Sprout & Screen

Honest, safety-first reviews of apps for ages 2–5

We check both app stores — ads, in-app purchases, data collection, stranger contact — and turn it into one clear verdict, so you can hand over the tablet without the guesswork.

The shelf — ranked

    Khan Academy Kids
    No ads, no in-app purchases, shares nothing
    9.9    Peekaboo Barn
    No ads, no in-app purchases, shares nothing
    9.5    PBS Kids Games
    No ads, no in-app purchases, shares nothing
    9.4    Starfall Learn to Read
    No ads, no in-app purchases, shares nothing
    9.3    Endless Alphabet
    In-app purchases up to $8.99
    9    Endless Numbers
    In-app purchases up to $14.99
    9    Pok Pok | Montessori Preschool
    In-app purchases up to $89.99
    8.9    Endless Reader
    In-app purchases up to $29.99
    8.7    Busy Shapes & Colors
    In-app purchases up to $3.99
    8.6    Learn to Read - Duolingo ABC
    Shares data with third parties
    8.6    Sago Mini First Words: Kids 1+
    In-app purchases up to $79.99
    8.5    Lingokids: Games & Shows
    In-app purchases up to $139.99
    8.2    Hopster: ABC Games for Kids
    In-app purchases up to $59.99; collects location + IDs
    7    ABCmouse: Kids Learning Games
    In-app purchases up to $104.99
    6.8    Toca Boca World
    In-app purchases up to $199.99; collects location + IDs
    6.2    Sago Mini School (Kids 2-5)
    Shows ads and shares data with third parties
    5.8    Sago Mini World
    Shows ads and shares data with third parties
    5.8
How we score. Every app is checked against the same rubric across Safety & privacy, Age-fit, Educational value, Quality, and Monetization fairness — from real App Store and Google Play data, then verified by a real parent before it publishes. Reviews are informational, not a guarantee of safety.