The top apps for teaching spelling and reading in your homeschool, from free tools to full curriculum platforms.
† Pricing note: Prices are checked against each vendor's official website or help center at the time of writing, but vendors change plans and prices at any time. Always confirm current pricing on the vendor's own site before purchasing. How we review and verify →
Reading Eggs provides a comprehensive reading program for children ages 2-13 with lessons, games, and books.
HOMER creates personalized reading journeys for children ages 2-8 based on their interests and skill level.
SpellingJoy ELA is a voiced, interactive English Language Arts curriculum for ages 5-10. The child plays a ~20-minute daily lesson alone - the AI tutor reads aloud, the child builds words with tappable tiles, reads back (speech recognition), and writes with AI feedback. Phonics-first, standards-aware, a full 36-week year per grade. Parents review the week's work. It is an AI tutor, not a state-accredited program, and is not COPPA/FERPA certified - parental consent and supervision are the parent's responsibility.
SpellingJoy is a 100% free spelling practice platform for K-6 students. Unlimited spelling games, unlimited tests, 134+ word lists, custom list creation, and progress tracking - all completely free with no subscriptions and no hidden costs.
Time4Learning is a comprehensive online homeschool curriculum covering all core subjects for PreK-12. Self-paced multimedia lessons with automated grading. $30/mo for PreK-8, $40/mo for high school.
Hooked on Phonics has been teaching children to read for 35+ years with its proven phonics methodology.
Lexia Core5 is a research-backed adaptive reading program used in 1 in 4 US schools. Strong focus on Science of Reading principles and early literacy intervention.
Khan Academy Kids offers free, comprehensive early learning content covering reading, math, and more for children ages 2-8.
SpellingJoy ELA is the option to look at for a guided year covering phonics, reading, spelling, and writing for ages 5-10 (K-5). It is a voiced, interactive curriculum the child runs alone - the AI tutor reads aloud, the child builds words, reads back, and writes with feedback - organized week by week toward a full 36-week year per grade and mapped to Common Core standards (early grades have the deepest coverage today; new lessons publish continuously). It is $9.99/month. Note that it is an AI tutor, not a state-accredited program.
SpellingJoy is the best free option, offering unlimited spelling games, tests, and 134+ word lists for K-6 with no subscription required. Khan Academy Kids is another strong free choice that includes reading and phonics alongside other subjects.
Use a dedicated spelling app like SpellingJoy for structured word practice, then pair it with a reading app like Reading Eggs or HOMER for fluency and comprehension. Many homeschool families use SpellingJoy for daily spelling drills and a reading app for guided reading sessions.
HOMER is excellent for ages 2-8 with its personalized learning path that builds from letter recognition through phonics to early reading. For spelling specifically, SpellingJoy covers kindergarten through 6th grade with age-appropriate word lists and sight words.
Hooked on Phonics remains a solid structured phonics program, especially for PreK-2. However, free alternatives like SpellingJoy (for spelling) and Khan Academy Kids (for phonics) cover much of the same ground without the subscription cost.
It depends on your child's needs. Apps like Reading Eggs combine both, but dedicated spelling apps like SpellingJoy typically offer deeper spelling practice with more word lists and test modes. Many homeschool parents find the best results using one app for each skill.
Reading Eggs leads this list as the strongest combined reading and spelling curriculum, covering ages 2-13 in one program. For younger learners (ages 2-8), HOMER offers a personalized reading journey that builds phonics and early spelling skills together.
For a guided homeschool year that covers phonics, reading, spelling, and writing for ages 5-10 (K-5), SpellingJoy ELA is the option to look at. It is a voiced, interactive curriculum your child runs alone - Joy reads aloud, the child builds words, reads back, and writes with feedback - a full 36-week year per grade, mapped to Common Core, for $9.99/month. See the SpellingJoy ELA year. (It is an AI tutor, not a state-accredited program.)
If you want a free option, the original SpellingJoy spelling app is 100% free with unlimited practice, 134+ word lists, and no subscription. Pair it with Reading Eggs for a complete spelling-and-reading stack. Compare the rest of the field in our spelling app library.
If you want a single all-in-one curriculum, Time4Learning covers spelling, reading, and every other subject for PreK-12.
About the Author
SpellingJoy Team
The SpellingJoy team is dedicated to creating free, high-quality spelling resources for K-6 students and their families. We test every app we review and provide honest assessments to help parents make informed decisions.