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Best Streaming Services for Kids in 2024 [CNET]
Our Experts
Kourtnee covers TV streaming services and home entertainment news and reviews at CNET. She previously worked as an entertainment reporter at Showbiz Cheat Sheet where she wrote about film, television, music, celebrities, and streaming platforms.
Expertise Cord-cutting | TV and music streaming services | Netflix | Disney Plus | Max | Anime | Interviews | Entertainment Credentials
- Though Kourtnee hasn’t won any journalism awards yet, she’s been a Netflix streaming subscriber since 2012 and knows the magic of its hidden codes.
Best for franchises like SpongeBob, iCarly, Paw Patrol, Rugrats
Paramount Plus
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What’s the best kids streaming service overall?
Netflix and Disney Plus may be winners in your household when it comes to kids’ choice. The content catalogs on these platforms feature a large variety of family-friendly programming suitable for different ages, with safety tools provided to help you monitor the content your kiddo is watching. Deciding which of the best streaming services for kids should get the top spot was a challenging feat. They must balance educational and fun programming perfectly while giving parents practical tools to ensure the content is age-appropriate. Disney Plus has ticked all these necessary boxes, so we’ve chosen it as the best streaming platform for kids, but it’s not the only one with much to offer.
We put each of these streaming services to the test, based on content libraries, ad load times, subscription cost and safety features like parental controls. The streaming services on this list are chock-full of great films and TV shows, with some operating as entertainment hubs for your kid’s favorite characters. If you’re looking for the streaming platform that may be the best fit for your family, read on for our expert guidance.
Best Streaming Service for Kids in 2024
Keep toddlers occupied with animated and live-action versions of Disney classics, or binge on every title starring Bluey, Tinkerbell or all their other favorite characters. Tweens and teens can enjoy The Proud Family, Gravity Falls, Turning Red and Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, and movies from the Disney Channel or the company’s blockbuster lineup are a click away.
To navigate Disney Plus’s library, you can click on a designated tile for Pixar, Marvel, etc., or search by title, character or genre. Kids and parents can scroll through the platform’s special collections, musicals, movies, and exclusive originals and shows from every decade of Disney.
Parental controls allow you to add a four-digit PIN and set ratings limits for each regular profile. But creating a kid’s profile automatically curates content that’s appropriate for all ages. To add an extra layer of security, toggle the Kid-Proof exit feature that prevents kids from switching profiles. If you opt for the $8 ad-supported version of Disney Plus, note that many kids’ titles contain commercials. However, there are several ways to enjoy ad-free streaming.
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Penny Proud in The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.
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Penny Proud in The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder original series on Disney Plus.
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Penny Proud in The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder original series on Disney Plus.
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With a wealth of content rated PG-13 and below, Disney Plus has a large catalog of kid-friendly series and films. In addition to carrying Disney Junior, Disney Channel and everything else with the Disney stamp, you’ll find Pixar, National Geographic, Marvel and Star Wars titles on the platform.
Keep toddlers occupied with animated and live-action versions of Disney classics, or binge on every title starring Bluey, Tinkerbell or all their other favorite characters. Tweens and teens can enjoy The Proud Family, Gravity Falls, Turning Red and Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, and movies from the Disney Channel or the company’s blockbuster lineup are a click away.
To navigate Disney Plus’s library, you can click on a designated tile for Pixar, Marvel, etc., or search by title, character or genre. Kids and parents can scroll through the platform’s special collections, musicals, movies, and exclusive originals and shows from every decade of Disney.
Parental controls allow you to add a four-digit PIN and set ratings limits for each regular profile. But creating a kid’s profile automatically curates content that’s appropriate for all ages. To add an extra layer of security, toggle the Kid-Proof exit feature that prevents kids from switching profiles. If you opt for the $8 ad-supported version of Disney Plus, note that many kids’ titles contain commercials. However, there are several ways to enjoy ad-free streaming.
