Best Apps for Kids to Learn Math in 2026: 7 Apps Compared

Key takeaways

• Two of the best math apps for kids are free to use at home: Khan Academy Kids (ages 2 to 8, no ads and no subscriptions) and Zearn (kindergarten through grade 8, a nonprofit).
• Prodigy Math lets children play its math content for free, and its paid Core membership is $9.95 a month, or $58.95 billed yearly, for one subject.
• Mathseeds lists $6.99 a month or $49.99 a year, with a 30-day free trial for up to four children.
• The apps cover different ages: Khan Academy Kids and Mathseeds start in preschool, Prodigy and Zearn suit grades 1 to 8, and Beast Academy Online is aimed at ages 6 to 13.
• Match the app to the child, not to the ratings. A five-year-old and an eight-year-old need very different apps, and a child who loves games may skip a worksheet-style program.

Quick comparison

The best apps for kids to learn math

Math apps range from play-first games to full curricula. The seven below cover ages 2 to 13, and they differ most in price and in how much a parent needs to set up. Prices come from each company's own pages where we could open them.

1. Khan Academy Kids

• Best for: Preschool to 2nd grade, all-free
• Starting price: Free
• Free plan: Yes
• Website: khanacademy.org

Khan Academy Kids is a rare thing: a full app that is actually free. The company's page says the mobile app has no ads and no subscriptions, and that third parties cannot track your child across other apps or websites. That last point is worth reading in any app you pick for a young child.

It is built for ages 2 to 8, and it is aimed at families and teachers supporting children from pre-K through second grade. Math sits alongside early literacy, reading, writing and language, so it works as a single app for a preschooler rather than a math-only practice tool.

Schools can use a paid Khan Academy Kids for Schools version at $5 per student, but families do not need it. If your child is in kindergarten or first grade and you want zero cost, this is the first app to try.

Pros

• Free with no ads and no subscriptions
• covers early math along with reading and writing
• ages 2 to 8

Cons

• Aimed at young children, so older kids outgrow it
• not a full grade-by-grade math curriculum

2. Prodigy Math

• Best for: Game-loving kids in grades 1 to 8
• Starting price: Free / $9.95 per month
• Free plan: Yes
• Website: prodigygame.com

Prodigy wraps math questions inside a role-playing adventure. Kids battle, complete quests and earn rewards, and the questions adjust to their level. Prodigy says it covers math standards for grades 1 to 8 across several countries, including the United States.

The free side is real. Prodigy's membership page says its Math and English content is free, while Science content and additional game enhancements require a membership. Parents get a free parent portal to see progress, a monthly report card by email with a skill-by-skill breakdown, and a curriculum progress report.

Memberships are priced per child: Core (Math only) at $9.95 a month or $58.95 billed yearly, Plus (Math and Science) at $14.95 a month or $88.95 yearly, and Ultra (Math, Science and English) at $19.95 a month or $118.95 yearly. Some Prodigy blog posts show older, higher figures, so use the membership page as the source. It suits kids who need a game to sit down and practice.

Pros

• Math content is free to play
• parent portal and monthly report card are free
• covers grades 1 to 8

Cons

• Science content and some game extras need a paid membership
• older Prodigy blog posts show higher prices than the current page

3. SplashLearn

• Best for: Kindergarten and 1st grade practice by grade
• Starting price: See website
• Free plan: Free trial (7 days)
• Website: splashlearn.com

SplashLearn covers preschool, kindergarten and grades 1 to 5, with a separate math program for each grade. Its home page lists games, worksheets, lesson plans and tools such as a Math Facts tool, a Fractions tool, a Number Line tool and virtual manipulatives.

For parents, SplashLearn's support center says you can start a 7-day free trial and are not charged during it. It also describes free classroom-linked access, where a parent account gives access to what the teacher assigns. Free K to 5 lesson plans and teaching tools are listed on the main site.

We could not confirm a current parent price. Two third-party articles list different figures, so we list the price as See website. Check the subscription page before the free trial ends. The grade-by-grade structure is the reason to consider it for kindergarten or 1st grade.

Pros

• Covers preschool (ages 2 to 5), kindergarten and grades 1 to 5
• math games, worksheets and lesson plans
• 7-day parent trial

Cons

• Parent pricing was not on the pages we could open
• third-party sites list conflicting figures

4. IXL

• Best for: Skill-by-skill practice and drills
• Starting price: See website
• Free plan: See website
• Website: ixl.com

IXL is a practice site more than a game. A child picks a skill, answers questions and gets feedback, and the program tracks mastery. The U.S. family page advertises access for as low as $9.95 a month, and IXL's membership page says it covers K to 12 across math, language arts, science, social studies and Spanish.

IXL's homeschool page cites more than 20,000 skills across pre-K to 12. School guides say people practicing without an account get a daily limit of ten questions per subject, and progress is not saved. Those guides describe school and teacher setups, so check the family terms for your account.

We could not confirm a math-only family price, so we list See website. IXL fits a parent who wants targeted practice on a specific skill, such as subtraction or place value. It is less playful than Prodigy.

Pros

• A very large catalog of skills
• covers K to 12 across several subjects
• family memberships advertised from $9.95 a month

Cons

• Math-only family pricing was not shown
• limited practice without an account may not save progress

5. Mathseeds

• Best for: Ages 3 to 9, structured lessons
• Starting price: $6.99 per month
• Free plan: Free trial (30 days)
• Website: mathseeds.com

Mathseeds is from the makers of Reading Eggs and is aimed at ages 3 to 9. Its pricing page lists $6.99 a month for math only, or $49.99 billed yearly (about $4.17 a month), with a 30-day free trial for up to four children. A bundle with Reading Eggs is listed at $13.99 a month.

