Ranked: Best streaming sites for kids in 2024

• Disney+ leads the way with one of the most extensive libraries of child-friendly content and superior parental controls.
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• YouTube Premium offers the largest library of child-friendly shows and movies, ensuring plenty of options for kids.
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• Hulu and Paramount+ are more affordable for families looking for ad-free options, providing a balance of cost and quality.
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• Netflix and Max provide the best parental controls, offering customizable profiles, viewing restrictions, and profile locks.
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• Free platforms like Tubi and Crackle offer child-friendly content with ads. While they are budget-friendly, they don’t have strong parental controls.
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• Using ExpressVPN, the best VPN for families, enhances online safety, keeping children’s viewing habits private and secure across all streaming platforms.

In the digital age, streaming has become a fixture of childhood for many, with 97% of 3- to 18-year-olds having home internet access in the U.S. Whether you’re juggling remote work or just need a moment of peace, you want to ensure your little ones are watching content that’s both safe and engaging. So which streaming services should a parent turn to? 

ExpressVPN’s Child-Friendly Streaming Report for 2024 is here to help. We analyzed various popular streaming services available in the U.S., based on several key criteria: the percentage of content deemed child-friendly, availability of parental controls, presence of ad-free options, and the overall affordability of family subscription packages. Our goal was to identify which platforms truly prioritize young audiences, ensuring they have a fun and secure experience.

Disney+ takes the crown with its treasure trove of family-friendly shows and robust parental controls. Right behind are Paramount+ and Hulu, both offering a solid selection of content for younger viewers. But not every platform gets a gold star—free platforms like Tubi, for example, leave much to be desired in terms of safety features.

So, whether you’re looking to keep your kids entertained without worry or want to ensure their online safety, this report is your go-to guide. 

Top 14 child-friendly streaming platforms

Not all streaming platforms are created equal when it comes to kid-friendly content. Some are packed with family favorites and robust parental controls, while others… not so much. Here are the streaming services that truly shine in keeping your kids entertained and safe.

1. Disney+

Disney+ takes the crown with over 149.6 million subscribers and the highest percentage of child-friendly content among streaming platforms. Navigating the platform is a breeze for younger viewers, with genres neatly organized into segments like Disney Pixar and Animated Classics. Creating a child-specific profile is simple, ensuring that content meant for older viewers stays out of reach.

What makes Disney+ particularly magical is its vast library of content that appeals to all ages. Children can enjoy enchanting Disney classics like The Lion King and Frozen, Pixar favorites like Toy Story and Finding Nemo, as well as newer hits. For older viewers, Disney+ offers an extensive Marvel universe collection, including blockbuster hits like The Avengers and Black Panther. Star Wars fans will find everything from A New Hope to The Mandalorian. 

With 972 child-friendly movies and TV shows, almost half of Disney+’s content is perfect for younger watchers. Plus, Disney+ offers an ad-free option, so you don’t have to worry about inappropriate ads popping up during your child’s favorite shows.

Disney+ also excels in parental controls, offering a comprehensive suite of features to keep your kids safe. These include viewing restrictions, customizable profile settings, the ability to limit or block access to specific content, profile locks, PINs to set up new profiles, and the option to turn autoplay previews on or off. 

Disney+ prices start from 9.99 USD per month (with ads) and go up to 13.99 USD for ad-free viewing, offering a flexible range of subscription options to suit different family needs.

2. Paramount+

Paramount+ comes in second with 67.5 million subscribers, thanks in part to its substantial amount of family-friendly content. The platform offers 230 movies and TV shows suitable for younger viewers, making up 17% of its content. Paramount+ is also designed to be easy for parents to manage and for children to enjoy.

Paramount+ shines with its wide variety of shows and movies that cater to both kids and adults. Younger viewers can enjoy popular franchises and classics like SpongeBob SquarePants, PAW Patrol, The Adventures of Paddington, and Blue’s Clues. For older audiences, Paramount+ features beloved series and movies such as Star Trek and Indiana Jones. This blend of content ensures that there’s always something for everyone in the family.

Parents can create child-specific profiles, ensuring that kids only have access to age-appropriate content. The platform also offers an ad-free option, which helps to keep the viewing experience uninterrupted by ads. Paramount+ features comprehensive parental controls, including viewing restrictions, customizable profile settings, profile locks, and PIN options. The ability to limit or block access to specific content and turn autoplay previews on or off further enhances safety.

The standard Paramount+ package costs 5.99 USD per month, and the premium ad-free option is 11.99 USD per month, providing affordable options for families looking for quality entertainment.

3. Netflix 

Netflix is the most popular streaming service on our list, boasting a staggering 260.28 million subscribers. With a vast library of 6,790 titles, it offers 788 shows and movies specifically for kids, making up around 12% of its content. Whether your little ones are hooked on Peppa Pig, The Mario Movie, or Cocomelon, Netflix has something to keep them entertained.

