Animal Jam
Animal Jam is a freemium online multiplayer gaming platform launched in 2010 by WildWorks, Inc. (Salt Lake City, Utah), serving children and parents/guardians with virtual animal avatars, pet adoption, den decoration, mini-games, and National Geographic educational content in a COPPA-compliant, CARU-certified safe environment, monetized via memberships, virtual items, in-app ads, and retail gift cards.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersSalt Lake City, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Animal Jam does
Animal Jam is a privately-held online multiplayer gaming platform for children, launched in 2010 by WildWorks, Inc., a Utah-based corporation headquartered in Salt Lake City. The platform serves two primary segments: children as end-users and parents/guardians as decision-makers and purchasers. Within the virtual world "Jamaa," children create animal avatars, decorate personal dens, adopt virtual pets, play mini-games, and access educational wildlife content delivered through a partnership with National Geographic. The portfolio comprises the flagship Animal Jam (Play Wild!) web game, a separate AJ Classic experience, and a suite of mobile apps (AJ Jump, Amazing Animals/AJ Academy, Dash Tag, Tunnel Town) distributed on iOS and Android.
The platform operates on a freemium model. The core game is free; monetization occurs through tiered membership subscriptions (1-month at $6.95, 3-month at $17.94, 6-month at $29.95, and 12-month at $57.95), direct in-game virtual item purchases (Sapphires, Gems, Diamonds, pet eggs, den items), kid-safe in-app advertising through vetted vendors (AdColony, UnityAds, Kidoz, SuperAwesome), and physical and digital gift cards sold at major retailers. The technology stack includes custom safety and chat moderation systems with dynamic filters, professional human moderation staff, verifiable parental consent infrastructure compliant with COPPA, and CARU Safe Harbor certification maintained since launch. Distribution occurs through the AnimalJam.com website, iOS/Android app stores, and physical gift cards at retailers including Target, Walmart, GameStop, CVS, and Kroger across the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, and Mexico.
Animal Jam firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Animal Jam
- Legal name
- WildWorks, Inc.
- Website
- https://animaljam.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Animal Jam is a freemium online multiplayer gaming platform launched in 2010 by WildWorks, Inc. (Salt Lake City, Utah), serving children and parents/guardians with virtual animal avatars, pet adoption, den decoration, mini-games, and National Geographic educational content in a COPPA-compliant, CARU-certified safe environment, monetized via memberships, virtual items, in-app ads, and retail gift cards.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Animal Jam industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Children's Online Gaming and Educational Entertainment
- NAICS
- Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Family Entertainment Centers (Indoor развлечения: Arcade, Soft Play, Party Centers) (THAJAEAC)
Keywords
Where Animal Jam is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Salt Lake City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Animal Jam business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Membership Subscriptions: Recurring monthly, quarterly (6-month), and annual (12-month) membership plans that unlock exclusive in-game features, bonus currency (Sapphires/Gems/Diamonds), and member-only items. Memberships purchased on Animaljam.com/join come with more Sapphires than other purchase paths.
- In-Game Virtual Item Purchases: Direct purchases of virtual items and bundles including pets, den items, potions, cosmetics, special bundles (Monster High, Jamaalidays, Crafting, etc.), Sapphires, and Wishing Coins. Purchased individually as one-time transactions through the in-game premium shop.
- In-App Advertising: Third-party kid-safe advertisements delivered within Animal Jam through vetted ad partners including AdColony, UnityAds, Kidoz, and SuperAwesome. Uses unique device IDs (Apple IDFA) for ad targeting and attribution.
