Hopster TV

What Hopster TV does

Hopster TV (legally Plato Media Ltd, part of Sandbox International Holdings / Sandbox Kids) is a London-based subscription streaming and learning service for children aged 2-6, founded in 2013 by Nick Walters. The company delivers an ad-free, curriculum-aligned library of more than 800 episodes of preschool TV shows, alongside interactive games, digital books, songs, and original programming through mobile (iOS/Android), connected-TV (Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku), smart-TV (Xfinity X1, Netgem), and channel partner (Amazon Prime Channels, STV) platforms. Hopster differentiates on safety (BBFC U rating, COPPA, GDPR, CCPA compliance), a 360-degree navigable interface designed for young children, responsible autoplay controls, offline downloads, and parent-facing monthly learning reports. Its content strategy combines licensed third-party preschool IP with proprietary "Hopster Originals" (Saturday Club, Two Minute Tales, Rainbow Stories, Clever Brenda), supported by an Academic Advisory Board that includes Professor Annette Karmiloff-Smith and Professor Lydia Plowman.

The business runs on a subscription-recurring revenue model with monthly (and implied annual) billing, gated by a 7-day free trial; pricing is not publicly listed on the website. The product-led go-to-market relies on app-store discovery, word-of-mouth among parents, and distribution partnerships — notably Sony Pictures Television Networks as strategic equity investor and board seat holder since 2016, Amazon Prime Channels, Comcast Xfinity X1, and STV. Additional adjacent products include Hopster Coding Safari (a coding game with one-off and subscription unlock) and Hopster Saturday Club (emotional literacy sub-brand). The company has raised disclosed funding of approximately $3M (February 2017, VentureFounders) plus multiple undisclosed rounds from 2013-2019, and acquired Curious World in October 2020. As of April 2018 the platform had surpassed 2 million app installations across mobile, tablet, and connected-TV; the company has received a BAFTA nomination (Humf) and the Kidscreen Award for Best Video Streaming App.

Name

Hopster TV

Legal name

Plato Media Ltd

Website

https://hopster.tv

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hopster TV is a London-based subscription streaming and learning platform for children aged 2-6, offering ad-free, curriculum-aligned shows, games, books, and original content across mobile, connected TV, and smart TV, with revenue from recurring subscriptions to parents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Educational Streaming

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Kids & Family Streaming Platforms (MPACAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Children’s & Youth Educational Entertainment (Edutainment) (EDAGALAK), Kids & Family Curated Content Platforms (MPACAKAL)

Keywords

• Preschool educational streaming
• Children's learning app
• Ad-free kids content
• Preschool curriculum media
• Interactive educational games

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue: Monthly or annual subscription providing access to the full Hopster content library including shows, games, books, and songs. Subscription required for unlimited downloads and full service access.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hopster is a subscription-based app for children aged 2-6 that delivers ad-free educational TV shows, interactive games, digital books, and songs through a child-navigable 360-degree world. The service runs on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and select smart TV platforms, with offline downloads and monthly learning reports for parents. Content is curated against an Early Years curriculum framework and the platform produces exclusive original programming alongside licensed preschool brands.

Product overview

Hopster is a subscription-based children's learning and entertainment platform for ages 2-6, consisting of the core Hopster app along with add-on modules including Hopster Coding Safari and Hopster Saturday Club. The platform provides access to educational TV shows, interactive games, digital books, and music through a safe, 100% ad-free environment. Hopster also produces original content under the Hopster Originals brand. The company is operated by Plato Media Ltd (trading as Hopster), part of Sandbox International Holdings Ltd. Content is delivered across multiple platforms including iOS, Android, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and smart TVs, with offline download capabilities for travel.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hopster Coding Safari: A separate coding game app created and owned by Hopster for teaching coding concepts to children.
• Hopster Saturday Club

Products and services

• Hopster Award-winning, 100% ad-free subscription app for children aged 2-6 offering premium learning shows, games, books and songs, with offline downloads, parental controls and monthly learning reports.
• Hopster Coding Safari A standalone coding game app that teaches kids computational thinking and coding concepts. Hopster subscribers can unlock additional content using their Hopster account, or it can be purchased separately via one-off payment.
• Hopster Saturday Club An original Hopster animation series and companion app that helps develop emotional literacy and empathy in young children.

Quantifiable outcome

• First app ever to receive BBFC U rating from British Board of Film Classification
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Diversity Role ModelsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 March 2019Partnership with education charity Diversity Role Models to develop LGBT+ inclusive content for preschoolers, including Rainbow Stories series.
• Comcast Xfinity X1coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 12 September 2018Hopster is available over the internet on Comcast's Xfinity X1 platform, marking significant US market presence.
• STVminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 August 2018Partnership with Scotland's home of news and entertainment to make Hopster content available to STV viewers in Scotland.
• Netgem UKminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 2 July 2018Hopster is available on Netgem UK's SoundBox HD, an all-in-one soundbar, streaming device, and set-top-box.
• Amazon Prime ChannelscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 25 April 2018Major distribution partnership enabling Hopster to reach Amazon Prime customers through Amazon's channel offering.
• HarperCollinsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 9 August 2017Partnership for book-related content and promotions, including a competition to win classic children's books from HarperCollins.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Amazon Kids+: Subscription-based kids content service from Amazon (formerly FreeTime Unlimited). Directly competes with Hopster by offering ad-free, age-appropriate content for children including videos, books, and educational apps across multiple age tiers including preschoolers.
• YouTube Kids: Google's dedicated kids video streaming app with parental controls and curated content. The largest free alternative to Hopster's subscription model, with broad content library but more variable quality control concerns.
• PBS Kids: Free, ad-supported educational streaming service for children from the US Public Broadcasting Service. Strong educational credibility and curriculum alignment competes directly with Hopster's positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Netflix Kids: Major streaming service with substantial preschool content including dedicated kids profiles and curated rows. Bundled with general subscription creates price pressure on standalone services like Hopster.
• Disney+: Disney's flagship streaming service featuring Disney Junior, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and Bluey. Bundled with major franchises and aggressive pricing makes it a formidable competitor in preschool content.

Regional players

• CBeebies: BBC's UK preschool channel and streaming service. Strongly competes in Hopster's home UK market with trusted brand, free access via license fee, and curriculum-aligned educational programming.

Emerging players

• Kidoodle.TV: Ad-supported kids streaming service with COPPA compliance and parental controls. Emerging competitor targeting similar safety-conscious parents but with a free, ad-supported model vs. Hopster's subscription.
• Sensical: Free, ad-supported, Common Sense Media-approved kids streaming service. Competes on safety/credibility positioning similar to Hopster but with different business model (ad-supported).
• Kiddopia: Subscription-based educational app for preschoolers combining videos, games, and learning activities. Direct competitor in the educational edutainment category targeting similar 2-6 age range.

Others

• Curious World: Educational app for kids that was acquired by Hopster in October 2020. Now operates within Hopster's portfolio but historically was a direct competitor in the preschool learning space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HopsterTV
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCo8eceFz-Yl0xJ2M6PApyGg
• Facebookfacebook.com/hopsterTV
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/plato-media-ltd-
• Instagraminstagram.com/hopstertv

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors7 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hopster TV