Which is Best: Yoto Player or Toniebox 2?
As mums to two four-year-olds – one the proud owner of a Yoto Player (and Yoto Mini) and the other the newly revamped Toniebox 2 – we realised we’re in the perfect position to answer a question that so many parents ask:
Which is best – the Toniebox or the Yoto Player?
Both are fantastic screen-free audio players that promise independent play, educational content and calm, tech-free entertainment. However, both definitely shine in different ways; something we’ve noticed as we’ve trialled both.
As birthdays and celebrations approach, our own class WhatsApp groups regularly fill with questions around which is the better option – the Toniebox 2 or the Yoto Player? It’s difficult (and confusing) to know which is ultimately right for your kid.
To help you make the best decision, we’ll share our real-life comparison to help you decide whether the Toniebox or the Yoto Player is the better choice for your child.
A quick note that this review concerns the newly revamped Toniebox 2, rather than the original model.
With the launch of this newer model, Tonies have clearly tried to close the gap on some of Yoto’s more flexible and interactive features. For example, the new model brings updated controls, a sleeker design and access to Tonieplay (more on this later), all of which promise a more diverse listening experience.
So, now that the Toniebox 2 has levelled up, how do the two actually stack up in terms of content variety, depth and long-term potential? Which is better: the Toniebox 2 or the Yoto Player?
Let’s find out.
What are the Toniebox 2 and the Yoto Player?
At their core, both the Toniebox 2 and the Yoto Player exist for the same purpose: to give kids a screen-free, independent way to enjoy stories, music and creative audio.
Basically, they are a way to remove your kids from their screens and to make you feel like a Good Parent. When it comes to the experience that both of these devices offer, it’s your kids’ imagination does the heavy lifting – and what’s more wholesome than that?
A word of warning: when you first introduce the Toniebox or the Yoto, it can feel a little like puppy training. You have to slowly build up your child’s capacity to just listen, without the lure of glowing pictures or interactive elements.
At first, Olive and Henry (one using a Toniebox 2, the other a Yoto Player) needed help settling into listening mode. I could see both of them looking for the moving images; turning the devices around in their hands as they searched for Bluey or Chase from Paw Patrol.
However, and very gradually, something clicked. In some environments – especially in bed – they learned to simply lay still and listen; conjuring up worlds in their little fledgling imaginations. Since then, they’ve learned to sit, listen and allow the story to unfold without needing a screen to fill in the gaps.
It’s been a bit of a labour of love, but one that’s totally worth it.
Both the Toniebox 2 and the Yoto have become staples in our daily routine: ideal for bedtime stories, perfect companions on long car rides (the Yoto Mini earns top marks here), and handy for quiet-time timers, educational snippets, or even custom audio we upload ourselves.
What is the Toniebox 2?
The Toniebox 2 is a soft, squishy and brightly coloured cube that springs to life when a child places a figurine – called a Tonie – on top.
Each Tonie is a character that unlocks a different story, soundtrack or collection of songs. The tactile nature of the figurines gives the system a toy-like charm, especially appealing for younger kids who love to horde these little figures.
Update on the New Toniebox 2 – 2026
A question you may have is: what’s the difference between the original Toniebox and the Toniebox 2?
At first glance they both look pretty similar, but when you start actually using the Toniebox 2, the improvements are obvious.
The biggest change is the introduction of interactive play.
Instead of simply listening to stories, children can now tap, tilt or press the ears of the Toniebox to take part in simple games, quizzes and choose-your-own-adventure style activities (using the Tonieplay Controller).
It definitely adds a whole new layer of engagement that kids will really enjoy (and was potentially lacking from the original model).
Another noticeable update is the new light ring around the top of the box. It gently glows during stories, gives visual cues when the box is paired or charging, and doubles as a soft nightlight at bedtime (something the Yoto Player already had).
Day-to-day practicality has been improved, too.
The Toniebox 2 now charges via USB-C, so you’re no longer tied to that chunky, specific dock of the old model. Storage has also been boosted, meaning you can fit more audio on the device – especially handy if your child has a large Tonies collection.
