Yoto vs Tonie: What’s the Best Audio Player for Kids?

If you’re like us, you’re always looking for fun activities for your child that will encourage them to use their imagination while offering screen-free entertainment you can feel good about.

Studies show that limiting screen time is crucial to healthy development. Organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization release strict recommended guidelines for how long children should spend on electronics every day.

Enter the Yoto Player and the Toniebox!

Yoto and Toniebox have created revolutionary yet wonderfully simple audio players designed with kids in mind.

Both the Yoto player and the Toniebox offer hours of screen-free listening, allowing children to listen to their favorite podcasts, audiobooks, and have dance parties by utilizing colorful cards and figurines.

You have the ability to purchase music, stories, and audiobooks or to record your own stories for kids to listen to. We have both a Toniebox and a Yoto player, and they have become great additions to our cozy reading nook!

We’ve put together a comprehensive guide comparing Yoto vs. Tonies so you can discover more about these incredible audio players and choose which one is best for your kids.

Are you ready? Let’s go!

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In this post

• Yoto Player and Toniebox Features at a Glance
• The Yoto Player
  • Features
  • Content
  • Cost
  • Accessories
• The Toniebox
  • Features
  • Content
  • Cost
  • Accessories
• Brief Comparison: Yoto vs Toniebox
• Final Thoughts

We get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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Yoto Player and Toniebox Features At-A-Glance

Before we begin, we’ve created a quick overview of the features of both the Yoto Player and the Toniebox, highlighting some of our favorite features.

We hope this helps you choose between Yoto vs Tonie!

Yoto Player

• Up to eight hours of play with every charge
• Play white noise, sleep sounds, and more
• Ability to attach 3.5mm headphones
• Can be used as a Bluetooth speaker
• Hours of free content available on the Yoto app
• Sleep timer

Toniebox

• Built-in soft padding
• 100-day happiness guarantee
• Quiet mode headphone option
• Easy to use for younger kids

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Yoto Player Overview

The Yoto Player is designed with growing kids in mind, offering a wide range of ever-increasing options for children up to 12 years old. While it’s a great option for older kids, younger children will have an equally wonderful time as they enjoy hours of audio entertainment.

How It Works

The Yoto Player plays songs, audiobooks, podcasts, or kid radio stations using cards, which kids can insert into a card slot.

The player must be connected to wifi when playing a card for the first time.

The new Yoto card is then downloaded onto the player, and once downloaded, it no longer requires a wifi connection to play, which is great news for kids on the go. Kids can replay it on the audio player again and again.

Setup

Setup on the Yoto Player is quick and easy, you simply need to open the Yoto app and connect the player to wifi to begin.

When you open your player for the first time, you will see a welcome card; insert it into the card slot and follow the instructions, and you’re all set!

Features

The Yoto Player is designed to promote independent play by making it easy for younger kids to access their favorite audio content, without worrying about complicated gadgetry.

While operating the Yoto Player is simple, it does have unique design features that help it stand apart.

• 16 GB of Offline Audio Storage

The player can store 16GB or about 350 hours of audio that kids can listen to when the player is not connected to wifi. Kids can simply insert previously downloaded cards and listen away! This is great for using the player in the card, while outside, or during plane travel.

• Make Your Own Cards

The Yoto player includes a fun customization option where kids can use the app to download their own recordings, music, or audiobooks to Make Your Own Cards, allowing kids to create customized content.

Free content from the Yoto app, such as podcasts and kid radio, can also be loaded onto Make Your Own Cards. This is a great way for kids to access this content without needing to use a phone to play it via the Yoto app.

•Pixel Display

A favorite among both younger and older children is the pixel display, which shows pixelated pictures that correspond to the content as it plays.

Your child can even create their own pixel symbol when they use the Make Your Own Card feature!

•Bluetooth Connectivity

The Yoto Player also features Bluetooth capability, allowing you to connect your phone and play your favorite audio files or content from the Yoto app.

*Note: if this is the main feature that you are looking for, you can save a bunch of money by simply purchasing a Bluetooth speaker! You can still play free content from the Yoto app or any cards you might own, even if you don’t buy a Yoto player.

