Lingokids vs Duolingo ABC: price, ads, offline and what each teaches

Quick verdict

We make English for Fun, the third option on this page, so we've stuck to what each developer publishes and linked every source.

• Choose Duolingo ABC if you want something completely free and your child is ready to start reading in English.
• Choose Lingokids if you want many subjects in one app, siblings with their own profiles, and you're happy with a subscription.
• Choose English for Fun if your child is a complete beginner, you don't want to create an account, and you'd rather prepay for the time you want than subscribe (price to be announced).

Side by side

What Duolingo ABC teaches, and who it suits

Duolingo ABC is a learn-to-read app: phonics, handwriting, sight words and vocabulary, with content from preschool to 2nd grade. It's free, with no ads or in-app purchases, and lessons can be done offline.

Our assessment: because lessons are in English and center on reading, it suits children who already understand some spoken English. A child hearing English for the first time may need a parent beside them to explain what to do.

Choose something else if your child doesn't understand any English yet, or you want more than reading (numbers, shapes, songs).

What Lingokids teaches, and who it suits

Lingokids is broader: many subjects through games and songs, with more than 4,000 activities, plus Disney and Oxford University Press content, on the Plus plan. Plus also adds offline mode, up to 4 child profiles and screen-time limits. The free Basic plan gives 10 games a day in the main feed and one profile, with no offline mode. Sign-up asks for an email or Sign in with Apple.

Some parents on Reddit's r/Parenting mention Lingokids for children who don't speak English at home. That's anecdotal, not something we've tested.

Choose something else if you don't want a subscription that renews automatically, or you'd rather not create an account.

Where English for Fun is different

English for Fun is built for a 4–6 year old's very first English, in families that don't speak English at home. Seven browser games cover letter names, numbers to 20, early math, shapes and colors, 162 picture words and 135 first sentences. Every word has recorded audio. There's no account, no ads and no personal data collected from children. It works offline after the first visit.

What's free and what isn't: the first island of each game is free, for example Look Island in I Can Read and Animal Zoo in Word Island. The other islands open with full access, which will be prepaid plans of 1, 3, 6 or 12 months (price to be announced) on up to 5 devices. See full access.

Honest weaknesses: it isn't a full phonics program (the free Read It! game covers 29 short words by sound; see what phonics is). The library is much smaller than Lingokids', and it runs in the browser rather than coming from an app store. Choose Duolingo ABC or Lingokids instead if you want a reading program or a large multi-subject library.

Cost over a year

As listed on 16 October 2026. Prices may vary by country and offer.

More app comparisons

Khan Academy Kids, ABCmouse, Starfall and more: English apps for kids 4–6 compared. Using apps offline? See learning English offline. Or try our free games.

Questions

Is Duolingo ABC free?

Yes. Duolingo describes it as "100% free", and the App Store listing says it has no ads or in-app purchases (checked 16 October 2026).

Is Lingokids free, and what does the free plan include?

Lingokids has a free Basic plan with 10 games a day in the main feed, one child profile and no offline mode. Everything else is in Lingokids Plus, a monthly or yearly subscription that auto-renews.

Which works offline?

Duolingo ABC lists offline learning on its App Store page. Lingokids works offline only with Plus. English for Fun works offline after the first visit.

Which is better for a child who doesn't speak English at home?

It depends on what your child already understands. Duolingo ABC teaches reading in English, so it suits children who already understand some spoken English. For a complete beginner, look for audio on every word and picture-led instructions; that is what English for Fun is built around.

Can siblings share?

Lingokids Plus allows up to 4 child profiles. Duolingo ABC's profile and device limits are not stated on the pages we checked. English for Fun's full access covers up to 5 devices in one household.

How long should a 4–6 year old use it each day?

Short sessions of 10–15 minutes work well. The WHO's 2019 guidelines say children aged 3–4 should have no more than 1 hour a day of sedentary screen time, and less is better.

Sources

1. Duolingo ABC (abc.duolingo.com), 16 Oct 2026
2. Learn to Read – Duolingo ABC on the App Store, 16 Oct 2026
3. Lingokids Help Center: Basic plan, 16 Oct 2026
4. Lingokids Help Center: Lingokids Plus, 16 Oct 2026
5. Lingokids Help Center: billing, 16 Oct 2026
6. Lingokids on the App Store, 16 Oct 2026
7. WHO (2019). Guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5 years of age