(A quick note, all existing figures from the original Toniebox still work perfectly with the new Toniebox 2, so there’s no need to start over).
Overall, the Toniebox 2 keeps everything parents loved about the original, while adding smarter features, greater flexibility and – crucially – a feeling that it’s designed to grow with your child, rather than be quickly outgrown (an area where Yoto clearly had the edge over the first Toniebox).
Yoto Player
The Yoto Player takes a slightly more traditional approach to audio.
It’s a compact speaker powered by physical audio cards – so, rather than a figurine, kids insert a Yoto Card to start listening.
It features simple buttons, pixel-art animations on the front display (to signal each different chapter), built-in sleep sounds, kid-friendly radio stations and a podcast channel.
Ultimately, it feels a little more mature than the Toniebox 2 and is better suited to slightly older, more independent listeners. Without the novelty of the Tonie figurines, the experience is more stripped back and functional, with less emphasis on playfulness.
Key Similarities Between TonieBox 2 and Yoto Player
- Screen-free, kid-friendly audio entertainment
- Simple controls designed for toddlers upwards
- Large libraries of stories, songs and educational content
- Options for recording your own content
- Portable choices (Toniebox is soft while Yoto – especially Yoto Mini – is travel-sized)
- Aimed at encouraging independence and calm play
Toniebox Or Yoto Player: Differences Between the Two
1. Which is Most Attractive to Kids?
One of the first questions many parents ask is: which device will my child be drawn to the most? Which one will they pick up, explore and actually want to use?
When it comes to immediate engagement, especially for younger children, we think the Toniebox 2 takes the lead.
Small figurines – especially ones featuring kids’ favourite characters – are magnetic to little hands. Kids are naturally drawn to objects they can touch, hold and manipulate. I remember when Henry was younger, he would clutch tiny figures for hours, carefully moving them from room to room; carrying them like precious treasures.
The Toniebox 2 directly taps into this tactile curiosity.
The moment a child places a Tonie on the cube, it also magically springs to life, rewarding them instantly. That combination of touch, play and audio stimulation makes it a bit like kiddy catnip.
By contrast, the Yoto Player takes a more minimalistic, gadget-like approach. You have to persuade your kid that it’s going to be fun (if they are young, at least) and work at that gratification a little longer.
Henry got his Yoto Player when he was just about to turn 3 and it really wasn’t until this age (nearly 5) that he’s more interested in sorting through his cards and plugging them in.
While the player itself is sturdy and child-friendly, it looks much more like a speaker than a toy. Using it involves inserting thin Yoto Cards – a process that is simple but less playful (and a bit fiddly for toddler hands).
In short, for ‘pick-me-up-and-play’ appeal, especially for little kids under 4, the Toniebox 2 and its figurines probably have the edge.
The Yoto Player, meanwhile, might only have that instant appeal for older children who appreciate independence and the novelty of cards.
Winner: TonieBox
2. Array of Content
Secondly, which has the better content – the Toniebox 2 or the Yoto Player?
On this, we’ve got to say that the Yoto Player far surpasses the Toniebox 2.
The Toniebox 2 can hold around 400 hours of audio across all its Tonies, with most individual figures offering anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours of stories or songs. Creative Tonies also let you make your own recordings, but each one only holds about 90 minutes worth of content.
The Yoto Player, on the other hand, can store up to 600–700 hours of audio and has an enormous library of over 1,000 cards, covering everything from stories and music to podcasts, radio shows and educational content.
Outside of the Yoto cards, you’ll also find an enormous amount of (free) content on the app, including:
- the chance to play other radio stations (including BBC stations)
- access special timers for things like brushing teeth
- play ‘soundscapes’ to support kids’ play (e.g. a dinosaur land, or construction yard)
- you can even tune into a special bedtime sleep sounds station
- There’s also the option to create your own cards, allowing you to record a grandparent reading a bedtime story, add favourite songs or load a special podcast.