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You’ll find a kids’ section on the menus for the shows or movies tabs, but you can also search for Noggin, Nick Jr. or other branded content on Paramount Plus. Additionally, five live channels stream content 24/7 for kids, including dedicated hubs for SpongeBob, Paw Patrol and “Kids and Family Fun.”
Paramount Plus enables parents to create kids’ profiles by activating “Kids Mode.” Choose an avatar and specify whether it’s for older kids or younger kids, and the content will adjust ratings based on your selection. Subscriptions cost $6 for the ad-supported Essential version and $12 for ad-free Premium.
” page-position linktext linkurl like=”~Strong stable of kids’ content from Nickelodeon; ~Streams some major movies soon after theater release; ~Broad catalog of familiar shows and movies; ~Lower price” dislike=”~Not many must-see originals; ” can-collapse=”true” can-truncate=”true” truncate-on-page-load=”true” offer techobjectinfo overridecredit=”Paramount Pictures” overridecaption=”
SpongeBob SquarePants and his best friend Patrick Star rule Paramount Plus.
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Paramount Plus has a nice collection of iconic characters and series. It’s basically Nickelodeon central. SpongeBob, iCarly, Rugrats, Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig and other Nick superstars sit beside Paramount Plus originals Big Nate and Star Trek: Prodigy on the platform.
You’ll find a kids’ section on the menus for the shows or movies tabs, but you can also search for Noggin, Nick Jr. or other branded content on Paramount Plus. Additionally, five live channels stream content 24/7 for kids, including dedicated hubs for SpongeBob, Paw Patrol and “Kids and Family Fun.”
Paramount Plus enables parents to create kids’ profiles by activating “Kids Mode.” Choose an avatar and specify whether it’s for older kids or younger kids, and the content will adjust ratings based on your selection. Subscriptions cost $6 for the ad-supported Essential version and $12 for ad-free Premium.
Where the streamer stands out is with its kids’ profile. While you can set up parental controls on each profile with ratings restrictions, the Netflix Kids Experience comes with a bright logo and a ready-made batch of content. No need to handpick shows and movies for young ones, because the streamer does it for you. If you select titles outside the ratings limits for Kids Experience, the logo is removed and the profile type is automatically changed.
To cap it off, the platform showcases a Top 10 row for kids’ programming and sends out biweekly emails to parents with recommendations and other child-centric tools. Last year, Netflix introduced a “Mystery Box” feature on kids’ profiles, which surprises them with a new title to check out. Go ad-free for $15 per month or try the ad-based plan at $7 a month.
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My Dad the Bounty Hunter is a new series on Netflix in 2023.
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My Dad the Bounty Hunter.
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My Dad the Bounty Hunter.
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Netflix offers a range of kids’ titles in the realm of music, education and entertainment, and the platform caters to every age and stage in your child’s life. Popular series include CoComelon, Octonauts and Ask the Storybots. The streamer routinely drops new originals including The Sea Beast and My Dad the Bounty Hunter, but there are plenty of Dreamworks titles on Netflix too, such as Camp Cretaceous.
Netflix’s search function allows you to drill for niche content like kiddo-friendly movie adaptations, cooking stuff or coming-of-age stories. Type in a specific term or a “hidden” code and you’re likely to find a match.
Where the streamer stands out is with its kids’ profile. While you can set up parental controls on each profile with ratings restrictions, the Netflix Kids Experience comes with a bright logo and a ready-made batch of content. No need to handpick shows and movies for young ones, because the streamer does it for you. If you select titles outside the ratings limits for Kids Experience, the logo is removed and the profile type is automatically changed.
To cap it off, the platform showcases a Top 10 row for kids’ programming and sends out biweekly emails to parents with recommendations and other child-centric tools. Last year, Netflix introduced a “Mystery Box” feature on kids’ profiles, which surprises them with a new title to check out. Go ad-free for $15 per month or try the ad-based plan at $7 a month.
Max allows you to select Kids & Family from its menu and then you’ll be taken to its dedicated page. To make it easy to find content, you can click on a character’s icon — like Elmo, Scooby Doo and Batman — for a program lineup featuring said characters.
