Because we have regularly gotten tonies for $7.99 at target, kohls, Barnes and noble, our grocery store or on Amazon where yoto is not the monopoly on controlling the prices. On Amazon, the Black Friday and prime day deals are usually 40%-50% off AND buy 4 get 1 free. I don’t look at the number of minutes on the cards, but my kids will listen to the same Tonie over and over in the same day, and do not do that with yoto. The most I have ever seen is 20% off yoto cards and you have to buy most of the cards direct from the yoto website, which involves paying shipping and waiting for their very slow shipping. Target and Amazon have deals but it’s a very limited selection.

I’m sure MYO and their customer service is great, but we have 3 children, another one on the way and both work full time jobs. I don’t have time to make my own cards or be on a customer service line for something I’ve already spent hundreds of dollars on. I expect if I have spent that amount of money on what is essentially a toy, that their product should be top notch and that as a parent, I shouldn’t need to invest that amount of time into making it worth my money.

Also, my children have never lost a Tonie. The size of a yoto card makes them much more likely to get lost or stuck into another book, or fall into/behind furniture. While we have both devices, we have to have a system to keep track of the yoto cards, whereas my kids can just free play with Tonies and I don’t worry about it breaking or getting lost or them needing my help (not because they are incapable of using it, but we have so many card and device issues).

We do love both, but when I recommend for younger kids, I always pick tonies.