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Time 4 Learning vs Duolingo

Sunday, April 20th

2025 Learn to Read Program Reviews

Time 4 Learning Review 1.5 Star Rating

Time 4 Learning

1.5 Star Rating
  • $29.95 per month for elementary students, 30% off additional students
  • Automated grading and reporting
  • Pop-up offers, like 10% off the cost of subscription
  • Customer support available through phone, email or chat
  • 14-day money-back guarantee
  • Start, stop, or pause membership anytime
  • Over 1 million customers over 20 years
  • PreK-12th online curriculum
  • 24/7 access to 3,500+ lessons and activities
  • Automated grading & reporting

Time 4 Learning is a learn to read program and a whole homeschool curriculum. It is expensive, especially if you are really only looking for a reading program. No matter what you choose, whether an after school supplement or a full comprehensive program, the price is the same. Time 4 Learning offers great help in navigating homeschool requirements and making sure parents meet them. However, we did not appreciate having to complete personal information to get a price. We also did not like the inclusion of crass humor that kids would likely imitate. We also found it unacceptable to have a lack of quality control in the editing department, as spelling and grammatical errors have been found in the reading program. We think this program may be a solution if you really need help with the paperwork of homeschooling, or if you lack confidence in your ability to meet scope and sequence requirements. But, be warned - you are not guaranteed a fixed price for more than a month at a time, and you may face a hard-to-navigate parent dashboard and kids may experience glitches in the program. For all these reasons, we can only feel comfortable giving Time 4 Learning a low rating.

Duolingo Review 4 Star Rating

Duolingo

4 Star Rating
  • New lessons are added often
  • Lessons help kids learn phonics, sight words and vocabulary
  • Letter tracing and interactive stories for preschoolers
  • Designed by literacy & early-education experts
  • Mini games & rewards to help kids stay motivated
  • Completely ad-free and absolutely no in-app purchases
  • Users can learn offline

When Duolingo's ABC learn to read program first launched in 2020, it was a pretty basic, bare bones app short on features and somewhat repetitive. Parents would get frustrated at the lack of features and complain. The company listened to user feedback and transformed this basic little app into a simple yet powerful learn to read program. With offline play capability, consistent rewards for play, and educator-backed games and other activities, as well as it being a free app with absolutely zero ads or in-app purchases, Duolingo's ABC learn to read program has impressed us. We wish they had a desktop version, but we can't help but be pleased with the vast improvements they've made in the app in a short amount of time.

What's the Best Program to Help a Child Learn to Read?

Choosing the best learn to read program is a daunting task because every child is unique and learns differently. But there are a few tried and true ways to narrow down your search to find a perfect program that can help a child learn to read.

While every child is unique, there are some tried and true methods to teach literacy that have stood the test of time and are pretty universal in application. These are teaching reading and literacy through a phonics emphasis (teaching letter sounds) or a sight words emphasis (teaching children to memorize common words in the English language).

The Best Learn to Read Programs Compare Learn to Read Programs Compare Learn to Read Program Reviews What are the best Learn to Read Programs Best Learn to Read Program Reviews

Learn to Read Program FAQ

All ages can use these programs. Programs and courses have material suitable for all ages to use. Whether it is Pre-K, Elementary, middle school, high school levels, or adults there are programs that can help anyone learn and improve their reading skills.
Most learn to read programs are self-paced and allow the customer to learn the material at their own time. On average each course can take about 20 minutes to a couple of hours depending on the length of the material given. For most effective learning, it is recommended to plan out the courses ahead of time, and to review course material, when available.
Depending on the company and type of course, the cost can range anywhere from $49.99 to $199.99. Monthly plans can range from $6.99 to $30 per month. Having additional students on one course plan, with some companies, can reduce the cost per month.
Depending on the company you consider, there are typically multiple levels of learning from beginner to expert. Most companies organize difficulty with the age of the student. Courses are typically divided into the following structured categories: Pre-K, Elementary, middle school, or high school levels. Keep in mind, several companies only go up to 8th grade, rather than offering levels for high-school students. Be sure to read the details before selecting a plan.
Yes, depending on the type of plan you choose. Be sure to read the details of any course you intend to purchase.
Of course, companies offer several different learn to read programs and are committed to customer satisfaction. Some companies even offer a free 2-week trial (no commitment), 30 days from the date of delivery to request a full refund, 14-day money-back guarantee, and more.
Kids learn to read when they can identify individual or combinations of letters. Next, they connect those letters to sounds (talking and listening). Having a good program that has systematic teaching about phonics is key for a child to being able to learn how to read. Phonics is a method of teaching a person to read by correlating sounds with individual or combinations of letters.
On average, most children begin to read around the age of 6 or 7 years old. Some children even learn as early as 4 years of age. As a bit of advice, keep in mind that even if your child has a head start in learning how to read, his or her peers may eventually catch up - and that's ok.
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Continued from above...

Phonics tends to be easier and more helpful since children can come across an unfamiliar word and, with the help of phonics, sound it out. Sight words tend to be trickier because memorization is favored over learning. This can also be problematic in spelling, too. If children don't understand phonics, they have a more difficult time spelling unfamiliar words.

