Expert-ranked reading apps to build fluency, phonics, and comprehension for 6-7 year olds.
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.
Epic! provides access to a library of 40,000+ children's books, audiobooks, and educational videos. $84.99/year or $13.99/month.
Khan Academy Kids offers free, comprehensive early learning content covering reading, math, and more for children ages 2-8.
Raz-Kids (by Learning A-Z) provides a leveled reading library with 800+ eBooks across 29 levels, audio support, and comprehension quizzes. $132/year for up to 36 students.
Teach Your Monster to Read uses a game-based approach to teach systematic phonics. Free on web, $4.99 mobile app. Covers first 2 years of learning to read.
Starfall teaches reading through systematic phonics with engaging activities for Pre-K through 5th grade.
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.
Khan Academy Kids is the best completely free reading app for 1st graders. It covers phonics, sight words, and comprehension with no ads or subscriptions. Teach Your Monster to Read is also free on web and offers systematic phonics games.
Reading Eggs is the best app for building 1st grade fluency. Its structured lessons progress from phonics to connected text reading, and the built-in assessments track fluency growth over time. Raz-Kids also builds fluency with its Listen-Read-Record feature.
Read aloud together for 15-20 minutes daily, let your child choose books they enjoy, practice sight words regularly, and ask comprehension questions after reading. Supplement with a reading app for 15 minutes a day. Pair reading apps with SpellingJoy to reinforce vocabulary through spelling practice.
It depends on your goals. Free apps like Khan Academy Kids and Teach Your Monster to Read provide excellent phonics and reading foundations. Paid apps like Reading Eggs and HOMER offer more structured curricula, progress tracking, and adaptive learning paths that can accelerate growth for children who need extra support.
SpellingJoy ELA is a voiced, interactive ELA program for ages 5-10 that a child can run alone — the AI tutor reads aloud, the child builds words and reads back with speech recognition (read-with-me karaoke), all organized into a full 1st grade year mapped to Common Core. It costs $19/month. Note that it is an AI tutor, not a state-accredited program.
Reading Eggs is the best overall reading app for 1st graders, with a structured curriculum that builds phonics, fluency, and comprehension through engaging lessons and games.
For a personalized approach, HOMER adapts to your child's interests and reading level, creating a unique learning path that keeps them motivated.
For a guided full-year option, SpellingJoy ELA is a voiced, interactive 1st grade ELA year a child can run alone — the AI tutor reads aloud, the child builds words and reads back with read-with-me karaoke, all mapped to Common Core, for $19/month. See the SpellingJoy ELA year. (It is an AI tutor, not a state-accredited program.)
Khan Academy Kids is the best free option with quality phonics and reading content and no hidden costs.
Pair any reading app with SpellingJoy for free spelling practice that reinforces the vocabulary your child is learning to read.
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.