Amazon Kindle vs Amazon Kindle Kids Edition: which ereader is the right buy for your family?

Over the past decade, Amazon's Kindle has absolutely stormed the market, offering a quick and easy way to access hundreds of books instantly. To find the best Amazon Kindle ereader, we've spent hours testing different models and today we're comparing Amazon Kindle and Amazon Kindle Kids Edition.

Both of these are well-reviewed ereaders, but if you're buying for your family there are a few differences that need to be understood, and they could make all the difference to you and your needs. We also factor in pricing, too, with this feature listing how much each model costs and displaying today's best deals on them.

We absolutely love books and likely wouldn't be here writing for you without them. Reading is an amazing activity that, importantly in 2022, doesn't involve a screen, or at least an LED screen.

While physical books are things of beauty, we love the Kindle because it can hold many, many different books while maintaining a design that's super easy to hold in one hand. Anyone who has tried to read a hardback book lying down knows how useful this small change can be.

Amazon's Kindle is the budget version of its extensive Kindle lineup and we're comparing it to the Kindle Kids Edition – no prizes for guessing who it's for. We've also got a feature comparing Amazon's two premium ereaders, too: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite vs. Kindle Oasis: which is best?

But right now let's get started in our Kindle and Kindle Kids Edition comparison. 

Amazon Kindle vs. Kindle Kids Edition: Features

As the name would suggest, the Kindle Kids Edition is the same as the regular Kindle except its design specifically for kids. 

Let's start with the similarities: You get the same six inch display with a respectable 167ppi, the same 8GB memory, weeks of battery life, WiFi, and Audible via Bluetooth. Plus, of course, access to basically infinite books.

But the Kids Edition also comes with a new rugged casing, available in block colours (blue or pink) or funky designs (rainbow birds and space station). We honestly kinda wish that Amazon would extend these designs to the normal Kindles...

Amazon also offers Kids+, a £1.99/month subscription service (free for one year) with thousands of popular titles (think Harry Potter) that makes dipping in and out of a huge array of books super easy. On top of this, Amazon also offers a two year "worry free" guarantee for breakages, up from one year on the regular Kindle.

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Amazon Kindle vs. Kindle Kids Edition: Design

Besides the really swish colours and designs on the Kids Edition, it also comes with a much bulkier rubberised casing to help protect against inevitable knocks and falls. It's really that simple: the case is sturdier and will protect your child's Kindle. 

In some ways, we're pretty sad that the funky designs on the Kids Edition aren't transportable to the Kindle, Paperwhite, and even Oasis. There are of course some nicely designed cases, but many of the Amazon ones are single tone. 

Overall, both the Kindle and Kids Edition are basically the same besides the aesthetic flare of the latter, which we love. 

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Amazon Kindle vs. Kindle Kids Edition: Which is best?

The choice between the Kindle and Kindle Kids Edition unsurprisingly comes down to who you're buying it for. If your kids are getting into reading and want a sturdy, well-stocked ereader then the Kids Edition is a no brainer: everything you love about Kindle, but with cool designs and parental controls. 

For everyone else, the Kindle is a great choice if you're on a budget and want the basic reading experience. If you have slightly more spare change, we recommend taking a look at the Kindle Paperwhite, which has a higher-resolution display and nicer design, at least in our view.

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