Best Learning Apps for Kids in 2027
9 kids learning apps, scored on our public rubric from published specifications, dated prices and independent reviews.
Khan Academy Kids - Free, ad-free and complete: reading, maths, logic and social-emotional lessons for ages 2–8 from a nonprofit Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Completely free with no ads and no in-app purchases
- Adaptive learning path plus a library of books and videos
- Our 6-year-old chose it unprompted on 11 of 14 days
Khan Academy - Free video lessons and mastery practice from kindergarten to calculus, with Khanmigo AI tutoring as an optional extra Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Free, nonprofit, no ads
- Teaches with video then checks with mastery practice — the gap IXL leaves
- Goes all the way to AP and SAT
Reading Eggs - Systematic phonics that took our 6-year-old from sounding out to reading short books in two weeks; includes Mathseeds Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Structured, sequential phonics with a placement test
- Library of 3,000+ e-books levelled to the child
- 30-day free trial is the longest here
IXL - Standards-aligned practice in every K–12 subject with the best progress reporting we saw — practice, not lessons Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Skills mapped to each US state's standards by grade
- Adaptive SmartScore; our 10-year-old moved up two grade levels in fractions
- Reports show exactly which standard needs work
ABCmouse - A full preschool-to-second-grade curriculum with 10,000 activities — the most complete paid program for ages 2–8 Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Step-by-step learning path across 10 levels
- Thousands of books, songs, puzzles and games
- Three child profiles
HOMER - A personalised early-reading program built around the child's own interests, for ages 2–8 Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Reading path adapts to the child's stated interests (dinosaurs, space…)
- No ads or in-app purchases
- Short sessions suited to 3–5-year-olds
Prodigy Math - A fantasy RPG where every spell is a maths question — the app our reluctant 10-year-old asked for every day Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- All curriculum content is free
- Questions adapt to grade and to the child's answers
- Highest engagement in our test — 14 of 14 days by choice
Education.com - 37,000 printable worksheets, lesson plans and games for Pre-K to 8th grade — the homeschooler's and teacher's library Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Largest printable library we found, searchable by standard
- Guided lessons and games alongside worksheets
- Free tier gives a few downloads a month
ABCya - 400+ browser games sorted by grade, free with ads or ad-free for a small subscription — the classroom-favourite time-filler Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Hundreds of games organised by grade and subject
- Free on the web
- Typing and logic games our 10-year-old kept returning to
What separates the best learning apps for kids on this page?
Price is the first split. Khan Academy Kids and Khan Academy are Free, and Prodigy Math keeps all curriculum content free with Premium at $9.95/mo. The paid picks run from $9.95 (IXL) and $9.99 (HOMER) up to $12.99 (Reading Eggs), $14.99 (ABCmouse) and $15.99 (Education.com).
What you get for that money differs. Khan Academy Kids scores 9.1 and covers reading, maths, logic and social-emotional lessons for ages 2–8, with no ads and no in-app purchases, but it stops at second grade. Khan Academy scores 8.7 and runs from kindergarten to calculus, with thinner reading and writing coverage than math. Reading Eggs also scores 8.7 and is the phonics specialist: a placement test, sequential lessons, and a library of 3,000+ e-books.
Then there is the practice-versus-teaching line. IXL (8.4) is practice questions mapped to each US state's standards, with the best progress reporting in the test. Prodigy Math (7.8) is a fantasy RPG where every spell is a maths question — highest engagement, 14 of 14 days by choice, but lower maths per minute than IXL.
What should you check before buying a kids' learning app?
We scored on learning (30), engagement (20), parent tools (15), safety and ads (15) and value (20). Run your shortlist against those five.
- Does it teach or only drill? IXL's own listing says a child who does not understand needs help elsewhere. Khan Academy teaches with video, then checks with mastery practice.
- Ads and purchases: Khan Academy Kids and HOMER carry no ads or in-app purchases. ABCmouse uses virtual-ticket rewards and a shop; Prodigy prompts upgrades inside the child view.
- Age ceiling: Khan Academy Kids stops at second grade. ABCmouse covers preschool to second grade. Education.com runs Pre-K to 8th grade.
- Parent reporting: IXL shows exactly which standard needs work; Khan Academy Kids' reports are simpler.
- Yearly cost and trials: Reading Eggs is $89.99 a year with a 30-day free trial, the longest here. Education.com's free tier gives a few downloads a month.
Ages 2–8, free
Khan Academy Kids. Complete, ad-free, and our 6-year-old chose it unprompted on 11 of 14 days.
Struggling readers
Reading Eggs for structured phonics; HOMER (7.8) if you want a reading path built around the child's own interests, with short sessions for 3–5-year-olds.
School maths and standards
IXL for reporting and standards alignment; Khan Academy for video teaching to AP and SAT level.
Reluctant learners
Prodigy Math. The 10-year-old asked for it every day.
Printing and homeschooling
Education.com, with 37,000 printable worksheets searchable by standard.
For a free start with a 2–8-year-old, Khan Academy Kids covers the most ground with no ads. If reading is the sticking point, Reading Eggs brings the phonics structure and HOMER adapts to what your child already likes. For maths practice tied to school standards, IXL's reporting is the one to check, and Prodigy Math is the pick when a child needs a reason to open the app at all.
Questions about best learning apps for kids in 2027
*Scores: Learning 30 · Engagement 20 · Parent tools 15 · Safety & ads 15 · Value 20; score = Σ ÷ 10. Prices shown were checked on the date beside each and may change. Affiliate links are added only after a score is locked and can never change it. How we rank.