storymaker
vs Yoto & Toniebox
All three are screen-free audio players for kids. Only one lets your child make the story.
Yoto and Toniebox are great at playing stories, but each card or figure plays the same recording every time.
The playgeni storymaker is a screen-free storytelling toy for ages 3+. Your child places story blocks (or creates their own!), presses play, and hears a new story built from what they chose.
Shop storymaker — $89.9930-day money-back guarantee · Free US shipping
The short answer
Here's how to know which one fits your family.
Choose storymaker if…
You want your child creating stories, not just choosing tracks, and you want every story to be different.
Learn more →
Choose Yoto if…
You want a huge library of audiobooks, music, podcasts and radio, plus a nightlight and clock.
Choose Toniebox if…
You have a toddler who loves collecting characters and needs the simplest possible controls.
storymaker vs Yoto vs Toniebox, side by side
How the three screen-free audio players compare on play, price and features.
Swipe to compare all three
| playgeni storymaker | Yoto Player (3rd gen) | Toniebox 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How kids play | Combine character and action blocks to build a new story | Insert a card to play a recording | Place a figure to play a recording |
| Stories | New every time, built from your child's choices | Fixed recordings | Fixed recordings, plus interactive games (Tonieplay) |
| Personalized to your child | Yes: their name, age, interests, vocabulary level and learning goals | Same recording for every child | Same recording for every child |
| Kids create their own | Yes, by combining blocks or making their own | Parents can record Make Your Own cards | Parents can record or upload audio to Creative Tonies |
| Ages | 3+ | 3–12+ | 1–12+ |
| Price | $89.99 | About $110 | $149.99 (starter set) |
| Ongoing costs | Includes 3 story blocks Free plan: 10 stories/month Optional plans $9–$20/month Add-on books $19.99 |
Cards about $8–15 each Yoto Club from $4.99/month |
Tonies $19.99 each Creative Tonies $9.99 |
| Screen | None | Small display for clock and icons | None |
| Offline play | Saves up to 700 stories on the device | 600+ hours of storage | Plays downloaded content offline |
| Extras | DIY block pack (add-on) for characters kids invent 10+ languages: translate the story or sprinkle in words 20 learning concepts in every book Parent app (iOS & Android) with story replays and read-along text |
Nightlight, ok-to-wake clock, thermometer, radio, podcasts | Games, light ring, sleep timer |
Sources: yotoplay.com, tonies.com and US retailers, Sept 2026. Prices vary.
How our storytelling toy works
No screen, no mic, no ads. Just blocks, options, and your child's imagination.
Place
up to 3 blocks
Choose blocks from any playgeni book to set the characters and action.
Press
the magic button
storymaker builds a story from the blocks your child chose.
Listen!
Endless audio adventures await. Swap a block and the story goes somewhere new.
Pro tip: with DIY blocks, kids can draw their own characters and add them to the story.
Bring your child's imaginative world to life
Shop storymaker — $89.99
30-day money-back guarantee · Free US shipping
Safety by design
Screen-free play with safety built in from the start.
No mic, no camera, no ads
Blocks and buttons are your child's only inputs. Nothing happens until your child acts.
Content safety built in
Kids build stories from predesigned blocks plus their own ideas, and a content safety system reviews every story before it plays.
Crafted by children's authors
Every story happens inside a world crafted by children's authors.
You set the limits
Set daily story limits and see what your child creates in the parent app.
Parents and kids love it
Winner, Toys & Play, 2026 Core77 Design Awards
DIY blocks!
"I put my mom in the story!"
Emelia, 5
Imagination grew wings!
"My kid has always been so curious and asks a million questions. playgeni helped her turn all of that into real stories."
Mom of 4 y/o
Perfect tool to help him fall asleep
"Where it really wins for my 5 year old preschooler is bed time. He cannot yet read and this is the perfect tool to help him fall asleep."
Dad of 3 and 5 y/o
FAQ
Everything you need to know about playgeni.
Is storymaker a Yoto or Toniebox alternative?
Yes. It's a screen-free audio player for the same ages, but instead of playing recordings, kids build their own stories from blocks.
I already have a Yoto or Toniebox. Do I need storymaker too?
Plenty of families have both. Use Yoto or Toniebox for audiobooks and music, and storymaker for open-ended play when your child wants to make something up. One plays stories. The other lets your child tell them.
What is playgeni?
playgeni is an interactive storytelling experience where kids build their own stories using physical blocks and imagination.
Does playgeni use AI?
Yes. playgeni uses a generative story engine to create audio stories from physical blocks, within story worlds crafted by children's authors.
What age is playgeni for?
playgeni is designed for children ages 3+, with adjustable story difficulty levels as they grow.
What comes in the box, and do I need to buy a book to start?
Your storymaker includes three story blocks and a USB-C cable and charger. It works out of the box. Books add new worlds and more blocks to mix.
More questions
Does it need my phone to work?
Use the playgeni app to connect and configure your storymaker. Saved stories play on the device without your phone.
Can we use it in the car or on a plane?
Yes. The storymaker needs Wi-Fi only to create a brand new story. Once a story exists it is saved on the device and plays anywhere — car, plane, grandparents' house — with no connection at all.
Can children create their own stories?
Yes. Kids can mix characters, locations and actions to generate unique stories every time they play.
Does it have a microphone?
No. playgeni does not include a microphone, helping provide a more private experience for families.
How long does the battery last?
playgeni provides up to 8 hours of playtime on a single charge.
Can I use headphones?
Yes. Children can listen through the built‑in speaker or wired headphones using the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Can parents stay involved?
Yes. The playgeni app for iOS and Android lets you set up a profile with your child's name, age, interests and learning goals, set daily limits, and replay or read along with every story they make.
Give them a story they make themselves
The screen-free storytelling toy for ages 3+.
Shop storymaker — $89.9930-day money-back guarantee · Free US shipping
