ABCmouse vs ABCya
Compare ABCmouse & ABCya, and discover which educational app best supports your child’s learning journey.
The popularity of educational apps for children has significantly increased over the last decade, giving parents a wide range of choices. With the abundance of resources available, finding the right educational tools for your child can feel daunting.
At ABCmouse, we understand that parents want educational resources that are aligned with their child’s needs. That’s why we are committed to offering complete transparency, assisting you in accessing all the necessary information to make an informed decision.
Let’s take a look at a direct comparison between ABCmouse and ABCya, another popular early learning program. While every educational tool has its unique benefits, we think you’ll see why ABCmouse remains a leader among early education apps.
Quick Comparison
ABCmouse and ABCya both provide learning in the core subjects of reading, math, language arts, science, art, and social studies. However, one of the biggest differences between the two apps is the ability to assess children’s skills and progress while using the apps. ABCya does not offer progress tracking. ABCmouse does provide this benefit. ABCmouse offers an in-depth assessment center for an additional fee, allowing parents and educators to assess children’s progress and see where they’re struggling and flourishing.
Parents and teachers will also find more activities and lessons on ABCmouse, which includes over 10,000 activities and 850 lessons. According to their website, ABCya features over 300 games. Additionally, a yearly subscription to ABCmouse costs $45 until canceled while a yearly premium subscription to ABCya costs $69.99. This subscription also includes worksheets and teacher resources.
ABCmouse has been downloaded over 10 million times on Android devices compared to ABCya’s over 1 million downloads. ABCmouse boasts a 4.5-star rating from more than 831,000 reviews, while ABCya has a 4.4-star average out of 22.4K ratings.
You can find a more detailed overview and comparison of ABCmouse and ABCya below. Be sure to check out the efficacy studies highlighting the positive impact ABCmouse has on children’s learning as well as the reviews other parents have given ABCmouse.
Side-by-Side Overview
Here is a side-by-side comparison of ABCmouse and ABCya. Keep reading below for more in-depth explanations.
ABCmouse
ABCya
Age Range
2-8 years old
pre-k – 6 grade
Number of Profiles
3 child and 1 parent profiles
5 devices on Premium Family Plan
Subjects
Math, Reading, Language Arts, Sciences, Social Studies & More
Math, Language Arts, Social Studies, Art & Music
Content
10,000+ activities 10 levels including 850 lessons
Over 300 educational games
Price
$45 a year until canceled or $12.99 a month until canceled
$69.99 a year or $9.99 a month
Trial
30 day free trial
Free (with ads) on desktop, up to 6 games a week free on mobile app
Assessment Tools
Extensive Assessment Center
(Paid add on to subscription)
Performance & trend reporting
Custom lessons
Unlimited assessments
No assessment tools
Safety Certification
kidSAFE+ COPPA-CERTIFIED Seal (FTC-Approved “Safe Harbor”)
kidSAFE+ COPPA-CERTIFIED Seal (FTC-Approved “Safe Harbor”)
Apple Download and Ratings
4.5 stars average out of 831.4K ratings on Apple
4.4 stars out of 20.4 K rating on Apple
Number of Downloads on Android
Over 10 million downloads on Android
1 million+ downloads on Android
Efficacy Studies
Finding an app that effectively teaches children the early educational skills they need, especially in math and reading, is very important for many parents and teachers.
ABCmouse has been rigorously evaluated by researchers, and the outcomes show gains in early math and literacy skills from using the ABCmouse app.
ABCmouse
ABCmouse distinguishes itself from other early learning apps with research-based evidence that shows it can be a significant transformative tool in education.
Here are several research studies that highlight ABCmouse’s efficacy on early childhood education.
ABCmouse Helps to Prevent Summer Learning Loss
A study by researchers from Schmidt Futures, WestEd, shows that as little as 45 minutes on ABCmouse can make a big difference.
- Kids who played on ABCmouse for around 45 minutes a week didn’t just keep up over summer break, the increased learning and minimized summer learning loss.
- Over 80% of parents noticed their kids were more excited to learn and could handle learning tasks more independently since starting with ABCmouse.
