📚 Reading apps and reading coaches
Usborne
Here for your child to play now? Arcade · Library
The answer in one minute
- What Usborne is: A children's book publisher's website to browse its catalog by age, from 0 to 3 up to 13 and over, with links to online retailers to buy…
- Ages, price, ads: Free · Ages Books for ages 0 to 13 and over; Quicklinks for children with a parent supervising · Ads: not stated.
- Our take: Suits parents looking for children's books by age and a few supervised web links; skip if you want something a child plays or reads on the…
Peabody (ours): free stories by reading level, read aloud. Free through the end of 2026, no sign-up, no ads.
Play freeBy Usborne Publishing. Go to Usborne ↗
Desk research from the maker's own pages. Not yet tried by us. Checked 2026-11-10.
Quick answers
- How much does Usborne cost?
- Free to browse; books are bought from retailers, for example a board book listed at US$17.99 on the home page (Nov 2026).
- What age is Usborne for?
- Ages it suits: Books for ages 0 to 13 and over; Quicklinks for children with a parent supervising. What its terms say: The privacy policy says Usborne does not knowingly process children's personal data. The terms state no minimum age.
- Is Usborne safe for kids?
- Our take: Suits parents looking for children's books by age and a few supervised web links; skip if you want something a child plays or reads on the site itself. Ads: not stated. In-app purchases: none. Account: no account needed. Watch for: Buying happens on other retailers' sites.
- Where is the official Usborne site?
- The official site is usborne.com, from Usborne Publishing. It works on the web.Go to Usborne ↗
- What are the alternatives to Usborne?
- Three others in reading apps and reading coaches: A-Z Animals, AmblesideOnline and Amira Learning.
A children's book publisher's website to browse its catalog by age, from 0 to 3 up to 13 and over, with links to online retailers to buy each book, activities for kids and Quicklinks, a curated set of links to outside websites on topics from space facts to heritage months. It does not sell books itself; Quicklinks sends children to sites Usborne does not control.
Our take
Desk researchSuits parents looking for children's books by age and a few supervised web links; skip if you want something a child plays or reads on the site itself.
- PriceFree
- AdsNot stated
- In-app buyingNone
- AccountNone needed
Ages Books for ages 0 to 13 and over; Quicklinks for children with a parent supervising · 3 good things · 3 things to watch for
Is Usborne OK for my kid?
Find your child's age. Each row reads Usborne's own terms (quoted above), the ages it suits and the account it needs. An age rule is the least a maker asks, not a judgement that it suits a child of that age. Check another app.
| Age | By its terms | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | No age rule | We found no age the terms set for using it.In the ages it suits (about 0 to 13). |
| 5 | No age rule | We found no age the terms set for using it.In the ages it suits (about 0 to 13). |
| 6 | No age rule | We found no age the terms set for using it.In the ages it suits (about 0 to 13). |
| 7 | No age rule | We found no age the terms set for using it.In the ages it suits (about 0 to 13). |
| 8 | No age rule | We found no age the terms set for using it.In the ages it suits (about 0 to 13). |
| 9 | No age rule | We found no age the terms set for using it.In the ages it suits (about 0 to 13). |
| 10 | No age rule | We found no age the terms set for using it.In the ages it suits (about 0 to 13). |
| 11 | No age rule | We found no age the terms set for using it.In the ages it suits (about 0 to 13). |
| 12 | No age rule | We found no age the terms set for using it.In the ages it suits (about 0 to 13). |
| 13 | No age rule | We found no age the terms set for using it.In the ages it suits (about 0 to 13). |
| 14 | No age rule | We found no age the terms set for using it.Older than the ages it is made for (about 0 to 13). |
| 15 | No age rule | We found no age the terms set for using it.Older than the ages it is made for (about 0 to 13). |
| 16 | No age rule | We found no age the terms set for using it.Older than the ages it is made for (about 0 to 13). |
| 17 | No age rule | We found no age the terms set for using it.Older than the ages it is made for (about 0 to 13). |
| Ages it suits | Books for ages 0 to 13 and over; Quicklinks for children with a parent supervising |
|---|---|
| What its terms say about age | The privacy policy says Usborne does not knowingly process children's personal data. The terms state no minimum age. (terms) |
| Price | Free. Free to browse; books are bought from retailers, for example a board book listed at US$17.99 on the home page (Nov 2026). |
| Works on | Web |
| Account | No account needed |
| Ads | Not stated |
| In-app purchases | None |
| The AI in it | No AI described on the pages read. |
What's good
- Free to browse by age and topic
- Clear note that Quicklinks go to outside sites and need supervision
- Does not knowingly process children's data
Watch for
- Buying happens on other retailers' sites
- Quicklinks lead to sites Usborne does not control
- Sign In / Register is offered; its use was not tested
7 things to know before your child uses Usborne
- Check the age rule first. The privacy policy says Usborne does not knowingly process children's personal data. The terms state no minimum age.
