One of the biggest concerns parents have when considering a Yoto reader for their children is that they will spend a fortune on Yoto cards.

And you absolutely can!

But the good news is that there are many ways to get cheap or free audio to put on a Create Your Own Yoto card!

Here are seven of my favorites!

PS My affiliate code for Yoto is AFF-EVERYDAY10. It will work on first orders on the Yoto site (order must be $70 or more).

7 Great Places to Get Audio to Make Your Own Yoto Cards

• Yoto application. The Yoto app is free, whether you have a Yoto reader or not, and they are constantly adding new things that you can easily link to a Create Your Own Yoto card. Check it out frequently and definitely don’t miss Yoto’s annual advent with new free audio every day in December!
• Libro.fm. If you’re new to Libro.fm, it’s very similar to Audible, except your monthly subscription supports the independent bookstore of your choice instead of Amazon. I have a whole post about Libro.fm here, but the important thing to know is that your audio files are yours forever and are super easy to access, no jailbreak required. And if you’re wondering how to get those Libro.fm files onto a Yoto card, I have a whole post here. They always have deals and you can buy audiobooks for a few dollars to put on your cards!
• Yoto Space. I think this is such an underrated resource for getting free audio to fill your Yoto Make Your Own cards! Yoto Space is the Yoto community website and there are tons of great options for free audio. Take 10 minutes to browse the site and see what your kids will like! Also, since it is official Yoto, it syncs very easily with the Yoto app and Yoto Make Your Own cards.
• Librivox. This is an amazing option for FREE audiobooks! Librivox is a website that offers free public domain (i.e. 70+) audiobooks read by volunteers. Obviously, some readers will be better than others, but you can find some great content here! This link takes you directly to the children’s section where you can look around or search for a specific title.
• Freegal. Do you know Freegal? It’s a music service that many libraries provide access to for their patrons (you can check here if your library participates), and you can listen to music through it for free – if you don’t want to pay for Spotify or Amazon Music, it’s a great alternative, even if it doesn’t include every song on the planet. And the best part is that your library card gives you access to a certain number of free downloads per week (the number of downloads varies based on your library setup. My library allows me to download 3 songs per week). Once downloaded, the songs will be yours forever and you can do whatever you want with them (for personal, non-commercial use). For detailed instructions on how to put them on your Yoto cards, check out this post!
• Rip your CDs to mp3 files. I know CDs seem to be a thing of the past, but they are a great resource for making your own Yoto cards! So take all your old favorite CDs and rip them onto Yoto cards for your kids to listen to now! Plus, if you like saving money, CDs are something to keep your eyes peeled for!
• Register yourself or your family members. I love this option. There’s nothing like a loved one reading a book out loud to you, especially if you don’t live nearby. Yoto has some fabulous instructions here on how to record your audio in the Yoto app. This would be a great Christmas gift that would be truly memorable and cost next to nothing.

Any other favorite places to get audio to make your own Yoto cards? I’d love for you to share your insights in the comments – it makes this resource more useful for everyone!

If you liked this post about places you can make your own cards for your Yoto, you might like these other posts: