📚 Reading apps and reading coaches · 🧸 Early learning (ages 2-6)
Duolingo ABC
By Duolingo, Inc.. Visit Duolingo ABC
Desk research from the maker's own pages. Not yet tried by us. Checked 2026-10-24.
Duolingo ABC is a free learn-to-read app from the makers of Duolingo, for preschool through about second grade. It has more than 700 short lessons on letters, phonics, sight words and vocabulary, with tracing and drag-and-drop activities, plus interactive stories that highlight each word as it is read aloud. Mini games and rewards keep kids going. It works offline, and a parent sets it up.
Our take: One of the safest free phonics apps for preschool and kindergarten; kids reading chapter books are past it.
| Ages it suits | about 3-8 (preschool to grade 2) |
|---|---|
| What its terms say about age | Designed to be set up by a parent, who enters the child's age; the child needs no account and no personal information. Duolingo's general terms state no age. (terms) |
| Price | Free. Free (Oct 2026). |
| Works on | iPhone and iPad, Android |
| Account | A parent's account |
| Ads | None |
| In-app purchases | None |
| The AI in it | No AI tutor; optional speaking exercises use Apple's on-device speech recognition. |
What's good
- Free with no ads
- Almost no data collected
- Works offline
- Short, well-paced phonics lessons
Watch for
- Covers only the early stages of reading
- Game rewards can tempt quick tapping
- Speaking practice depends on the device
Data and privacy
Duolingo says ABC collects no personal information from children; the child's age is stored anonymously for research, and speech data stays on the phone and is not shared with Duolingo. A parent may choose to give an email for updates. Read the privacy policy.
Does it work?
No independent study of Duolingo ABC found.
In the Big Index
- On the list Top 50 free game sites for kids (2026)
- On the list 16 best reading and word games for kids
- On the list 18 best learning games for preschoolers
- On the list 19 best apps for preschoolers (2026)
- Duolingo ABC
Alternatives to Duolingo ABC
Desk researchPaidNo ads
ABCmouse
Age of Learning, Inc. · ages about 2-6 (preschool to kindergarten)
A full preschool program for families who want one paid app; cancel carefully and watch the reward loop.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
ABCya
ABCya.com LLC (a division of IXL Learning) · ages about 4-12 (pre-K to grade 6+)
Handy for quick grade-level practice in class or at home; skip if you want an ad-free experience without paying.
Desk researchPaidNo ads
Adventure Academy
Age of Learning, Inc. · ages grades 3-8 (about 8-13)
Good for kids who love online games and need a nudge toward school subjects; families wanting no social contact should set chat to off or choose a solo app.
Desk researchPaidNo ads
Amazon Kids+ and Parent Dashboard
Amazon · ages 3-12
A good-value bundle for families already on Amazon devices with kids 3-12; skip it if your child mostly uses an iPad or a phone.
Desk researchFreeNo ads
AmblesideOnline
AmblesideOnline (volunteer advisory) · ages about 5-18 (Year 0 to Year 12)
A strong free plan for homeschool families drawn to Charlotte Mason and literature-rich learning; secular families or those wanting an interactive program should look elsewhere.
Desk researchThrough schoolsNo ads
Amira Learning
Amira Learning · ages about 5-14 (school product; listed studies run from kindergarten to middle school)
Worth asking about if your child's school uses it; parents cannot buy it, so home users should look at family apps instead.
Where these facts come from
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/learn-to-read-duolingo-abc/id1440502568
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.duolingo.literacy&hl=en
- https://www.duolingo.com/privacy
- https://www.duolingo.com/terms
Prices, terms and features change. Nobody paid to be listed, nothing here is an affiliate link, and Peabody never rates itself. Where we and the maker disagree, the maker's own pages are the ones to trust.