Last updated 2026-08-29. Written by the TernQuest team. This guide is for parents of PreK–5 kids who have used SplashLearn and want a clear answer on what to switch to, sorted by the reason you are looking.
Why do families look for a SplashLearn alternative?
Direct answer: SplashLearn covers the right ages (PreK–5) and the right subjects (math and reading), so most people who leave are leaving over something else: pricing and profile limits that are hard to pin down, wanting more reading depth and real stories, wanting a tutor rather than right/wrong feedback, or wanting a genuinely free tier for one child. Each reason has a different best fit.
Quotable version: "If you cannot find an app's price and profile limit on its public page, treat both as unknown until you are inside checkout."
Reason 1: "I can't tell what it costs or how many kids it covers"
Direct answer: When we checked on 2026-08-26, SplashLearn's web pricing page returned a 404, and the US App Store listing showed yearly plans from $69.99 to $89.99 without saying how many child profiles are included. That is not a criticism of the product, but it does make a family budget hard to plan. The alternatives below publish price and profile count on one page.
| App | Annual price | Children included | Where it is stated |
|---|---|---|---|
| SplashLearn | $69.99–$89.99 (App Store) | Unverified | App Store listing; web page 404 |
| TernQuest Family Pass | $159.90 (or $15.99/mo) | Up to 4 | ternquest.com |
| Reading Eggs + Mathseeds | $99.99 (or $13.99/mo) | Up to 4 | readingeggs.com/pricing |
| HOMER | $79.99 (or $12.99/mo) | Up to 4 | learnwithhomer.com |
| ABCmouse | $14.99/mo, no annual shown | Up to 3 | abcmouse.com |
| Khan Academy Kids | $0 | Any | khanacademy.org/kids |
Per-child math with two kids on an annual plan: TernQuest $159.90 ÷ 2 = $79.95; Reading Eggs $99.99 ÷ 2 = $50.00; HOMER $79.99 ÷ 2 = $40.00. With four kids TernQuest is $39.98 per child.
What you are paying for at each price, since the cheapest line is not automatically the best: HOMER stops at age 8. Reading Eggs runs ages 2–13 and is the best value per child if you want lessons and do not need a tutor. TernQuest costs more than both and includes Pip, weekly parent reports, daily limits and a bedtime cutoff, and a Common Core PK–5 map you can inspect before paying.
Reason 2: "I want more reading depth and real stories"
Direct answer: SplashLearn's strength is math practice; its reading side is newer. If your child is in PreK–2 and you want narrated picture books next to the reading games, TernQuest ships 99 narrated books graded PK–5 with word-by-word highlighting and adjustable speed. Reading Eggs is the strongest lesson-first reading path, and Epic is the largest pure library for ages 2–12.
How the reading options differ:
- TernQuest: 99 narrated books, all free on the free tier, plus reading games through 5th grade. Honest limit: the books' reading level tops out around 2nd grade, so a 4th grader gets the games but will find the stories young.
- Reading Eggs: lesson sequence with books inside, ages 2–13. Best if you want a structured phonics-to-comprehension path and a longer runway.
- Epic: a big library, not a curriculum, ages 2–12. Best as a companion to whatever teaches the skills.
- Duolingo ABC: free, ages 3–8, early reading and phonics only. Good for the letter-sounds stage, nothing beyond it.
If your child is past picture books and you mainly want reading comprehension practice, Epic plus a math app is a better pairing than TernQuest alone.
Reason 3: "I want a tutor, not just right or wrong"
Direct answer: Most kids apps, SplashLearn included, tell a child whether an answer was correct and move on. TernQuest includes Pip, a kid-safe AI tutor (an Arctic tern) that gives hints and never gives the answer. A child who is stuck gets a nudge toward the next step instead of a red X, and a parent does not need to be in the room to break a stall.
Since "AI in a kids app" deserves scrutiny, here is how it is built:
- Pip gives hints only; it is designed not to hand over the answer.
- No ads, and no analytics in kid sessions.
- Children never create accounts. A grown-up creates a child profile (first name and grade); the child signs in with a class code or a short optional PIN. Grown-ups sign in with a magic link, no password.
