Best Study Apps for Kids in 2026

Khan Academy Kids is the safest first install for a young child. It covers early reading, math, writing, and social and emotional skills through games, books, and activities, and it does so without ads or in-app purchases that can interrupt a lesson. Parents can create profiles for more than one child, and the app adapts activities to the child level.

The limit is age. Khan Academy Kids is built for ages 2 to 8, so a child who outgrows it should move to the main Khan Academy app for older math, science, and reading work. For the early years, though, no paid app beats a free, ad-free curriculum this complete.

Khan Academy is the free backbone for older kids. It covers math from early grades through algebra, geometry, and statistics, plus science, history, reading, and test preparation, with videos, practice exercises, and quizzes that track progress. Teachers can assign work and parents can follow mastery by topic, which helps a child who is behind or ahead in school.

The catch is motivation. Khan Academy is less game-like than Prodigy, so a child who needs game rewards may need a parent to set short goals and celebrate progress. As a free, complete curriculum, though, it is the strongest single resource for school-age learning.

ABCmouse suits families that want a structured path rather than a set of separate games. A child follows a learning path through reading, math, science, art, and music, with activities that build in order and a ticket system that rewards progress. Parents get reports on what a child has completed and where extra practice may help.

The trade-off is price and feel. ABCmouse costs $14.99 per month or $45 per year on the website in recent listings, and some kids find the structured path more school-like than Khan Academy Kids or PBS Kids Games. Try the free version or a short trial first, and keep it only if the child actually follows the path.

Epic is the bookworm pick. It gives kids a library of books, audiobooks, and videos, with read-to-me options for younger readers and offline downloads for car trips and flights. Up to four child profiles let siblings share one subscription without mixing reading levels, and quizzes and badges add light motivation.

The limit is scope. Epic is a reading library, not a math or science curriculum, so it pairs best with Khan Academy or Prodigy rather than replacing them. If a child already reads through a school Epic account, check the home terms before paying for a second subscription.

Duolingo ABC takes the short-lesson style of Duolingo and applies it to early reading. Kids practice letters, sounds, and words through tracing, matching, and short stories, with lessons that fit a few minutes at a time. The app is free and ad-free, which makes it easy to recommend next to Khan Academy Kids.

The catch is range. Duolingo ABC teaches reading, not math, science, or writing in full, so it works as a reading supplement rather than a complete study app. For a child learning to read, though, it is one of the clearest free phonics tools available.

Prodigy Math turns math practice into a game where correct answers help a child battle, collect pets, and explore a world. Questions adapt to the child level and align with school standards, so practice follows classroom topics rather than random sums. A free parent account shows progress and can set goals for a child.

The honest weakness is upselling. Paid memberships add game pets, items, and features that kids may ask for, and some parents find those prompts distracting during practice. The core math game is free and useful on its own, so set expectations about purchases before a child starts playing.

PBS Kids Games is the free, low-pressure pick for preschool and early elementary kids. Games feature characters from PBS Kids shows, and they cover math, reading, science, art, and social skills in short, playful sessions. There is no subscription, and parents can trust the content source, which is a nonprofit public media organization.

The limit is structure. PBS Kids Games does not offer a full learning path like ABCmouse, and it does not track mastery like Khan Academy. Use it for playful practice and screen time that still teaches, and pair it with a curriculum app for school progress.

ScratchJr introduces coding without reading long instructions. Kids snap colorful blocks together to make characters move, talk, and interact, which teaches sequencing, cause and effect, and storytelling at the same time. The app is free, runs on the device, and has no purchases, so a child can explore without upsells.

The catch is age and depth. ScratchJr suits ages 5 to 7, and older kids will quickly want the full Scratch platform for larger projects. For a first coding experience, though, ScratchJr is the gentlest and most creative starting point in this list.

Reading Eggs suits families that want a focused reading program with a clear path. A placement test sets the level, lessons build phonics skills step by step, and a library of books lets kids practice what they learn. Parent reports show lesson progress and reading level over time.

The trade-off is cost and repetition. Reading Eggs is a paid app after its trial, and some kids find the lesson format repetitive after many weeks. Try the trial with a real reading goal, such as a set number of lessons per week, and keep it only if reading progress is visible.