Prefer to search a different way? Max divides content into categories for kiddos ages 2-5, 6-9, 10-12, and 13 and up. You can also browse titles from A-Z or search specifically for series or movies. The streamer also announced the addition of Lellobee City Farm, Blippi and Vlad & Niki for its preschool Cartoonito audience. But don’t forget there are plenty of movies available for teens who need a break from animation.
While you can watch TV with your children, you can also just give them their own kid profile on Max. The service requires adults to log a four-digit PIN in order to create it and then provide birthdate information so the system can customize age-appropriate content. Subscribe to Max for $10 a month with ads, $16 for the ad-free version or $20 to get ad-free with 4K titles.
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Max has DC content, Looney Toons, and Cartoon Network shows like Adventure Time.
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HBO Max has DC content, Looney Toons, and Cartoon Network shows like Adventure Time.
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HBO Max has DC content, Looney Toons, and Cartoon Network shows like Adventure Time.
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Don’t sleep on Max. Not only is it the place to stream Cartoon Network favorites like We Bare Bears and Adventure Time, but also Sesame Street, Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, and animated DC superheroes. That includes the OG Teen Titans.
Max allows you to select Kids & Family from its menu and then you’ll be taken to its dedicated page. To make it easy to find content, you can click on a character’s icon — like Elmo, Scooby Doo and Batman — for a program lineup featuring said characters.
Prefer to search a different way? Max divides content into categories for kiddos ages 2-5, 6-9, 10-12, and 13 and up. You can also browse titles from A-Z or search specifically for series or movies. The streamer also announced the addition of Lellobee City Farm, Blippi and Vlad & Niki for its preschool Cartoonito audience. But don’t forget there are plenty of movies available for teens who need a break from animation.
While you can watch TV with your children, you can also just give them their own kid profile on Max. The service requires adults to log a four-digit PIN in order to create it and then provide birthdate information so the system can customize age-appropriate content. Subscribe to Max for $10 a month with ads, $16 for the ad-free version or $20 to get ad-free with 4K titles.
But there are also videos from the Dodo about nature and animals, game-themed content with Mario, Minecraft and Roblox, and a host of crafting tutorials. YouTube favorites like Ryan’s World are nestled in with picks that focus on learning. Kidoodle also has a set of originals that launched in 2020, including StoryRaps from Wes Tank. Another plus is that parents can choose videos from Little Pim that teach five different foreign languages: French, German, Spanish, Russian and Mandarin.
You can watch for free as a guest on Kidoodle without registering. But if you sign up, you’re able to create accounts for kid or parent users. Everything on the app is age-appropriate, vetted by Kidoodle parents and staff. The Freemium account includes family-friendly ads, but if you want to skip the commercials, you can get the Premium version for $5 per month.
PIN-enabled parental controls enable you to set screen time limits, choose titles or set curfews with the option to automatically turn the app off. And the analytics feature gives you a glimpse at viewing habits. Kidoodle is available on Roku, FireTV, smart TVs and other devices.
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KidoodleTV carries licensed and original content, including StoryRaps.
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KidoodleTV carries licensed and original content, including StoryRaps.
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KidoodleTV carries licensed and original content, including StoryRaps.
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Like PBS Kids, Kidoodle TV offers free entertainment that’s geared toward younger children up to age 12. Some of the content is educational, and some is purely recreational. The app features licensed TV shows and movies from properties such as Lego, My Little Pony, SpongeBob, Pokemon and Baby Shark.
But there are also videos from the Dodo about nature and animals, game-themed content with Mario, Minecraft and Roblox, and a host of crafting tutorials. YouTube favorites like Ryan’s World are nestled in with picks that focus on learning. Kidoodle also has a set of originals that launched in 2020, including StoryRaps from Wes Tank. Another plus is that parents can choose videos from Little Pim that teach five different foreign languages: French, German, Spanish, Russian and Mandarin.
