the trip clip
The Trip Clip is a home-based DTC business (I Spy a Family, LLC) operating a web platform that lets families, teachers, and special-needs caregivers build printable picture checklists and educational activities from a 1,800+ image library, monetizing via a $2.95 platform license and low-priced PDFs plus physical add-ons like clipboards and magnetic boards.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- Headquarters—
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What the trip clip does
The Trip Clip is a privately-held, bootstrapped consumer digital-goods business that operates a web-based platform enabling parents, teachers, and caregivers of children ages 2–12 to create customizable picture checklists and printable educational activities. The platform exposes a library of more than 1,800 clipart images and 21+ activity templates (Bingo boards, mazes, crossword puzzles, math worksheets, word searches, etc.) through a drag-and-drop interface; users assemble personalized checklists and either print them, view them on mobile devices, or render them as magnetic or hook-and-loop boards. The company is structured as I Spy a Family, LLC and is run part-time from a home office by founder Molly Rhoten — a former Microsoft Group Program Manager with 11 years of software development experience — with one part-time family-team member handling fulfillment, magnet production, QA, and bookkeeping. No external investors, no board, and no institutional infrastructure are present.
The business generates revenue from four low-ticket streams: a $2.95 one-time perpetual license to access the website and create/print activities; Ready-to-Print PDF activity books starting at $1.50; physical add-on products (kid-sized 4-color clipboards at $6.95/set, 4-color pens at $2.95, Magnetic To-Do/Done boards, and Hook-and-Loop boards); and a Teacher Discount Program offering 52 weeks of free printables to educators. Distribution is direct-to-consumer only through thetripclip.com; there is no retail, wholesale, or marketplace presence. Marketing relies on content/SEO via the company blog and organic social channels (Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram), with no paid acquisition infrastructure disclosed. Customer segments split across busy families, K-6 educators, and families of children with autism or other special needs, the last of which is anchored by the founder's personal narrative around her niece who works on the business.
the trip clip firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- the trip clip
- Legal name
- I Spy a Family, LLC
- Website
- https://thetripclip.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- The Trip Clip is a home-based DTC business (I Spy a Family, LLC) operating a web platform that lets families, teachers, and special-needs caregivers build printable picture checklists and educational activities from a 1,800+ image library, monetizing via a $2.95 platform license and low-priced PDFs plus physical add-ons like clipboards and magnetic boards.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
the trip clip industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Children's Educational Printables and Visual Learning Tools
- NAICS
- Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers (459), Office Supplies and Stationery Retailers (45941)
- SIC
- Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Children’s Activity & Workbook Publishing (MPAJAFAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Children’s Activity & Practice Books (Workbooks, Puzzles, Handwriting) (EDAGAIAE), Student Activity Materials & Manipulatives (Hands-on Learning Kits) (EDACAJAG)
Keywords
the trip clip business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Website Access Subscription: One-time purchase ($2.95) to access the website and create custom picture checklists and activities. Customers purchase to unlock the ability to edit and print activities.
- Physical Products: Sale of physical add-on products including kid-sized clipboards ($6.95 for 4 colors) and 4-color pens ($2.95)
- Ready-to-Print PDFs: Pre-made printable activity books and PDF downloads starting at $1.50
- Free Content Marketing: Free printables and blog content drive traffic and demonstrate product value before purchase conversion
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Website Access - One-time purchase to start creating |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kid-sized Clipboard Set |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 4-Color Pen |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Ready-to-Print PDFs and Activity Books |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
the trip clip product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Trip Clip operates a subscription-based web platform (entry price $2.95) where users drag-and-drop from a library of over 1,800 pictures to create customized picture checklists and printable educational activities for children, including routines (morning, bedtime, after school, chores, packing, school schedules, room cleaning) and travel/learning activities (Bingo boards, mazes, coloring pages, crosswords, word searches, math worksheets). Output can be printed, used on mobile devices, or displayed on magnetic or hook-and-loop To Do–Done boards. Physical add-on products include kid-sized clipboards ($6.95 for four colors) and 4-color pens ($2.95), with Ready-to-Print PDFs available from $1.50.
Product overview
The Trip Clip is a family-focused consumer web platform and small business operated by I Spy a Family, LLC. The core offering is a subscription-based website ($2.95 to get started) providing customizable picture checklists and printable/accessible educational activities for children. Users select from a library of over 1,800 pictures, drag-and-drop to create personalized checklists and activity books, then print them, use them on mobile devices, or display them magnetically. The product portfolio includes the core digital platform with Ready-to-Print PDF add-ons (starting at $1.50), physical add-on products (Magnetic To-Do/Done Board, Hook and Loop Board, Kid-Sized Clipboard at $6.95 for 4 colors, and 4-Color Pen at $2.95), and a Teacher Discount Program (52 weeks of free printables). A companion editorial blog covers parenting strategies, life skills education, and working-mom topics.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Trip Clip (Core Platform) Subscription-based online platform offering customizable picture checklists and printable/accessible travel and educational activities for families. Users choose from a library of over 1,800 pictures, drag-and-drop to create personalized checklists and activity books, then print them or access them on mobile devices. Starting price: $2.95.
