Voxblock vs Yoto · compared like for like
Before you buy Yoto, compare with Voxblock.
We’ve put the players side by side on their own, then with exactly the same three Julia Donaldson stories. Real UK prices, checked 24 September 2026, so you can decide for yourself.
Screen-free · No wi-fi, no downloads · British designed
See the comparison Player £49.99Easy setup … Straightforward to use.
1 · The player on its own
Player vs player
Compare how the Voxblock player stacks up against Yoto players. There are pros and cons of each, but only one plays straight out of the box.
 Voxblock Player (latest)£49.99Player, USB-C cable. |  Yoto Mini (4th Gen)£89.99Player, USB-C cable, Make Your Own card. |  Yoto Player (4th Gen)£119.99Player, USB-C cable, Make Your Own card. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price difference | Best value | £40.00 more than Voxblock | £70.00 more than Voxblock |
| Setting up | No setup | Install app and configure wifi | Install app and configure wifi |
| How stories arrive | On the audiobook itself; nothing to download | Cards; audio loads over wi-fi | Cards; audio loads over wi-fi |
| Screen | None | Small simple screen | Large simple screen |
| Headphones | 3.5mm headphone jack | 3.5mm jack and Bluetooth | 3.5mm jack and Bluetooth |
| Speaker | Built-in speakers | Built-in speaker | 5W stereo speaker |
| Bedtime | 20-minute bedtime mode | Day and night playlists | Night light, clock, okay-to-wake |
| Battery | Up to 16 hours | Up to 12 hours | Up to 14 hours |
| Charging | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C and wireless |
| Size and weight | 11 x 19 x 2cm, 165g | 7.5 × 7 × 5 cm, 185 g | 11.5 × 11.5 × 11 cm, 763 g |
| Wifi needed | No | Yes | Yes |
| Data logging | No | Yes | Yes |
| Add your own content | Launching Jan 2027 | Yes | Yes |
2 · With exactly the same stories
The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom and The Smartest Giant in Town
Three Julia Donaldson favourites. Here’s what each set-up costs, all in.
Voxblock · one box
Gruffalo and Friends Starter Pack
- Voxblock player, bumper, cable
- included
- The Gruffalo
- included
- Room on the Broom
- included
- The Smartest Giant in Town
- included
Best value
Yoto Mini · bought separately
Yoto Mini (4th Gen) + 3 cards
- Yoto Mini (4th Gen)
- £89.99
- The Gruffalo card
- £7.99
- Room on the Broom card
- £7.99
- The Smartest Giant in Town card
- £7.99
£43.97 more than Voxblock
Yoto Player · bought separately
Yoto Player (4th Gen) + 3 cards
- Yoto Player (4th Gen)
- £119.99
- The Gruffalo card
- £7.99
- Room on the Broom card
- £7.99
- The Smartest Giant in Town card
- £7.99
£73.97 more than Voxblock
Same stories, different forms: a Voxblock audiobook is a solid cardboard book with the story stored inside, made to be held, chosen and kept on the shelf (£9.99 on its own). A Yoto story comes on a card (£7.99 on its own).
Yoto also sells a six-card Gruffalo and Friends Collection, currently £24.99, which includes these three stories plus three more. With a Yoto Mini that comes to £114.98 for six stories; with a Yoto Player, £144.98.
3 · A book or a card
The Gruffalo, two ways
Both play the same story. What your child holds, and where it lives afterwards, is very different.
 Voxblock audiobookA solid book they can hold |  Yoto cardA slim card, like a hotel key card | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A solid cardboard book with the Gruffalo cover and a spine | A thin plastic card |
| Where the story is | Inside the book itself | Online; a chip in the card tells the player which audio to download |
| To play it | Put the book on the player and press play. Ready straight away | Insert the card; the audio downloads over wi-fi |
| Where it lives | On the bookshelf, spine out, with their other books | In a card case, a pocket, or down the back of the sofa |
| Price on its own | £9.99 | £7.99 |
4 · Not just the price
Which one suits your family?
Choose Voxblock if…
- You want it working the moment it’s out of the box: no wi-fi, no accounts, no downloads.
- You’d like stories they can hold, keep on a shelf and choose for themselves.
- You want it to last beyond picture books, with unabridged novels for older children.
- Price matters: the player is £40 less than the cheapest Yoto.
Yoto may suit you better if…
- You want a bedside clock, night light and okay-to-wake in the same device (Yoto Player).
- You’re happy to manage it from a phone app and use wi-fi.
- You want Bluetooth headphones.
Start with the stories they already love.
Free UK delivery on orders over £25.
Start with the stories they already love.
Free UK delivery on orders over £25.
We'll say it plainly
Similar yet different
We think Yoto is a great product. It's done a huge amount to get children listening to stories, and plenty of families we know love theirs. It also does a lot more than play audiobooks. With the Yoto app you can stream podcasts and radio, make your own playlists and manage everything from your phone, which is really useful if that's what your family is after.
Voxblock is simply built around a different idea. There's no wifi, no downloads and no app to set up. Each story lives on its own tangible block, so your child just adds the story and presses play. If you want lots of connected features, Yoto is well worth a look. If you'd rather keep things simple and screen-free, we think you'll love Voxblock. We've put this comparison together in a fair spirit, to help parents choose what suits their family, and not to knock anyone else's product. If anything here is out of date or not quite right, let us know and we'll happily correct it.
How we compared
Yoto prices from uk.yotoplay.com, checked 24 September 2026: Yoto Mini (4th Gen) £89.99 and Yoto Player (4th Gen) £119.99, both on pre-order; individual cards £7.99 each; Gruffalo and Friends Collection £24.99. Voxblock prices from voxblock.co.uk on the same day. Yoto specifications are Yoto’s own published figures. Prices can change; check the retailer before you buy.
Review quoted from “Best kids’ audio players”, IndyBest, The Independent (Abby Driver, 2026). Yoto is a trademark of its owner. Voxblock is not affiliated with or endorsed by Yoto.