Reading.com review: price, free version and privacy

Our verdict

Reading.com is the pick for parents who want to sit with their child and follow a clear phonics sequence. If your child needs to practice alone, an independent-play app fits better.

What Reading.com is

Reading.com is a phonics course for a parent and child to do together, for ages 3 to 8. The developer describes 120 fully scripted lessons that move from letter recognition through blends, long vowels and digraphs to what it calls a late 1st grade reading level. Lessons unlock 84 decodable storybooks, 42 videos, five games for independent play and printable activities.

Who it suits

• Parents teaching a child to read with phonics
• Families who want a scripted, step-by-step program
• Children aged 3 to 8

Strengths

• Fully scripted lessons tell the adult exactly what to say, so no teaching experience is needed.
• Decodable storybooks matched to the lessons.
• One subscription covers up to 3 child profiles, and the description says it is ad-free.
• No tracking declared, and rated 4.7 from about 78,900 ratings.

Limits

• It needs a subscription, and the listing does not say what is free without one.
• Each lesson needs a parent's time, which the developer puts at 15 to 20 minutes.
• Contact info, identifiers, usage data and diagnostics are linked to your account.
• The app is in English only.

What the free version does

The price list includes a monthly item labeled "With Free Trial", but the listing does not say what is free without subscribing.

Price

On the US App Store in November 2026, "Learn to Read (Yearly)" is listed at $74.99 and monthly items at $12.49 and $14.99, including "Monthly (With Free Trial)" at $12.49.

Privacy

The privacy label declares no tracking. Contact info, identifiers, usage data and diagnostics are linked to your identity.

What the screenshots show

The screenshots show a lesson split into "You say" and "Child does" steps, a word like "mom" broken into sounds, and a storybook page. One panel says "From ABCs to 2nd Grade Reading", while the description says late 1st grade.