Khan Academy Kids alternatives for K-2: what each one is good for

Full disclosure: we make Bright Minds Club. We've tried to describe every option fairly, ours included.

Why look past Khan Academy Kids?

It costs nothing, has no ads or subscriptions, and covers reading, math, social-emotional skills and more for ages 2 to 8 [1][3]. If it's working for your child, there's no reason to switch. Families usually look elsewhere for one of these reasons:

• No web version. It's an app for iPhone, iPad, Android and Fire tablets, and Chromebooks that can install apps from Google Play [2]. It doesn't run in a laptop's web browser.
• It needs the internet. Its help center says the app needs an internet connection [2].
• It stops at age 8. An older or faster child may need something that goes further.
• One skill needs more practice. A broad path is great until a child gets stuck on coins, clocks or one phonics pattern.

Side-by-side comparison

Prices and details change. These are what each company's own pages said on November 11, 2026. Check the linked page before you sign up.

What each one is good for

PBS KIDS Games

The closest match on price: it's free, for ages 2 to 8, with 280+ games starring characters from PBS KIDS shows like Daniel Tiger and Wild Kratts [4]. More than 50 games play in Spanish [4]. It's a strong pick for a child who already loves those shows. The games are short and tied to the shows rather than to a set learning path. The app listing doesn't say whether it has ads, so check for yourself.

Starfall

Starfall is a nonprofit known for phonics. Its four-step learn-to-read program is free for every child [6]. A home membership costs $35 a year for one household on computers and mobile devices, and adds 700+ activities, including more math and reading from Pre-K to 5th grade [5]. It's the pick if early reading is the goal, and it runs on a computer.

SplashLearn

SplashLearn covers math and English from preschool to grade 5 [7], so it lasts past age 8. Its plans include games, worksheets, a book library and live classes with teachers, on the website and in the app. A family plan covers up to three children [8]. Prices are shown only after you sign in [8].

ABCmouse

ABCmouse is a big guided curriculum with 13,000+ activities, up to three child profiles and no ads on Premium [9]. It costs $14.99 a month after a 30-day trial, or $79.99 a year on the web [9]. It suits a child who likes one long path through many subjects. We compare it in more detail in our ABCmouse alternatives guide.

Bright Minds Club

Bright Minds Club is our club: 129 short games for kindergarten through 2nd grade, each built around one skill [10][11]. The library leans toward math, with its own sets of money, counting and telling-time games, plus phonics, grammar, science and more [11]. It runs in a web browser, so a laptop or school Chromebook works with nothing to install. Five games are free with no account [11]; membership adds sibling profiles, a parent dashboard and daily play time limits, with no ads [10].

Where it's weaker than Khan Academy Kids: it isn't free, it has far fewer activities, it stops at 2nd grade, and it has no videos or storybooks, just games.

Which one should you pick?

Try the free Bright Minds Club games first

Five games need no account and no email, so you can see whether the style suits your child:

• Piggy Bank Coin Counting (coins, K-1)
• Which Is Worth More? (comparing money, K-2)
• Shape Safari (2D shapes, K-2)
• Word Builder (compound words, K-1)
• Tick Tock Time (telling time, grades 1-2)

Questions parents ask

Is there a free alternative to Khan Academy Kids?

Yes. PBS KIDS Games is free for ages 2 to 8 [4], and Starfall's learn-to-read program is free [6]. Bright Minds Club has five free games that need no account [11].

Does Khan Academy Kids work in a web browser?

No. It's an app for phones, tablets and Chromebooks that can install apps from Google Play [2]. For a laptop browser, look at Starfall, pbskids.org, SplashLearn's website or Bright Minds Club.

What can my child use after Khan Academy Kids?

Khan Academy Kids is for ages 2 to 8 [1]. SplashLearn goes to grade 5 [7], and Starfall's membership goes to 5th grade [5].

Is Khan Academy Kids really free?

Yes. Its App Store listing says it is 100% free, with no ads and no subscriptions, and that Khan Academy is a nonprofit [1].

More parent guides: ABCmouse alternatives for K-2, Bright Minds Club for parents, all parent resources.

Sources

Checked November 11, 2026.

1. Khan Academy Kids on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/khan-academy-kids/id1378467217
2. Khan Academy Kids Help Center, "Does Khan Academy Kids work with my device?": https://khankids.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360007054791-Does-Khan-Academy-Kids-work-with-my-device
3. Khan Academy Kids Help Center, "Learning Topics: Using Khan Academy Kids in Educational Settings": https://khankids.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360014856151-Learning-Topics-Using-Khan-Academy-Kids-in-Educational-Settings
4. PBS KIDS Games on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pbs-kids-games/id1050773989
5. Starfall Education Store, "Membership": https://store.starfall.com/membership
6. Starfall home page: https://www.starfall.com/h/
7. SplashLearn home page: https://www.splashlearn.com/
8. SplashLearn Help, "What are different plans and features available in SplashLearn?": https://support.splashlearn.com/hc/en-us/articles/12275090822418-What-are-different-plans-and-features-available-in-SplashLearn
9. ABCmouse Support, "Subscription Pricing Options for ABCmouse": https://support.abcmouse.com/hc/en-us/articles/34385411866391-Subscription-Pricing-Options-for-ABCmouse
10. Bright Minds Club home page and pricing: https://www.brightmindsclub.org/
11. Bright Minds Club games page: https://www.brightmindsclub.org/learn/