Tin Can vs Pinwheel: Which Kids' Landline Should You Buy?
Updated 2026-11-10 · By the Touch Grass editors
Buy whichever landline your kid's friends already have, since free calls only work within each brand. If that's a tie, Pinwheel Home is cheaper (from about $68, with a $6.99/mo plan for up to five outside numbers). Tin Can (about $100) is the better-known brand, with a $9.99/mo plan for any approved number.
Tin Can and Pinwheel Home are the two Wi-Fi landlines most parents are choosing between in 2026. They do the same core job: a screen-free home phone, voice only, that connects only contacts you approve.
The differences are in price, plan structure and which network of families you join. Here's the side-by-side.
| Tin Can | Pinwheel Home | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | about $100 | Spark about $68, Classic about $79 |
| Styles | One corded phone | Spark (light handset) or Classic (1990s style) |
| Free plan | Can2Can: other Tin Cans + 911 | Circle: other Pinwheel phones + 911 |
| Cheapest paid plan | Party Line $9.99/mo, any approved number, first month free | Friends & Family $6.99/mo, up to 5 outside numbers |
| Top plan | Party Line $9.99/mo | Unlimited $9.99/mo, any outside number |
| Parent controls | Approved contacts, calling hours | Approved contacts, calling schedules, spam and robocall blocking |
| Features | Speed dial, speakerphone, voicemail | Speed dial, voicemail |
| Connection | Wi-Fi (2.4GHz) + wall outlet | Wi-Fi |
| Returns | 45 days | See Pinwheel's refund policy |
| Upgrade path | None listed | Number can move to a Pinwheel mobile phone on paid plans |
What's the difference between Tin Can and Pinwheel?
Pinwheel is cheaper and has a lower-cost paid tier. Tin Can is better known and has one simple paid plan. Both are voice-only Wi-Fi phones with parent-approved contacts, voicemail, speed dial and 911 on every plan.
The biggest practical difference is the network. Free calls only go to the same brand, so a Tin Can family and a Pinwheel family can't call each other for free.
Tin Can: best if your kid's friends have one
Tin Can is the pick when your kid's class or friend group is already on it. The free Can2Can plan covers every call to another Tin Can, plus 911.
- Price: about $100, with multi-unit discounts listed on Tin Can's site.
- Party Line: $9.99/mo, first month free, to call regular phone numbers you approve.
- Controls: approved contacts and calling hours. Tin Can says 911 still works during quiet hours.
- Extras: speakerphone, which Pinwheel doesn't list, and voicemail with a custom greeting.
- Returns: 45 days.
Bloomberg called it "the hottest phone for kids right now" in April 2026, with some schools adopting it together.
Not for: families who only need a few outside numbers and want to pay less each month.
Pinwheel Home: best on a budget, or for grandparent calls
Pinwheel Home is the pick if price matters or your kid mostly calls a few relatives. It costs less up front, and its Friends & Family plan is the cheapest way to reach outside numbers.
- Price: Spark about $68, Classic about $79.
- Free Circle plan: calls other Pinwheel phones and 911. The phone gets a short Pinwheel Code rather than a full number.
- Friends & Family: $6.99/mo for a full 10-digit number and up to five outside numbers.
- Unlimited: $9.99/mo for any outside number.
- Controls: approved contacts, calling schedules, spam and robocall blocking.
- Upgrade path: on paid plans, the number can later move to a Pinwheel mobile phone.
Pinwheel launched in the US in July 2026, and TechCrunch covered it as a direct competitor to Tin Can.
Not for: kids whose friends are all on Tin Can, if you want free calls between them.
Which costs less over a year?
Pinwheel costs less in every matching setup. First-year math, before tax:
- Free plans: Pinwheel Spark $68, Pinwheel Classic $79, Tin Can $100.
- A few outside numbers: Pinwheel Spark + Friends & Family = $68 + (12 × $6.99 = $83.88) = about $152. Tin Can + Party Line = $100 + (11 paid months × $9.99 = $109.89) = about $210.
- Any number: Pinwheel Spark + Unlimited = $68 + (12 × $9.99 = $119.88) = about $188. Tin Can + Party Line = about $210.
Check each retailer for today's price, since sales and bundles change.
How do the parent controls compare?
They're close. Both let you decide exactly who your kid can call and who can call them, and both let you set the hours the phone works.
- Tin Can: you choose who can call in and out, and set calling hours. Tin Can says quiet hours stop all incoming and outgoing calls except 911.
- Pinwheel: you approve contacts, set calling schedules, and block spam and robocalls.
Pinwheel's Friends & Family plan adds a built-in limit of five outside numbers, which some parents like as a natural cap. On Tin Can's Party Line, every outside number still needs your approval, but there's no set limit listed.
Do Tin Can and Pinwheel work during a power outage?
You shouldn't count on it. Both need Wi-Fi, and Tin Can plugs into a wall outlet. Tin Can says calls may fail during power or internet outages and advises keeping a backup way to reach emergency services. Pinwheel doesn't list a battery backup on its product page. Make sure your kid knows another way to get help.
Which should you buy?
Ask other parents first, then buy the one their kids have.
- Classmates on Tin Can: Tin Can, free plan.
- Classmates on Pinwheel: Pinwheel, free plan.
- Mostly calling grandparents and family: Pinwheel with Friends & Family at $6.99/mo.
- You want the cheapest possible start: Pinwheel Spark.
- You want speakerphone and a 45-day return window: Tin Can.
More context in best kids' landlines and what is a kids' landline. When it arrives, our family phone rules template helps set expectations.
Frequently asked questions
Can Tin Can call Pinwheel?
Not for free. Free calls only work within each brand. Calling across brands needs a paid plan, so check both brands' plan pages for how outside calls work.
Is Tin Can or Pinwheel cheaper?
Pinwheel. The Spark model is about $68 versus about $100 for Tin Can, and Pinwheel's cheapest paid plan is $6.99/mo versus $9.99/mo.
Do Tin Can and Pinwheel need a phone line?
No. Both run over home Wi-Fi with no phone jack or cable company. Tin Can specifies a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi band.
Can both call 911?
Yes. Tin Can includes 911 on its free plan, and Pinwheel says emergency calls work on free and paid plans.
Does Tin Can have a free plan?
Yes. The Can2Can plan is free and calls other Tin Cans and 911. Calling regular phone numbers needs the $9.99/mo Party Line plan.
Can my kid text on Tin Can or Pinwheel?
No. Both are voice only. That's the point for most families who buy them.
Sources
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