Is SkyBuds always listening?
No, SkyBuds is not always listening. A small chip on the toy listens only for the wake word "Hey SkyBud", and only while the toy is in standby. When the toy is powered off, nothing listens. After the wake word, the SkyBud listens while your child talks with it and turns speech into a reply. Unless you turn it off in the app, we keep some of those recordings, labelled with random codes instead of names.
Does SkyBuds record my child?
Yes: unless you turn it off, we keep some of your child's voice recordings, labelled with random codes instead of names, to make SkyBuds better at understanding kids. You can turn it off any time in the app (Grown-ups, then Help improve SkyBuds), and the toy works exactly the same either way. If you set up SkyBuds before September 29, 2026, we keep no recordings unless you agree to the updated notice.
How long does SkyBuds keep recordings?
Every voice recording and its transcript is deleted 24 months after it was recorded, and nothing is kept indefinitely. If you turn recordings off in the app or by email, we delete the ones we kept within 30 days and remove them from our training data. Conversation transcripts are kept for 12 months, so the SkyBud remembers and you can read along in the app. You can delete your account and all of your child's data, anytime.
Who can hear my child's recordings?
Only trained, individually authorized members of the SkyBuds team listen to recordings, to check transcripts and label data. Access is limited and logged, and everyone with it is bound by a confidentiality agreement. Recordings are never sold, never shared with any other company, never used for advertising and never used to train anyone else's models. As a parent, you can read every chat in the app: a short summary and the full transcript.
Which AI powers SkyBuds?
SkyBuds' own AI, not ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or any other AI lab's model. Since September 2026 the toy's speech recognition, conversation and memory run on our own servers instead of outside AI companies, and so do its safety checks. Those servers are computers rented from RunPod, which does not use, keep or train on the data. Fish Audio speaks the reply from the reply text only, with no retention and no training. Every provider is named in our privacy policy.
How does a SkyBud charge?
A SkyBud charges with USB-C. A full charge takes 4 to 6 hours, and we recommend charging overnight. The battery lasts 4 to 12 hours, depending on how much your child plays. It is sealed in and cannot be removed. The toy is tested by an independent, CPSC-accepted lab to CPSIA and ASTM F963-23, tested to the EU toy standards EN 71 and EN IEC 62115, and complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. More on battery and charging.
Does SkyBuds work without Wi-Fi?
No, a SkyBud needs Wi-Fi to talk; without Wi-Fi it is still a soft plush to cuddle. SkyBuds connect on 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, which almost every home router that broadcasts 5 GHz also broadcasts, and they also work on a phone hotspot. Setup takes about 2 minutes: download the free app, connect to Wi-Fi and start talking. More on 5 GHz and hotspots.
Where can I buy SkyBuds?
You can buy SkyBuds at getskybuds.com, where Ash, Pearl and Sprout are $139 each. They are in stock, and orders ship within 1–3 business days. We ship within the United States only, from our US warehouse with tracking, and you get a tracking email the day your order ships. US shipping is free on orders over $190. Every SkyBud comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, and you can cancel anytime before your order ships.
What ages is SkyBuds for?
SkyBuds is made for ages 3 to 10. It adapts its language, topics and complexity to your child's age. It is not for children under 3, because it has small parts. Your child holds a plush and talks to it like a friend, with no screen, no scrolling and no ads, and you can read every chat in the parent app.
What does SkyBuds cost after I buy it?
Nothing, unless you choose SkyBuds+: talking and stories stay free for life, with no subscription needed. SkyBuds+ is optional and adds smart parent insights, unlimited personalized stories and more languages. Your first month is free with your SkyBud, then it is $9.99/month, or a prepaid pass in your cart, and you can cancel anytime. One membership covers every SkyBud in your home. See everything SkyBuds costs.
What languages does SkyBuds speak?
A SkyBud speaks more than 75 languages. Just ask it to speak the language you want. It listens, answers and remembers your conversations, and it tells personalized bedtime stories. Talking and stories stay free for life, with no subscription needed, and you can read every chat in the parent app: a short summary and the full transcript.
Is SkyBuds the same as SkyBuds earbuds?
No. SkyBuds is an AI plush toy for kids, not earbuds. SkyBuds talking plush toys (Ash, Pearl and Sprout) are made by Firefly Jar, Inc. for kids ages 3 to 10. The Skybuds wireless earbuds were made by Alpha Audiotronics and are discontinued. The SkyBuds AI earbuds are sold by 4smarts, another company. Neither company is related to SkyBuds.