- Gift Certificates: Pre-purchased gift certificates available through the online shop (shop.animaljam.com) that grant access to membership features, Sapphires, and Diamonds. All gift certificate redemptions are final with no refunds.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | 1 Month Membership at $6.95/month recurring |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | 3 Month Membership at $17.94 (~$5.98/month) recurring |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | 6 Month Membership at $29.95 (~$4.99/month) recurring |
| Subscription | Annual | 12 Month Membership at $57.95 one-time payment (~$4.83/month) |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Deluxe 6-Month Membership at $29.95 recurring |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sapphire Bundles (300 to 3000) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Virtual Item Bundles (various price points) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Animal Jam product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Animal Jam is an online multiplayer virtual playground where children create animal avatars, explore themed worlds, decorate dens, adopt and customize virtual pets, play mini-games, and learn about wildlife through National Geographic educational content. The platform operates on a freemium model with optional paid memberships (1/3/6/12-month tiers) that unlock exclusive features, bonus currencies, and member-only items across both Animal Jam Play Wild! and AJ Classic.
Product overview
Animal Jam is an award-winning online playground and educational gaming platform for children launched by WildWorks in 2010. The portfolio consists of the flagship Animal Jam (Play Wild!) web game, the separate AJ Classic experience, and multiple mobile apps including AJ Jump, Amazing Animals (AJ Academy: Amazing Animals), Dash Tag, and Tunnel Town. Players create customizable animal avatars to explore virtual worlds, decorate dens, play minigames, adopt pets, and learn about wildlife. The platform operates dual virtual economies with Sapphires (Play Wild) and Diamonds/Gems (Classic), offered through a freemium model with optional premium memberships that unlock exclusive features across both games. Additional offerings include a Premium Store for direct purchases, Gift Cards available at major retailers, and Parent Tools for account management and safety controls. An educational component through AJ Academy provides downloadable wildlife content.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Animal Jam (Play Wild!) The flagship online multiplayer game for kids where players create animal avatars, explore the virtual world Jamaa, decorate dens, play minigames, adopt pets, and learn about wildlife through educational content.
- AJ Classic The classic version of Animal Jam offering a separate but connected gaming experience with its own currency (Diamonds and Gems), exclusive animals, accessories, and member benefits.
- AJ Jump Mobile game app available on iPhone, iPad, and Android devices.
- Amazing Animals (AJ Academy) Mobile educational app for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices featuring educational content about animals.
- Dash Tag Mobile game app available on iPhone and iPad devices.
- Tunnel Town Mobile game app available on iPhone, iPad, and Android devices.
- Animal Jam Membership Premium subscription service available in 1-month, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month tiers providing access to exclusive features, early content, bonus currencies (Sapphires, Gems, Diamonds), member-only items, weekly rare item gifts, and dual-game benefits across both Animal Jam and AJ Classic.
- Gift Cards Physical and digital gift cards available for purchase at major retailers (Target, Walmart, GameStop, Kroger, CVS, Safeway, Rite Aid, etc.) and online, redeemable for membership access and bonus in-game currencies (Sapphires, Memberships, Diamonds).
Quantifiable outcome
- Certified COPPA compliant and CARU Safe Harbor member since launch in 2010
Companies that use Animal Jam
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Animal Jam technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature10 records
Animal Jam partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- National GeographiccoreAnimal Jam features educational content from National Geographic including animal facts, educational videos, and downloadable e-books. This partnership is central to Animal Jam's mission of inspiring kids to explore and protect the natural world.
- Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU)coreCARU Safe Harbor Program member since 2010. CARU reviews Animal Jam's advertising and privacy practices to ensure compliance with children's online privacy standards.
- Retail Gift Card Partners (Target, Walmart, GameStop, etc.)minorPhysical gift cards for Animal Jam sold at major retail chains: Target, Walmart, GameStop, Kroger, CVS, Safeway, Rite Aid, Giant Eagle, Win Dixie, Shoppers, EB Games, The Warehouse, Countdown, Sainsbury, WHSmith, Wilko, Game, Clintons, Currys, Grainger Games, Smyths, Extra, Sugar Hill, Chedraui, Best Buy, Gamers. Available in US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Brazil, Mexico.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Animal Jam competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Minecraft: Minecraft is a sandbox game popular with children and families, featuring avatar customization, virtual world exploration, and an extensive marketplace for skins and mods. It is comparable to Animal Jam as a long-running online playground with strong kid/family audience and monetized cosmetics.
