Mentava
A premium iPad learn-to-read program for preschoolers: 120 levels and about 2,500 activities that take a child from letter sounds to reading books like Green Eggs and Ham, with an on-call coach for parents. $500 a month after a 14-day free trial.
What is Mentava?
Mentava is a learn-to-read program for preschoolers that runs on an iPad. Mentava, Inc. makes it, and Niels Hoven founded the company. The pitch is that software, not the parent, does the teaching. Your child works through short, focused lessons while you sit nearby to encourage them. A coach helps you with pacing and motivation.
The goal is independent reading of simple books like Green Eggs and Ham and the Elephant and Piggie series.
How it works
Mentava splits learning to read into two jobs:
- Blending sounds into words. This is the hardest step, so Mentava teaches it in the first five levels.
- Learning the rest of the sounds. English has 44 sounds but only 26 letters. Kids learn single letters first, then letter pairs, then irregular words.
Sessions run 15 to 30 minutes a day. There are about 2,500 activities across 120 levels. At one level a day, that's about four months. At one level every two days, it's about eight months. Parents message the coaching team through the Mentava Parent app on iOS or Android.
Before the trial, you take a free two-minute readiness check. It asks about your child's age, letters and sounds, and whether they understand left-to-right order. Mentava says most students start around ages 3½ to 5, but readiness matters more than age. One parent blogger's 3-year-old stalled on word order during the trial; a year later, at 4, she moved quickly.
What it covers
| Levels | Focus | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 1–20 | Single letters | a, m, s, t, f, d, g, i |
| 21–50 | Letter pairs and blends | sh, ch, th, nd, st, bl, tr |
| 51–71 | Vowel teams, silent e, r-controlled vowels | ee, i-e, ar, or, er |
| 72–103 | Less consistent spellings | ay, ai, ea, oa, ou, oi, said, you |
| 104–120 | Common irregular words, move to real books | -ed, igh, -le, friend, soft g |
Milestones tie to real books. Green Eggs and Ham comes after level 104, Hop on Pop after 109, and Waiting Is Not Easy at level 120.
Who it's best for
Mentava suits early, eager learners whose parents want them to move as fast as they're able. It also fits parents who'd rather support than teach. The company markets it to families of fast learners.
Look elsewhere if the price is a stretch, if you don't have an iPad, or if your child is older and struggling. Those kids are better served by a structured program for struggling readers.
Pricing at a glance
As of October 2026, it's $500 a month per child, billed monthly after a 14-day free trial, and you can cancel any time. That includes software, curriculum, guidance and a coach. Mentava compares itself to a private tutor rather than to other apps, and says schools can use it for free.
Be clear-eyed about the total. Four months at one level a day costs about $2,000, and eight months about $4,000. That's far more than most reading programs, which is why funding matters so much here.
Can a scholarship or ESA pay for it?
Maybe. Online curriculum is often an allowed expense in ESA programs like the Arizona ESA and Florida's scholarships, including FES-UA for students with disabilities. Rules for preschool-age children vary a lot, and Mentava's price could use up a big share of a yearly award. Each program decides what it covers. Compare options on our scholarships page, save Mentava to your wishlist, and apply once on Edulist.
How it compares
Reading.com and Hooked on Phonics also take a sounds-first approach, for a small fraction of the price, but expect more parent involvement. Reading Eggs covers up to four kids for about $100 a year, and Teach Your Monster to Read is a free phonics game on the web. Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons covers similar ground for about $30, if you're willing to follow a script yourself.
See our best learn-to-read programs for preschoolers and best phonics programs for more.
Who Mentava is for (and who it isn’t)
Best for
- Preschoolers who are ready to read early and move fast
- Busy parents who want the software to do the teaching
- Families who want coaching support and can afford premium pricing
- Families whose school offers Mentava for free
Look elsewhere if
- Families on a typical curriculum budget
- Households without an iPad
- Parents who want little or no screen time
- Older children who struggle with reading and need intervention
Mentava pros and cons
Pros
- Rigorous, published scope and sequence across 120 levels
- Teaches blending early, the step most kids find hardest
- Coach support for motivation and pacing
- Clear milestones tied to real books
- Free readiness check and 14-day trial; billed monthly, cancel any time
Cons
- $500 a month is far above other reading apps
- Priced per child, so siblings each need a subscription
- iPad app for the child; no web or Android version
- Built for early readers, not older or struggling students
- Fully screen-based
What’s included
- 120 levels and about 2,500 activities, from blending to irregular words
- Teaches blending in the first five levels, then the rest of English's 44 sounds
- Milestones mapped to real books, such as Green Eggs and Ham after level 104
- Coaching and support for parents, by message in the Mentava Parent app
- Free two-minute readiness check before the trial
- Free for schools, according to the company
How much does Mentava cost?