Setting up child-specific profiles on Netflix is also quick and easy, thanks to the Netflix Kids section. This ensures that children only access age-appropriate content. The platform’s robust parental controls include viewing restrictions, customizable profile settings, profile locks, and the ability to block specific content. Plus, you can set up PINs for new profiles and manage autoplay previews, giving you full control over what your kids are adding to their watchlist. 

Netflix also offers an ad-free viewing experience, ensuring uninterrupted enjoyment and safeguarding kids from potentially inappropriate content. The standard subscription with ads costs 6.99 USD per month, while the Premium package is 22.99 USD per month. You can also add extra member slots for 7.99 USD each per month.

4. Hulu

Hulu is a go-to for many families, offering a well-rounded package with 252 child-friendly titles. Whether your kids love watching The Simpsons, competing in The Amazing Race, enjoying the nostalgia of Jumanji, laughing with Mr. Bean, or getting inspired by MasterChef Junior, Hulu will leave them spoiled for choice.

Creating child-specific profiles on Hulu is straightforward, making it easy to ensure that kids are only watching appropriate content. The platform’s advanced parental controls include viewing restrictions, customizable profile settings, profile locks, and the ability to block specific content. You can also control autoplay previews, adding another layer of safety.

Hulu’s ad-free option is a plus for families looking to enjoy uninterrupted viewing. With a subscription starting at 7.99 USD per month (with ads) and going up to 17.99 USD for the ad-free package, Hulu offers flexible options to suit different family needs.

5. Peacock

Peacock has you covered with 1,469 movies and TV shows perfect for children and families. With almost 30% of its content dedicated to younger viewers, Peacock is a solid choice for family-friendly streaming.

Peacock offers a variety of shows that kids will love, like Alf, Punky Brewster, Fright Krewe, and Bob the Builder. Setting up Peacock for your kids is also uncomplicated. You can create child-specific profiles to ensure they’re only watching suitable content. The platform’s parental controls include viewing restrictions, customizable profile settings, profile locks, and the ability to limit or block access to specific content. However, it’s worth noting that Peacock doesn’t allow you to turn autoplay previews on or off, so you might need to keep an eye on that.

Peacock also provides an ad-free option, which means your kids can enjoy their favorite shows without interruptions. 

6. Starz

Starz currently offers 210 movies and TV shows that are perfect for family viewing. With 24% of its content geared towards children, Starz delivers a solid lineup of family-friendly entertainment—with content ranging from The Jetsons to House of Anubis and Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse. 

Setting up Starz for the kids is also straightforward. While it doesn’t offer child-specific profiles, the platform makes up for it with a suite of parental controls. You can set viewing restrictions, customize profile settings, and block specific content to ensure your kids are watching age-appropriate shows. However, while it does come with a PIN to set up new profiles, it doesn’t come with profile locks—so, you might want to keep an eye on what they’re watching just to be sure they stay within the safe zone.  

Starz also offers a single ad-free subscription option. At just 9.99 USD a month, you get uninterrupted viewing, which means no unexpected ads popping up during your kids’ favorite shows. It’s an affordable choice compared to some of the bigger names out there, yet it still packs a punch with its comprehensive content library.

7. Max

Max is a solid choice for families, boasting a subscriber base of 76.8 million and a respectable collection of 258 child-friendly titles. That’s about 9% of its total library dedicated to little people. From timeless classics to contemporary hits, Max has a diverse range of content for every age group.

Parents will love the ease of setting up child-specific profiles, ensuring the kids only access suitable content. With shows like Sesame Street, the Harry Potter franchise, Wonka, and Smurfs, there’s always something fun or educational for young viewers.

Max doesn’t skimp on parental controls, either. You can set viewing restrictions, customize profile settings, lock profiles, and limit or block specific content. Plus, the ability to turn autoplay previews on or off gives you that extra layer of control over what your children see next. It also has a PIN setting for parents to set up new profiles. 

One of the standout features of Max is its ad-free option, which means uninterrupted viewing for those long movie nights or when you need to keep the kids busy while you take a break. 

With a subscription priced at 19.99 USD per month, Max offers a comprehensive package for families looking for a safe and engaging streaming experience. Cheaper plans (with ads) start from 9.99 USD per month. 

8. Prime Video 

Amazon Prime Video is a heavyweight in the streaming world with 205 million subscribers, offering an impressive array of content. With 1,280 child-friendly shows and movies, making up about 8% of its total library, Prime Video is a reliable choice for family viewing. Whether your kids are fans of Shrek, Minions, Dragon Ball Z, or classics like Home Alone and The Karate Kid, there’s loads to choose from.

