Starfall
A long-running nonprofit website and app that teaches phonics, early reading and math through short animated activities, songs and games for pre-K to 5th grade, with some free content and a $35-per-year home membership.
What is Starfall?
Starfall is a phonics and early math website and app for young children. It opened in 2002 as a free site built by Stephen Schutz, who struggled to learn to read as a child. Since 2015 it has been owned and run by the Starfall Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Boulder, Colorado.
The core idea is gentle, systematic practice. Short animated activities introduce a letter sound, show it in words, and let the child hear and try it. Reading moves from the alphabet to short words, simple books and longer stories.
How it works
Children click or tap through short activities on a computer, tablet or phone. Each one takes a few minutes. Most young kids can do a session on their own once an adult shows them how it works.
A typical day for a 4- or 5-year-old:
- Sing an alphabet or letter-sound song.
- Do one or two letter or short-vowel activities.
- Read a short interactive story, with words read aloud when tapped.
- Finish with a math or seasonal activity.
Ten to twenty minutes is plenty. The parent's job is to pick the starting point, sit nearby for the first sessions, and read real books together off-screen.
What it covers
| Area | What children practice |
|---|---|
| Pre-reading | Letters, letter sounds, songs, rhymes |
| Learning to read | Short vowels, blending, word families, sight words |
| Early reading | Longer vowel patterns, short stories, comprehension |
| Math | Counting, numbers, shapes, addition and subtraction, plus later topics |
Starfall says membership content spans pre-K to 5th grade. In practice, its strength is pre-K through 1st grade.
Who it's best for
Starfall suits families who want ad-free, low-cost phonics practice for a preschooler or kindergartner. It also works as a cheap add-on to a parent-led phonics program.
It's not a complete reading curriculum. If you want step-by-step lessons with a placement test, look at Reading Eggs or Hooked on Phonics. Kids reading above about a 2nd-grade level will find it too easy.
Pricing at a glance
As of October 2026, a home membership costs $35 per year on starfall.com and covers everyone in the household on any device. It doesn't renew automatically. Buying inside the app costs $5.99 per month, so the website is the better deal. Some activities stay free without a membership. Teacher, classroom and school memberships cost $70, $195 and $355 per year.
Can a scholarship or ESA pay for it?
Possibly. Digital phonics curriculum is often an allowable expense in education savings account programs, such as the Arizona ESA and Utah Fits All. Each program decides what qualifies and how purchases happen. At $35 a year, many families simply pay directly. Save Starfall to your wishlist alongside bigger purchases, then apply once through Edulist. Start with the scholarships hub.
How it compares
- ABCmouse covers more subjects with flashier rewards, at a much higher price.
- Teach Your Monster to Read is a free-on-computer phonics game for the same ages.
- Reading Eggs adds placement, structured lessons and an ebook library for older kids.
- Epic is a big ebook library, not a phonics course.
See more early learning programs, kindergarten reading options and the best reading apps for kids.
Who Starfall is for (and who it isn’t)
Best for
- Preschoolers and kindergartners learning letters and sounds
- Families on a tight budget who want ad-free phonics practice
- A low-cost add-on to a parent-led phonics curriculum
- Classrooms that want a shared phonics and early math site
Look elsewhere if
- Kids reading above about a 2nd-grade level
- Families who want a complete, standalone reading curriculum
- Children who need flashy rewards to stay engaged
Starfall pros and cons
Pros
- Very low annual price for the whole household
- Systematic phonics with clear, simple audio
- No ads; run by a nonprofit
- Website membership doesn't auto-renew
- Some activities free to try
Cons
- Design looks dated compared with newer apps
- Activities can feel repetitive and click-through
- Kids tend to outgrow it quickly
- In-app subscription costs about twice the website price
What’s included
- Phonics activities from the alphabet through early reading
- Early math, songs and seasonal activities
- Some free activities; membership unlocks the full site
- Home membership works on any computer, tablet or phone in the household
- Teacher, classroom and school memberships
- Run by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
How much does Starfall cost?
Starfall's help center lists a $35-per-year home membership for a household, usable on any device, and an in-app subscription through Apple or Google at $5.99 per month. Educator memberships are $70 (teacher), $195 (classroom) and $355 (school) per year. All tiers unlock the same content; they differ in who can use it. Memberships are bought on the website or by purchase order, not inside the app.
| Plan | Price | Billed | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home membership (starfall.com) | $35/yr | Yearly | $2.92/mo |
| In-app subscription (Apple or Google) | $5.99/mo | Monthly | $5.99/mo |
| Teacher membership | $70/yr | Yearly | $5.83/mo |
| Classroom membership | $195/yr | Yearly | $16.25/mo |
| School membership | $355/yr | Yearly | $29.58/mo |
Free trial: No free trial is advertised, but a selection of activities is free to use without a membership.
Prices from the provider, checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site.
Future opening updates
Applications are not open on Edulist. Saving a product does not subscribe you or establish eligibility. Visit your wishlist to opt in for updates.
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 reviews summarized by independent sites praise Starfall's phonics instruction and simple, kid-friendly design. Complaints center on a dated look, repetitive activities, a narrow age range, and some refund and cross-platform subscription problems. Starfall has only a handful of Trustpilot reviews, all positive.
Common praise
- Clear, systematic letter-sound practice
- Simple enough for young kids to use independently
- Songs that help preschoolers remember letters and vocabulary
Common complaints
- Dated look and occasional glitches
- Children outgrow it quickly
- Problems switching subscriptions between iOS and Android
Sources: brighterly.com · starfall reviews · trustpilot.com · starfall.com
Starfall family reviews
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Starfall FAQs
Is Starfall free?
Partly. Some reading and math activities on starfall.com are free with no account. The full site, including most later phonics and math activities, requires a membership.
How much does a Starfall membership cost?
As of October 2026, a home membership bought on starfall.com is $35 per year for the whole household. Buying inside the app through Apple or Google costs $5.99 per month. Teacher memberships are $70 per year.
Does Starfall automatically renew?
Website memberships do not renew automatically, so you won't be charged again unless you choose to renew. In-app subscriptions through Apple or Google do renew, and you cancel them in your store settings.
What ages and grades is Starfall for?
Starfall's help center says its content spans pre-K to 5th grade. Most families use it between ages 3 and 7, when kids are learning letter sounds, blending and early math.
Is Starfall good for homeschool?
It's a good supplement. Starfall gives young kids independent phonics and math practice, but it isn't a complete reading curriculum. Many homeschool families pair it with a parent-led program such as All About Reading.
Is Starfall a nonprofit?
Yes. Starfall is run by the Starfall Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Boulder, Colorado. Its founder's family donated Starfall to the foundation in 2015.
Can an ESA pay for Starfall?
It may. Digital curriculum is a common allowable expense in education savings account programs, but each program sets its own rules and vendor process. Save Starfall to your Edulist wishlist and check your state's scholarship page.
Sources and last checked
Checked 2026-10-13 against these sources: