Khan Academy Kids review

Khan Academy Kids is the best place to start if you do not want to pay anything. Khan Academy, a nonprofit, describes the app as 100% free forever, with no ads and no subscriptions, for children aged two to eight. Kids build early literacy, reading, writing, language and math skills through games and story-based lessons, guided by Kodi Bear and four other characters, and can either explore hundreds of books, videos and activities or follow a personalized path. Khan Academy says the curriculum was built with learning experts at Stanford and aligns with the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework and Common Core. It ranks second rather than first because reading shares time with math and social-emotional content, and the app does not go past age 8 or offer a dedicated phonics track for struggling readers the way Reading Eggs does. For most families it is still the obvious first download. We compared documented features and published prices.

Who it is for

Families who want a complete early literacy app with no subscription, ads or in-app purchases.

Price

Free, with no ads or subscriptions.

100% free - forever No ads, no subscriptions
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 8, 2026.

Key features

• Early literacy, reading, writing, language and math through games and lessons
• Hundreds of books, videos and creative activities
• Personalized learning path that adapts to each child
• Narrated by Kodi Bear and four other characters
• Curriculum aligned with the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework and Common Core

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Free with no ads and no subscriptions
• Strength: Mixes social-emotional activities with reading and math
• Strength: Built with learning experts at Stanford, per Khan Academy
• Weakness: Reading is one subject among several rather than the whole program
• Weakness: Tops out at age 8, so older readers need something else
• Weakness: No printed books or workbooks

Key facts

• Price: Free
• Ages: 2 to 8
• Ads: None
• Publisher: Khan Academy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit

Where it ranks

Khan Academy Kids is No. 2 in our Best Reading Apps for Kids verdict.