As of October 2026, Mentava has one plan: $500 per month, billed monthly after a 14-day free trial. Mentava says the price covers software, curriculum, progress guidance and an on-call coach, and its founder describes it as a private tutor available any time. At one level a day, the 120 levels take about four months (about $2,000); at one level every two days, about eight months (about $4,000). Each child needs their own subscription.
| Plan | Price | Billed | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mentava membership | $500/mo | Monthly | $500/mo |
Free trial: Free 14-day trial with full lesson access, started after the free two-minute readiness check.
Prices from the provider, checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site.
Future opening updates
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View wishlistWhat parents say
A summary of public parent feedback we read on forums, app stores and review sites. It is not a set of Edulist family reviews.
Public parent feedback is mostly positive about results and split on price. Mentava Reading has a 3.8 rating from 28 App Store ratings (October 2026). A parent blogger canceled after the trial in 2024 because of the price and his 3-year-old's readiness, then resubscribed a year later and wrote that he was a happy customer. A critical review on picturesareforbabies.com, a site run by a competing reading program, argues the phonics approach is outdated.
Common praise
- Fast progress once a child is ready to blend
- Real instruction rather than games for their own sake
- Kids ask to keep using it
- Helpful responses from the Mentava team
Common complaints
- Price seen as far too high for a reading app
- Billed per child, not per family
- Too early for some 3-year-olds; parents may need to sit with them at first
Sources: apps.apple.com · id6444707860 · dcoates.com · mentava review · dcoates.com · mentava review follow up · picturesareforbabies.com · mentava
Mentava family reviews
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Mentava FAQs
How much does Mentava cost?
As of October 2026, Mentava costs $500 per month per child, billed monthly. That price includes the software, curriculum, progress guidance and an on-call coach. There is a free 14-day trial after the readiness check, and you can cancel any time.
Why is Mentava so expensive?
Mentava's founder, Niels Hoven, argues that $500 a month is a fair price for what is essentially a private tutor available any time. The company also says it gives the software to schools for free. Whether it's worth it depends on how fast your child progresses, since you pay by the month.
How long does Mentava take?
Mentava has 120 levels. The company says one level a day takes about four months, and one level every two days takes about eight months, at 15 to 30 minutes a day.
What age is Mentava for?
Mentava says most students begin around ages 3½ to 5, and that readiness matters more than age. The free readiness check asks about letters, sounds and left-to-right order to see if a child is ready to start.
Do parents have to teach with Mentava?
No. The software handles instruction, feedback and pacing. Mentava suggests sitting with your child, setting the routine and celebrating progress, and a coach helps if motivation or a skill gets stuck.
What devices does Mentava work on?
Children use the Mentava iPad app. Parents use the Mentava Parent app on iOS or Android to message the coaching team.
Is Mentava free for schools?
Mentava says it makes its software available to schools for free. Students in those schools get login details from their teacher. Families buying on their own pay $500 a month.
Can I use ESA funds for Mentava?
Possibly. Online curriculum is a common allowable expense in programs like Arizona ESA and Florida FES-UA, but rules for preschool-age children vary. Check your program's expense rules before you buy.
Sources and last checked
Checked 2026-10-13 against these sources:
- mentava.com
- mentava.com · mentava trial
- mentava.com · curriculum
- mentava.com · who its for
- mentava.com · why mentava costs 500
- mentava.com · readiness check
- mentava.com · about
- apps.apple.com · id6444707860
- apps.apple.com · id6745571447
- dcoates.com · mentava review
- dcoates.com · mentava review follow up
- homeschooltools.net · mentava
- picturesareforbabies.com · mentava