• Sleep Timer

The included sleep timer allows parents to set the Yoto to turn off after a certain number of minutes or at a certain time. This is a great feature for saving battery and for use at bedtime!

Parents can set the sleep timer in the Yoto app.

• Nightlight

When the Yoto player is placed down on its face, a nightlight turns on. The brightness of the light can be adjusted or turned all the way off using the right button.

Parents can use the Yoto app to set day and night modes. The light turns from red to green to let children know that it is “daytime,” and they can get up out of bed in the morning. We love this feature for young children who do not yet read a clock!

• Clock

The face of the Yoto player displays a clock.

The Yoto clock can also be set to show day and night mode with a sun for the day and a moon for the night. Parents can set the day and night times in the Yoto app to help kids know when they can get out of bed.

For those kids that sleep in, the Yoto can be used as an alarm clock.

*Note: the night light and clock cannot be used at the same time as the player must be placed down on its face for the light to turn on.

Yoto Mini

While the Yoto Player is great for all ages, some parents may prefer a smaller, even more portable option, which is why Yoto just launched the Yoto Mini.

The Yoto Mini uses the same cards as the Yoto Player but in a miniature version! With the Yoto Mini, your child can enjoy up to twenty hours of play with every charge, thanks to the lightning-fast USB-C charging cable.

Just like its full-size cousin, you can control the Yoto Mini in the app, using it as a Bluetooth speaker or enjoying quiet mode with attachable headphones. It even features the same pixel display as the Yoto Player in a smaller size!

Content

Of course, the most important aspect of the Yoto Player is its content offerings, of which there are plenty!

Choose from the wide selection of age-appropriate audiobooks, including favorites like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Disney classics, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, as well as shorter stories, and more.

• Our favorite pack for older kids is the ‘The Phizz-Whizzing Collection’ by Roald Dahl.

There are educational options for teaching subjects like math, English, science, and history, as well as literary classics like Heidi, Treasure Island, etc. There are hundreds of audiobooks for kids ages three to twelve plus, or your child can listen to music on Yoto radio or their favorite age-appropriate daily podcast.

You can choose content geared to your child’s personality for a one-of-a-kind experience they’re sure to love.

Battery and Charging

Yoto Player has a safe charging station that can reach a full charge in two to three hours and will provide around six hours of run time. The Yoto app has a feature that allows you to set a sleep time, which is a great way to conserve battery life.

Durability and Usability

The Yoto Player is crafted to last, featuring a sturdy, hard plastic outer construction. For younger children, an optional silicon adventure jacket accessory provides extra padding and additional resistance to bumps and drops.

The cube shape makes it easy for kids to carry around, while the two orange knobs work as controllers for power, volume, and switching between the radio, player, and Bluetooth, allowing for easy adjustments for even the smallest hands.

Cost

The Yoto Player system is around $99.99 and includes the player, magnetic charging dock, and welcome card.

You can choose to join the Yoto club, which offers two Yoto cards of your choice per month, 10% off all purchases, and free shipping on all orders with no minimum. Yoto club members can pay an annual fee of $99 or a monthly fee of $9.99/ per month. This brings the price of each new Yoto card down to just $5!

There is also a Yoto Starter Pack, which includes six cards featuring stories, music, sound effects, an activity, podcast, a Make Your Own, to get your child started.

You can also purchase Yoto cards starting at only $8.99 each allowing you to access much more content guaranteed to delight your little one. Yoto also has an impressive selection of accessories.

Accessories

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Toniebox Overview

Toniebox is the perfect kids’ music player for younger children due to its indestructibility, fun colors, and exciting audio adventures. This impressive audio player has everything kids need for screen-free play.

Although older kids will also enjoy many features, the bright colors and cute design make it the perfect option for young kids.

It comes with an included charging station, welcome booklet, Tonie, and audio player, so your child has everything they need to start listening.

How It Works

Unlike the Yoto Player, Toniebox uses magnetized “Tonies” to play the music and stories.

These small figurines are waterproof and hand-painted and are the perfect size for small hands to hold.

