If your child is 5 to 10 and you started All About Reading because everyone recommends it, you may now be wondering whether it is enough. It is a well-made, Orton-Gillingham based program, but it was designed for a wide range of learners, and a child with dyslexia sometimes needs more intensity, more daily practice or reading and spelling taught together. This guide compares five All About Reading alternatives on method, real cost, prep and fit. Full disclosure: we make Apricot Tree Academy, one of the five. Our criteria are below so you can check our work.
How do the All About Reading alternatives compare?
| Program | Best for | Cost to start | Parent training | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apricot Tree Academy (we make this) | Reading, writing and spelling in one scripted lesson | $54.98Workbook 1 + Teacher Guide 1 | None required | Open-and-go, ages 5 to 10 |
| PRIDE Reading Program | A full script with spelling built in | $94.90first kit | Course inside the online guide | Tiles kit in every level |
| Barton | Moderate to severe dyslexia | $350Level 1 | 3 to 5 hours of video per level | Ten intensive levels |
| UFLI Foundations | Smallest budget, confident teachers | $70manual | None, but written for classrooms | 148 lessons, free toolbox |
| Nessy | Game-based practice alongside a core program | $15.50a month | None | Kids practice on their own |
| All About ReadingBaseline | Younger kids, mild to moderate struggles | $159.95per level, plus tiles | None required | One-year guarantee |
Prices from each program’s official site, checked October 2026. Shipping and tax are extra, and prices change often, so confirm before you buy.
Why do parents look for All About Reading alternatives?
All About Reading has a big, loyal following, and for good reason: the lessons are scripted, warm and well organized. The reasons parents of kids with dyslexia look elsewhere tend to be these:
- Intensity. HomeschoolPicks rates it best for mild to moderate dyslexia and says severe cases usually do better with Barton or a one-on-one Orton-Gillingham tutor. Parent forums echo that.
- Two programs. Spelling is a separate purchase and a separate lesson. Level 1 of each, plus Letter Tiles and a Review Box, comes to about $269 before shipping.
- Short daily time. The publisher suggests about 20 minutes a day. For intervention, we recommend 30 to 60 minutes, five days a week.
- Prep and age. Reviewers mention time spent cutting word cards and setting up tiles, and some say the illustrations and games can feel young for older kids.
If your child is making steady progress, none of this means you should switch. These are the reasons we hear from parents whose kids have stalled.
How did we choose these alternatives?
We held every option to the same five tests:
- Same method. Explicit, systematic phonics, mostly Orton-Gillingham based. Nessy is the one exception, included as a practice tool rather than a core program.
- A real home path. A parent can teach it, or the child can use it at home.
- Verified prices. Checked on each program’s own site in October 2026.
- Honest fit. A what-to-weigh list for every program, ours included.
- Enough for daily practice. Material for 30 to 60 minutes a day.
Orton-Gillingham is a way of teaching reading that is explicit, systematic and multisensory: children see, say, hear and move as they learn each sound and rule.
Which programs are worth a look instead of All About Reading?
1. Apricot Tree Academy: one scripted lesson that covers reading, writing and spelling
We make this one, so judge it on the criteria above, not on our word. Apricot Tree Academy is a parent-led dyslexia intervention curriculum built on the Orton-Gillingham approach for children ages 5 to 10: scripted lessons, workbooks, games and flash cards, with a companion teacher guide. Each level is 12 lessons (about 12 weeks) across three print workbooks, and the guide tells you what to say and do at every step. See what is inside on the curriculum page.
Price (checked October 2026): Workbook 1 is $39.99 on Amazon and its matching Teacher Guide is $14.99, so you can start for $54.98. All of Level 1 (three workbooks, three teacher guides and the Treetop Tales reader) comes to $179.94. Level 2 (Lessons 13 to 24) uses the same workbook pricing.
What works:
- No training course or screening test before you start: open the guide and teach.
- Multisensory work built in: letter tiles, sound cards, games and decodable stories, with reading, writing and spelling practice together.
- Free extras while they last: the Parent Courses (including ParentTutor Training) and the Resource Hub printables.
Where we fall short:
To be fair about the gaps: we are newer and smaller than the big names, so there are fewer family reviews to read. The curriculum covers two levels (24 lessons) today, so it does not take a child as far as a ten-level system. Workbooks are print only, and teacher guides are sold separately. For severe dyslexia, a trained one-on-one specialist may still be the better fit.
Best for: parents who want one program instead of two, built for kids with dyslexia, at a lower start-up cost.
