Best Apps for Kids in 2026: 10 Apps Compared

If we had to pick one app for a young child, this is it. Khan Academy Kids is made by the nonprofit Khan Academy, and its App Store listing says it is always free with no ads and no subscriptions. It covers phonics, reading, math, writing and social-emotional skills through a cast of animal characters led by Kodi the Bear.

The listing says the app was created with the Stanford Graduate School of Education, is aligned with Head Start and Common Core standards, and is COPPA compliant. Storybooks can be read aloud in English or Spanish, and families can download books and games for car trips. It holds a 4.8-star rating from more than 132,000 ratings.

The honest limit is age range. By third grade most kids will want something more challenging. Some children who are used to flashy games may also find the pace calm.

PBS KIDS Games packs more than 280 free games for ages 2 to 8 into one app, according to its App Store listing. Kids play mazes, puzzles, math and reading games with characters from PBS shows, including Daniel Tiger, Wild Kratts and Carl the Collector.

It is a great choice for kids who already love PBS shows, since the characters do a lot of the motivating. The listing shows no in-app purchases, and the app is free to download. It has a 4.4-star rating from about 372,000 ratings.

The catch is structure. It is a big menu of mini games rather than a step-by-step program, so it works better as fun practice than as a curriculum.

Duolingo ABC comes from the team behind the Duolingo language app and focuses on one job: teaching kids to read in English. The App Store listing describes more than 700 lessons on letters, phonics, sight words and vocabulary, plus stories that highlight each word as it is read aloud.

Its listing says there are no ads or in-app purchases, and the app works offline. Lessons are short, which suits young attention spans. It is the best free pick for a child who is just starting to sound out words.

It is narrow by design. There is no math or science, and its App Store rating (4.3 stars) is based on only about 3,800 ratings, so it has less public feedback than the others here.

Epic calls itself the largest digital library for kids, with more than 40,000 books, audiobooks and videos. Families get a paid subscription that starts with a 7-day free trial, up to four child profiles and a parent dashboard to see what each child reads. Teachers can use it free.

It shines for reluctant readers. Read-To-Me books, quizzes, badges and audio dictionary lookups help kids keep going, and books can be downloaded for offline reading. The App Store rating is 4.7 stars from about 519,000 ratings.

The catch is cost clarity. The App Store listing shows several subscription prices, so check the exact price shown in the app before your trial ends.

ABCmouse offers a free daily collection of games, books, songs and art activities for ages 2 to 8. Its Premium tier opens the full library of more than 13,000 activities and a personalized learning path. The App Store lists ABCmouse 2 subscriptions at $14.99 and $59.99, plus optional assessments at $3.99 monthly or $39.99 yearly.

This app suits parents who want a clear, school-like sequence rather than a pile of games. The path moves kids from one skill to the next, which is easy to follow at home.

On the other hand, the free version is a sample, not the full product. Its App Store rating, 4.1 stars from about 146,000 ratings, is the lowest of the big learning apps on this list.

Most kids will watch videos anyway, and YouTube Kids is a safer place for it than regular YouTube. Parents can choose Preschool, Younger or Older modes, or switch on Approved Content Only to hand-pick every video, channel and collection.

The timer freezes the app when screen time is up, which avoids a lot of arguments. It is free and has a 4.6-star rating from about 2.7 million ratings.

The honest warning is in Google's own listing: kids may see commercial content from creators that is not a paid ad. Automated filters can also miss things, so we recommend Approved Content Only for preschoolers.

Toca Boca World is a digital dollhouse. Kids build homes, design characters, run cafes and make up their own stories, with no scores or timers. The listing says it is single-player, has no chat and no strangers, is COPPA compliant and never shows third-party ads.

It is a strong pick for creative kids who love pretend play. Free gifts arrive at the in-game post office every Friday, and the App Store rating is 4.3 stars from almost 900,000 ratings.

The catch is the shop. Extra locations and furniture packs cost money, from $0.99 for small packs up to $4.99 for the Character Creator on the App Store listing. Turn on purchase approval before handing it over.

Sago Mini World is calm, colorful play for very young children: caring for babies, meeting friendly dinosaurs, baking cakes and exploring a little city. It is part of Piknik, a subscription bundle that also includes some Toca Boca and Originator apps.

Its listing says it is COPPA and kidSAFE certified with no in-app purchases or ads for subscribers. The App Store shows a Sago Mini World Plan at $7.99 and Piknik Unlimited options, with a free trial offered on Sago Mini's site.

The trade-off is price for a narrow age band. Kids over six will likely lose interest, so it makes the most sense for families with toddlers or preschoolers.

Prodigy turns math practice into a fantasy role-playing game where kids win battles by answering questions. Prodigy says its math and English content is free for students and aligned to state standards, and the game adapts questions to each child's level.

It is perfect for elementary kids who groan at worksheets but love video games. The App Store rating is 4.8 stars from about 252,000 ratings, and a separate Prodigy for Parents app is also on the App Store.

The honest downside is the upsell. Memberships add game extras, and the App Store lists plans from $12.99 a month (Core) up to $154.99 a year (Ultra). Some parents find the in-game reminders about membership pushy, so talk with your child about it upfront.

ScratchJr lets young children snap together picture blocks to make characters move, jump, dance and sing. It was built by the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab with Tufts University and the Playful Invention Company, as a younger version of Scratch.

It is our favorite for turning screen time into making things instead of watching them. Kids practice sequencing, problem solving and early math while building their own stories. It is free, and the team asks for optional donations to the Scratch Foundation.

Its App Store rating is 3.9 stars from about 1,900 ratings, lower than others here. The interface is simple but not self-explanatory, so plan to sit with your child for the first few sessions.