Homie vs. Tin Can: How the Two Modern Landlines Compare
Tin Can helped make the modern landline famous. Here's an honest look at how Homie compares — pricing, call screening, who each one is built for, and what makes Homie different.
If you've been looking for a modern landline, you've almost certainly come across Tin Can — the viral Wi-Fi phone for kids that's earned coverage in NYT Wirecutter and sold hundreds of thousands of units. Tin Can helped prove that families want the home phone back.
We're big admirers of what Tin Can started. But Homie was built with a wider idea of who a modern landline is for. Here's an honest comparison. (A note up front: Homie is est. to ship by Fall 2026, so this compares our design and pricing to Tin Can's shipping product — we're confident, and we're not going to pretend we've been reviewed yet.)
The quick comparison
| Homie | Tin Can | |
|---|---|---|
| Concept | Modern home phone for the whole household | WiFi landline for kids |
| Device price | $99 one-time | $100 one-time |
| Outside-calling plan | $99/yr or $10/mo · cancel anytime | $9.99/mo · annual billing also offered |
| Phone-to-phone calls | Free between Homie phones | Free Can-2-Can calls |
| Approved contacts only | Yes — everyone else blocked | Yes — everyone else blocked |
| 911 | Included* | Included* |
| Setup | Wi-Fi · no phone jack, no carrier bill | Wi-Fi · plugs into outlet |
| Built for | Kids, families & grandparents | Kids |
| Design focus | One shared home phone for generations | Kids’ independence and connection |
| Buying timeline | Est. to ship by Fall 2026 | Shipping product |
Tin Can details per its product page and NYT Wirecutter. Pricing accurate at time of writing.
Where the two are similar
At the core, both phones share the same DNA: a Wi-Fi home phone, an approved-contacts list that blocks everyone else, free calling between units, a paid plan for calling regular phones, and 911 calling included. If you loved the Tin Can idea, you already understand Homie.
A note on 911: for Homie, 911 calling is included. It works over the internet, needs power and Wi-Fi, and can be affected by outages, so families should keep a mobile phone on hand for emergencies.
Same core idea, different household jobs
The most important similarity is also the practical one: both brands center the contact list. A kid does not need a smartphone just to call a friend, and a household does not have to let every unknown number interrupt the day. That shared idea matters more than a long list of gadget features.
The difference is where each phone starts. Tin Can begins with a kid who needs a safe way to reach an approved circle. Homie starts with the shared home: a child calling a friend, a parent calling a regular number, or an older relative who should not have to face an unexpected scam call. Neither approach is automatically better; it depends on who will use the phone and whether you need it now.
Where Homie is different
1. Built for the whole home, not just kids
Tin Can is marketed squarely at kids. Homie is designed for three people under one roof: the kids calling friends, the family that wants less screen time, and the grandparents who need a phone that scammers can't reach.
2. A serious answer to scam calls for older relatives
Because Homie blocks every unapproved number, it doubles as one of the safest phones you can put in an older parent's home. Robocalls and phone scams — a real danger for seniors — simply never ring through.
3. The home-phone feeling, on purpose
Homie is a slim, powder-blue handset that looks and feels like the phone you grew up with. Our whole idea is captured in one line: come home like we used to.
Who each one is for: everyday household scenarios
A child who wants to call friends now
If your main goal is a kid-focused landline that is already shipping, Tin Can is the straightforward choice to consider. Its product is built around giving children a way to call an approved group without handing them a smartphone. For a family that needs that solution today, availability can outweigh every other comparison point.
A shared kitchen or hallway phone
Some households want a single number and a single place to call from: the phone in the kitchen, the apartment entryway, or the spot where everyone drops their backpack. Homie is designed around that broader home-phone role. It is Wi-Fi-based, with no phone jack and no carrier bill, and it can serve more than one age group without asking the device to be a child’s personal gadget.
A grandparent who is tired of unknown callers
For an older adult, the key question is not nostalgia. It is whether the phone rings only for people they know. Homie’s approved-contacts call screening blocks everyone else before the phone rings, so family, friends, and known care contacts can get through without opening the door to a stream of surprise calls. That is a different reason to want a modern landline than a child’s first phone.
Two homes that want an easy family line
Maybe one Homie lives with the grandchildren and another with a grandparent, or one is at a primary home and another at a second household. Homie-to-Homie calling is free, which makes the relationship between the two homes part of the appeal. If outside calling is needed, the Everywhere plan is $99 a year by default or $10 a month, and the monthly option can be cancelled anytime. Homie is est. to ship by Fall 2026, so this is the fit for a household that can plan ahead rather than one that needs a phone this week.
A simple way to make the decision
Before comparing details, ask three plain questions. Who is the phone really for? Do you need a kid-focused phone that is already available, or are you planning for a shared household phone? And which calls should be allowed to interrupt the room? Your answers will usually make the choice clearer than a feature checklist. Both products use approved contacts; the meaningful difference is whether that idea needs to serve one child or a wider household.
Frequently asked questions
Does Homie need a phone jack or a carrier bill?
No. Homie is Wi-Fi-based, so there is no phone jack and no carrier bill. As with other internet-connected calling, setup depends on a working Wi-Fi connection and power.
What happens when someone outside the approved contacts calls Homie?
They are blocked before the phone rings. That is the point of Homie’s call screening: the household decides who is allowed to interrupt the room, rather than trying to sort through unknown callers after the fact.
So which should you choose?
If you want a kid-focused phone that's shipping today, Tin Can is a proven, well-reviewed choice and we recommend taking it seriously. If you want one modern landline that works for your children, your household, and your parents — and you're happy to pre-order now — est. to ship by Fall 2026 — Homie is built for exactly that.
Come home like we used to.
Homie is the new home phone that only rings for the people you approve. Est. to ship by Fall 2026.