Setting up child-specific profiles on Amazon Prime Video is also simple, ensuring that the kids only access suitable content. The platform is equipped with extensive parental controls, including viewing restrictions, customizable profile settings, profile locks, and the ability to limit access to specific content. Parents can also set up PINs to protect profiles and turn autoplay previews on or off, giving you full control over what your kids watch.

One of the standout features of Prime Video is its ad-free option, which ensures that your children can enjoy their favorite shows and movies without interruptions. Beyond streaming, a Prime membership offers additional benefits like free shipping and access to Amazon Music, adding even more value to the 14.99 USD per month package.

9. Kanopy

This unique streaming service partners with colleges and public libraries, making a vast array of content available for free—similar to Hoopla, all you need is a library card. With 2,000 child-friendly titles, which is about 7% of its 30,000-title library, Kanopy excels in educational value.

The platform is great for families looking for educational content without the hassle of advertisements, thanks to its ad-free viewing experience. This makes it easy to let your kids explore a variety of shows and movies without interruptions or the risk of coming across dodgy content. Some of the popular titles for kids include TV shows and movies with Paddington Bear, Madeline, Blippi, Sesame Street, and PBS Kids. And for those educational afternoons, there’s Sid the Science Kid and Monster Math Squad.

Kanopy offers parental controls including viewing restrictions, customizable profile settings, profile locks, and the ability to limit or block access to specific content. However, it does lack some features like PINs to set up new profiles and the ability to turn autoplay previews on or off, so you might need to keep a closer eye on what your kids are watching.

10. YouTube Premium

YouTube Premium offers exclusive, ad-free content that many families find valuable. With a broad range of 4,140 movies and TV shows for kids (the most offered by any streaming platform on our list, making up 10% of its content), there’s plenty to keep the little ones entertained. Unlike regular YouTube, which can have ads that aren’t always suitable for younger viewers, YouTube Premium provides an ad-free viewing experience. This can be a big relief when you’re trying to keep the viewing experience clean and appropriate.

And for those unfamiliar, YouTube Premium isn’t just about ad-free YouTube videos. It also includes access to YouTube Originals, actual movies, and a variety of shows. Your kids can enjoy movies like Despicable Me, The Lego Movie, the Kung Fu Panda series, and timeless favorites like The Goonies, NeverEnding Story, and Spirited Away.

Setting up parental controls on YouTube Premium is fairly straightforward. You can set viewing restrictions, customize profile settings, and limit access to specific content to ensure your kids only watch appropriate shows. However, it lacks some features like profile locks and PIN protection for setting up new profiles, so you might need to keep a closer watch.

At 22.99 USD per month for a plan that covers up to five family members, YouTube Premium is on the pricier side. However, with the extensive content library and the benefit of ad-free viewing, many families find it worth the price tag.

11. Discovery+

Discovery Plus is great for educational and informative content, making it a favorite for families who value learning. While it has a less diverse range of content for kids compared to other streaming platforms, with 84 TV shows suitable for children, the platform offers a variety of kid-friendly reality shows. Popular titles include Halloween Baking Championship, Corn and Peg, Fufu’s Happy Bake Time, and Food Network Star Kids. 

With 97.7 million subscribers, Discovery Plus is a popular choice for those who enjoy documentary-style and reality programming. Setting up child-specific profiles on Discovery Plus is straightforward. Parents can use viewing restrictions, customize profile settings, lock profiles, and limit access to specific content to ensure their kids are watching appropriate shows. However, the platform does not offer the option to turn autoplay previews on or off, so you might need to monitor what plays next.

The ad-free option on Discovery Plus ensures that children can watch their favorite shows without interruptions, providing a seamless viewing experience. At 8.99 USD per month, it offers a cost-effective solution for families looking for quality, educational entertainment.

12. Hoopla

When it comes to finding free, kid-friendly content, Hoopla is a great option. Partnering with libraries, Hoopla provides a vast array of content accessible with just a library card. This means you can enjoy it all without spending a dime. With 1,139 movies and TV shows suitable for younger viewers, Hoopla ensures there’s plenty of variety for the kids, making up 9% of its total content.

Titles like Rugrats, The Amazing Maurice, and Treasure Hounds are just some of the options available, making sure even fussy watchers will find something engaging. It also encourages children to read, thanks to its connection with local libraries.

Hoopla comes with an ad-free experience, which is a big plus for uninterrupted viewing. The platform also offers a “Kids Mode” that ensures only appropriate content is shown on designated profiles. However, it’s important to note that Hoopla has fewer parental control features than other platforms. While it does provide viewing restrictions and customizable profile settings, it lacks profile locks and PINs. This means parents might need to be a bit more hands-on in monitoring what their kids are watching.