Learn to read programs can utilize these principles in tailored, customized ways that fit with the individual student, and that is where you can really decide which program is best for your child. Some learning programs focus on games while others make use of songs. Still others have a multisensory approach, which works well for children who have disabilities or problems focusing. Some programs are not just for reading but offer a comprehensive curriculum.

As you consider different learn to read programs, there are a few key aspects you'll find to be most important:

  • Price. How much does the learn to read program cost? Does it offer a good value for the money - are there resources and tools, updated content, and quality that meet the price point? Is there an annual commitment? A money-back guarantee? Is the price subject to change?
  • Age range. Is the program suitable for the age of the child(ren) you want to help with their reading progress? Is it developmentally appropriate for the ages it services? If you are looking for a consistent curriculum, does the program continue for older age ranges?
  • Teaching method. Does it follow a phonics-based or sight-word-based approach? Is it disability-friendly? Does it utilize too much screen time, or does it offer off-screen learning as well? Is there a lot of parent involvement, or does it lean toward independent learning? Does it include any physical activity? Does it include print material?
  • Reviews. What are parents and educators saying about this program? Does it have a positive or negative reputation? How long has it been around? Is it backed by scientific studies? Have there been any litigations or controversies surrounding it? Have people with similar educational philosophies and values found it to be helpful? How does it rate for children with dyslexia or ADHD? These are all excellent questions to ask when searching for a learn to read program that meets your specific needs.
  • Updates. Is the learn to read program updated? How recent are parent reviews or awards? Does the website have broken links or outdated information? Are social media channels updated consistently? If you are using an app or an online platform, is it updated for security and new software enhancements?
  • Spelling and writing. Does it include a program to teach spelling to your child(ren)? Is there a trace feature so children can learn to write? Does it offer printable worksheets for handwriting practice, or is it all online?
  • Full program or supplemental. Does the program offer a full reading curriculum (like a homeschool curriculum)? If so, does it align with state requirements? Is it meant to reinforce other programs or help struggling readers catch up over the summer?

To help your child learn to read, Top Consumer Reviews has evaluated and ranked the top programs available today. We're confident that this information will make it simple and even fun to find a learn to read program that is perfect for your emerging reader!

Compare Learn to Read Programs

Select any 2 Learn to Read Programs to compare them head to head

best-learn-to-read-products
  • Hooked On Phonics
  • Kiz Phonics
  • Scholar Within
  • Duolingo
  • K5 Learning
  • Phonics In Motion
  • ABC Mouse
  • Homer
  • Reading Raven
  • Time 4 Learning
  • Reading Kingdom
  • Reading Eggs
Hooked On Phonics vs Kiz Phonics Hooked On Phonics vs Scholar Within Hooked On Phonics vs Duolingo Hooked On Phonics vs K5 Learning Hooked On Phonics vs Phonics In Motion Hooked On Phonics vs ABC Mouse Hooked On Phonics vs Homer Hooked On Phonics vs Reading Raven Hooked On Phonics vs Time 4 Learning Hooked On Phonics vs Reading Kingdom Hooked On Phonics vs Reading Eggs Kiz Phonics vs Scholar Within Kiz Phonics vs Duolingo Kiz Phonics vs K5 Learning Kiz Phonics vs Phonics In Motion Kiz Phonics vs ABC Mouse Kiz Phonics vs Homer Kiz Phonics vs Reading Raven Kiz Phonics vs Time 4 Learning Kiz Phonics vs Reading Kingdom Kiz Phonics vs Reading Eggs Scholar Within vs Duolingo Scholar Within vs K5 Learning Scholar Within vs Phonics In Motion Scholar Within vs ABC Mouse Scholar Within vs Homer Scholar Within vs Reading Raven Scholar Within vs Time 4 Learning Scholar Within vs Reading Kingdom Scholar Within vs Reading Eggs Duolingo vs K5 Learning Duolingo vs Phonics In Motion Duolingo vs ABC Mouse Duolingo vs Homer Duolingo vs Reading Raven Duolingo vs Time 4 Learning Duolingo vs Reading Kingdom Duolingo vs Reading Eggs K5 Learning vs Phonics In Motion K5 Learning vs ABC Mouse K5 Learning vs Homer K5 Learning vs Reading Raven K5 Learning vs Time 4 Learning K5 Learning vs Reading Kingdom K5 Learning vs Reading Eggs Phonics In Motion vs ABC Mouse Phonics In Motion vs Homer Phonics In Motion vs Reading Raven Phonics In Motion vs Time 4 Learning Phonics In Motion vs Reading Kingdom Phonics In Motion vs Reading Eggs ABC Mouse vs Homer ABC Mouse vs Reading Raven ABC Mouse vs Time 4 Learning ABC Mouse vs Reading Kingdom ABC Mouse vs Reading Eggs Homer vs Reading Raven Homer vs Time 4 Learning Homer vs Reading Kingdom Homer vs Reading Eggs Reading Raven vs Time 4 Learning Reading Raven vs Reading Kingdom Reading Raven vs Reading Eggs Time 4 Learning vs Reading Kingdom Time 4 Learning vs Reading Eggs Reading Kingdom vs Reading Eggs
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