Zigazoo is a step up from TikTok for younger users, but after testing it I have some real concerns that parents should read before installing. Zigazoo Kids was built by public school teachers during the pandemic, but I'm not sure it's aged well.
Zigazoo prompts kid-creators with specific creative challenges to respond to, which keeps content more streamlined and easier to moderate than a fully open platform. But it pits kids head-to-head in cruel leaderboards. Not to mention anyone can watch these videos.
Read all about it in the best safe social media apps for kids and teens.
- Free (premium creator badge: $9.99/month; premium plan: $7.99/month)
- Available for iOS and Android
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How Zigazoo works
Zigazoo Kids runs on a challenge-prompt model. Instead of posting whatever they feel like, kids respond to daily creative prompts, which range from educational to goofy. The most memorable one I saw during testing was "lip sync with a crawfish." There is a literal child holding a crawfish and lip-syncing to a pop song, and in the context of a kids' platform, it is exactly the kind of harmless, imaginative content the app is designed to encourage.
Image: Jessica Santero | WhistleOut
There are no private DMs on the platform, which removes one of the most common issues for inappropriate contact on kids' social apps. Comments are moderated, and from the 100 videos I watched during testing, every comment I encountered was positive. None of the song versions used in videos were explicit. Content moderation is tighter than TikTok, and the teacher-led origin of the app shows in how content categories are structured.
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What concerned me during testing
The daily leaderboard is the feature I am most troubled by. Zigazoo ranks the top creators across the platform by likes received each day, and separately ranks users by how many invites they have sent. That is an app-wide public ranking of children, visible to everyone, updated every day. I have seen a lot of social media dynamics that are bad for kids, and a daily leaderboard built around likability is near the top of that list.
Image: Jessica Santero | WhistleOut
The content distribution by age and gender was also interesting. From my testing sample of over 100 videos, the content skewed heavily toward girls and was mostly dancing, lip-syncing, fit checks, and get-ready-with-me videos. Parents of younger girls should have a direct conversation with their child about why they want to use the app and what kind of content they plan to make before they install it.
What Reddit says about Zigazoo Kids
There's a lot of skepticism around Zigazoo on Reddit. One user raised concerns about a video-based platform that offers prizes for signing up and markets itself as fully moderated, questioning whether a child-exclusive platform creates a concentrated target for bad actors.
Age verification is strict for creators, open for viewers
Zigazoo's age verification is only required if a child wants to post content. Posting requires a selfie of the parent and child together, with a blink-detection step to confirm a live image rather than a photo held up to the camera. I tested this with my face alone, my face alongside a printed photo, and my face next to a doll. All three failed. The blink detection is difficult to fool.
But there aren't any restrictions on the viewing side. Anyone can create an account and watch videos on the platform without any verification. That means adults have unrestricted access to a feed of children dancing and performing. The app does not require any form of identity confirmation to browse, which is a meaningful structural limitation regardless of how good the content moderation is.
Is Zigazoo Kids worth it?
For creative kids ages 8 and up who want the video-sharing experience in a more structured environment than TikTok, Zigazoo Kids is an option (but I personally wouldn't use it). The leaderboard, the open viewing access for any account holder, and the appearance-focused content are major concerns that any parent should consider.
How I tested Zigazoo Kids
- Created an account and browsed the full content feed without creator verification
- Watched 100 videos to evaluate content type, age range, and moderation quality
- Tested the creator age verification process using multiple methods (face alone, face with photo, face with doll)
- Reviewed the daily leaderboard structure and evaluated its implications for younger users
- Checked comment sections across a range of videos for moderation quality
- Confirmed the absence of private direct messaging on the platform
- Reviewed the premium verification and subscription tiers
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Zigazoo Kids FAQ
Is Zigazoo Kids free?
Zigazoo Kids is free to download and use. Optional paid tiers include a $9.99/month creator verification badge and a $7.99/month premium plan, but neither is required to use the app.
Can adults view content on Zigazoo Kids?
Yes, any account holder can browse the Zigazoo feed without age verification, which means adults have unrestricted access to video content posted by children on the platform (yikes).
Does Zigazoo Kids have private messaging?
Zigazoo Kids does not have private direct messaging, which removes one of the most common safety risks on kids' social platforms.
What age is Zigazoo Kids designed for?
Zigazoo Kids is best suited for children ages 8–12, though parents of younger children in that range should review the leaderboard and content type before installing.
Jessica Santero
Staff Writer
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