The Toniebox 2, on the other hand, stays closer to the original formula that made the original Toniebox so popular (but also, with that, self-limiting).
Its content is mostly tied to character figurines, delivering stories and songs that little kids already know – largely because the content is tied to the manufactures releases of the individual Tonies. On the other hand, Yoto offers a vast and constantly expanding ecosystem, that includes independent creators, too.
If you kids are under 5, then both devices probably have more than enough content – but as children grow, Yoto’s broader library becomes more valuable. Children can explore music, podcasts, bedtime mixes and even language sessions. In contrast, the Toniebox 2, remains much more limited in terms of content.
Winner: Yoto Player
3. Diversity of Use
When choosing between the Toniebox 2 and the Yoto Player, it’s worth thinking beyond content alone and considering how each device fits into everyday life.
The Toniebox 2 is built around simplicity and physical interaction. However, the addition of Tonieplay does deepen the user experience – encouraging movement, games and participation rather than just sitting and listening (our kids love the quizzes).
So, what is Tonieplay? In short, it tries to bring a little more diversity to the Toniebox, introducing a hands-on gaming experience, via quizzes and short adventure games. To access this new feature, you’ll need to buy the newly released Tonieplay Controller (£12.99), alongside the new games (you have to buy each separately). These games include animal quizzes, scavenger hunts and some themed games – e.g. Gabby’s Dollhouse and Disney quizzes.
While this is a welcome addition to the Toniebox, it’s an expensive one – each game is around £20 and I imagine kids will tire of them very quickly. I’d therefore say it’s a bit of a novelty offering from Toniebox and not one parents’ will want to regularly invest in (unless, of course, they have cash to burn).
We’d therefore say that while the Toniebox excels at storytelling and playing songs, it isn’t designed to play multiple roles throughout the day.
The Yoto Player, in comparison, is designed to slot into many different moments of a child’s day (and even the parents lives’).
In the evening, it works fantastically as a bedtime companion, offering sleep sounds, a gentle night light and timers to help establish routines (we love the tooth brushing timer). During the day, it functions as a music and story player, and for older children, it can also support independent listening through podcasts, radio and educational content.
Portability is another area where Yoto stands out.
The Yoto Mini is compact, lightweight and easy to take on car journeys, holidays or sleepovers, making it a practical screen-free option for when you’re out and about. Once content is downloaded, it can also be played offline.
For parents, Yoto also offers more behind-the-scenes control. Settings can be adjusted through the app, allowing you to manage volume limits, schedules and content without needing to interact with the device itself.
In summary, the Toniebox 2 is great for fun quizzes and character-led storytelling. However, the Yoto Player, especially the Yoto Mini, offers greater flexibility across ages and environments, adapting more easily to bedtime routines, travel and independent listening.
Winner: Yoto Player
4. Accessories
Ok, so which has the best accessories: the Toniebox 2 or the Yoto Player?
The short answer is (and annoyingly) – there probably is no clear winner here. They both do accessories well, but in very different ways.
The Toniebox 2 accessories lean heavily on its toy-like appeal (which Olive loves).
Its accessories are all about protecting the player and making it easier to carry around, along with the Tonies themselves. There are soft fabric sleeves that slip over the box to guard against bumps, themed carry cases and larger storage bags designed to hold the player, charging cable and a small army of figurines.
They also offer their (admittedly very cute) ‘listen and play’ bags, which provides space for the player, figures and headphones – and even features a little flap that can be opened if kids’ want to listen on the go.
There are also some great unofficial Tonies storage solutions – including shelving for the little figurines and giant ferris wheel style storage unit.
Yoto’s accessories, on the other hand, are much more practical in feel – and designed with a sort of Scandi-style minimalism in mind. Whereas Tonies accessories are loud and character-based, Yoto’s just use single brand colours and don’t reference particular characters.
Yoto largely seems to focus on keeping the player safe and usable in different situations. The most popular add-ons are the silicone ‘adventure jackets’ for both the standard Yoto Player and the Yoto Mini, which add grip and extra protection – especially useful if the player is being carried around in a backpack.
