Best Reading Apps for 1st Grade (2026)

Expert-ranked reading apps to build fluency, phonics, and comprehension for 6-7 year olds.

SJ
SpellingJoy Team
Last Updated: March 30, 2026
Child reading a book at home

Our Top Picks:

1

Reading Eggs

Reading Eggs provides a comprehensive reading program for children ages 2-13 with lessons, games, and books.

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Best for - Structured reading curriculum with games and assessments
Price - $70-100/yr
Grades - Ages 2-13
Platforms - All platforms

Pros

  • Wide age range
  • Comprehensive program
  • Includes spelling component

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Can be overwhelming
2

HOMER

HOMER creates personalized reading journeys for children ages 2-8 based on their interests and skill level.

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Best for - Adaptive reading path tailored to your child
Price - $80/yr
Grades - Ages 2-8
Platforms - iOS, Android

Pros

  • Personalized learning path
  • Comprehensive reading program
  • Good for early readers

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Limited age range
3

Epic!

Epic! provides access to a library of 40,000+ children's books, audiobooks, and educational videos. $84.99/year or $13.99/month.

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Best for - 40,000+ books at leveled reading levels
Price - $84.99/yr
Grades - Pre-K-6 (Ages 2-12)
Platforms - iOS, Android, Web, Apple TV

Pros

  • 40,000+ books from quality publishers
  • Read-To-Me and audiobooks
  • Offline reading available

Cons

  • Free tier very limited (1 book/day)
  • Price increased recently
  • Not spelling-focused
4

Khan Academy Kids

Khan Academy Kids offers free, comprehensive early learning content covering reading, math, and more for children ages 2-8.

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Best for - Free reading, phonics, and comprehension practice
Price - Free
Grades - Ages 2-8
Platforms - iOS, Android, Amazon

Pros

  • Completely free
  • Comprehensive curriculum
  • No ads

Cons

  • Only goes to age 8
  • Not specialized for spelling
  • No web version
5

Raz-Kids

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.

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Best for - 800+ leveled eBooks with comprehension quizzes
Price - $132/yr (classroom)
Grades - K-5
Platforms - Web, iOS, Android

Pros

  • 800+ leveled eBooks (29 levels)
  • Listen-Read-Record feature
  • Comprehension quizzes for every book

Cons

  • Primarily for schools/classrooms
  • Price increased from $115 to $132
  • Requires Learning A-Z subscription
6

Teach Your Monster to Read

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.

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Best for - Free systematic phonics through adventure games
Price - Free (web) / $4.99 (app)
Grades - Pre-K-1 (Ages 3-6)
Platforms - Web (free), iOS ($4.99), Android ($4.99), Amazon

Pros

  • Completely free on desktop
  • BAFTA award-winning
  • Systematic synthetic phonics

Cons

  • Limited age range (3-6)
  • British accent audio
  • Mobile apps not free
7

Starfall

Starfall teaches reading through systematic phonics with engaging activities for Pre-K through 5th grade.

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Best for - Affordable phonics and early reading practice
Price - $35/yr
Grades - Pre-K-5
Platforms - Web, iOS, Android

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Good for early readers
  • Systematic phonics approach

Cons

  • Limited for older students
  • Dated interface
8

SpellingJoy

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.

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Best for - Free spelling practice to reinforce reading skills
Price - 100% Free
Grades - K-6
Platforms - Web

Pros

  • 100% free - unlimited games, tests, and lists
  • No subscription or hidden costs ever
  • K-6 curriculum with 134+ word lists

Cons

  • Web-only (no native mobile apps yet)
  • Classroom features coming soon

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

Our Verdict

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.

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.

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ST

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.