Grow the Code vs Teach Your Monster to Read

GCGrow the Code7.3Visit Teach Your Monster to Read6.9Visit

Higher score GC Grow the Code #6 in Phonics Apps 7.3/10 14-day trial ✓ 1 of 2 features Visit Grow the Code

vs

Teach Your Monster to Read #7 in Phonics Apps 6.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 2 features Visit site

• Grow the Code fits best

  Schools seeking a sequenced phonics curriculum

• Teach Your Monster to Read fits best

  Families wanting a free, playful phonics introduction

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Side by side

Feature	GCGrow the Code 7.3/10 Visit ↗	Teach Your Monster to Read 6.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	7.3	6.9
Ranking	#6 in Phonics Apps	#7 in Phonics Apps
Best for	Schools seeking a sequenced phonics curriculum	Families wanting a free, playful phonics introduction
Pricing model	Paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	Not published	Not published
Free plan	—	✓ (best)
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud	Cloud, Mobile
Platforms	Web, iOS	Web, iOS, Android
Support	Email	Email, Docs
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Grow the Code 1/2 · Teach Your Monster to Read 1/2
Progress tracking	✓ (best)	Not published
Offline access	Not published	✓ (best)
Specs
Age range	Not published	Not published
Instruction focus	Blending	Not published
Supported platforms	web, ios	Not published
Learner profiles	Not published	Not published
Our review
Pros	More than 500 sequenced daily phonics lesson plans More than 250 fully decodable online books Assessment supports class, individual and targeted keep-up lessons	Three games progress from letter sounds to sentences and short books Practice Mode, mini-games, and progress statistics support targeted practice Printable phonics resources extend activities beyond the screen
Cons	Available on web and iOS, not a broader range of platforms Paid product with no free plan School subscriptions are capped at 10 or 20 teachers per plan	The free-to-play option is the desktop website; mobile apps are paid Mobile pricing is moving to a subscription model The game’s focus is early reading rather than a broad learning curriculum
Our verdict	Grow the Code is a systematic synthetic phonics programme from Smart Kids for schools, teachers and homeschool families. Its curriculum moves through oral blending, blending for reading and segmenting for spelling, with instruction in… Read the review →	Teach Your Monster to Read is a phonics and early-reading game for children, designed for home and school use. Its three staged games move from letter sounds and blending toward sentences and short books, with children creating a monster… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Grow the Code — where it wins

  • More than 500 sequenced daily phonics lesson plans
  • More than 250 fully decodable online books
  • Assessment supports class, individual and targeted keep-up lessons

  Where it doesn't

  • Available on web and iOS, not a broader range of platforms
  • Paid product with no free plan
  • School subscriptions are capped at 10 or 20 teachers per plan

• Teach Your Monster to Read — where it wins

  • Three games progress from letter sounds to sentences and short books
  • Practice Mode, mini-games, and progress statistics support targeted practice
  • Printable phonics resources extend activities beyond the screen

  Where it doesn't

  • The free-to-play option is the desktop website; mobile apps are paid
  • Mobile pricing is moving to a subscription model
  • The game’s focus is early reading rather than a broad learning curriculum

• GCGrow the Code7.3/10 · 14-day trial

  A sequenced phonics programme with lessons, books and learner progress tracking.

  Visit Grow the CodeFull verdict →
• Teach Your Monster to Read6.9/10 · Free plan

  A free desktop phonics game with staged lessons, practice tools, and printable activities.

  Visit siteFull verdict →