Epic offers 40,000+ children's books free for teachers, but how does it handle your child's data? We reviewed Epic's privacy practices, COPPA compliance, and data collection to help parents and schools make an informed decision.
Epic (getepic.com) is one of the most popular children's reading apps in the United States, offering access to over 40,000 books, audiobooks, and educational videos for kids ages 2–12. Its free-for-teachers program has made it a staple in elementary classrooms, with millions of students using the platform during school hours.
However, privacy-conscious parents and school administrators have valid questions about what data Epic collects, how it is used, and whether the app meets the standards set by COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act). The updated COPPA Rule, finalized in January 2025 with full compliance required by April 2026, raises the bar for all apps directed at children under 13.
Common Sense Privacy, which independently evaluates children's apps, gave Epic a Warning rating for its privacy practices. Specific concerns include data collection that may be used for profiling, third-party data sharing, and advertising-related data use. While Epic does not display ads within the reading experience, the underlying data practices warrant closer scrutiny.
On the positive side, Epic provides a parent dashboard for monitoring reading activity, supports up to four child profiles per family account, and offers offline reading. For schools, Epic's free educator access during school hours (7 AM–4 PM) removes cost barriers, and teachers can manage classroom libraries without collecting student payment information.
We evaluated Epic alongside seven alternative reading apps based on privacy certifications, data minimization, advertising practices, and overall safety for children. Here is what parents and educators need to know.
Epic! provides access to a library of 40,000+ children's books, audiobooks, and educational videos. $84.99/year or $13.99/month.
Visit Epic!Khan Academy Kids offers free, comprehensive early learning content covering reading, math, and more for children ages 2-8.
Visit Khan Academy KidsRaz-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.
Visit Raz-KidsReadingIQ offers 7,000+ digital books for kids ages 2-12 with reading level filtering (AR, Lexile, Guided Reading). $39.99/year or $7.99/month. Made by Age of Learning (ABCmouse).
Visit ReadingIQStarfall teaches reading through systematic phonics with engaging activities for Pre-K through 5th grade.
Visit StarfallVooks transforms picture books into animated read-alouds. Great for screen time that feels like storytime, but kids watch rather than read themselves.
Visit VooksDuolingo ABC teaches phonics and early reading skills through interactive lessons for children ages 3-8.
Visit Duolingo ABCStoryline Online features famous actors reading children's books aloud. A free resource from SAG-AFTRA Foundation with activity guides for each book.
Visit Storyline OnlineEpic provides an impressive reading library and genuine value for classrooms through its free teacher program. However, its Common Sense Privacy Warning rating means parents and schools should review the privacy policy carefully before creating accounts for children. Epic lacks formal COPPA Safe Harbor certification from iKeepSafe or kidSAFE.
For families who prioritize privacy above all else, Khan Academy Kids and Starfall are the strongest choices — both are free, ad-free, and collect minimal to zero data from children. Neither has received a privacy warning from independent reviewers.
If you want a book library similar to Epic with stronger privacy practices, ReadingIQ offers 7,000+ books at a lower price point from Age of Learning, the same company behind ABCmouse. For schools, Raz-Kids provides leveled reading with comprehension quizzes and is widely used in districts with strict data privacy agreements.
For the youngest readers (ages 2–8), Vooks offers beautifully animated storybooks with no ads and no data collection concerns, while Storyline Online requires no account at all — just free celebrity read-alouds from SAG-AFTRA Foundation.
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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.