Simply place the Tonie on top of the audio player, press one of the volume control ears, and the Toniebox will begin playing the child-friendly corresponding content.

The player must be connected to wifi when using a Tonie for the first time. All the content downloads after the first use, so you can use your Toniebox anywhere, even without an internet connection.

Setup

Both the TonieBox and the Yoto Player require a wifi connection and a phone for the initial setup, and you must create an account in the Toniebox App to get started. Through the app, grant Toniebox access to your wifi, and that’s it! Your child can now place their favorite Tonie on the box and start listening.

Features

As with the Yoto Player, Toniebox is designed for independent play thanks to the fun-to-use Tonies and thoughtful kid-friendly features.

• 8 GB of Offline Audio Storage

The Toniebox can store up to 8 GB of audio, and we have found this to be more than enough for on-the-go listening. Each Tonie is loaded onto the player after the first use and can then be used offline!

• Extreme Durability

The Toniebox is nearly indestructible thanks to the soft built-in padding and water-resistant fabric that surrounds the player! This makes it perfect for even the youngest listeners and gives parents peace of mind.

While recommended for ages 3+, we have seen babies love and use the box with ease.

• Attractive Figurines

Each cute Tonie figurine is well-designed and beautifully painted. Kids are drawn to the fun colors and love placing them on the box to listen to their stories and music.

• Creative Tonies

Kids can use Creative Tonies, which work like a blank tape, allowing them to record their own content or load their favorite audio content, which they can listen to again and again.

This can be a fun way for parents or grandparents to record stories for kids to listen to.

There are many fun Creative Tonie designs for kids to choose from, and each can hold up to 90 minutes of audio and up to 99 separate tracks.

• Cute Control Buttons

Toniebox takes fun to the next level with the control knob “ears” which allow kids to adjust the volume. The intuitive design of the ears makes it easy to remember that the large ear increases the volume while the small ear lowers the volume.

• Acceleration Senor for Changing Tracks

The Toniebox features an acceleration sensor that allows users to simply tilt the box to change tracks. This makes it incredibly easy to switch to the next song, chapter, or story.

* Unfortunately, there is no night light feature or Bluetooth ability, but the Creative Tonie option will still satisfy even the harshest critic. We love that it does not rely on Bluetooth connectivity to deliver content—any desired content can be loaded onto a Tonie for kids to use independently of an app or adult help!

Content

You want your child to have a wide content selection with their audio player, and the TonieBox delivers around 150 Tonies to choose from!

Kids will enjoy all the Tonies available, with new characters added frequently. There are many well-known characters, such as Peppa Pig, Mickey Mouse, and Paw Patrol Characters.

There are also favorite kids’ stories such as Room On the Broom, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and even abridged versions of chapter books such as Matilda and James and the Giant Peach.

The Creative Tonie option lets kids bring their character to life, allowing for an even wider range of content.

Battery and Charging

Toniebox has around seven hours of charge time and takes about three hours on the charging dock to reach 100%. Many users say that it outlasts the Yoto player per charge.

But the box does not have an off switch and only turns off after ten minutes of inactivity.

Durability and Usability

Thanks to its built-in padding, the Toniebox is incredibly durable and suitable for young kids. Its attached control knob ears make it easier for little hands to make adjustments, while the small figurines make for endless fun.

While older children may not find the Tonies as appealing, there’s no doubt the younger ones will appreciate the bright colors and thoughtful design.

Cost

Toniebox is the same price as the Yoto Player, with the starter set costing around $99.99. Apart from an included hard plastic Tonie, additional tonies are sold separately, starting at $17.99 each.

There isn’t a membership option like the Yoto Club, but there are bundle and save sets available. Toniebox has a wide selection of additional accessory options as well.

Accessories

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Brief Comparison: Yoto vs Tonie

Here is a final comparison to help you decide which player is best for your kids!

• Durability

Toniebox > Yoto Player

The built-in padding makes the Toniebox extra durable. We use it with babies and have seen it stand up to being dropped and rolled. Adding an adventure jacket can increase the durability of the Yoto and Yoto mini, but we find that these work best for kids who are a bit older.

