How to Use Amazon FreeTime Unlimited

If you're growing tired of searching, screening, and filtering age-appropriate content for your kids, you'll love Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, the company's kid-friendly subscription service. Once an Amazon-only option, the service is now accessible from any compatible iOS and Android device.

Specifically designed for parents of children ages 3-12, FreeTime offers a convenient way for parents to give their kids high-quality, age-appropriate entertainment. In addition to e-books, FreeTime's "unlimited" content includes ad-free and social media-free videos, movies, audiobooks, educational games, and digital music. 

FreeTime also provides the ability for parents to monitor, control and set time limits on content through the Parent Dashboard. Select an age range, such as 9-12, and FreeTime will provide content that's entertaining, educational, and fun, pulling from popular networks such as Disney, Nickelodeon, National Geographic, and many others. Younger kids will likely see more content supplied by Sesame Street and PBS Kids.

FreeTime's Parent Dashboard provides a complete view of what kids have been watching, learning, and reading with historical analytics revealing the last content opened, and how much time kids spent on each one. The Dashboard lets you set time limits, schedule shut-down times, and set bedtimes. One of the best features are Discussion Cards, built around the content your kids have been accessing, with conversational prompts for open-ended discussions, and even interactive activities and crafts to go along with their new knowledge.

FreeTime Unlimited requires a subscription that can be canceled at any time. A Family plan, which provides separate logins for up to four children, is $6.99 for Prime Members and $9.99 for non-prime members; you can try a free month trial before subscribing. Once you've purchased the monthly subscription, FreeTime can be accessed on compatible Amazon devices, including Alexa, Kindle, Fire TV, Echo devices, web browsers, and Android and iOS devices.

Once you've purchased your FreeTime Unlimited subscription, the service is accessible from any compatible Amazon Device, including Kindle Fire, and a Kindle e-reader. Compatible Alexa devices let you play music, listen to audiobooks, and even tell jokes. Amazon has also set up a dedicated Alexa page of "Free Things to Try With Alexa," giving kids plenty of innovative ways to have fun with FreeTime.

You can also access FreeTime Unlimited through your web browser, which you can turn on for each specific child's profile. Enable or disable the Amazon FreeTime web browser in the Parent Dashboard.

You can download the FreeTime app for free on the Google Play Store, but you'll still need to purchase a subscription to access the service. If you purchase the service on the Play Store app, you'll pay $2.99 per month for Prime Members, and $4.99 for non-Prime Members after a free, one month trial.

You can also purchase the FreeTime subscription directly from Amazon, but you'll pay a bit more: $6.99 per month for Prime, and $9.99 per month for non-prime.

Tip: No matter where you purchase your subscription, you'll be able to access the service on any compatible device. 

However, using FreeTime on an Android device is a bit more limiting than with an Amazon device. You'll have to download games and content separately, and you're unable to share books from your Audible or Kindle account on a Google device. 

FreeTime Unlimited is available as a free download on the iTunes store with the option to purchase the FreeTime subscription for $2.99 a month for Prime members, or $9.99 for non-Prime members, after a free one-month trial.

Many of the parental controls and time limit features are not available on iOS devices. Apple doesn't allow third-party apps to control an entire device, so parents won't be able to keep kids from leaving FreeTime's kid-safe zone and browsing other areas on the iPad. You're also unable to share Audible or Kindle content on the iOS version, and games and content must be purchased separately. 

Remember, once you purchase a FreeTime subscription on any platform, you can use it across all of them. You will also need an Internet connection to access FreeTime.