Hey there! If you‘re looking into Amazon FreeTime Unlimited for your family, you‘ve come to the right place. As a parent myself, I know how hard it can be to find kid-friendly entertainment options.
In this detailed guide, I‘ll tell you everything you need to know about Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, including:
- What is Amazon FreeTime Unlimited?
- How its content and features compare to alternatives
- How much it costs (with detailed price comparisons)
- What devices and platforms it works on
- How many titles are included (with stats)
- The pros and cons of a subscription
- How to sign up for a free trial
My goal is to provide unbiased information to help you determine if FreeTime Unlimited is the right fit for your family. Let‘s get started!
What is Amazon FreeTime Unlimited?
Amazon FreeTime Unlimited is a subscription service owned by Amazon that offers unlimited access to over 15,000 kid-friendly books, videos, educational apps, Audible books and games.
Everything on FreeTime Unlimited is designed for kids ages 3-12 years old. The content is expertly curated and organized into age groups so kids can easily find stuff that‘s right for them.
It launched back in 2012 as ‘Kindle FreeTime Unlimited‘ but was later renamed for availability across more Amazon devices and platforms beyond just Kindle.
Some key things to know:
- Content spans books, movies, TV, apps and games
- It‘s all kid-safe and age-appropriate
- Parental controls allow you to customize and filter content
- Available ad-free on Amazon devices like Fire tablets, Fire TV, Echo Show as well as iOS/Android
It aims to provide unlimited entertainment and education for kids in a safe, customizable environment. Now let‘s see how it compares with alternatives.
How FreeTime Unlimited Compares to Other Kids Services
FreeTime Unlimited isn‘t the only digital entertainment service for kids out there. Some popular alternatives include:
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Apple Arcade – Mobile gaming service with over 100 ad-free games. $4.99 monthly.
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Google Play Pass – Apps, games and in-app purchases. $4.99 monthly.
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Disney+ – Disney movies, shows and exclusives. $7.99 monthly.
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YouTube Kids – Kid-friendly video selection. Free with ads or $6.99/month ad-free.
Here‘s how Amazon FreeTime Unlimited stacks up against the competition:
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More content variety with books, videos, apps, Audible and games compared to gaming-focused services like Apple Arcade.
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Larger catalog of 15,000+ titles compared to around 500 titles on Google Play Pass and 100 games on Apple Arcade.
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Better parental controls over content selection, time limits and education goals versus YouTube Kids and Disney+.
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Original kids shows and series included like If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, unlike Google Play Pass and Apple Arcade which focus on existing content.
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Cheaper than Disney+ with broader content offering. Comparable pricing to Apple Arcade and Play Pass.
So while services like Apple Arcade are great for mobile gaming and Disney+ offers amazing shows and movies, Amazon FreeTime Unlimited is more of an all-in-one entertainment package tailored specifically for kids.
Now let‘s look at the pricing and subscription options.
How Much Does Amazon FreeTime Unlimited Cost?
One of the biggest questions parents have is how much does Amazon FreeTime Unlimited cost?
The monthly subscription fee depends on whether you already have an Amazon Prime membership or not.
Here‘s a detailed breakdown of the pricing options:
For Amazon Prime members in the U.S.:
- $2.99 per month for 1 child
- $6.99 per month for up to 4 children
For non-Prime members in the U.S.:
- $4.99 per month for 1 child
- $9.99 per month for up to 4 children
So Prime members save $2 per month. There‘s also a $2 discount if you pay annually instead of monthly:
- Prime: $83/year for 1 child or $149/year for up to 4
- Non-Prime: $83/year for 1 child or $149/year for up to 4
In Canada, here are the monthly prices for Prime vs non-Prime:
- Prime: $3.99 for 1 child or $8.99 for up to 4 children
- Non-Prime: $5.99 for 1 child or $12.99 for up to 4
And again, you save around $20 per year if paying annually rather than month-by-month.
As you can see, Prime members get better rates. But even without Prime, the monthly prices per child are very reasonable compared to alternatives.
For families with 2+ kids, the 4-child plan provides tremendous value. It‘s cheaper than buying each child their own subscription.
They also occasionally offer deals like discounts on the first year for new members. So keep an eye out for promotions.
What Devices and Platforms Work With FreeTime Unlimited?
Amazon FreeTime Unlimited is available on a variety of Amazon devices, including:
- Fire Tablets (Fire, Fire HD, Fire HDX)
- Fire Phone and Fire TV/TV Stick
- Echo Show smart displays
- Fire-edition smart speakers (with display)
- Kindle e-readers – 5th generation or newer
It‘s also compatible with iPhone, iPad and Android smartphones/tablets through the Amazon FreeTime app.
