InnoTab 3S vs LeapPad Ultra | Which is the Best Learning Tablet for Toddlers?

If you've ever been faced with the question "Which is the best learning tablet for toddlers?", then you're not alone. This has been bugging the parents of toddlers since 2011 and features two main players: Vtech InnoTab and LeapFrog LeapPad.

Educational tablets can be a good way for parents to get
involved with their child's learning

For the past few years I've been tracking the progress of these two learning tablets, producing extremely popular reviews of the original InnoTab and LeapPad, followed by InnoTab 2 and LeapPad 2 a year later, and finally culminating with InnoTab 3S and LeapPad Ultra. But, I'm already hesitant to use the word "finally" here, because in all probability there'll be another upgrade for me to write about at some point. Anyway, "enough already", I hear you cry. What about the InnoTab 3S and LeapPad Ultra?

Well, the link above will take you to my review site where I compare the InnoTab 3S to the LeapPad Ultra. You can drop a comment there, ask questions and find more information on these handheld learning devices and accessories. However, I don't really focus much attention on toddler usage, developmental benefits or the robustness of either device against drops, spills or peanut butter. This is what this blog post aims to rectify.

So, to start off with, both the InnoTab 3S (or just the plain InnoTab 3) and LeapPad Ultra are specifically designed for kids. For the InnoTab 3S the age range is 3 to 9, and for the LeapPad Ultra this is 4 to 9. Previous LeapPad versions were designed for 3-years and up.

When I say specifically designed for kids, I mean exactly that. These are, never were, and never will be (at least without much technical jiggery-pokery) adult tablets. Their operating systems are proprietary, i.e. not iOS or Android-based, and their sole purpose for existence is to educate and amuse.


LeapFrog beefed up construction for the LeapPad 2 from the original LeapPad Explorer, so it was a more robust device for kids to handle. This has followed through into the LeapPad Ultra which, although slimmer and larger, still maintains a nice solid feel.

The InnoTab 3 and 3S look, by and large, the same as previous versions of this Vtech tablet. Dimensions are roughly the same and screen size is roughly the same. In fact, I think it looks more like a toddler's tablet should, in comparison to the more adult-looking LeapPad. LeapFrog are clearly trying to prize those little fingers away from mom and dad's iPad with something which has a number of similarities.

Both the InnoTab 3S and the LeapPad have toddler-friendly Wi-Fi. I'd suggest that younger owners of these tablets should get their parent's help to connect and navigate to the parent-approved websites.

If you don't have a wireless connection, there are hundreds of educational apps and games you can download to these devices via a home pc. There are also a number of cartridges available for both, each containing a selection of e-books, games and learning content.

Many of the games and apps are designed for a whole host of learning and developmental benefits, including math skills, letters, reading comprehension, phonics, problem solving, geography, etc, etc. The list really does go on. Currently, LeapFrog has more content than Vtech, but they're catching up.

For my money, if you're thinking of one of these tablets for toddlers around the 2 to 3-years mark, then I'd go with the InnoTab 3S. If your kids are 4+, then the LeapPad Ultra would be the better investment. Both tablets come in different colors, and some with exclusive cases.