Compare the Best Learning Apps for Kids in 2026
Nine learning apps, two children (6 and 10), two weeks each, one parent logging every session. We scored what was learned, whether the kids asked for it again, the parent tools, ads and in-app purchases, and the yearly price.
Last Updated: Sep 2026Suggested kids learning apps for you
KKhan Academy
Very Good
8.7
Free, nonprofit, no adsLearn More
We Recommend
KKhan Academy Kids
Excellent
9.1
Completely free with no ads and no in-app purcha...Learn More
3Reading Eggs
Very Good
8.7
Structured, sequential phonics with a placement...Learn More
All 9
Reading apps for kidsMath apps for kidsFree learning apps for kidsLearning apps for preschoolersHomeschool appsEducational apps for elementary studentsAd free kids apps
1
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
Excellent
9.1
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$0 · checked Sep 11
2–8
Reading, math, logic, social-emotional, books
2
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
Very Good
8.7
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$0 · checked Sep 11
5–18+
Math, science, reading, history, economics, computing, SAT
3
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
Very Good
8.7
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$12.99 · checked Sep 11
2–13
Phonics, reading, spelling, comprehension; maths via Mathseeds
4
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
Good
8.4
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$9.95 · checked Sep 11
4–18 (Pre-K to 12th grade)
Math, English language arts, science, social studies, Spanish
5
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
Good
8.0
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$14.99 · checked Sep 11
2–8
Reading, math, science, art, music
6
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
Fair
7.8
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$9.99 · checked Sep 11
2–8
Reading, math, social-emotional, creativity
7
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
Fair
7.8
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$0 · checked Sep 11
6–14 (grades 1–8)
Math (English add-on)
8
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
Fair
7.6
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$15.99 · checked Sep 11
3–14 (Pre-K to 8th)
Math, reading, writing, science, social studies, art
9
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
Tested
6.8
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$0 · checked Sep 11
4–12 (Pre-K to 6th)
Math, reading, typing, strategy, art
Frequently asked questions about kids learning apps
Are free learning apps good enough?
Khan Academy Kids and Khan Academy are free, ad-free and nonprofit, and they cover more ground than several paid apps in our test. Paid apps earn their price with adaptive practice (IXL), structured phonics (Reading Eggs) or a curriculum a child will actually follow (ABCmouse).
How much screen time is reasonable?
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests consistent limits rather than a fixed number for school-age children, and co-viewing for under-fives. Our engagement score rewards apps that pack learning into 15–20 minutes rather than stretching it with reward animations.
Which app helps most with school math?
IXL, because its skills map to state standards by grade and the practice adapts to the child. Prodigy makes practice feel like a game, which worked better for our reluctant 10-year-old, but the game is the point and the maths is thinner per minute.
How do you test kids' apps?
A parent sets up each app, then two children use it in 20-minute sessions over two weeks. We log what was practised, whether the child chose it again, every ad or purchase prompt seen, and what the parent dashboard reported. Learning is checked with the same short quiz before and after.
*Scores: Learning 30 · Engagement 20 · Parent tools 15 · Safety & ads 15 · Value 20; score = Σ ÷ 10, ties break on the earlier test date. 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.
#1 Khan Academy Kids9.1 · $0
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