Best Early Reading Apps & Games

226+ iOS apps & games curated and reviewed

4.4 avg rating
16 free apps & games
Updated July 2026

Every iPhone needs a few good early reading apps. We benchmark 226+ of them on App Store rating, freshness, and pricing, then surface the standouts so you don't have to scroll the App Store yourself.

Top Picks for Early Reading

Hooked on Phonics Learning#1

Hooked on Phonics Learning by SANDVIKS HOP, INC.

Reading, Math & Spelling Games
Editor's Choice
📚 Education
4.5😐(15K ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
#76in Education
Hooked on Phonics Learning screenshot 1
Hooked on Phonics Learning screenshot 2
Hooked on Phonics Learning screenshot 3
Hooked on Phonics Learning screenshot 4
Hooked on Phonics Learning screenshot 5
Hooked on Phonics Learning screenshot 6

This app transforms screen time into educational fun for children aged 3-8. It offers interactive games and activities across reading, math, and spelling, tailored to individual learning needs. Parents receive real-time progress insights and can track their child's development through a comprehensive ebook library and reward system.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Helped child learn to read quickly
  • 👍 Fun and engaging for kids
  • 🚀 Effective for teaching phonics
  • 👍 Great customer service

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 App freezes and crashes frequently
  • 🐛 Progress not saved properly
  • 🐛 Difficult to navigate and use
Learn to Read - Duolingo ABC#2

Learn to Read - Duolingo ABC by Duolingo, Inc

Interactive Stories for Kids
Strong Contender
📚 Education
3.8😊(148 ratings)
Free
Learn to Read - Duolingo ABC screenshot 1
Learn to Read - Duolingo ABC screenshot 2
Learn to Read - Duolingo ABC screenshot 3
Learn to Read - Duolingo ABC screenshot 4
Learn to Read - Duolingo ABC screenshot 5
Learn to Read - Duolingo ABC screenshot 6

This app provides interactive stories and over 700 hands-on lessons designed to help children from preschool to second grade learn to read. It focuses on phonics, sight words, and vocabulary through engaging, multi-sensory activities and mini-games, all in a kid-safe, ad-free environment.

What We Love

  • 👍 Great for kids with autism
  • 👍 Engaging and fun for young learners
  • 👍 Helps with speech and language development
  • 👍 Effective for teaching reading and writing

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Inconsistent voice recognition
  • 🐛 Allows incorrect answers to be marked as correct
  • 🐛 Levels can get repetitive
Reading Eggs - Learn to Read#3

Reading Eggs - Learn to Read by Blake eLearning Pty Ltd

Reading & Math for Ages 2–13
Worth Considering
📚 Education
4.7😊(6.8K ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
Reading Eggs - Learn to Read screenshot 1
Reading Eggs - Learn to Read screenshot 2
Reading Eggs - Learn to Read screenshot 3
Reading Eggs - Learn to Read screenshot 4
Reading Eggs - Learn to Read screenshot 5
Reading Eggs - Learn to Read screenshot 6

This program helps children aged 2-13 develop reading and math skills through interactive games, lessons, and e-books. It offers a comprehensive curriculum based on scientific research, designed by educators to foster phonics, comprehension, and numeracy.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Great for learning
  • 👍 Fun and engaging
  • 💡 Helpful for homeschooling
  • 🚀 Effective for teaching reading

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezing issues
  • 🐛 Sound cuts out randomly
  • 🐛 Glitchy performance on some devices

More Early Reading apps to explore

4
Sight Words Reading Games ABC
Sight Words Reading Games ABC
Sight Words Reading Games ABC
Learning Game Word Flash Cards
Free

This educational app helps young children aged 2-7 learn essential sight words through six engaging games. Developed with educational specialists, it covers the Dolch list and common nouns, preparing preschoolers and early elementary students for reading success.

220 Dolch sight words94 additional nouns6 educational games
📚 Education
(68K)
free with in-app purchases
5
Read with Ello
Read with Ello
Read with Ello
Learn phonics & reading skills
Free

This app uses advanced AI to act as a personalized reading coach for children. It listens, provides feedback, and guides young learners through a library of decodable books to build reading confidence and skills.

AI reading coachPersonalized 1:1 instructionLibrary of 700+ decodable books
📚 Education
(1.7K)
subscription
6
Learn to Read - Reading.com
Learn to Read - Reading.com
Learn to Read - Reading.com
Phonics & Reading App for Kids
Free

This app offers a guided, co-play experience for parents and children aged 3-8 to learn reading skills. It uses research-backed phonics lessons, interactive storybooks, videos, and games to build foundational reading abilities.

99 step-by-step phonics lessons67 interactive digital storybooks42 educational videos
📚 Education
(58K)
free with in-app purchases
7
Splash Reading: Games for Kids
Splash Reading: Games for Kids
Splash Reading: Games for Kids
Phonics, Sight Words, Spelling
Free

This app helps children from Kindergarten to Grade 5 master English Language Arts skills through engaging, game-based activities. It covers phonics, sight words, spelling, grammar, and comprehension, fostering reading fluency and writing confidence.

Phonics and letter sound recognitionSight word and vocabulary buildingSpelling and grammar practice
📚 Education
(2.4K)
free with in-app purchases
8
Khan Academy Kids
Khan Academy Kids
Khan Academy Kids
Reading & Math Learning Games
Free

This educational app offers over 5,000 games, books, and activities for children aged 2-8. It covers reading, math, phonics, and more, with engaging characters and content aligned with educational standards. The app is completely free and designed to foster a love of learning.

