My kids have been taking Hiya and First Day kids multivitamins since they originally launched. That was back in 2020. Since then, both brands have expanded in their own way and now offer multiple health-related products for the family.

This comparison is going to focus on Hiya and First Day kids multivitamins, respectively. I have a great perspective on each vitamin because my kids have been taking both of them since 2020.

Spoiler alert: my kids still take them, but here’s the deal…

My son likes one of them, and my daughter likes the other one. Obviously I’ll reveal which vitamins they would rather take in this article, and I think it is really going to help you decide which one may be right for your kid(s).

Quick Comparison of Hiya vs First Day Kids Vitamins

All About Hiya Kids Vitamins

Hiya Health started off with one product - their kids zero-sugar multivitamin chewable. Two dads created the idea of a healthier version of vitamins because the only kids vitamins available were ones from store shelves. Those vitamins had higher sugar content, weren’t very healthy and didn’t have the best ingredients in them.

So the two dads came up with Hiya Kids Multivitamins, which is a zero-sugar chewable tablet. There are 30 chewables inside and your kid just needs to take one per day, making it super convenient.

If you care about the environment, Hiya is eco-friendly, as they provide a reusable glass bottle, which also comes with cool picture and letter stickers for the kids to decorate how they like. For example, my kids put their names on the bottle with the letter stickers, along with some other picture stickers that they liked. In addition, they do have some themed bottles, like hot rods and barbie. So, if your kid(s) are into that sort of thing, it could be a great way to get them to take their vitamins.

Hiya always runs a 50% off discount for first time customers, which makes it really easy to test it out for your child. A subscription costs $30 per month for one bottle. If you’re a first time customer, you’ll get your first bottle for just $15. If you like it, you’re already in the system for the next month, or you can adjust the delivery dates. And, if your kid ends up not liking them, hiya makes it really easy to cancel.

Next, I’ll get into our experience with Hiya vitamins.

Our Experience Taking Hiya Kids Vitamins Since 2020

Remember I said one of my kids loves Hiya and the other loves First Day? Before I tell you which one, let me explain what we did.

Hiya Vitamins came out before First Day Vitamins, so both of my kids took Hiya in the early stages. We really jived with the formula. Yes, we as parents liked the zero-sugar, but it wasn’t a deal breaker for us. It was more of the amount of clean ingredients, the many vitamins and minerals and the fruit and veggie blend that was in these vitamins. Plus, they were specifically made for kids, which is why we tried them in the first place.

My son is the one that prefers Hiya over First Day. My daughter liked taking her hiya vitamins, but she was just two years old at the time. So, there was some push back with her, which is why we started looking for alternatives.

When my son first started taking hiya vitamins, he was 4. Now, he’s 8 and still takes them, along with Hiya kids probiotics and their new greens supplement. My wife and I really like how it fills nutritional gaps for him, as he is a pretty picky eater.

It’s been four really good years with this brand and my son will continue to take them until he gets into his teens.

They both like the reusable glass bottle that comes with stickers. It’s cool that they can decorate them how they want and I really believe it gets them to remember to take them.

As for my daughter, she still liked them, but it was time for us to try other options to see if she would take them more consistently. That’s when we found First Day.

All About First Day Kids Vitamins

Like Hiya Health, First Day started off with just one product - their Kids’ Daily Enrichment Multivitamins. These vitamins are in gummy form and there are two flavors in each container - strawberry and orange.

The elephant in the room is the sugar content. But, these aren’t like other gummy vitamins with tons of sugar. First Day gummy vitamins have just 2 grams of sugar per serving, or 1 gram of sugar per gummy because one serving is two gummies.

Back when First Day launched, which was in 2019 (same time as Hiya), there was a real problem with sugar content in kids’ vitamins across the board. Flintstones and other products from grocery shelves were filled with big named brands that made cheap, sugar-filled vitamins. Obviously this was a huge problem for many parents and First Day saw an opportunity.

First Day tries to be competitive pricing-wise, but still costs a tad bit more than hiya. You’re looking at a one-time purchase of $39. Or, a monthly subscription price of $31.20 per month.

These kids vitamins also come in an eco-friendly, reusable, already designed container, which my kids like. If you get the subscription, First Day sends a zip-sealed pouch. All you do is open it up and pour them in your container.

Below, I’ll talk about what our experience has been like with First Day.

