The report card
- Parental controls25% of score8.0
Screen Time and Family Sharing are powerful but take effort to configure.
- Durability & warranty20% of score5.0
No case or accidental damage cover included.
- Kid-safe content20% of score8.4
The best app store for quality children's apps, but you have to curate it.
- Screen, speed & battery15% of score9.4
A16 chip, a sharp 11-inch display and years of software updates.
- Value & running costs20% of score5.0
£429 plus a case is a big spend for a young child.
The full review
The standard iPad is Apple's cheapest tablet, and TechRadar still names it the best tablet for kids overall. It's easy to see why: the A16 chip is quick, the 11-inch display is sharp (2360 x 1640), and it will get software updates for years.
For young children, though, it's the wrong tool out of the box. There's no case, no replace-if-broken guarantee and no bundled children's content. Apple's Screen Time and Family Sharing let you set limits, filter content and block in-app spending, but you have to set them up carefully yourself.
Price is the other issue. Apple raised iPad prices in June 2026 amid rising memory costs, and the 128GB Wi-Fi model is now £429 direct (some retailers sell it for a little less). Add a sturdy kids' case and you're paying around three times the price of a Fire HD 8 Kids.
Where it makes sense is for older, careful children, or as a shared family tablet the kids borrow. Apple quotes up to 10 hours of battery.
Pros and cons
What I like
- Fast A16 chip and a sharp 11-inch display
- The best selection of quality apps
- Long software support
- Powerful Screen Time controls
What I don't
- Expensive after the June 2026 price rise
- No case or damage cover included
- Controls take effort to set up
Key specs
- Chip
- A16
- Screen
- 11-inch, 2360 x 1640
- Storage
- 128GB, 256GB or 512GB
- Battery
- Up to 10 hours (Apple figure)
- Cameras
- 12MP rear, 12MP front
- Weight
- 477g (Wi-Fi model)
Head-to-heads
What I read
This is a research-led review. These are the main sources behind the scores, alongside patterns in verified owner reviews. How I review.