- Know what it costs. Free. Free to browse; books are bought from retailers, for example a board book listed at US$17.99 on the home page (Nov 2026).
- See whose account it is. No account needed. Nothing to sign up for.
- Read what it does with data. Usborne's privacy policy says it does not knowingly process children's personal data. Quicklinks pages tell parents the linked sites are outside Usborne's control and ask them to supervise children online.
- Know where the AI is. No AI described on the pages read.
- Watch for the main catch. Buying happens on other retailers' sites.
- Start with what it does well. Free to browse by age and topic.
Data and privacy
Usborne's privacy policy says it does not knowingly process children's personal data. Quicklinks pages tell parents the linked sites are outside Usborne's control and ask them to supervise children online. Read the privacy policy.
Does it work?
The maker's own claims only; we found no independent study.
Usborne beside 4 alternatives
| App | Price | Ads | In-app buying | Account | Ages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usborne (this page) | Free | Not stated | None | None needed | Books for ages 0 to 13 and… |
| A-Z Animals | Free | Has ads | None | None needed | all ages (general readers… |
| AmblesideOnline | Free | No ads | None | None needed | about 5-18 (Year 0 to Year 12) |
| Amira Learning | Through schools | No ads | None | A school's | about 5-14 (school product… |
| Bloom Library | Free | No ads | None | None needed | mostly early readers; some… |
Alternatives to Usborne
Desk researchFreeNo account
A-Z Animals
Flywheel Publishing, LLC · ages all ages (general readers, not child-directed)
Handy for older children and families researching animals with an adult nearby; skip for young children who should not meet ads.
Desk researchFreeNo adsNo account
AmblesideOnline
AmblesideOnline (volunteer advisory) · ages about 5-18 (Year 0 to Year 12)
A strong free plan for homeschool families drawn to Charlotte Mason and literature-rich learning; secular families or those wanting an interactive program should look elsewhere.
Desk researchThrough schoolsNo ads
Amira Learning
Amira Learning · ages about 5-14 (school product; listed studies run from kindergarten to middle school)
Worth asking about if your child's school uses it; parents cannot buy it, so home users should look at family apps instead.
Desk researchFreeNo adsNo account
Bloom Library
SIL Global · ages mostly early readers; some books for adults (health, farming)
A standout for families reading in a home or heritage language; parents should filter by topic, since religious and adult titles mix with children's books.
Desk researchFreeNo ads
Bookshare
Benetech (nonprofit) · ages all ages (PreK-12 students through adults)
A free, practical library for US students with a documented print disability; families without that need should use a public library app instead.
Desk researchThrough schoolsNo ads
Boost Reading
Amplify Education, Inc. · ages grades K-5 (about 5-11)
Worth asking about if your child's school uses Amplify CKLA or mCLASS; families cannot buy it on their own.
Where these facts come from
- https://usborne.com/us/
- https://usborne.com/us/privacy/
- https://usborne.com/us/terms-conditions/
- https://usborne.com/us/quicklinks
Prices, terms and features change. Nobody paid to be listed, nothing here is an affiliate link, and Peabody never rates itself. Where we and the maker disagree, the maker's own pages are the ones to trust.