Key Points
- Yoto nearly doubled sales in 2024, reaching £94.8 million in revenue.
- The company faced setbacks, including a £7M battery recall, but expects to turn a profit in 2025.
- Parents are gravitating toward screen-free solutions for storytelling, music, and learning.
- Big backers include Paul McCartney and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
- Yoto’s growth signals a wider trend: families actively seeking non-screen tech alternatives.
If you’ve been looking for a way to cut back on screen time without cutting out entertainment and learning altogether, you’re not alone. Yoto, the UK-based company behind the screen-free smart speaker for kids, has almost doubled its sales in just one year—jumping from £51 million in 2023 to £94.8 million in 2024.
That kind of growth in today’s competitive kids’ tech market tells us something: families are hungry for alternatives.
How Yoto Works
Instead of apps, endless scrolling, or autoplay videos, Yoto relies on physical audio cards. Kids insert them into their speaker to unlock stories, songs, podcasts, or even educational content. Parents can also subscribe to a content library for fresh material. The tactile design encourages independence while avoiding many of the pitfalls of screens—dopamine-driven design, ads, and algorithm-driven feeds.
Challenges Along the Way
It hasn’t been a smooth ride. A £7 million battery recall knocked back Yoto’s finances last year, and the company is still operating at a loss. But with growing international demand and stronger subscription numbers, Yoto is forecasting profitability by 2025.
Why Parents Are Buying In
For many, the appeal is clear: screen-free tech supports calmer routines, encourages active listening, and reduces overstimulation. With endorsements from high-profile backers like Paul McCartney and funding from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Yoto’s reach is only set to expand.
Bigger Picture: A Shift in Parenting Tech
Yoto’s success taps into a larger trend. Parents are pushing back against the dominance of screens and searching for devices that align with healthier family habits. Whether it’s storytime without a tablet, or music without the autoplay rabbit hole, screen-free solutions like Yoto are filling a gap the big tech giants have overlooked.
Source: Financial Times