- Roblox: Roblox is an online gaming platform serving tens of millions of daily users, predominantly children and teens, with avatar-based social gameplay, virtual item purchases, and a premium subscription (Roblox Premium). It is directly comparable to Animal Jam on target audience, freemium model, virtual goods marketplace, and parent-facing safety tooling.
- Wizard101: Wizard101 is a subscription-based MMO aimed at kids and families, with member-only zones, premium currency (Crowns), and cosmetic item purchases. It is comparable to Animal Jam on subscription-driven freemium model and family-friendly MMO positioning.
- IMVU: IMVU is an avatar-based virtual world with virtual goods marketplace and credit-based monetization. It is comparable to Animal Jam on avatar customization, virtual item economy, and in-game purchase model, though IMVU targets an older teen/adult audience.
- Poptropica: Poptropica is a browser-based online adventure game aimed at children with avatar customization and educational mini-quests. It is comparable to Animal Jam on kid-targeted browser gameplay, avatar customization, and educational content positioning.
- Moshi Monsters: Moshi Monsters is a kids' online game featuring virtual pet adoption, mini-games, and a paid membership (Moshi Membership). It is directly comparable to Animal Jam on virtual pet theme, kids-only audience, and membership monetization model.
- Webkinz: Webkinz is a virtual pet game for children built around stuffed animal codes that unlock in-game pets. It is highly comparable to Animal Jam on animal theme, virtual pet adoption mechanics, kid-targeted gameplay, and parent-purchased premium memberships.
- Neopets: Neopets is a browser-based virtual pet game with virtual currency, items, mini-games, and subscription (Neopets Premium). It is directly comparable to Animal Jam on virtual pet theme, freemium + subscription monetization, and long-running kids' online community.
Emerging players
- Khan Academy Kids: Khan Academy Kids is a free educational app for children covering literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional learning. It is comparable to Animal Jam's AJ Academy sub-product on kids' educational content delivery, though it does not offer multiplayer social gameplay.
Others
- National Geographic Kids: National Geographic Kids is the children-facing editorial site of the National Geographic content partner. It is comparable to Animal Jam's National Geographic content library on animal/nature educational content for kids and represents an adjacent ecosystem participant.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Animal Jam social profiles
Digital presenceAnimal Jam compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Animal Jam financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Animal Jam leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Animal Jam funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Animal Jam M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Animal Jam
What does Animal Jam do?
Animal Jam is an online multiplayer virtual playground where children create animal avatars, explore themed worlds, decorate dens, adopt and customize virtual pets, play mini-games, and learn about wildlife through National Geographic educational content. The platform operates on a freemium model with optional paid memberships (1/3/6/12-month tiers) that unlock exclusive features, bonus currencies, and member-only items across both Animal Jam Play Wild! and AJ Classic.
Is Animal Jam a public or private company?
Animal Jam is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Animal Jam founded?
Animal Jam was founded in 2010. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Animal Jam based?
Animal Jam is headquartered in Salt Lake City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Animal Jam make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are in-Game Virtual Item Purchases, in-App Advertising and gift Certificates.
Who are Animal Jam's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Minecraft, Roblox, Wizard101, IMVU, Poptropica, Moshi Monsters, Webkinz and Neopets. Khan Academy Kids is listed as an emerging player. National Geographic Kids is listed as an others.
Does Animal Jam have an API?
No public API is recorded for Animal Jam.
What industry is Animal Jam in?
Animal Jam's product category is Children's Online Gaming and Educational Entertainment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJAEAC, Family Entertainment Centers (Indoor развлечения: Arcade, Soft Play, Party Centers). Its NAICS code is 7131 and its SIC code is 7900.