ABCmouse Boosts Learning for Kindergarteners at Home
This study conducted by Dr. Beth Rabin shows the significant benefits of using ABCmouse at home for kindergarteners, particularly emphasizing its impact on accelerating academic growth in literacy and math skills.
- The study divided 281 kindergarten-aged children into two groups. Half of the participants were assigned to use ABCmouse at home for an average of 45 minutes per week, while the others formed a control group with no ABCmouse usage.
- ABCmouse users showed a 25% higher increase in early literacy skills compared to non-users.
- Lower-performing children using ABCmouse saw 33% higher gains in literacy and 48% higher in math.
- The study confirms ABCmouse’s effectiveness in Significantly accelerate the accademic growth of kindergarten age children over 13 weeks.
ABCmouse Helps Prepare Kids for Kindergarten
The Albina Head Start program partnered with Age of Learning, Inc. to provide access to the ABCmouse Early Learning Academy for students and waitlisted families. ABCmouse was integrated as a supplemental curriculum in 25 classrooms, aiming to enhance the educational resources available to nearly 500 students at home and in school. The study revealed the following information:
- ABCmouse increased school readiness, with every 100 learning activities boosting readiness scores by 3.6%.
- Higher ABCmouse usage led to significantly greater school readiness gains, showing a clear link between usage and academic preparation.
- Classrooms with above-average ABCmouse usage saw students 1.6 times more likely to advance to higher school readiness levels during fall.
- ABCmouse fostered family engagement, allowing parents to enhance learning at home and improve students’ cooperative behavior.
Using ABCmouse Significantly Improves Learning Outcomes for Pre-K and Kindergarteners
This study tracked how children used ABCmouse in pre-K, with some using it more than others, and then followed them into kindergarten, where some children could access all of ABCmouse while others only gained access to part of it. Researchers then routinely checked how much the kids learned to see if using ABCmouse helped them improve their reading and math skills.
- Completing more ABCmouse activities led to higher kindergarten readiness scores, indicating a reduction of school failure.
- Regular ABCmouse use predicted significant gains in literacy and math in kindergarten, with full-access groups showing up to 150% gain in math skills.
- ABCmouse usage over two school years reliably predicted better literacy and math outcomes at the end of kindergarten.
- Completing additional ABCmouse learning activities was linked to notable increases in key academic assessments.
These study results underscore that using the ABCmouse can lead to real strides in learning that parents and educators can see.
Then just $12.99 a month until canceled
ABCya
Summary of ABCya’s Study
We found one ABCya study that determined “the games included in this application support the active participation of children and have motivation-improving features. It is seen that the games mostly support the trajectories of the “recognition of number and subitizing” and “verbal and object counting” for the children aged between 4-6.”
To reach this outcome, the researchers and a preschool expert reviewed several math games in the app to determine if they had qualities that would support learning certain math concepts.
*ABCya may have more studies available but we were unable to find them at the time of publishing.
Age Range
Considering the age of your child and their educational needs can help you narrow down which program may work best for them. ABCmouse provides an extensive collection of activities, games, and lessons for children in prekindergarten through second grade, featuring over 10,000 activities and 850 lessons. ABCya provides over 300 hundred games for children in prekindergarten through sixth grade.
ABCmouse
ABCmouse offers educational content for children ages 2-8.
ABCya
ABCya offers educational contents for pre-k through 6th grade.
Number of Child Profiles
Making the most of your family’s learning with educational apps is key. Different apps offer different ways to access their material. Let’s look at how ABCmouse and ABCya differ so you can find the right fit for your family’s needs.
ABCmouse
Every ABCmouse subscription includes four profiles for each account: one for the parent and up to three for children.
You can set up all three Child Profiles at the time of initial signup or add them later if your account is already active. Having the ability to set up different profiles allows you to customize learning for each child using the app. For families requiring additional profiles, our customer service team is available to help.
ABCya
ABCya works quite differently than ABCmouse. Instead of profiles for each child, their premium member subscription allows you to have up to 5 devices signed in at a time. There is not a way to create profiles with the subscription since ABCya does not track any progress of the games.
Subjects
Providing learning materials in key subject matter gives children an opportunity to expand their learning in multiple areas of study. Learning apps vary in the subjects that they cover.
