Monday, July 14th
2025 Learn to Read Program Reviews
Reading Eggs
- $9.99 per month for up to 4 profiles
- Over 4,000 ebooks in the online library
- App-based program
- Kids enjoy the songs in the app
- A literacy pre-test is included to place kids on the right learning level
- Kids get rewards and certificates
- Parents can track progress
- Offers a 30-day trial and easy cancellation
Reading Eggs, owned by Blake eLearning Pty. Ltd and based in New South Wales, Australia, is a popular learn to read program with over 20 million users worldwide. Reading Eggs' digital learn to read program is subscription-based for children ages 2-13. It includes five programs for different age groups: Reading Eggs Junior, Reading Eggs, Fast Phonics, Reading Eggspress, and Mathseeds. With a million downloads at Google Play, it is a popular program.
Based on scientific research
Reading Eggs' learn to read program claims to be based on solid scientific research and the six key sub-skills required for proficient reading. However, we are concerned that the scientific research might be based on memorization and guessing rather than truly understanding sounds that relate to letters.
Gamified approach to learning
Reading Eggs uses the lure of video gaming to get kids engaged. This may seem like a great idea at first and this is probably where the company's scientific research comes in - we know gaming can be at times nearly addictive to children - but parents report that children often end up in tears when they can't complete a level. There is no encouragement or help offered if the kids get something wrong - just a boing and "x” drawing and a prompt to try again. Others are focused on getting eggs in order to purchase items for their avatars, so they are in a hurry to guess the right answer or memorize, rather than actually learn. In many ways it's like a Facebook game, designed to keep the player playing rather than actually truly learning anything. One parent said their child became utterly obsessed with the gaming side of the app and stated that if your goal was to get a child hooked on a screen, this was a perfect app for it.
Some think it's a waste of time and is low-quality
One teacher reviewed the Reading Eggs program and said it was "rubbish” and a "waste of money”. One of her problems with this app is that it did not explain things to the child when they got something wrong. All they had to do was continue guessing until they found the right answer. Another reviewer said the characters were not cute, but looked like they'd been made by a three year old using Blender AI. Other reviewers reported glitchy game play, where buttons wouldn't work and the game would freeze, causing their children to get frustrated and angry.
Parents have very little control
While there is a progress report system, it is very limited. There is no way to tell what activities your child has been working on, and no way to know time spent on each task. Parents cannot assign specific lessons and don't know what is happening in the program.
Doesn't help children with learning difficulties
In 2020, it was reported that Reading Eggs lacked instructions for children with disabilities. Parents have also complained that there are no explicit instructions for many of the lessons, and that has left some children in tears of frustration. AUSPELD, an association that advises Australian schools on teaching children with learning difficulties, removed Reading Eggs from its list of recommended resources.
Easy cancellation policy
Because this is an app-based program, cancellation is as simple as going to the subscriptions in your phone and clicking "cancel”. There is no other obligation or fine print.
Problematic history of inappropriate content
In 2019, Reading Eggs faced criticism for an inappropriate spelling lesson. As late as 2023, parents reported that the app was showing their children content that was not developmentally appropriate. Issues such as abortion were included in the ebook library, and while such topics are important to discuss, they are not developmentally appropriate for children as young as those for whom this program is recommended.
Too many negatives
Due to the gamified style of this app and the developmentally inappropriate content found in the library, along with the lack of parental insight and control in Reading Eggs' learn to read program, we cannot recommend it as a good solution at this time.
More Learn to Read Program Reviews
The 12 Best Learn to Read Programs
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).
Learn to Read Program FAQ
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
Trending Learn to Read Programs News
Related Learn to Read Program Reviews
Since you're interested in Learn to Read Programs, here are some other reviews you might find interesting.
Newest Reviews