There are also hard cases and card organisers, which are really helpful once your child’s card collection starts to grow. Henry has one of the card cases and (almost obsessively) spends a lot of time taking these in and out of the folder.
Both offer headphones, however Tonies offer much more variety in terms of colours, whereas Yoto are just the on-brand orange hue (both offer plug-in and bluetooth options). Yoto’s wireless headphones are also around £3 more expensive than those offered by Tonies.
Personally, both offer pretty similar accessories in terms of function, but do so in very different ways. Tonie’s fully embraces that character-led design and themes, whereas Yoto is a little more cooler for older kids (and parents, too).
Winner: a tie
5. Price
Next – how much bang for your buck do you get when it comes to Yoto vs Toniebox? Which player is best value?
We would say that it’s not just that initial outlay that’s important to consider, but the ongoing costs involved for new content, which can really add up over time.
Upfront Costs: Yoto vs Toniebox 2
If we look at the base devices, the Yoto Player usually comes in slightly cheaper than the Toniebox 2 starter set.
You can get the standard Yoto Player for around £90 (although they are often on sale), while the Toniebox 2 starter bundle – which comes with one Creative Tonie – tends to cost about £100.
Larger Toniebox 2 bundles with multiple figures can go up to £140–£145, depending on where you get it.
If you’re on a tighter budget or want something more travel-friendly, then the Yoto Mini is a great alternative. It’s compact, lightweight and portable, and you can usually find it for a much more reasonable £60–£80, making it the cheapest device overall.
Ongoing Content Costs
This is where we think the two systems start to diverge more noticeably, especially when it comes to costs.
Tonie figures usually cost around £15–£20 each, so building a bigger library can get expensive and very quickly. By contrast, Yoto cards typically cost between £7–£10, making them a more affordable option if you plan to regularly add to your collection (however, some of the cards, like Harry Potter, do seem ridiculously overpriced, around £18 each).
We’d also say that from our experience, Yoto has a lot more free content, which makes the system a lot more affordable over time. Tonie has launched a similar free podcast (‘Today with Tonies’) to rival Yoto’s very popular daily podcast, but given that they don’t work with independent creators – their free content is much more limited than Yoto.
Value Over Time
So which gives you best lifetime value – Yoto or Toniebox?
We would say, if this is your child’s first device and you love the idea of physical figures, the Toniebox 2 starter set offers good value because it comes ready to go with a figure included.
However, if you’re thinking long-term, the Yoto Player – or the Yoto Mini for portability – is definitely the cheaper option overall. Cards are less expensive than figures and the device grows with your child.
Winner: Yoto Player
6. Subscriptions
Lastly, do the Yoto Player and Toniebox offer subscription services?
Yes, both offer subscription services, which you’ll only want to use if you’re using either device religiously. However, both are very different from one another.
Furthermore, the official Tonies subscription service is only available in the US. There are a few available in the UK, but these are not official and are run by the likes of The Beautiful Book Company.
Tonies Subscription
With a Tonies subscription, you get a curated selection of Tonie figures delivered to your door on a regular basis.
Typically, this means two or three new Tonies every month – or couple of months – chosen based on your child’s age and interests. Subscribing also usually comes with perks like discounted prices on the figures and free delivery. Essentially, we’d say that it’s a convenience and savings service, rather than a continuous stream of new stories or audio content.
In terms of cost, it depends on which subscription you go for (based on age, or theme – e.g. Disney) – as some are more expensive than others. However, if you’re in the US, you can expect to get two Tonie figures a month for $16.99.
Yoto Subscription Service
Yoto, on the other hand, has a more traditional subscription service called the Yoto Club.
For a monthly fee, you get credits to redeem against new Yoto cards, access to exclusive releases and sometimes additional perks like discounts on other products.
It operates across three tiers – the cheapest level (‘Explorer’ level) focuses on monthly access to digital content, meaning your child can continually expand their library without needing to collect physical items.
Above this, the other two subscription tiers – ‘Collector’ and ‘Collector+’ – both come with one or two credits towards physical cards each month, alongside access to the digital content too.
