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Homer Review

Saturday, February 15th

2025 Learn to Read Program Reviews

Homer Review 2.5 Star Rating

Homer

2.5 Star Rating
  • $9.99 per month/$59.99 per year (a 50% savings)
  • App-based play is available offline
  • Ad-free and no cancellation fees
  • 1,000+ lessons on phonics, sight words, and ABCs, and offers 200+ vocabulary building stories
  • Tailored to child's interests, age and skill level
  • Kids learn with well-known characters, like Thomas the Tank Engine
  • Tracks progress of up to four kids per account
  • Can increase early reading scores by up to 74%

Homer's learn to read program is powered by Begin, an award-winning company offering digital, physical, and experiential learning programs for early learning. Begin is also behind products like KidPass, codeSpark Academy, and Little Passports. Begin has the advantage of partnering with some of the most famous names in early childhood development, including Sesame Workshop, LEGO, and Gymboree Play and Music. This is a huge advantage, as they are able to include licensed characters that kids love in their learn to read program.

Homer values traditional children's literature

Unlike other reading programs, Homer's learn to read program places a high value on traditional children's literature and themes. They want to help children learn classic stories, nursery rhymes, fables and fairy tales. They focus on kids not only learning the fundamentals of reading, but on literature skills like classic story arcs ("once upon a time” to "happily ever after”). They also want them to understand idioms and references like "a mouse saving a lion”.

Best Learn to Read Programs

Available offline, with some limitations

You can download lessons from the Homer learn to read program to use offline, but the app has to be running in the background for access. You will need an internet connection to access any custom settings.

A personalized approach

Homer takes a custom approach to each child, offering a pre-test to learn more about the child's interests, age, and skill level. This means that the activities and games and lessons will be geared toward their personal interests and developmental level.

Over a thousand lessons and more

In a world where many people feel that more is better, the thousands of games and lessons and activities in the Homer learn to read program may seem like a plus. However, parents complain that with so many options and an at-times clunky interface, it may be overkill. There is really no way to preview all the available activities and things to do, so parents who want to monitor their kids' content will need to sit with the child and observe them in real time.

Effective, even if a bit glitchy

Many parents and teachers have been pleased with how effective Homer is at teaching phonics and other basics in learning to read. With over 4,000 mostly positive ratings for the iPhone app, and over 1 million downloads in the Google Play store, it is a well-known and loved app. However, parents do complain about glitchy performance - with several parents saying they consistently have to completely shut down their devices to get the app to perform properly, and updates often result in more glitches than fixes.

Best Learn to Read Programs

Customer service doesn't measure up

While parents and subscribers are happy with many of the features of the app, when there is a glitch or problem, users report that Homer customer service is very, very slow to answer. When paying a premium for an app, customer service should be highly responsive. This just doesn't seem to be the case with Homer, with parents complaining of responses taking days.

Problems with auto-renewal

Like other online learn to read programs, Homer is plagued with complaints about lack of notification for auto-renewals, and a lack of clarification of how auto-renewal works. Some users described situations in which they were charged unknowingly after canceling. That, coupled with the slow customer response knocked off a few stars for the Homer learn to read program. There are less glitchy learn to read programs out there, and we recommend that you give those a shot before possibly circling back to Homer.

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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