Yoto vs Toniebox: Which Player Deserves a Spot In Your Child’s Bedtime Routine?

Audiobooks before bed – it’s the nostalgia trip we can all relate to, right? Fast-forward to now, and bedtime storytelling has had a glow-up. Enter the child-friendly audio players, the must-have gadget for modern parenting. The key to both the Toniebox and Yoto Player are that they're screen-free, which helps kids to wind down away from glaring pixels - something which our parents pointed out in their reviews of both gadgets.

With Black Friday 2024 deals landing, many parents, including us at Grazia, are asking: which is better the Toniebox or the Yoto Player? Let’s break it down, so you can make the best choice for your kids' Christmas presents.

What Is The Difference Between Yoto And Toniebox?

Toniebox

Soft, squishy the Toniebox skips the screens too but does so with an extra touch of magic. Its audio content comes via hand-painted figurines—aka Tonies—that little hands can easily pop on top of the box. Think Peppa Pig, Peter Rabbit, Disney and a whole lineup of bedtime favourites. And speaking of Peppa, the Toniebox Peppa Pig Starter Set is now £87.99 thanks to the Amazon Black Friday 2024 sale.

Yoto Player

The Yoto Player is a tech-savvy, screen-free audio device designed to spark imagination. Using story cards, this gadget seamlessly delivers bedtime tales, music, and even podcasts. Bonus points? It doubles as a Bluetooth speaker as your child grows. You can make some savings on the Yoto Player in Amazon's Black Friday sale now.

Is Five Too Old For A Toniebox?

The Toniebox is a superstar for younger kids and the brand states it's suitable for ages three years and up. It’s tough enough to survive being tossed around and super simple to use. Plus, the figurines double as toys, keeping little hands (and imaginations) busy.

What age is appropriate for Yoto?

However, for some older kids they might prefer the Yoto Player, it is suitable for three years and up, but we reckon ages from five year and up will appreciate it more. It has a grown-up aesthetic using story cards instead of figurines, it also has Bluetooth capabilities and more advanced features—hello, podcasts and radio—so becomes a gadget that grows with them.

Yoto Player vs Toniebox: Price Difference

How Much Is A Yoto Player?

The Yoto Player is £89.99. This gets you the device, a USB-C charger, and a welcome card. Yoto Cards range from £1.99 to £9.99, with premium packs costing a touch more.

Grazia and Mother&Baby parenting writer, Hannah Carroll, says of the price: "I think that the price of the Yoto Player is very reasonable. Sitting at just under £90, it is a small price to pay for a slightly more peaceful night. However, some multipack cards are retailing at more than £20, and a single card will set you back on average £7. That said, you are paying for the luxury of someone else reading to your child rather than telling the story itself."

How Much Is A Toniebox?

At £79.95, the Toniebox starter kit includes the box, a charging dock, and one Creative-Tonie, which you can record your own content on. Individual Tonies start at £9.99, with most priced around £14.99.

What About The Features?

The Yoto Player pulls ahead here with a 24-hour battery life and extras like a room thermometer, nightlight, and wake-up clock.

The Yoto Player also comes in a Yoto Mini, which is smaller but most of the features that we love about the Yoto Player are still included such as: the Yoto Daily, Yoto Radio, sleep sounds, pixel display and day-and-night clock. The mini is a handy size for listening on the go and will work well in the car if you download your little one's cards for them before travelling.

In terms of battery life, the Toniebox is great - it can be used for around seven hours says the official website, but anecdotally, some parents have found it to be longer. Also, the charging pod is very easy to use, so if you have an older child who you trust, they can pop the Toniebox on the charging pad, and you can continue listening to stories.

Do Tonieboxes or Yoto Players Come With Accessories?

Both players offer plenty of accessories, from headphones to carry cases many of which are in the Black Friday sales. The Toniebox includes a charging dock, while Yoto’s dock costs an extra £29.99. The Yoto Player’s protective jacket (£24.99) is a must for clumsy hands, but the Toniebox’s soft shell makes it rugged enough straight out of the box.

The Verdict: Is Tonie or Yoto better?

There are loads of forums where parents ask the same question. But as with all things parenting, (annoyingly) it's down to what's right for your family. The Yoto has more features like an in-build night-light, tells the time and room temperature and a long battery life. The Toniebox is catching up with some of these features, but you might have to buy separately, for instance buying a podcast Tonie or night light Tonie. Tonie characters are perhaps more robust, being made of plastic instead of the Yoto cards, but Yoto cards are perhaps a little cheaper and go up higher age-range wise.

For younger children and tighter budgets, the Toniebox wins with its simple, durable design and adorable figurines. For older kids—or if you’re after more tech features—the Yoto Player is the go-to with its modern edge and versatility.

Hannah adds of her verdict on the Yoto Player: "There are a few changes I would make to the Yoto Player. Firstly, I love the card aspect, but there isn’t anywhere to store them without paying extra. This is a slight problem with the Yoto - everything comes at an extra cost. So, although the device is reasonable, all of the cards and accessories make this a luxurious purchase.

"Not engaging enough for the daytime. To be completely fair, this could just be my children. I am sure some little boys and girls would sit nicely and listen to a Yoto story in the middle of the day; however, they unfortunately do not in my household. For children under eight, I think it would be a hard task to get them to pick the Yoto in the daytime over other toys, games and devices."

Rhiannon Evans, senior editor and mum of two gives her honest verdict of the Toniebox: "The Toniebox is a robust music and story box (mine have been thrown around the room and into various car boots many times). The square Toniebox is an audio player that's really easy to operate for tiny hands, too. There are over 200 Tonies available to buy, which are really cute characters that the child then places on top of the Toniebox to start playing that particular story (musical Tonies are also available).

"There are SO many options when it comes to Tonies and my son is now so obsessed that whenever he falls in love with a new book, film or TV show, straight away he asks me to see if it also exists in Tonie form. There are nursery faves (songs and stories), Disney hits (which both tell stories and play songs), classic storytime tales, educational titles and more. The brand has just launched its new advent calendar Tonie - an adorable reindeer who will upload a new story via your WiFi every day - and there's a podcast Tonie, too.

Ultimately, it’s about what fits your family. But one thing’s for sure: bedtime just got a whole lot cooler.

Natalie Corner is a Commercial Content Editor for Grazia, deeply invested in her skincare routine she is never without SPF. She has tried and tested all sorts of hair products for curly hair and is on a mission to find the perfect under-eye colour corrector.