*Note: we use a Yoto Mini with a 1.5-year-old while riding in the car, and its held up just fine to such light use.

• Free Content

Yoto Player > Toniebox

While you can use your own content with both Yoto Make Your Own Cards and Creative Tonies, the Yoto app has more free content than Tonie. You can find hours of podcasts, radio, soundscapes, noises for sleep, and educational content in the Yoto app. This free content can be played via Bluetooth or linked to a Yoto card.

Some free content can be found in the Tonie app, like songs and educational content. But the descriptions are less detailed than Yoto free content and do not list the length of each piece of audio.

• Storage of Books/Music

Yoto Player > Toniebox

The Yoto cards are small and easy to store in a card case, while the Tonies are much bulkier. But the Tonies are super cute, and we love displaying ours on a shelf where it is easy for kids to see and pick the content they would like to listen to.

• Ease of Use for Babies/Toddlers

Toniebox > Yoto Player

The simplicity of the Toniebox makes it perfect for young kids and slightly easier to use than the Yoto player. All they have to do is simply place the magnetized Tonie on top of the box for music to play.

• Contet for Ages 6+

Yoto Player > Toniebox

The Yoto player has more content for older kids with hours of chapter books to choose from, like The Boxcar Children, Stuart Little, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and Holes.

We have found that the majority of stories and songs for the Toniebox are best suited for kids age one to five.

• Battery Life

Toniebox = Yoto Player

Both players have a similar battery life though the Yoto player can be turned off while the Toniebox has no off switch and must be left for ten minutes to turn off on its own.

• Cost

Yoto Player = Toniebox

The Yoto Player and the Toniebox are similar in price though adding an adventure jacket to a Yoto player increases the overall cost.

The price of content is where the costs begin to differ. For example, each audio player features The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Stories, but the Yoto card is only $9.99 (or 1 credit for Yoto Club members), while the Tonie is $19.99. Over time, this can begin to add up.

• Options to Load Your Own Content

Yoto Player > Toniebox

Each Make Your Own Yoto card can hold up to 5 hours of content, while each Creative Tonie can hold only 90 minutes.

This makes the Yoto perfect for adding longer chapter books for older kids, but we have found 90 minutes of content to be more than sufficient for younger children!

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ProTips

We’ve been using both the Yoto Player and the Toniebox, and here are our top tips to get you listening like a pro!

1. Use sticky velcro to tape down the charging port.

This makes it easy for kids to independently remove the player from the charging port without pulling on the cord. The velcro allows the charging port to be moved or taken on trips as needed.

2. Save money using Make-Your-Own cards and Creative Tonies.

Already own lots of music or audio content? Save money by loading it onto a Yoto card or Tonie!

For example, instead of buying the Laurie Berkner Band Tonie for $17.99, load your favorite Laurie Berkner songs that you already own onto a Creative Tonie and change the content as your child’s interest changes.

3. Save money by buying/trading for used cards and Tonies.

Used Yoto cards and Tonies are a great way to save some money and pass along content that your kids have outgrown. Here are a few groups to check out:

• Yoto Community Facebook Group
• Toniebox USA Facebook Group
• Facebook Marketplace

You can also ask around in your neighborhood or at your child’s school and create your own group for exchanging content!

4. Let kids read along as they listen to books.

Many kids love to read along as they listen to books, and this is an excellent way to work on their reading skills.

The library can be a great resource for finding copies of books without the need to buy all of them. Used books can be an inexpensive way of providing copies of favorite stories that kids listen to again and again.

Final Thoughts

When choosing audio players for screen-free fun, you can’t go wrong with the Yoto Player or the Toniebox. Both offer exceptional sound quality and wide selections of child-friendly content.

While young children may prefer the Toniebox thanks to its durability and colorful Tonies, older kids may like the Yoto Player for its additional features like Bluetooth capability, nightlight, and long content.

Whichever option you choose, this side-by-side comparison shows they are both wonderful alternatives to traditional electronics and provide your child with hours of screen-free play!