Kids’ Learning Apps, Reviewed for the People Paying for Them: Parents
Learning-app subscriptions run anywhere from $6.99 to $15.99 a month — yet two of the best apps in the category are completely free. Renewal prices, trial fine print, and refund policies vary wildly between brands. We read the fine print, check the public records, and rank the free options honestly alongside the paid ones.
What this site does
Kids Reading Lab is an independent review site that compares the major early-learning and learn-to-read apps — ABCmouse, Khan Academy Kids, Hooked on Phonics, HOMER, Reading Eggs, Lingokids, and Duolingo ABC. We are not affiliated with any of them. Our job is the unglamorous part: comparing real prices (including what the subscription renews at, not just the intro rate), trial and refund terms, curriculum scope, and what independent reviewers and regulators have actually said about each product.
Start here: our two headline picks
- Completely free — no ads, no in-app purchases, run by the nonprofit Khan Academy
- 4.8 on the App Store across roughly 128,000 ratings — the highest of any app we compare
- Full early-learning curriculum for ages 2–8, including social-emotional learning
- Trade-offs: app only — no web/desktop version — and a less granular leveling system than ABCmouse
- The biggest library we compare: 10,000+ activities and 850+ lessons across a 10-level path for ages 2–8
- Five subjects — reading, math, science, art, and music — plus 900+ Spanish-language books and activities
- Works in a web browser as well as on mobile, and has a free Basic tier (10 activities/day)
- Smart signup: the $45 first-year price and 30-day trial live on the web (not the App Store) — our review walks through the best way to start
All 7 apps at a glance
| App | Price | Ages | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Khan Academy Kids | Free | 2–8 | Full curriculum + social-emotional |
| ABCmouse | Free Basic tier · $14.99/mo · $45 first yr (web) | 2–8 | Reading, math, science, art, music |
| Reading Eggs | $9.99/mo or $69.99/yr (reading) | 2–13 | Structured reading (+ optional math) |
| Hooked on Phonics | $6.99/mo (app-only) · $49.99/yr | 3–8 | Phonics / learn to read |
| HOMER | $7.99–$12.99/mo · ~$59.99–$65.99/yr | 2–8 | Literacy-led, interest-based |
| Lingokids | Free tier · $14.99–$15.99/mo | 2–8 | Play-based learning, strong for English learners |
| Duolingo ABC | Free, ad-free | ~3–7 | Early literacy only |
See the full rankings and mini-verdicts →
How to choose (a 4-step shortcut)
1. Start from your goal, not the app store
“Teach my child to read” and “keep my child learning across subjects” are different jobs. Phonics-first products (Hooked on Phonics, Duolingo ABC, Reading Eggs) do the first job; full-curriculum products (ABCmouse, Khan Academy Kids) do the second. Buying a full curriculum when you only want phonics means paying for breadth you won’t use.
2. Try free before you pay
Khan Academy Kids and Duolingo ABC are entirely free, and ABCmouse and Lingokids both have free tiers. Starting free tells you the one thing no review can: whether your particular child will actually engage.
3. Keep screen time in perspective
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests about one hour per day of high-quality media for children ages 2–5, and recommends co-viewing — sitting with your child — where possible. No app replaces reading aloud together; the good ones supplement it.
4. Read the renewal terms before entering a card
This category runs on auto-renewing subscriptions with intro pricing. ABCmouse’s $45 first year renews at $59.99 and its stated policy is that subscriptions are prepaid and non-refundable; Reading Eggs, by contrast, offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. Set a calendar reminder before any renewal date.
How we review
We are an independent publisher, not a retailer and not the official site of any app here. We compare published pricing and plan terms, app-store ratings and their volumes, expert evaluations such as Common Sense Media’s, Better Business Bureau records, and public regulatory actions. Where research is funded by the company that sells the product, we say so. We do not publish fabricated testimonials, invented statistics, or fake urgency — and no app can guarantee a learning outcome, so we never claim one will.
Read our full review methodology · How we make money · About us
Head-to-head comparisons
If you are already deciding between ABCmouse and one alternative, these go straight to the differences that matter:
- ABCmouse vs Khan Academy Kids — the paid giant vs the free 4.8-star nonprofit app
- ABCmouse vs Hooked on Phonics — full curriculum vs focused phonics
- ABCmouse vs Reading Eggs — breadth vs reading progression (and a real refund policy)
- ABCmouse vs HOMER — library size vs personalization
- ABCmouse vs Lingokids — school-style curriculum vs play-based volume