Tovi vs Epic!: Off-Screen Daily Activities vs a Digital Book Library
Tovi vs Epic!: Which Fits Your Family?
Epic! is a large digital library built for kids roughly ages 2 to 12. It gives your child access to tens of thousands of books, audiobooks, read-to-me titles, and learning videos in one app, and it does that job well: the catalog is deep, the reading levels are broad, and the read-to-me feature helps early and reluctant readers get through books on their own. Teachers have long used it in classrooms, and it's earned a real reputation as a way to put a whole bookshelf in a child's hands. If your goal is more reading and more exposure to stories, Epic! delivers a lot of it.
Tovi is built for the opposite side of the day. Instead of handing your child content to consume on a screen, it hands you one short, personalized off-screen activity each day, built from items you already have at home — a laundry basket, measuring cups, a few crayons. It also tracks developmental milestones and coaches you through behavior and routines as your child grows from birth through the teen years. The core axis of difference is where the learning happens: Epic! puts your child on a device with a library; Tovi gets you and your child playing together, off the screen, with what's already in the room.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Tovi | Epic! |
|---|---|---|
| Core format | Daily off-screen activity you lead | Digital library of books and videos |
| Activity Suggestions | Yes — daily, off-screen, household items | No — reading and viewing content |
| Parent Coaching | Yes — behavior, routines, development | No — child-facing library |
| Personalization | Yes — adapts to your child | Recommendations based on reading level |
| Developmental Tracking | Yes — birth through teens | No |
| Age Range | 0-18 | ~2-12 |
| Screen-Based? | No | Yes |
Pricing Comparison
Tovi offers a free tier with daily activities and parent guidance, plus a premium plan that unlocks the full personalized library and milestone tracking. There's nothing else to buy — activities use items already in your home.
Epic! runs on a subscription, typically billed monthly or annually, and has at times offered free access for educators in the classroom. Plans and rates change, so check current pricing before you sign up. What you're paying for is ongoing access to the full library rather than a one-time purchase.
The value models pull in different directions: Epic! sells breadth of content your child reads and watches on a screen; Tovi sells personalized guidance that turns everyday moments into hands-on play, with no device time and no materials to buy. If you're weighing options, see our Epic alternatives roundup.
Best For
Choose Tovi if:
- You want to shift time toward off-screen, hands-on play
- You'd rather lead activities than hand your child a tablet
- You want milestone tracking and real parenting guidance, not just content
- Your kids span a wide age range and you want one tool that grows with them
- You like that activities use household items, with nothing extra to buy
Choose Epic! if:
- You want a deep digital library of books and audiobooks
- Read-to-me support for early or reluctant readers matters to you
- Your child is in the roughly 2-12 range Epic! serves best
- You're comfortable with intentional, screen-based reading time
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Tovi and Epic! do the same thing?
No. Epic! is a content library your child reads and watches on a screen; Tovi is a daily coach for you that turns household items into off-screen play and tracks your child's development. Many families use both — Epic! for a contained reading session, Tovi for the hands-on time away from devices.
Which is better for encouraging reading?
Epic! is purpose-built for reading volume, and it's strong at it — a huge catalog plus read-to-me support. Tovi doesn't compete on that; it builds the off-screen habits and shared play that surround reading. If books-on-a-screen is your specific goal, Epic! is the tighter fit; if you want to grow real-world play time, Tovi is.
Does Tovi require screen time for my child?
No. Tovi runs on the phone you already have, and the activity itself happens entirely off-screen, between you and your child. You get the day's suggestion; your child never needs to look at a device.
Ready for parenting that tells you exactly what to do today? Try Tovi free and get one personalized activity built for your child.