Comparison

Yoto vs Common Sense Media

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Yoto

Provides a safe, ad-free audio experience for children aged 0-12+, featuring stories, music, and podcasts. Parents can manage content and settings, while kids enjoy flexible listening options and personalized audio.

Highlights
  • Ad-free audio content for kids
  • Parental controls and management
  • Stories, music, and podcasts library
  • CarPlay integration for on-the-go listening
  • Customizable bedtime routines and alarms
  • Recordable voice messages and stories
Features
Read full description

Explore a world of stories, music and podcasts, safe, ad-free and built for kids 0–12+, while you stay in control. With the Yoto App, parents set up and manage Yoto Players and Minis, while kids enjoy a rich, safe audio experience. No ads, no distractions. Always something new • Fresh stories every month, plus kids-safe music, podcasts and a library of family favorites. Flexible listening, anywhere • Play cards directly from the app or connect via CarPlay for family soundtracks on the go. Peace of mind for parents • Set volume limits, day/night modes, alarms and bedtime, building healthy routines while letting kids press "play." Bedtime, sorted • Cue calming sleep stories and sleep sounds; let the Player's night-light and thermometer keep things cosy. Make it personal • Record your own voice messages or bedtime stories, a perfect way for grandparents, carers or friends to share love from afar. Stay up to date • Browse new Yoto Card releases, hand-picked picks and special offers in the app's curated newsfeed.

About

Common Sense Media

This app provides parents with unbiased reviews and ratings for movies, TV shows, games, apps, and more. It helps families discover safe and age-appropriate content for children by detailing mature themes and positive messages. Users can filter content by age, interests, and streaming services, and create custom watchlists.

Highlights
  • Content ratings for movies, TV, games, apps, books, podcasts
  • Details on mature and positive content elements
  • Community reviews from parents and kids
  • Filter content by age, interests, and streaming services
  • Customizable watch and read lists
  • Curated collections of media
Features
Read full description

We are the essential review guide for parents when it comes to what kids are into: movies, TV shows, games, apps, podcasts, and more. Designed for families seeking unbiased and trusted information to help guide them to find safe and smart content for their children. •See how much age-appropriate content and positive messages your kid will find across movies, TV shows, books, games, apps, and more. •Get firsthand insights and extra details from other parents and kids in our community reviews. •Browse our library and effortlessly find the perfect pick for family movie night, thanks to intuitive filters, such as the streaming services you have, your kid's age and interests, and your family's preferences. •Easily filter out movies and TV shows with content and messages that aren't appropriate for your kids or that isn't right for your family. •Explore hand-curated collections of the best movies, shows, and books based on category, genre, theme, topic, and more. •Create your own custom watch and read list and save movies, TV shows, and books for later. Independent and Nonprofit Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization working on behalf of kids and teens to make the digital world more safe, healthy, and equitable for them and for all families. Our unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners. Terms of service: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/our-mission/site-terms-use

Screenshots

Yoto4 screens
Common Sense Media4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Yoto at none against Common Sense Media's 3. Yoto also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (69% vs 59%). Common Sense Media's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Common Sense Media sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Yoto asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Yoto against 4.8 for Common Sense Media. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 29K and 8.7K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 69% of Yoto's written reviews are positive against 59% of Common Sense Media's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Yoto ships an update fortnightly, Common Sense Media every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Yoto versus Common Sense Media: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterYotoCommon Sense Media
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (29K ratings)4.8 (8.7K ratings)
Positive reviews68.9% of reviews — better59.5% of reviews
Number of ratings29K — better8.7K
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size187 MB84 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperYoto LtdCommon Sense Media

Customer experience

Yoto

All ratings28,684 ratings
Positive94.2%
Neutral2.1%
Negative3.7%
Written reviews760 reviews
Positive68.9%
Neutral8.3%
Negative22.8%

Common Sense Media

All ratings8,732 ratings
Positive95.7%
Neutral1.8%
Negative2.5%
Written reviews158 reviews
Positive59.5%
Neutral5.7%
Negative34.8%

User reviews

Yoto

From 29K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💎 Wonderful learning tool
  • 🎨 Great for screen-free entertainment
  • 🌙 Excellent for bedtime routines
  • 🎶 Variety of audio content
  • 🔍 Customizable settings

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Connectivity issues
  • 🔌 Requires constant WiFi
  • 🤯 Confusing app navigation
  • 💰 Expensive content
  • 🕰️ Lacking advanced timer/alarm features

Common Sense Media

From 8.7K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Helpful for finding appropriate content
  • 🚀 Convenient app version of the website
  • 💡 Detailed reviews on movies, books, and shows
  • 🔒 Trustworthy source for parents

Room to improve

  • 🔒 Paywall restricts access to basic features
  • 🐛 Login issues and app crashes
  • 💰 Subscription cost is too high
  • 🤔 Inconsistent or inaccurate reviews

Bugs and requests

Yoto

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inconsistent volume control
  • Unreliable card syncing
  • App crashes and freezes
  • Difficulty connecting player to WiFi

Requested features

5 requests
  • Offline content playback
  • Customizable wake/sleep schedules
  • Improved app organization and stability
  • More content in languages other than English
  • Ability to create and manage playlists

Common Sense Media

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Constant log-out issues
  • Unreliable login functionality
  • Compatibility problems on older devices

Requested features

3 requests
  • Ability to mark content as already viewed
  • More customization options for user preferences
  • Improved search and recommendation algorithms

In-app purchases

None

Yoto

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Common Sense Media

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly Plan$3.991 Month
  • Weekly Plan$9.997 Days
  • Yearly Plan$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Yoto free?
Yoto is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Common Sense Media free?
Common Sense Media is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Yoto or Common Sense Media?
Yoto and Common Sense Media are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 29K and 8.7K ratings respectively.
Do Yoto or Common Sense Media have ads?
Common Sense Media shows ads; Yoto does not.
Which is updated more often, Yoto or Common Sense Media?
Yoto ships an update fortnightly, and Common Sense Media every 3 weeks. Most recently, Yoto was updated on September 24, 2026 and Common Sense Media on September 23, 2026.

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