Peekimo vs Tamagotchi and Bitzee

Peekimo compared with Tamagotchi Uni, Tamagotchi Paradise and Bitzee: prices in £ and $, batteries, screens, ages and which suits which child.

Updated 2026-10-14

Peekimo is the simplest and most "pet-like" of the current virtual pets: a furry creature in a pod with no screen, five games and a mood light, for about £24.99 or $24.99. Tamagotchi Uni and Tamagotchi Paradise are screen-based, with far more characters and features, and cost more. Bitzee, also from Spin Master, sits in the middle. For a younger child (it is rated 5+) who wants something cute to carry around, Peekimo is a sensible, cheap choice. For an older child who wants to raise and collect characters for months, a Tamagotchi will offer more.

Comparison table

Prices checked October 2026 on the retailer pages listed in the sources. We did not find a UK and US price for every product.

	Peekimo	Tamagotchi Uni	Tamagotchi Paradise	Bitzee Magicals	Bitzee Aquarium
Maker	Spin Master	Bandai	Bandai	Spin Master	Spin Master
UK / IE price	£24.99 (Smyths UK)	£29.99 (HMV, sold out)	£42.99 (HMV)	Not found	€44.99 (Smyths IE)
US price	$24.99 (Target)	Not found	$44.97 (Walmart, reduced)	$24.99 (Target, reduced from $29.99)	$39.99 (Spin Master list price)
Display	No screen: real furry pet, mood light	Screen	Screen with zoom dial	Holographic-style pet made of LED light strips	Display holding four pets at once
Batteries	1 AAA, included	Not confirmed	2 AAA, not included	3 AA, included	3 AA, included
Wearable	Yes: lanyard and carabiner	Yes: wristband included	Not mentioned	Portable, not wearable	Desk or bedroom toy
Characters	One pet per toy	Many characters (exact number not given)	Over 50 characters (Walmart listing)	Up to 20 in the pod	30 aquatic pets
Games	5 unlockable	Online Tamaverse activities and DIY play	Mini-games, Lab Mode, breeding	Games and potions	8 solo games
Connects with others	Two Peekimos interact nearby	Wi-Fi	Connects with a friend's device	Not mentioned	Not mentioned
Age	5+	6+	6+ (Walmart)	5+	Under-3 warning only (IE listing)

Notes on the table:

Tamagotchi Paradise prices vary widely. Walmart showed $44.97, reduced from $77.73, with other sellers from $73.79, so treat the US figure as a sale price. HMV's listing says it can raise more than 50,000 characters, while Walmart's says over 50 characters across 12 species. We could not resolve this; it may count combinations differently.
Tamagotchi Uni launched in the US in July 2023 and was released in the UK on 4 November 2024, according to HMV. We could not find a current US retail price or confirm how it is powered.
Original Bitzee (the purple 15-pet version) was no longer available online at John Lewis when we checked.

How they differ

Screen vs no screen

This is the biggest difference. Peekimo's pet is a physical furry figure that pops out of its pod, and it shows feelings through a coloured light and sounds. Smyths and Target both describe it as screen-free. Tamagotchis use a small LCD screen. Bitzee is in between: FOX 9 described the original as a 3D-looking pet made from colour-changing LED strips inside a shell.

If you are trying to cut screen time, Peekimo is the clearest choice. If your child likes the detail of a pixel-art pet and menus, Peekimo may feel basic.

Depth of play

Peekimo: feed, cuddle, talk, read eight moods, unlock five games through birthdays, and meet other Peekimos. That is the whole loop.
Tamagotchi Paradise: a dial zooms from a cell up to outer space, there is a shopping-style Lab Mode, characters can be bred to pass on traits, and new lands can be unlocked.
Tamagotchi Uni: Wi-Fi play through the Tamaverse, with arenas, parties, fashion and travel, plus downloadable content and updates.
Bitzee Magicals: grow pets from baby to adult to "Super Bitzee", collect up to 20, and earn potions in games.

Peekimo will be quicker to master. That suits younger children but may mean it is put away sooner.

Wearability

Peekimo and Tamagotchi Uni are the two designed to be worn: Peekimo on a lanyard or carabiner, the Uni on an included wristband. Bitzee is handheld and the Aquarium is meant to sit on a desk.

Batteries and running costs

Peekimo uses one AAA, the cheapest to run here. Bitzee uses three AA (included). Tamagotchi Paradise needs two AAA that are not in the box, according to HMV and Walmart, so add those to the gift. None of the listings mention subscriptions or in-app purchases.

Playing with friends

Peekimo's social feature is simple: two units close together react to each other. Tamagotchi Paradise connects with a friend's device to see whether characters get on, and the Uni goes online over Wi-Fi. If your child's friends already have Tamagotchis, a Peekimo will not connect with them.

Safety notes

All of these have small parts and carry choking warnings for under-3s on the listings we read. Target's Bitzee Magicals listing also warns that flashing lights may trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. Peekimo and Tamagotchi Paradise use standard AAA batteries and Bitzee uses AA, not coin or button cells, but batteries should still be changed by an adult and kept away from small children.

Is Peekimo worth it?

Probably yes if:

your child is at the younger end of the age range (5+) and likes cute, cuddly things;
you want a gift without a screen;
you want something under £25 or $25 with the battery included;
a friend or sibling is also getting one, so the two can interact.

Probably not if:

your child is older or already loves Tamagotchi and wants more to do;
they want to collect lots of different characters (Bitzee or Tamagotchi Paradise give more);
they want online features (Tamagotchi Uni).

One caution: Peekimo is new. The only independent review we found (People of Play, August 2026) listed no downsides, and retailer ratings were based on a few dozen reviews. How long children stay interested is not yet known.