At a glance
| Kadoo | Duolingo ABC | |
|---|---|---|
| Made for | Children learning English as a new language | Learning to read in English, "from preschool to second grade" (App Store) |
| What it teaches | Nearly 1,000 everyday words by listening and finding, letters and their sounds, numbers to 100, syllables, 48 songs | "over 700 hands-on lessons": the alphabet, phonics, sight words, vocabulary, tracing and read-along stories (App Store) |
| Does the child need to understand English? | No | It's built for learning to read English rather than learning English as a new language, and its lessons are in English |
| Speaking | Kadoo doesn't use the microphone | Uses speech recognition when children read letter sounds or words aloud (Common Sense Media) |
| Price | Free to download; the house, a song, the alphabet and the photo album are free for one child. Full Access in the US: $12.00 a month or $100.99 a year | Free, with no in-app purchases (App Store) |
| Ads | None | None (App Store) |
| Account | None | Optional (Common Sense Media) |
| App Store privacy label | Data Not Collected | Data Linked to You: Usage Data, Diagnostics (App Store) |
| Offline | Yes | Yes (App Store) |
| Languages for parents | 8 | English (App Store) |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac with Apple silicon | iPhone, iPad, Android. The iPhone version was last updated on 2 August 2023, the Android version on 25 August 2026 (App Store, Google Play) |
| US App Store rating | New in October 2026, no ratings yet | 4.25 from 3,838 ratings, Apple Editors' Choice (App Store) |
Facts about Duolingo ABC were seen on 25 October 2026. Check the App Store for the latest.
Where Duolingo ABC is stronger
- It's free. There are no in-app purchases and no ads.
- It teaches reading. Phonics, sight words, tracing and stories read aloud with each word highlighted take a child step by step toward reading. Common Sense Media called it "a logical journey towards learning how to read", though children "can't choose where to start" (Common Sense Media).
- Reading aloud. Speech recognition lets children practice saying letter sounds and words.
- Android. It runs on Android phones and tablets as well as iPhone and iPad.
Where Kadoo is different
- It starts before English. Kadoo is for a child who doesn't understand English yet. Nothing depends on reading or on understanding instructions: the Explorer says the word, a puppy shows where the thing is, and a hand shows the tap.
- Words first, reading later. Kadoo builds the spoken vocabulary that reading in English later relies on: everyday words for things at home, at school, in the park and beyond. It has an ABC book with each letter's sound, but it doesn't teach reading the way Duolingo ABC does.
- Help in your language. The parents' area and help are in eight languages.
- No data collected. Kadoo's App Store privacy label is Data Not Collected, and there's no account.
Which one to choose
If your child speaks English and is getting ready to read, Duolingo ABC is a free, well-reviewed choice.
If your child doesn't speak English yet, start with words before reading. Kadoo is built for that, and its house is free to play with no time limit. Once your child understands everyday English, a reading app can follow.
For how spoken words and reading fit together, see our guide on teaching English to a child who can't read yet.
Sources
- Duolingo ABC on the US App Store: apps.apple.com/us/app/learn-to-read-duolingo-abc/id1440502568, and its iTunes record for the last update date, seen 25 Oct 2026
- Duolingo ABC on Google Play: play.google.com, seen 25 Oct 2026
- Common Sense Media review of Duolingo ABC: commonsensemedia.org, seen 25 Oct 2026
- Kadoo: the App Store and Kadoo's questions and answers
We recheck this page every three months. If something here is out of date, write to kadoo@inoviatech.io and we'll correct it.