That makes it one of the cheaper paid options for young children, and the trial gives a month to see if your child sticks with it. The trial offer is for new customers only, and billing starts when it ends, so set a reminder.

Mathseeds suits parents who want a guided path through early math without having to choose skills themselves. If you want a free option, look at Khan Academy Kids or Zearn first.

Pros

• Math-only plan at $6.99 a month
• 30-day free trial for up to four children
• yearly plan lowers the monthly cost

Cons

• No ongoing free plan
• the trial is for new customers only

6. Zearn

• Best for: Free lessons that follow a school-style program
• Starting price: Free
• Free plan: Yes
• Website: about.zearn.org

Zearn is a nonprofit, and its core content is free. Families can sign up for a free Individual Account, or students can log in with a school-issued account. The site says it has more than 1,000 digital lessons covering every major math concept from kindergarten through grade 8.

Lessons are student-paced, with video instruction, interactive practice and built-in support. Zearn says its K to 5 materials received a top rating from EdReports, an independent group that reviews curriculum. Family resources are also offered in Spanish.

It is the best free choice for a child whose school already uses Zearn, since the lessons line up with classroom work. It feels more like school than a game, so expect to sit with a younger child at first. Texas families have a separate program aligned to state standards.

Pros

• Free for families as a nonprofit
• more than 1,000 digital lessons for grades K to 8
• K to 5 materials received a top rating from EdReports

Cons

• A web platform rather than a playful app
• the setup for a family account takes a few steps

7. Beast Academy Online

• Best for: Curious kids who like puzzles
• Starting price: See website
• Free plan: See website
• Website: beastacademy.com

Beast Academy is a math program for ages 6 to 13, built around comic-style books and an online platform. Beast Academy Online is self-paced and covers Levels 1 to 5, with live online classes for Levels 2 to 5.

Beast Academy's help pages describe two ways to try it: a demo that shows how lessons work, or buying a subscription and cancelling within 14 days for a refund. A help center table we saw listed $15.99 a month for the first student and $99.99 a year, but it was about a year old, so confirm the current price on the enrollment page.

It is the most challenging program here, and it suits children who enjoy puzzles and reasoning more than drills. For a child who is struggling with basic facts, one of the other six apps is a gentler start.

Pros

• Self-paced lessons and challenges for Levels 1 to 5
• comic-style books are also available
• covers ages 6 to 13

Cons

• Pricing was not on the pages we could open
• no true free trial, only a demo and a refund window

How we picked these

We compared each app using its official site, pricing and membership pages, and help center articles in October 2026. We did not test the apps with children ourselves, so our notes reflect what the companies publish. Where a page blocked our check or sources disagreed, we wrote See website.

We looked for apps that cover kindergarten through elementary ages, show clear free options or trials, and state how they handle children's data where they say so. We mixed free nonprofit tools, game-based apps and structured programs. Parents should read each app's privacy policy before creating a child account.

How to choose a math app for your child

The best match depends on the child's age, goals and attention.

Match the age and grade

For ages 2 to 5, Khan Academy Kids and Mathseeds start early. For kindergarten and 1st grade, SplashLearn and Khan Academy Kids both fit. For grades 1 to 8, Prodigy and Zearn go further. Beast Academy suits stronger or more curious students.

Decide between games and practice

Prodigy and Khan Academy Kids are built around games and play. IXL and Zearn are closer to practice and lessons. If your child resists worksheets, start with a game. If your child needs focus on one weak skill, a practice tool like IXL is more direct.

Check cost and the free path

Start with the free options before paying: Khan Academy Kids, Zearn and Prodigy's free math content. Use the free trials at Mathseeds and SplashLearn only if you are ready to cancel before billing starts.

Look at privacy and screen time

Read the privacy policy, and avoid apps that ask for more data than a child account needs. Khan Academy Kids says there are no ads and no cross-app tracking. For other apps, check their pages. Whatever you pick, short regular sessions tend to work better than long ones.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best math app for kids?

For a free option, Khan Academy Kids is aimed at ages 2 to 8, and Zearn covers grades K to 8. For older elementary children who like games, Prodigy has a free math game.

What is the best math app for 1st grade?

SplashLearn has a program for each grade from preschool to grade 5, and Prodigy begins at grade 1. Khan Academy Kids also covers first-grade ages. Try the free options first.

What are the best math apps for kindergarten that are free?

Khan Academy Kids is free with no ads or subscriptions. Zearn is free for families, and SplashLearn lists free lesson plans and tools plus a 7-day trial of its parent program.

What is the best math app for elementary students?

Zearn, Prodigy, IXL and SplashLearn all cover elementary grades. Zearn and Prodigy have free options, while IXL focuses on skill-by-skill practice. Beast Academy suits students who want a challenge.

Are paid math apps worth it?

Often not at first. A free option may be enough for basic practice. Paid plans make sense when your child needs a clear grade-level path or detailed reports, and you should use the trial period before committing.

Sources

1. https://www.khanacademy.org/kids
2. https://www.prodigygame.com/Memberships/math/
3. https://webflow.prodigygame.com/main-en/parents
4. https://www.splashlearn.com/
5. https://support.splashlearn.com/hc/en-us/articles/12275132142994-How-can-parents-avail-free-trial
6. https://www.ixl.com/membership/family/pricing
7. https://www.ixl.com/membership/family/homeschooling
8. https://mathseeds.com/pricing/
9. https://about.zearn.org/math-resources/family-support
10. https://about.zearn.org/digital-lessons
11. https://beastacademy.com/
12. https://beastacademy.com/online/enroll
13. https://beastacademy.com/faq/online