- Ready-to-Print PDFs Pre-designed printable PDF activity books and checklists available for individual purchase, starting at $1.50 each.
- Magnetic To-Do / Done Board A magnetic picture checklist system using a cookie sheet or plastic magnetic frame with dry-erase markers, allowing kids to move task magnets between To Do and Done columns. Comes with 20 picture magnets and the ability to make custom magnets.
- Hook and Loop (Velcro) To-Do / Done Board A hook-and-loop-based picture checklist board with To Do and Done columns for displaying personalized picture routines.
- Kid-Sized Clipboard Child-sized clipboard designed for use with The Trip Clip picture checklists and activities, available in four colors (red, blue, green, yellow). Price: $6.95 for a set of 4.
- 4-Color Pen A 4-color click pen (red, blue, green, black) for use with The Trip Clip kid-sized clipboard. Price: $2.95.
Companies that use the trip clip
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
the trip clip technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
the trip clip partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
the trip clip competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Highlights for Children: Established children's publishing brand offering activity books, puzzles, and learning materials for families. Overlaps with The Trip Clip's activity category (mazes, word searches, coloring, puzzles) at a much larger scale and brand recognition.
- ABCmouse (Age of Learning): Large subscription-based early learning platform for children ages 2-8, covering activities, books, and puzzles. Overlaps with The Trip Clip's primary segment (families with young children) and activity-driven learning approach, though fully digital.
- Khan Academy Kids: Free early-learning app covering reading, math, and social-emotional skills for young children. Comparable to The Trip Clip's educational activity category and family-with-young-children segment, but delivered as a digital curriculum.
- Lakeshore Learning: Retailer of educational supplies, classroom visual aids, and routine charts for teachers and parents. Overlaps with The Trip Clip's classroom routine and learning-materials category, but as a broader physical-product retailer with higher price points.
- Scholastic Printables: Printable worksheets, activities, and lesson plans from a major children's publisher. Comparable in offering downloadable educational activities to teachers and families, though as a free/brand-supported channel rather than a paid product.
Direct peers
- Teachers Pay Teachers: Online marketplace for teacher-created printable resources, lesson plans, and activities. Directly comparable to The Trip Clip in serving teachers and families with picture-based, printable educational content, with overlapping use cases in classroom visual supports and routine charts.
- Choiceworks (BeeVisual): Visual schedule and picture-based routine app for children with autism and special needs. Directly comparable in targeting the special-needs segment with visual supports and routine boards, though delivered as a mobile app rather than printables.
Emerging players
- Canva for Education: Drag-and-drop design platform with an education vertical enabling teachers and parents to build visual checklists, routines, and printable activities. Comparable to The Trip Clip's customization interface and education customer segment, though broader in scope.
- First Then Visual Schedule (Good Karma Apps): Mobile app for creating visual schedules and First/Then boards for children with autism and special needs. Comparable to The Trip Clip's special-needs use cases (visual schedules, First/Then boards) but in a digital rather than printable format.
- Visual Supports and Beyond (TPT special-needs sellers): Independent sellers on Teachers Pay Teachers creating visual schedules, First/Then boards, and picture-based routine charts for autism and special education. Direct overlap with The Trip Clip's special-needs product use cases at lower price points.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
the trip clip social profiles
Digital presencethe trip clip financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
the trip clip leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
the trip clip funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
the trip clip 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 the trip clip
What does the trip clip do?
The Trip Clip operates a subscription-based web platform (entry price $2.95) where users drag-and-drop from a library of over 1,800 pictures to create customized picture checklists and printable educational activities for children, including routines (morning, bedtime, after school, chores, packing, school schedules, room cleaning) and travel/learning activities (Bingo boards, mazes, coloring pages, crosswords, word searches, math worksheets). Output can be printed, used on mobile devices, or displayed on magnetic or hook-and-loop To Do–Done boards. Physical add-on products include kid-sized clipboards ($6.95 for four colors) and 4-color pens ($2.95), with Ready-to-Print PDFs available from $1.50.
Is the trip clip a public or private company?
the trip clip is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was the trip clip founded?
the trip clip was founded in 2009.
How does the trip clip make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Website Access Subscription is the primary driver. The others are physical Products, ready-to-Print PDFs and free Content Marketing.
Who are the trip clip's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Highlights for Children, ABCmouse (Age of Learning), Khan Academy Kids, Lakeshore Learning and Scholastic Printables. Direct peers are Teachers Pay Teachers and Choiceworks (BeeVisual). Emerging players are Canva for Education, First Then Visual Schedule (Good Karma Apps) and Visual Supports and Beyond (TPT special-needs sellers).
Does the trip clip have an API?
No public API is recorded for the trip clip.
What industry is the trip clip in?
the trip clip's product category is Children's Educational Printables and Visual Learning Tools. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAFAG, Children’s Activity & Workbook Publishing, with a secondary code of EDAGAIAE, Children’s Activity & Practice Books (Workbooks, Puzzles, Handwriting). Its NAICS code is 459 and its SIC code is 3944.