Best Free Streaming Apps for Kids

If you’re looking for an award-winning, kid-friendly app, look no further than HappyKids.TV. The app won the Mom’s Choice Gold Award in 2024 and the National Parenting Product Award in 2022. HappyKids boasts over 150,000 videos, segmented by age from 0–4 all the way to tweens, though the app seems to have more content for children ages 4–9.

Users can search for content based on popular shows, movies, stories, and more. If your child is into gaming, they can watch content on games like Minecraft, Roblox, and Sonic. One feature that I like about HappyKids.TV is that an account isn’t necessary to use parental controls. The platform is also compliant with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). One area you may have concerns over is the gaming ads. Some can be erratic, or YouTube-like, so keep that in mind if you have younger children.

Popular kids’ shows: Paw Patrol, Clifford the Big Red Dog, My Little Pony, Kin Tin, Sonic

Kidoodle.TV is a close second to HappyKids.TV and is a solid choice for families with toddlers. The Kidoodle app has over 50,000 videos and excels at segmenting content, grouping it into sets for ages 5–8 and 9–12. Other content categories include Kidoodle Gaming, Unboxing and Toy Play, Playtime, Movies, Adventure Awaits, and Teacher’s Corner, which is my favorite because it has short, practical educational videos.

Kidoodle is COPPA-compliant and, like the other best streaming apps for kids, is available on a wide range of devices. The one drawback to Kidoodle is that you need an account to access premium features. An account is free and gives access to its Parents Room, where you can set parental controls like bedtime hours and content filters. If you want an ad-free experience, you can upgrade to a premium account for $5 per month.

Popular kids’ shows: Angry Birds, SpongeBob SquarePants, Peppa Pig, Wallace & Gromit, Doodle Girl

The PBS Kids app is a clear choice for parents seeking educational content for their younger children. It has been around for years and is completely free. The PBS Kids app skips traditional ads. Instead, you can expect to see 45–60 second spots that are related to its sponsors, and they’re often educational.

Accessing content is easy; you can watch via the app or website. Expect to provide your ZIP code so the platform can show you your local content. One key drawback of PBS Kids is that it’s not as well-rounded as other streaming apps for kids. It has roughly 600 full TV episodes and 5,000+ clips. It's not bad — you'll just find more content elsewhere.

Popular kids’ shows: Wild Kratts, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Curious George, Arthur, Lyla in the Loop

Tubi is one of the best free streaming apps in the space, and it has a compelling offering in Tubi Kids. You can access Tubi Kids from the main Tubi platform and unlock a wide range of children’s content. Unlike other streaming apps for kids, Tubi doesn’t categorize content by age, but by genre. Tubi Kids has a preschool category, but Tubi seems best for older kids looking for popular cartoons of today or classic content.

Tubi's interface will feel familiar if you've used Netflix — you browse a large content library organized by rows and genres, and hit play without any subscription prompts. It has loads of available content, so you can even find shows you may like for free. And virtually anything with a screen can access Tubi Kids. While you don’t need an account to use Tubi, you’re unable to set parental controls without one. Plus, if you don’t have an account, it can be easy for children to access inappropriate content.

Popular kids’ shows: Ninjago, My Little Pony, Scooby-Doo, Teen Titans, Pokémon

Once thin on kids' content, the Roku Channel now has more than 10,000 free shows and movies for kids, and you don’t need a Roku device to watch them. Roku categorizes its kids' content better than Tubi, with age-based segmentation.

You can also find a section focused on video game content, which is perfect for teens, and is one of my children's favorites. Teens can also access live TV content within Roku Kids, but it’s free ad-supported TV that includes age-appropriate shows and movies. Like Tubi, the big drawback to the Roku Channel is that an account is necessary to establish parental controls. And since Roku integrates with other streaming apps, those parental controls may not apply to third-party platforms.

Popular kids’ shows: Groove Squad, Pokémon, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Life with Derek, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

Selecting a suitable streaming app for your children is not an endeavor to take lightly. As a parent, I want to protect my children so they can’t readily access inappropriate content. Consider the following when comparing free streaming apps.

Content Availability

Choosing the right content fit is important when reviewing streaming apps for children. If your child is a tween, but the platform focuses on content for younger children, they may be dissatisfied. 

Parental Controls

It’s important to protect young children from inappropriate content. Look for platforms that are COPPA-compliant or that offer robust parental controls. 

Premium Features

Not every platform offers premium features in a base account. You may need to pay for some features depending on the platform.

Device Support

Most streaming apps for kids work across a wide range of devices. If your child watches content on the go, make sure your mobile device supports it.

Ad Experience

Ads are a reality in streaming. Some platforms, like the Roku Channel and Tubi, will have relatively more ads, so keep that in mind if you don’t want your child inundated with commercials.

Slashing costs is important when picking any streaming platform, even if it is free. Consider the following when cutting costs.