ABCmouse
ABCmouse provides a wide range of content covering numerous subjects, catering to learners of all ages—from young children exploring shapes and letters to older students studying health, engineering, physical science, and everything in between. Below is a list of subjects available on the ABCmouse app.
- Reading
- Math
- Language Arts: Spelling, Writing, Vocabulary
- Art and Colors
- Science: Life Science, Physical Science, Earth Science, Biology
- Social Studies
- History & Economics
See our full curriculum list here.
ABCya
ABCya’s subject content focuses on Common Core Standards. Here is an overview of what standards they use in their games.
Grade K
- English Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Next Generation Science Standards
Grade 1
- English Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Next Generation Science Standards
Grade 2
- English Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Next Generation Science Standards
Grade 3
- English Language Arts
- Mathematics
Grade 4
- English Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Next Generation Science Standards
Grade 5
- English Language Arts
- Mathematics
Grade 6
- English Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Next Generation Science Standards
You can find more about their standards here.
Content
Understanding the content, engagement level, and variety offered by learning apps is crucial in selecting a platform that keeps your children intrigued and actively learning.
ABCmouse
ABCmouse stands out for its comprehensiveness, offering over 10,000 activities across 10 different levels, which encompass 850 lessons catering to a broad age range of learners. Here’s a breakdown of what this extensive offering means for users:
- 10,000+ Activities: These activities include interactive games, puzzles, animations, songs, art projects, books, and more. This wide range ensures that learning remains fresh and exciting, with enough variety to cater to different interests. Whether a child is drawn to stories, music, art, or problem-solving, there’s something on ABCmouse to capture their attention and stimulate their intellect.
- 10 Levels of Learning: ABCmouse structures its educational content across 10 distinct levels. These levels are carefully designed to progress in difficulty and complexity, aligning with the child’s developmental stage and academic skills.
Starting from basic pre-kindergarten skills at Level 1, such as recognizing letters and numbers, the levels advance through to more complex topics suitable for 2nd grade learners at Level 10, such as multiplication, complex sentences, and the principles of science. This progression ensures a smooth learning curve, allowing children to build on their knowledge and skills as they advance through the levels. - 850 Lessons: The 850 lessons within these levels cover a comprehensive curriculum. Each lesson is designed to be interactive and engaging, making use of ABCmouse’s diverse activity types to teach specific concepts and skills.
For example, a reading lesson might include activities like a letter-sound matching game, a read-along story, and a song about the alphabet to reinforce learning objectives in a variety of ways.
ABCya
ABCya’s platform is centered around educational games, offering 300 learning games for its users. However, with a premium membership, access is expanded to include worksheets and teacher resources.
Price and Trial
ABCmouse and ABCya both have options for every budget.
ABCmouse
ABCmouse offers a variety of subscription plans to meet the different needs and preferences of families. These include monthly, semi-annual, and annual subscriptions, which are all available during the sign-up process.
- Monthly Subscription: Priced at $12.99 per month until canceled, this plan offers an experience free from third-party ads, ensuring children can explore ABCmouse’s educational content without interruptions.
- Semi-Annual Subscription: At $29.99 every six months until canceled, this option also provides an uninterrupted, learning environment that’s free from third-party ads, allowing for focused engagement with the platform’s resources.
- Annual Subscription: For those seeking a longer commitment, the annual plan is available for $45 per year until canceled, offering the same access to ABCmouse’s comprehensive learning activities for a full year while being free from third-party ads.
Then just $12.99 a month until canceled
ABCya
ABCya offers a several options to access its educational content:
Free Subscription:
- Play all regular games on desktop. (With Ads)
- Access up to 6 free games a week via the ABCya Games mobile app.
- Save up to 3 favorite games.
Premium Subscription:
- Monthly Subscription: $9.99 per month, billed monthly with the option to cancel anytime.
- 6-Month Subscription: $7.50 per month, charged as one payment of $44.99 every 6 months.
- Annual Subscription: Charged as one payment of $69.99 every 12 months, recurring annually.
- Premium Classroom: Designed for educational settings, offering complete access for up to 30 devices at $25.00/month.
