindsay Rodriguez Draper, UT
The customer service is mostly AI and a waste of time to get help. The watch phone I purchased in October 2023 has repeated issues of not charging. Gabb has supposedly fixed it, but not replaced or refunded. I pay for a phone and service every month that doesn't work. I had an early Gizmo for a different child through Verizon a few years ago and never had problems like this. Extremely disappointed!
3 months ago
Lisa WoMo
Their customer support is atrocious and I would give it 0 - stars if I could. I worked in telecom support for over 25 years to I know what constitutes good support. Not having 7/24 / 365 support is lame for a phone service provider, which makes me wonder if their front line "support" isn't outsourced overseas. Husband ordered it from Amazon and we were excited for our 11 yo to get a phone of his own. We paid for music and you have to log in to your kid's Gabb ID to access music. Keep getting a network connection error. Confirmed we were connected to a network, did a few more trouble shooting techniques , and rebooted the phone several times. On Tues. waited on chat for an agent for over 45 mins. Granted I know they may be slammed with the holidays but they don't even periodically ping you that you are still in queue or that they haven't gone home for the day...horrible. Finally got someone who in the end told me he had to open a ticket with their technical team and they would e-mail me response. No ticket number or nothing. within 24 hrs. of no response I pinged them again. Waited for over 30 mins. with no periodic ping that I was still waiting in queue or anything...radio silence. When I worked with a "support" person he finally told me, after trying to help me and even suggesting that my signal wasn't strong enough (well why does my phone and computer work then???), that there was a known problem. I asked for a master ticket number that I could reference when checking in to see if there is an ETR and he said there is none. This is just unprofessional. If there is a known problem orbug then don't offer customers the service until you can actually offer it. you're charging them for something you can't currently offer...seems kind of dishonest IMHO. They did offer me a $5 credit for one month for the music but still.
3 months ago
Reply from Gabb Wireless
Hi Lisa, we hear you and we are very sorry for the issues that you have had getting in contact with our support team. Due to the holidays, they have been very busy and we apologize. We will make sure to pass all of this feedback along! We would like to learn more about this situation and help make this right with you. We would like to help you, but we are unable to find an account under this name. To ensure we can follow up with you as soon as possible, please fill out this brief form so we can reach you! http://bit.ly/3hTabbT We will contact you within 24 hours. Thank you for allowing us the chance to make this right!
Jan. 18th, 2024
Jana Calano Palmetto, GA
- Service was good at first, but my daughter lost relationships and was very nervous because she was unreachable on her device. Horrible service.
- When the phone worked, the number was spammed constantly. I found the numbers provided are mostly leaked low quality numbers.
- Called to Cxl because we moved on to a reliable provider and they said I couldn’t call ahead of Cxl date. So, I tried back on the date I needed to cancel and despite 20+ attempts to chat with their online service, 5 phone calls which weren’t even transferred simply an auto-recording that said, “Sorry, we are to busy. Bye!” I tried emailing and received an auto response there as well encouraging me to try again later.
Bottom line: Great concept. Horrible execution. Avoid this business.
4 months ago
Reply from Gabb Wireless
Hi Jana! We want to apologize for the poor service and the constant spam calls you are experiencing. That is not normal for our devices and we would love to make things right with you! We know it's frustrating with the unusually high chat and wait times due to the holidays, and we also want to apologize for that as well. We have reached out!
Jan. 12th, 2024
Jenny Nehring Orem, UT
This is the most dishonest company I have ever worked with. They advertise a free, no-contract phone but do not mention that if you cancel within six months then you have to pay full price for the phone. That is a contract! I signed up over the phone and this was never disclosed. There is an asterisk that does mention an activation fee but that is it. I spent over two hours on hold trying to get a hold of the billing department to cancel my service but was able to talk to someone in sales within 5 minutes. I highly recommend finding a different company to work with, you will regret signing up with Gabb Wireless.
4 months ago Edited January 2, 2024
Reply from Gabb Wireless
Hi Jenny! We hear you, we are very sorry for any frustration that has been caused. Our return policy does state for any “Free” products (including holiday specials), you are agreeing to pay full price for any free product if service is canceled within a 6-month period. This can be found on our website in our Sales and Returns tab. Again, we are very sorry for any frustration. We have reached out!
Dec. 13th, 2023
Donovan Family Jupiter, FL
**Gabb Wireless has an F rating and pages and pages of unanswered complaints with the Better Business Bureau! Buyer BEWARE!** This company is very dishonest and their products are subpar. I have been a customer for several years. There are constant issues with pairing to the parent's Gabb app for accurate location information, the quiet settings during school don't work and my child keeps getting in trouble for his phone making noises when it's supposed to be silent. To make matters worse, I've had multiple technical issues with 2 different devices. They are not made to last, they are made to break so the company can collect ridiculous deductibles and monthly fees. Most recently, my son's phone wouldn't let him open his phone with his fingerprint or the correct password. Customer service is horrible. They don't post the number on the website to make it harder to get support - once you do get the number from the chat feature, be ready to be on hold for at least 45 minutes and then get hung up on. I finally got through after multiple attempts and the customer service rep told me we would have to do a factory reset. After going through that whole process, it caused the phone to start shutting down over and over. So I called with 1 issue and ended up with a worse problem! When I call back because the phone keeps shutting down, I'm told it'll have to be replaced and despite paying monthly for the extended warranty, I'll have to pay a deductible that is nearly the cost of the current price of the phone!! Mind you, I'm only having to replace it due to the new issue caused by the directions I was following from their customer service rep!! Outrageous! I tell them this is unacceptable and they said I could try talking to the billing department to see if they would adjust the fee. I wait on hold yet again. After finally talking to billing, they will not budge. I tell them that I shouldn't have to pay for a replacement on a phone that looks perfect - no visible damage at all - but is a terrible product that their tech dept made worse with their "troubleshooting" directions. I decided to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. In filing that complaint, I see that Gabb is not affiliated with BBB and it has PAGES AND PAGES of unanswered complaints with an F rating from BBB! Buyer Beware!!!
4 months ago
Reply from Gabb Wireless
Hi Donovan Family, we want to extend our sincere apologies for the frustration you encountered with our support team and these issues with your device! We will make sure to pass this feedback along to our support team. We truly apologize that your device has not been working properly after troubleshooting with a factory reset. This does not sound normal, we would like to learn more about this situation and help make this right with you! We would like to help you, but we are unable to find an account under this name. To ensure we can follow up with you as soon as possible, please fill out this brief form so we can reach you! http://bit.ly/3hTabbT We will contact you within 24 hours. Thank you for allowing us the chance to make this right!
Dec. 8th, 2023