You can access FreeTime Unlimited on the web at amazon.com/kidsplus
Some limitations:
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Not all titles may work across every platform due to hardware constraints. For example, mobile-only games won‘t be playable on Kindle e-readers.
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Streaming video requires a strong, stable internet connection. Some content can be downloaded for offline use but an internet connection is ideal.
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Access on non-Amazon devices requires logging in with your Amazon account credentials.
But overall, you can enjoy FreeTime Unlimited on pretty much any phone, tablet, computer or TV using the platforms above. Just download the FreeTime app from your device‘s app store to get started.
Now let‘s look at how much entertainment is included for that monthly fee.
How Many Titles Are Included?
One of the best parts about Amazon FreeTime Unlimited is that you get unlimited access to over 15,000 titles spanning books, videos, apps, Audible books and more.
Here‘s a breakdown of how much content is included in each category:
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Over 9,000 children‘s books including everything from early readers like Pete the Cat to chapter book series like Harry Potter and multimedia graphic novels.
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Over 1,000 movies and TV shows spanning animated series like Arthur and Scooby-Doo, family films, documentaries, educational shows and more from partners like PBS Kids, BBC, NBCUniversal and Disney.
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Over 700 audiobooks for younger kids including fairy tales, classics and youth book adaptations.
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Over 3,000 educational apps covering reading, math, problem-solving, critical thinking skills and more. Designed by education experts and tested by kids.
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Over 1,000 games spanning every genre from adventure to puzzles to sports. Big franchises like Lego Star Wars plus original titles.
And Amazon is constantly adding new content across every category. For example, in 2021 alone they‘ve added over 500 books, 50 TV series, over 50 movies and dozens of apps/games.
So you‘ll always have a huge library of titles approved just for kids. Now let‘s look at the pros and cons of a subscription.
Pros and Cons of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited
Here are the biggest advantages and potential drawbacks to weigh when considering if Amazon FreeTime Unlimited is right for your family:
Pros
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Kid-safe entertainment handpicked by child development experts
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Screen time limits and controls to encourage learning
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Huge variety spanning books, videos, apps, audiobooks and games
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Thousands of titles with new stuff added regularly
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Affordable compared to constantly buying content individually
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Designed specifically for kids ages 3-12 years
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1-month free trial so you can test it
Potential Cons
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Requires an Amazon Prime or Amazon account
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Additional monthly fee on top of a Prime membership
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Need a compatible Amazon device to get the full experience
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Occasional bugs or glitches reported on some Fire tablets
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Not every title may be appropriate for all kids in 3-12 range
So while the variety and kid-specific focus is great, there are some technical/device requirements given it‘s an Amazon product. And you‘ll want to individually vet content for your child‘s needs.
But overall most parents find the unlimited access and intelligent parental controls well worth the small monthly fee.
Signing Up for a Free Trial
Want to give Amazon FreeTime Unlimited a try before committing? Amazon offers a free 30-day trial so you can test it out.
To get your free trial:
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Join Amazon Prime or sign into your Prime account. The trial is for Prime members.
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Go to amazon.com/amazonfreetime
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Select "Start Your Free Trial"
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Follow the instructions to activate FreeTime Unlimited on your compatible device.
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Download the content you want so it‘s ready to enjoy without buffering.
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Set up parental controls and child profiles as desired.
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Enjoy unlimited access to books, videos, apps, games and more for 30 days!
During the trial you‘ll get full access to the content library and features. After 30 days, you‘ll be auto-enrolled at the standard $2.99-$9.99/month subscription fee depending on your plan.
But you can cancel anytime online or by contacting Amazon customer support. So there‘s no risk giving it a test run.
Is Amazon FreeTime Unlimited Right for Your Family?
So should you get Amazon FreeTime Unlimited for your kids? Here are a few key questions to help decide if it‘s right for your family:
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Do your kids enjoy reading, educational apps and age-appropriate entertainment? If so, they‘ll love having unlimited titles available at their fingertips.
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Is limiting screentime and access important to you? The parental controls like time limits, education goals and content filters make FreeTime ideal for managing kids‘ device use.
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Do you already have compatible Amazon devices? Whether a Fire tablet, Echo Show or Fire TV, having the right hardware ensures you get the full experience.
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Does your child have a longer attention span? While great for young kids, some of the longer chapter books and complex games may not hold every toddler‘s interest.
If you answered yes to most of these questions, then an Amazon FreeTime Unlimited subscription could be hugely valuable. It provides unlimited, kid-safe entertainment and education.
The free trial is the perfect way to experience it risk-free. And the affordable monthly plans means you can keep your kids engaged, learning and growing without breaking the bank.
I hope this detailed guide gave you all the information you needed to decide if FreeTime Unlimited is right for your kids. Let me know if you have any other questions!