Assessment Tools and Progress Tracking
This is where ABCmouse really shines. ABCmouse provides an extensive array of assessment and progress tracking tools, setting it apart from other early childhood education apps. The ABCmouse Assessment Center provides the following:
- Detailed performance reporting on each skill assessed
- Trend reporting on how your child progresses over time
- Custom lessons built to specifically address the areas where your child needs more practice
- Unlimited assessments for every child on your account
Please note that the Assessment Center is an optional add-on to your account that does not pay for access to all other areas of ABCmouse.
With a focus on creating a deeply personalized learning experience, ABCmouse leverages detailed feedback and comprehensive reports to empower parents and educators, enabling them to offer targeted support that enhances children’s learning outcomes. This dynamic approach ensures that children are not only engaged and motivated but are also on a path of continuous growth and development.
ABCmouse
ABCmouse’s combination of assessment tools and progress tracking is designed to create a personalized learning experience that adapts to the educational needs of each child. By providing feedback and detailed reports, it empowers parents and educators to support children’s learning effectively.
Assessment Tools
- Initial Placement Assessments: When a child first starts using ABCmouse, they may undergo an initial assessment designed to gauge their current knowledge and skill level in key areas such as reading and math. This helps in customizing a learning path that suits their needs.
- Step-by-Step Learning Path: ABCmouse features a carefully designed learning path with more than 850 lessons across 10 levels. As children progress through these levels, the activities they engage in are structured to assess their understanding and mastery of various concepts.
- Interactive Learning Activities: ABCmouse includes a wide range of interactive activities such as games, puzzles, animations, books, and more. These activities are not only engaging but also serve as tools to assess children’s learning in real-time, providing immediate feedback and adjustments to the learning path as needed.
Progress Tracking
- Parent Dashboard: ABCmouse offers a comprehensive parent dashboard that provides detailed reports on a child’s progress. This dashboard highlights the skills and subjects the child is working on, their achievements, and areas that might require more attention.
- Progress Tracking Features: ABCmouse tracks various metrics such as the number of lessons completed, the time spent on the platform, and scores from activities. This data is used to create reports that can help parents and educators understand a child’s learning trajectory.
- Certificates of Completion: As children complete different levels or achieve certain milestones within the platform, they can earn certificates of completion. These certificates serve as a motivational tool and a tangible record of their accomplishments.
ABCya
At the time of publication ABCya did not offer any assessments or progress tracking for their educational content.
Safety Considerations
Both ABCmouse and the Homer app have the kidSAFE+ COPPA-CERTIFIED seal (FTC-Approved “Safe Harbor”). This seal indicates that these apps adhere to high standards of online safety and privacy for children’s digital products.
The kidSAFE Seal Program is an independent safety certification service designed for child-friendly websites and technologies to help protect children online.
More about having the kidSAFE+ COPPA-CERTIFIED seal of approval:
This seal means that both ABCmouse and the Homer app have implemented extensive safety measures to protect children’s personal information. They are committed to:
- Privacy Protection: Ensuring that any personal information collected from children is done so with parental consent and is protected against unauthorized access or use.
- Age-Appropriate Content: Providing content that is suitable for children, without exposing them to inappropriate material.
- Safe Interactions: If the platforms allow for any form of communication or interaction, these features are designed to be safe for children and free from risks such as bullying or unwanted contact.
- Compliance with COPPA: Strictly adhering to the requirements of COPPA, which includes providing clear information about their data collection practices, obtaining parental consent before collecting personal information from children under the age of 13, and giving parents the option to review or delete their child’s information.
More Reasons Why Parents and Teachers Love ABCmouse!
To truly understand how special ABCmouse is, we invite you to explore the rave reviews and heartfelt testimonials of real parents and teachers. With over 10 million downloads and a 4.5 average rating from 815,000 users as of January 2024, ABCmouse strives to remain an effective and trusted educational resource.
Check Out ABCmouse ➜
Legal Disclaimer: Any information, materials, or links to third-party resources are provided for informational purposes only. We are not affiliated with and do not sponsor/endorse these third parties and bear no responsibility for the accuracy of content on any external site. All information provided in this article is current as of DATE. April 2024 Information and pricing is subject to change.