Osmo pairs physical pieces with a tablet, but the kits cost $50-$160 on top of the tablet itself. Here are seven lower-cost ways to keep kids learning.
The best Osmo alternatives are Khan Academy Kids, DragonBox, and Teach Your Monster to Read — all deliver rich, playful learning for young children on a plain tablet, with no pricey physical kit or camera base to buy first.
Osmo's appeal is real: kids move actual tangram tiles, letters, and number pieces while the tablet camera reacts. But the setup adds up. Starter kits land roughly between $50 and $160, and every one of them needs a compatible iPad or Fire tablet to function, so families without one face a much larger bill. There is also the ownership story to weigh. After parent company BYJU's went bankrupt in 2024, Osmo relaunched as Play Osmo Inc. and reopened its store in 2026, now backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
We compared kit and subscription pricing, hardware requirements, age ranges, and store listings to assemble this list. Some picks are completely free, some lean into hands-on math, and some offer the structured, subject-spanning path that Osmo's single kits do not.
Start with your budget and goal. For no-cost coverage across reading and math, Khan Academy Kids is hard to beat. For tactile-feeling math without hardware, DragonBoxturns abstract concepts into puzzles. And for a guided, full curriculum that grows with a preschooler, ABCmouse lays out a step-by-step path across every early subject.
† 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.
Khan Academy Kids offers free, comprehensive early learning content covering reading, math, and more for children ages 2-8.
DragonBox offers a suite of playful, conceptual math games for kids ages 4–14. Apps teach algebra, numbers, geometry through intuitive gameplay.
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.
ABCmouse offers a full early learning curriculum with thousands of activities for children ages 2-8.
HOMER creates personalized reading journeys for children ages 2-8 based on their interests and skill level.
ABCya offers educational games for Pre-K through 6th grade across all subjects. Free with ads, or pay for ad-free premium access.
The price tag on an Osmo starter kit runs roughly $50 to $160 depending on the bundle, but that is only part of the total. Osmo also requires a compatible iPad or Amazon Fire tablet to work, so unless you already own one, the real spend can climb well past the kit price before your child plays a single game.
Yes. After parent company BYJU's filed for bankruptcy in 2024, Osmo was carved out and relaunched as Play Osmo Inc., which brought its online store back online in 2026. Purchases now include a 30-day money-back guarantee. Still, the ownership turbulence left some parents wary, which is a fair reason to weigh alternatives.
Khan Academy Kids is the strongest free option. It delivers a full sweep of reading, math, and social-emotional activities with no ads and no subscription, all inside one app. It will not give you Osmo's physical pieces, but for tactile play you can pair it with real blocks or drawing materials your child already owns.
No. The apps in this list run on a standard tablet or phone with no add-on hardware, reflector, or base required. That is a major cost saving over Osmo, whose signature is the physical tangram tiles, letter cards, and number pieces the camera reads. If screen-free tactile play matters, you can supplement any app with household manipulatives.
For math specifically, DragonBox is a serious contender. It teaches genuine number sense and even early algebra through puzzles that feel like games rather than worksheets, all without extra hardware. Osmo's Numbers and math kits add a tactile layer some kids love, but DragonBox delivers deeper conceptual math at a lower total cost.
Several touch on early literacy and phonics, which builds the foundation for spelling, but they are not dedicated spelling programs. Once your child is ready to practice spelling specific word lists with audio and typed answers, a focused app serves better. Our roundup of free spelling apps points to tools made for exactly that stage.
Osmo's blend of physical and digital play is charming, but the combined kit-and-tablet cost makes it a big commitment. For families wanting depth without the hardware, Khan Academy Kids is the standout free choice across reading, math, and more.
If math is your focus, DragonBox builds real number sense through puzzle play, and Teach Your Monster to Read gives early readers a warm, effective phonics adventure.
Our recommendation: Begin with a free app like Khan Academy Kids and add household blocks or drawing supplies for tactile play. Move to ABCmouse when you want a structured curriculum, and choose DragonBox when hands-on math is the priority.
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.