Reading and math gamesPhonics lessonsInteractive storybooks
📚 Education
(124K)
free
9
Reading for Details: III
Reading for Details: III
Reading for Details: III
Stories for Early Reading
$3.99
📚 Education
(0)
10
Learn to Read. Reading Games
Learn to Read. Reading Games
Learn to Read. Reading Games
Sight Words & Phonics for kids
Free

This app uses colorful games and activities to teach children phonics, ABCs, and reading skills. Designed by education experts, it adapts to each child's pace, making learning to read an enjoyable and confidence-building adventure.

Phonics lessonsInteractive storybooksEducational games
📚 Education
(114)
free with in-app purchases
11
Early reading kids books - reading toddler games
Early reading kids books - reading toddler games
Early reading kids books - reading toddler games
by Kids Academy Co apps: Preschool & Kindergarten Learning Kids Games, Educational Books, Free Songs
Free

This app provides a fun and educational experience for young children, focusing on early reading and language development. It features a collection of classic children's books, interactive stories with professional voiceovers and sound effects, and engaging songs and activities. The app is designed to boost vocabulary, cognitive skills, and a love for reading through a Montessori-inspired approach.

Interactive children's booksProfessional voiceoversEducational songs and activities
🎮 Games
(51)
free with in-app purchases
12
Hideout: Early Reading
Hideout: Early Reading
Hideout: Early Reading
Silly, engaging reading games
$2.99

This app uses engaging, research-based mini-games to teach early reading skills. Children learn phonic patterns in playful contexts, practicing word recognition and building reading fluency through interactive activities.

Research-based early reading instructionEngaging mini-games for phonic patternsContextualized word learning
📚 Education
(33)
free with in-app purchases
13
Wonster Words Learning Games
Wonster Words Learning Games
Wonster Words Learning Games
Educational Reading Skills App
Free

This educational app uses interactive games and puzzles to teach children foundational literacy skills. It focuses on phonics, letter-sound relationships, and spelling patterns through a fun, play-based approach rooted in reading science.

Phonics-based learningInteractive puzzles and mini-gamesLetter-sound relationship practice
📚 Education
(30K)
free with in-app purchases
14
Monkey Junior-English For Kids
Monkey Junior-English For Kids
Monkey Junior-English For Kids
+4000 Phonics, Reading Lessons
Free

This app helps children aged 0-11 build a strong foundation in English through over 4000 interactive lessons and games. It focuses on listening, speaking, reading, and writing, with content designed by education experts and backed by proven learning methods. Parents can monitor progress and create multiple child profiles.

4000+ interactive lessons and gamesCovers listening, speaking, reading, and writingPhonics and whole-word recognition methods
📚 Education
(3.9K)
free with in-app purchases
15
Mubakkir Arabic Early Reading
Mubakkir Arabic Early Reading
Mubakkir Arabic Early Reading
by Diglossia USA, LLC
Free

This assessment tool helps educators evaluate the pre-literacy and early literacy skills of beginning Arabic language learners. It provides an efficient way to identify students needing extra support and inform instructional decisions to prevent future reading challenges.

Assesses pre-literacy skillsEvaluates early literacy skillsSupports reading instruction decisions
📚 Education
(1)
free
16
Monkey Stories:Books & Reading
Monkey Stories:Books & Reading
Monkey Stories:Books & Reading
English learning app for kids
Free

This app helps children aged 2-10 become fluent in English by developing listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. It offers a vast library of audiobooks and interactive stories with native speaker audio and phonetic learning methods.

Develops listening, speaking, reading, and writing skillsOver 430 audiobooks and 1100+ interactive storiesStandard American English pronunciation
📚 Education
(1K)
free with in-app purchases
17
Montessori Early Reading - Phonics & Rhyme games
Montessori Early Reading - Phonics & Rhyme games
Montessori Early Reading - Phonics & Rhyme games
by EDOKI ACADEMY
$1.99

This app helps early readers practice phonetic words and rhyming skills through engaging games. Designed by certified teachers, it offers a printable guide for parents to support their child's reading journey.

Phonetic word practiceRhyming gamesPrintable parent guide
📚 Education
(3)
paid
18
Learn to Read: Early Readers
Learn to Read: Early Readers
Learn to Read: Early Readers
Short, simple stories for kids
Free

This app offers a collection of short, simple storybooks designed for early readers. It provides on-page audio for fluent reading and word-by-word pronunciation support. Illustrations on every page aid comprehension, making it a great tool for building reading confidence.

Short storybooks and fablesIllustration on every pageOptional read-aloud audio
📚 Education
(243)
free with in-app purchases
19
Little Stories: Bedtime Books
Little Stories: Bedtime Books
Little Stories: Bedtime Books
Fairy Tales & Audio for Kids
Free

Create personalized storybooks where your child is the star, with custom illustrations and soundtracks. Record your own voice to make unique audiobooks for bedtime. A collection of enchanting tales designed to foster a love of reading.

Personalized stories starring your childCustom illustrations matching child's genderOriginal soundtracks for each story
📚 Books
(45K)
free with in-app purchases
20
Read and Sequence - Sequencing Stories for Early Readers
Read and Sequence - Sequencing Stories for Early Readers
Read and Sequence - Sequencing Stories for Early Readers
by Innovative Mobile Apps
$0.99

This app helps young children improve reading comprehension and fluency through interactive stories. It features 30 short narratives designed for early readers to practice decoding simple words and sequencing events, building confidence in their literacy skills.

30 short stories for early readersFocus on CVC and sight wordsSequencing story events
📚 Education
(32)
paid

Related searches