Overall, I think (sorry, Tonies) that the Yoto’s subscription services wins again. Ultimately, you get much more content and benefits for the money – particularly with the digital content offering, alongside the physical cards.
However, we do think that if you were to sign up to either, you would need to be using your device every day (religiously so) and want to be continually expanding your collection. As such, I do wonder just how many have subscriptions to either.
Winner: Yoto
Conclusion: Which is Better – Yoto Player vs Toniebox 2?
So, having used both the Yoto Player (including the Yoto Mini) and the newly revamped Toniebox 2, which comes out on top?
Across the board, the Yoto Player clearly takes the lead. Its wider range of content, greater portability, lasting value, flexibility and access to excellent subscription services mean you’ll probably enjoy much better long-term return on investment with this device.
In our household, the Yoto Player has genuinely become part of daily life. I’ve watched how our usage has evolved from when Henry was 2 to now at 5. It provides an effortless way to immerse him in stories, educational content (he loves their BrainBots series) and even different languages – he especially loves the free European radio stations. We take it on planes and trains, in the car and at bedtime – and we regularly use its timers to help structure the day.
It’s an integral piece of kit for our family and I absolutely love it.
That said, we wouldn’t write off the Toniebox 2 entirely.
For younger kids in particular, the Toniebox 2 is brilliant. It’s fun, vibrant, character-led and has a real novelty factor that the Yoto Player doesn’t quite manage. For many kids aged roughly 2–6, the Toniebox may also have stronger immediate appeal – especially with its tactile figures and the recent additions of quizzes and games.
However, once children get older – around age 6 and up – we think the novelty would start to wear off, especially as they begin to move beyond character-specific content like Peppa Pig. Furthermore, and while Tonieplay is a nice introduction to the Toniebox 2, each game is pretty expensive and kids may get bored after a few plays.
In that respect, the Toniebox feels more like an expensive toy than a long-term audio companion. It’s brilliantly engaging at a young age, but (we believe) less suitable as children grow and their interests expand.
So, if you’re wondering which is best – the Toniebox 2 or the Yoto Player – we would have to conclude that the Yoto Player is the winner.
Key Takeaways
- Both Devices Are Excellent Screen-Free Options
The Toniebox 2 and Yoto Player are both designed to give kids independent, screen-free listening for stories, music and more – but they definitely shine in different ways depending on your child’s age and interests. - Toniebox 2 is More Playful for Younger Kids
Thanks to its tactile figurines and interactive feel, the Toniebox 2 appeals more immediately to toddlers and preschoolers who enjoy hands-on play and character-based content. - Yoto Has a Bigger, More Flexible Content Library
The Yoto Player stores more audio and offers a wider range of content, including stories, music, podcasts, radio channels and educational cards. This makes it more future-proof as children grow. - Daily Use & Features Lean in Yoto’s Direction
Yoto doesn’t just play cards – it also acts as a routine tool with sleep sounds, timers, night lights and portability (especially with the Yoto Mini). This gives it broader everyday use compared to Toniebox’s primarily storytelling focus. - Accessories Serve Different Purposes
Toniebox accessories are cute and character-centred, perfect for storing and transporting figurines. Yoto accessories tend to be more practical, focusing on protection and organisation (e.g., silicone jackets and card holders). - Price & Value Differ Over Time
Upfront, the Yoto Player usually costs a bit less than a Toniebox 2 bundle, and the Yoto Mini is significantly cheaper. Content cards for Yoto are generally more affordable than Tonie figurines, so Yoto can be cheaper in the long run too. - Subscriptions Are Not the Same
While both platforms offer subscription-style options, they work very differently. Tonies’ subscription (in the US) delivers physical figurines over time, whereas Yoto’s subscription (Yoto Club) delivers digital content or credits toward new cards.
Which Is Best?
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Best for younger kids who love tangible play: Toniebox 2
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Best long-term value, content variety and daily utility: Yoto Player
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Best on-the-go & more affordable option: Yoto Mini