Ring Ring Club
$182.40Equipment + service$75.00 equipment
$107.40 service
Ring Ring Club / Tin Can
Looking for a
Tin Can alternative?
A first phone is a big little decision. Compare Ring Ring and Tin Can, from calling friends for free to choosing a phone that feels like home.
Start with what matters
Who will your kid call?
Comparing Ooma MyPhone with Tin Can? See our Ooma MyPhone, Tin Can and Ring Ring Club comparison for equipment, calling plans, 911 and one- or two-year costs side by side. Want a head-to-head instead? Read Ooma vs Tin Can or Pinwheel vs Tin Can.
If their friends already have Tin Cans, that matters. Can 2 Can connects approved Tin Can contacts for free. Ring Ring’s Starter plan connects Ring Ring members. Neither free network means unlimited calls to every phone number.
For calls beyond those networks, compare the paid plans below. Tin Can also includes 911 on its free plan; Ring Ring’s emergency calling requires a paid plan and a verified address. Both need internet and power to work.
The phone is only
part of the price.
Compare paid calling plans. Start with a complete Modern Kit for Ring Ring, or choose the Bridge if you already own a compatible phone.
Tin Can
$219.88Equipment + service$100.00 equipment
$119.88 service
12 months of paid service. Tin Can’s promotion is applied only when selected.
USD, one device, unchanged rates. Equipment plus 12 or 24 months of paid calling. Ring Ring annual billing uses exact yearly charges. The optional Tin Can promotion subtracts one monthly payment. Sales tax, shipping and other unmodeled charges excluded. Other offers are not modeled. Estimates, not checkout quotes.
Seen the numbers?
Choose your Ring Ring phoneWhat comes with each phone?
A closer look at Ring Ring and Tin Can.
| At a glance | Ring Ring Club | Tin Can |
|---|---|---|
| Device | $75 Modern Kit$59 Bridge if you bring a compatible phone; $89 Nostalgic Kit. | $100Tin Can handset. |
| Paid service | $8.95/monthOr $96.66 billed annually. | $9.99/monthParty Line. |
| Free plan | Yes. StarterCalls between connected Ring Ring members. | Yes. Can 2 CanCalls between approved Tin Can contacts. |
| 911 calling | Partly. On the paid plan, with a verified address | Yes. Yes, on every plan including the free one |
| Parent-approved contacts | Yes. Yes | Yes. Yes |
| Use your own phone | Yes. Yes, with the BridgeCompatible analog phones. | No. Uses Tin Can hardware |
| Worth knowing | Choice of handset or adapter | Advertises one month freeOptional in the cost calculator. |
A fair comparison
We’re glad kids are calling again.
Tin Can has helped more families discover screen-free calling. We like that. Ring Ring offers another route: a Modern Kit, a Nostalgic Kit, or a Bridge for a compatible analog phone. A lower hardware entry price is useful, but your child’s calling circle deserves a place in the decision too.
Already have a phone? Meet the Ring Ring Bridge. Still deciding what a first phone should do? Read our first-phone guide and screen-free phone guide. Weighing cost across every kind of kids phone? See the affordable phone for kids comparison. New to the idea of a home phone for your child? Start with what a landline for kids is today.
The wider field
Tin Can vs Pinwheel Home vs Ooma MyPhone, and where we fit
Tin Can started this category. In 2026 it has company. Every one of these is a screen-free Wi-Fi phone for kids with a parent-approved contact list, so the real differences are price, whether you can use a phone you already own, and whether it ships this week.
| Phone | Device | Monthly | Free tier | Use your own phone | Canada | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ring Ring Club | $59 Bridge or $75 Modern Kit | $8.95/mo for a full number | Yes, $0/mo between Ring Ring families (no 911) | Yes, a compatible analog phone via the Bridge | Yes, duties-paid shipping | In stock |
| Tin Can | $100 | $9.99/mo | Yes, Tin Can to Tin Can, with 911 | No | Yes | In stock, ships in about 3 business days |
| Pinwheel Home | $79 Spark or $99 Classic | $6.99/mo Friends & Family (up to 5 outside numbers) or $9.99/mo Unlimited (any number) | Yes, Pinwheel Circle: Pinwheel to Pinwheel, with 911 | No | Yes (and UK) | Launched July 2026 |
| Ooma MyPhone | $79.99 white phone at Walmart; $99.99 direct bundle | $7.99/mo plus taxes and fees | No | No | US retail (Walmart, Best Buy, Costco) | In stock |
Pinwheel Home is the closest thing to Tin Can at a lower price, from a company that already made kids’ smartphones. Its free Pinwheel Circle plan only reaches other Pinwheel Homes, and its $6.99 Friends & Family plan caps outside numbers at 5; Unlimited is $9.99 a month. Our Pinwheel vs Tin Can comparison goes through both plan ladders.
Ooma MyPhone has the widest retail footprint and Ooma’s long history as a home-phone carrier. There is no free tier; the $7.99 service is required from day one. See our Ooma MyPhone comparison, or read Ooma vs Tin Can head to head.
Ring Ring Club is the lowest cost of entry on the list. It is also the only one where a phone you already own is the $59 starting point, not an add-on, and it works on the $0 plan. We are also the smallest company here. Two parents, in the Philadelphia suburbs, answering the support inbox ourselves.
Sources: Ooma prices re-checked October 2, 2026: direct bundle and white phone at Walmart. Retail prices vary by color and offer. Tin Can re-checked September 28, 2026; pinwheel.com re-checked September 28, 2026, at regular prices (Pinwheel sometimes runs sales). Details may have changed since.
A few good questions.
Can we start without a monthly plan?
Ring Ring Starter connects members for free. Tin Can’s Can 2 Can plan is also free within its own network, and it includes 911. Calling people outside either network requires a paid plan.
Does a screen-free phone need internet?
Yes. These phones use your home internet connection. Screen-free describes the calling experience, not an offline connection. Emergency calling also depends on setup, connectivity and power.
What if we live in Canada?
This comparison models US prices in US dollars. Ring Ring ships to Canada with duties paid at checkout: the Bridge and the Modern Kit ship there (the Nostalgic Kit does not), priced in Canadian dollars, with a Canadian number and 9-1-1 on the paid plan. See our Canada page. For Tin Can, check the official Tin Can site for its current regional offer.