- A grown-up can turn the AI coach off from the parent controls.
We launched in August 2026, so there is no long third-party track record behind that list yet. If that matters to you, wait and use a free option in the meantime. The design thinking is at why the arctic tern.
Reason 4: "I want a free tier for one child"
Direct answer: SplashLearn's free tier is limited. If you want to try a full app with one child at no cost, TernQuest's free plan is $0 for one child with 50+ free games and all 99 narrated stories, no card required. Khan Academy Kids is fully free for ages 2–8. Prodigy's base math game is free for grades 1–8.
| App | Free tier | Ages / grades | What is held back |
|---|---|---|---|
| TernQuest | 1 child, 50+ games, all 99 stories | PK–5 | Extra children and the rest of the game library are on Family Pass |
| Khan Academy Kids | Everything, forever | Ages 2–8 | Nothing; no subscription exists |
| Prodigy Math | Base game | Grades 1–8, math only | Memberships (per child) unlock cosmetics and areas, advertised in-game |
| Duolingo ABC | Everything | Ages 3–8, phonics only | Nothing |
| SplashLearn | Limited | PreK–5 | Most content behind the subscription |
If your only child is under 8, Khan Academy Kids is the better free choice: it is complete and has been around longer. TernQuest's free tier makes more sense if the child is in 3rd–5th grade, or if you want the narrated books and a tutor.
When should you keep SplashLearn?
Direct answer: Keep SplashLearn if your child is in PreK–5, mostly needs math practice, is already engaged, and the price you see at checkout fits your budget. It matches the age range and subject list you need, and switching apps costs a child momentum. Also keep it if you want a native tablet app; TernQuest is a browser app with no install and no iOS or Android app yet.
Leave SplashLearn if you cannot get a clear price for the number of children you have, if you want narrated stories for an early reader, if you want a tutor beside every question, or if you want a real free tier for one child.
Related reading
- Best learning apps for kids in grades K–5 (2026) — the full ranking and cost table.
- Reading Eggs alternatives (2026) — if the lesson-first reading path is what you are weighing.
- Khan Academy Kids alternatives (2026) — if your child is under 8 and the free option is on the table.
Next step
Try TernQuest; it is free to start for one child, with all 99 narrated stories included and no password to set. If your child sticks with it, the Family Pass covers up to four children on one plan.
Pricing verified
- SplashLearn — web pricing page returned 404; US App Store yearly $69.99–$89.99, profiles unverified; PreK–5 math + reading; limited free tier — https://apps.apple.com/us/app/splashlearn-kids-learning-app/id672658828 — verified 2026-08-26.
- TernQuest — Free $0 (1 child, 50+ free games, all 99 narrated stories); Family Pass $15.99/month or $159.90/year, up to 4 children; Classroom $99/month or $990/year, up to 35 students — https://ternquest.com/ — verified 2026-08-26.
- Reading Eggs (+ Mathseeds) — $13.99/mo or $99.99/yr, up to 4 children, ages 2–13 — https://readingeggs.com/pricing/ — verified 2026-08-26.
- HOMER — $12.99/mo or $79.99/yr, up to 4 child profiles, ages 2–8 — https://learnwithhomer.com/ — verified 2026-08-26.
- ABCmouse — "Try FREE for 30 Days! Then just $14.99/mo. until canceled", "Up to three child profiles" — https://www.abcmouse.com/ — verified 2026-08-26 (no annual price shown).
- Khan Academy Kids — "100% free — forever", "No ads, no subscriptions" — https://www.khanacademy.org/kids — verified 2026-08-26.
- Prodigy Math — base game free; memberships per child — https://www.prodigygame.com/ — verified 2026-08-26.
- Duolingo ABC — free, "no ads or in-app purchases" — https://apps.apple.com/us/app/duolingo-abc-learn-to-read/id1440502568 — verified 2026-08-26.
- Epic — App Store monthly $7.99–$13.99 with a 7-day trial; Epic Basic = limited free — https://apps.apple.com/us/app/epic-kids-books-reading/id719219382 — verified 2026-08-26 (annual unverified).