13. Crackle

Finding a free streaming service that offers a good selection of kid-friendly content can be challenging, but Crackle is worth a look. With 304 child-friendly titles, this ad-supported service provides a variety of movies and shows without any subscription fee. With 40 million subscribers, Crackle has become a go-to for budget-conscious families.

Your kids can dive into classics like Alf, The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns, White Lion, and The Prince & Me 2. While Crackle’s ad-supported model means you get access to content for free, it also means that ads will pop up during viewing. Most ads on Crackle are generally suitable for all audiences, but parents should keep an eye out to ensure the ads are appropriate for their kids.

Crackle offers basic parental controls such as viewing restrictions and the ability to limit access to specific content. However, it lacks more advanced features like customizable profile settings, profile locks, PIN options, and the ability to turn autoplay previews on or off. This means you’ll need to be more hands-on in monitoring what your kids are watching.

14. Tubi

Keeping kids entertained with a huge selection of free content is where Tubi shines. With 74 million subscribers and a vast library of 3,455 kid-friendly titles, Tubi is a rare free service with plenty of shows and movies. Think Doctor Who, Tom & Jerry, Fern Gully, and Here Comes Peter Cottontail—there’s plenty to keep the little ones engaged.

But Tubi is free because it’s ad-supported. That means while your kids are watching their favorite shows, ads will pop up, so it’s important to stay vigilant and keep an eye on what they’re exposed to. Tubi does provide some basic parental controls like viewing restrictions and the ability to limit access to specific content. However, it lacks advanced features like customizable profile settings, profile locks, PIN options, and the ability to turn off autoplay previews.

Even though Tubi lacks some of the more sophisticated parental control features, its extensive library of free content is a significant draw for many families. You just need to stay engaged and use the tools available to keep the viewing experience safe and enjoyable for your kids.

Elevate your family’s streaming experience 

Finding the right streaming platform is just one part of ensuring a safe and enjoyable online experience for your kids. While these platforms offer various parental controls, combining these with a family VPN can take your family’s online security to the next level. Here’s how ExpressVPN can help protect your family and enhance your home streaming experience*:

Aircove

ExpressVPN’s Aircove router is a game-changer for home network security. As the world’s first Wi-Fi 6 router with built-in VPN functionality, Aircove protects every device under your roof. With this comprehensive online security, your family’s internet activities are kept private, ensuring peace of mind for parents.

Adult site blocker 

Our adult-site blocker is a powerful tool available on our Aircove router, as well as our apps for iOS, Windows, Mac, Android, and Linux. This feature prevents access to explicit content, ensuring a safer online experience for your children. Just toggle on the feature and ensure ExpressVPN is turned on (on Aircove, it also works when the VPN is turned off).

Ad blocker 

Worried about ads cluttering your kids’ screen time? ExpressVPN’s ad blocker filters out most display ads, stopping them from loading and appearing on your little one’s browser. This feature is available on Windows, iOS, Mac, Android, Linux, and Aircove devices. Here’s why it’s a game-changer:

• Speed up your browsing: Ads can slow down web pages. 
• Preserve mobile data and bandwidth: Ads consume data as they load. 
• Fewer distractions: Ads are messages companies want your kids to see. Take back control of what they’re shown. 
• Safer browsing: Some ads can carry malware or lead to phishing sites. 

Apps for Android and Apple TV

For families who love streaming on their TVs, ExpressVPN offers dedicated apps for Android TV and Apple TV. These apps provide a seamless and secure streaming experience, ensuring that your family’s viewing habits are protected from online threats. 

Connect on 8 devices at once 

ExpressVPN supports up to eight simultaneous connections with each subscription, making it perfect for families. Whether it’s for school, work, or entertainment, everyone in the household can enjoy a secure and private internet connection without compromising on speed or performance. This means that multiple family members can stream, browse, and work online simultaneously, all under the protection of ExpressVPN.

ExpressVPN is not endorsed by or affiliated with Amazon Technologies, Netflix, Disney, or any other streaming service, nor is it intended as a means of copyright circumvention. We cannot see or control what you do while connected to our VPN, so you are responsible for complying with our Terms of Service, your content provider’s terms, and any applicable laws.

Methodology:

To create the Child-Friendly Streaming Report, ExpressVPN evaluated the most popular streaming platforms available in the U.S., based on a seed list. We focused on a few key factors to determine which services are the best for kids and families:

• Number of subscribers: Indicates the popularity and reliability of the platform.
• Percentage of child-friendly content: Shows how much of the available content is suitable for children.
• Availability of an ad-free option: Important for uninterrupted and safe viewing.
• Price of a family package (monthly): Helps determine affordability for families.
• Parental control features: Assesses the quality and comprehensiveness of tools to manage what children can access.

We assigned scores for various criteria, leading to an overall score out of 30. This allowed us to rank the platforms and identify the best options for child-friendly streaming in 2024.