Our Experience With First Day Kids Multivitamins

Our family has tried many different kids vitamins since 2020, and decided to add First Day kids vitamins to our list. And, for the record, we aren’t die-hard, zero-sugar-only parents. We like the idea of zero-sugar, but sometimes it’s not realistic for kids to take. Real talk - First Day Kids Vitamins only have 2 grams of sugar.

We ordered two bottles at the time, one for my son and one for my daughter. Both kids liked the vitamins and took them every day. One serving is 2 gummies. They taste good, but not too sweet and we really liked how it filled nutritional gaps for our picky eaters.

Oddly enough, my son still preferred his Hiya vitamins. However, my daughter really vibed with the First Day gummies more than hiya’s chewables. She looked forward to taking them every morning and that was enough for us to subscribe monthly for her.

What’s even more interesting is that out of both of my kids, my son is the one with the sweet tooth, while my daughter isn’t crazy about sweets. My point is, the sugar content in First Day doesn’t make her want more sugar throughout her day.

Comparison Section: First Day vs Hiya Kids Multivitamins

Next, I’ll do a comparison section on both First Day and Hiya kids vitamins across the key selling points.

Multivitamin Form: Gummy vs Chewable

For what it’s worth, we are split 50/50 down the middle with one kid liking the chewable and the other liking the gummy.

The gummies by First Day have a good sweetness to them, but not overly sweet. In addition, these gummies do NOT stick to their teeth. They’re easy to chew up and swallow and have a really nice texture to them.

The chewables are easy to chew up, almost like an old-school flintstones feel to them, or even a sweet tart, but it obviously doesn’t taste like a piece of candy, though. Hiya’s chewables do have some sweetness to them, thanks to the added monk fruit. This is nice because it isn’t a plane-jane vitamin. In fact, it’s just sweet enough to have one of my kids look forward to taking it.

My recommendation if you’re on the fence: Try both out, or if you know your kid prefers a gummy over a chewable (or vise-versa) go with that vitamin.

Sugar Content: 0g vs 2g

I get it, some of you parents out there want zero-sugar multivitamins for your kid(s). The good news is Hiya provides that. Me personally as a dad that doesn’t dish out sweets too often to the kids, I don’t think 2 grams of sugar is that big a deal.

However, there is a 2g sugar difference per serving, which could be a compounding effect over time, and a deal breaker.

My recommendation: If you don’t want sugar in your kids vitamins, go with Hiya. Or, if you don’t mind a couple of grams of sugar and your kid prefers a gummy, go with First Day.

Price: There Are Differences

Obviously there are some differences here, but the main one is the first purchase. It’s much cheaper starting out with Hiya than it is with First Day. And, per month, Hiya is $1.20 cheaper than First Day.

My recommendation: It definitely seems like a no-brainer to go with Hiya because of the initial pricing, but if your kid(s) won’t take it, you're wasting your money. If you think your kid(s) prefer a gummy vitamin, you’ll just be paying $1.20 more per month, and an extra $15 for your first payment. On the other hand, if you prefer giving your kid(s) a zero-sugar vitamin, Hiya provides that at a cheaper price initially and monthly.

Which Is Better: Hiya or First Day Kids Vitamins?

Hiya kids vitamins are better for parents who want a zero-sugar multivitamin for their kid(s) and extra vitamins and minerals to support a healthy diet. First Day kids vitamins are better for kids who might need a better tasting gummy vitamin, as there are 2 grams of sugar per serving (2 gummies per serving), while still getting the right vitamins, minerals, fruits and veggies all in one supplement.

Other Kids Multivitamins To Consider

There are other kids vitamins that we have purchased over the years and that my kids really like. You may want to consider these too:

Conclusion

First Day and Hiya are two of the biggest brands when it comes to healthy vitamins for kids. Both of my kids still take them to this day and we started back in 2020. Pretty cool, right?

From 2020 to the present day, we have tried other kids vitamins when on sale, or if we were on a tighter budget that month. My son likes his hiya vitamins, but also loves the 1st Phorm M-Factor Kiddos. My daughter likes her First Day vitamins.

At the end of the day, Hiya, First Day and the rest of the kids vitamins we take are definitely on the healthier side of kids vitamins. And, sometimes it takes some trial and error to see which ones your kid(s) will take.

If you’ve tried Hiya or First Day, let me know in the comments. Or, if you plan on going with one over the other, come back and let me know how it went.