You can watch for free as a guest on Kidoodle without registering. But if you sign up, you’re able to create accounts for kid or parent users. Everything on the app is age-appropriate, vetted by Kidoodle parents and staff. The Freemium account includes family-friendly ads, but if you want to skip the commercials, you can get the Premium version for $5 per month.
PIN-enabled parental controls enable you to set screen time limits, choose titles or set curfews with the option to automatically turn the app off. And the analytics feature gives you a glimpse at viewing habits. Kidoodle is available on Roku, FireTV, smart TVs and other devices.
- Selection of kid-friendly programming: Some streamers offer a large variety of family-friendly titles for all ages, from preschool on up to teens. Others have limited catalogs or cater more to a younger demographic.
- Parental controls: There are some services that don’t offer the ability to change age ratings or block certain content for kids. Be sure you’re able to adjust parental controls, control access to mature content or curate what’s on each child’s profile based on age.
- Simultaneous streams: Services usually charge more for more streams. Be sure you’re covered for yourself and other members of your household and consider whether you have to pay extra to share your account.
- Finding shows and movies: Is the interface user-friendly? It should be fairly easy to search for things to watch using menus and other features.
It’s likely you’ve heard of most of the platforms on this list, but it’s by no means comprehensive. There are plenty of other ways to stream and hundreds of other choices out there. As we evaluated these streaming options, we kept certain things in mind for kids.
We first considered how much, what type and the quality of content available on each service for every age group. We tested parental control settings and kid profiles. In addition to catalog size and maturity settings, we looked at design (i..,e, ease of use across different TV and mobile platforms for kids), ads, features (like mobile downloads, recommendations, watch lists and number of streams) and value (price compared to these other factors). Click through to the full reviews for more details.
Prime Video: This service is easily accessible for Prime members with a catalog that combines Freevee, Amazon originals and some licensed content, such as the uber-popular Peppa Pig. Though Prime Video has a decent selection of movies and TV shows, it gleans much of its kids’ programming from Nickelodeon, PBS Kids and other Viacom properties.
Hulu: Like Prime Video, Hulu offers originals (such as Animaniacs) and titles for every age. Much of it comes from other networks. Compared with its rivals, Hulu’s price and content lineup is less appealing for a spot on this best list. But our perspective may change when Hulu and Disney Plus begin offering a single app option that will bring titles from both streaming services into one platform.
What about live TV streaming services?
If you prefer a streaming experience that’s similar to linear TV, you may want to consider a live TV streaming service such as YouTube TV, Hulu with Live TV or Sling. They cost more than on-demand services, and each offers a roster of family-friendly channels and a set of parental controls, but it depends on the service. You may find a suite of Disney Channel offerings, Cartoon Network, PBS, Animal Planet or other live channels that pique your kids’ interest, but you may find it’s cheaper to get Disney Plus or Max. Check out our channel guide for live streaming services to see which platforms have what you want.
What about Amazon Kids Plus?
Amazon Kids Plus is a great app that includes books, videos and games for children. However, its streaming TV lineup is small, with a few originals in addition to licensed titles from PBS, Hasbro and other companies. Kids will be happy to watch Strawberry Shortcake, Pokemon and Lego Marvel, but parents must pay $5 per month for the app. It’s a convenient choice if you’re already a Prime member or own a Fire tablet, and parents are able to share purchased Prime Video titles (like Spider Man: No Way Home) with their child’s Amazon Kids account. Parental controls allow you to set time restrictions and receive notifications if your child requests to buy something.
That said, when compared to other paid streaming services on this list, we felt they offer more variety than Amazon Kids Plus when it comes to TV shows and movies.
What if you don’t want your kids watching ads while streaming?
We know that screen time is not the only area of concern, because advertising affects kids, too. Disney Plus has an ad-supported plan that includes commercials in its kid-friendly content. But Netflix’s ad-based plan keeps ads out of children’s titles. Both services — in addition to Max, Kidoodle and Paramount Plus — offer more expensive plans if you want to watch all content without commercials. The PBS Kids app is ad-free.
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