2. PRIDE Reading Program: a full script with spelling and tiles included
An Orton-Gillingham program written for parents and tutors. Every kit comes with the student workbook, a scripted online teaching guide with a training course, sound cards and a letter tiles kit.
Price (checked October 2026): Full kits run from $94.90 (Beginning Letters & Sounds) to $159.85 (Red, Purple and Blue), and all six come to about $869. Decodable readers are extra: $79.95 per Little Lions set (PRIDE shop).
What works:
- Dictation pages in the workbook cover spelling, so there is no second program.
- A free online placement test.
- Lessons run 30 to 45 minutes, closer to an intervention dose.
What to weigh:
- Readers cost extra.
- Reviewers of an earlier edition found the black-and-white workbook plain and the script rigid for kids who jump ahead.
Best for: families who want spelling and reading in one kit and a steadier daily dose.
3. Barton Reading & Spelling: when you need more intensity
A ten-level, one-on-one Orton-Gillingham intervention with tutor training on video in every level. It is the program review sites most often suggest when All About Reading isn’t intensive enough.
Price (checked October 2026): Levels 1 and 2 are $350 each and Levels 3 to 10 are $400 each, plus $19.95 shipping per printed level (Barton pricing). All ten levels come to about $3,900 before shipping.
What works:
- Very thorough, built for moderate to severe dyslexia.
- Training is built in, so you learn as you teach.
- Reading and spelling are taught together.
What to weigh:
- The tutor must pass a short screening, and Barton asks for at least two hours a week.
- It is the biggest investment here, in money and in time.
Best for: kids with significant dyslexia whose families can commit the time.
4. UFLI Foundations: a low-cost phonics sequence from a university lab
From the University of Florida Literacy Institute: 148 explicit, systematic phonics lessons, each following the same eight-step routine.
Price (checked October 2026): The manual is $70 plus shipping from Ventris Learning. Slide decks, decodable passages and games are free in UFLI’s online toolbox.
What works:
- The lowest price for a full sequence.
- A clear, well-organized scope and sequence.
- Free decodable passages and games in the toolbox.
What to weigh:
- It is written for classroom teachers, so you adapt it for one child.
- You gather your own tiles and hands-on pieces.
Best for: confident parents on a tight budget, or kids whose school already uses it.
5. Nessy: game-based practice your child can do alone
An online reading and spelling program built around games. It is a practice tool, not a parent-taught lesson, so we see it as a companion to a core program rather than a replacement.
Price (checked October 2026): Nessy Reading & Spelling for home starts at $15.50 a month, and the Dyslexia Home Education Pack is $195.50 a year (Nessy shop). A free trial is available.
What works:
- Many kids enjoy the games and ask to play.
- Low monthly cost, with a free trial.
- Gives you a break while your child still practices.
What to weigh:
- Screen-based, so there is little hands-on, multisensory work with you.
- On its own it is not a full intervention for a child with dyslexia.
Best for: extra practice on busy days, alongside a structured program.
Which alternative fits your child?
- You want reading and spelling in one scripted lesson, at a low start-up cost: Apricot Tree Academy.
- You want a full kit with tiles and spelling, level by level: PRIDE.
- Your child has moderate to severe dyslexia and has stalled: Barton, or a certified tutor.
- Budget is the main limit and you’re comfortable adapting: UFLI Foundations.
- You need extra practice your child can do alone: add Nessy to whatever you use.
Whichever program you choose, consistency matters more than the brand. We recommend 30 to 60 minutes a day, five days a week, with weekends off. Not sure where your child stands yet? Our free dyslexia screening takes about 15 minutes at home, and it tells you whether to ask the school for a formal evaluation and how to ask.
Should you stick with All About Reading?
Our take: if your child is young, the struggles are mild to moderate, and you see steady progress, stay put. Switching costs time, and All About Reading is a solid program. If progress has stalled for a couple of months even with daily practice, that is your signal to add intensity, either with a more intervention-focused program or more minutes each day. For more on teaching it yourself, see how to teach a dyslexic child to read at home and why decodable books matter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best All About Reading alternative for dyslexia in 2026?
For a 5 to 10 year old with dyslexia, Apricot Tree Academy is a strong fit: one scripted Orton-Gillingham lesson covers reading, writing and spelling, so you buy and teach one program, starting at $54.98. If dyslexia is severe and progress has stalled, Barton or a certified tutor adds more intensity.
Is All About Reading worth it for a child with dyslexia?
Often, for younger kids with mild to moderate struggles. It is scripted, warm, and backed by a one-year money-back guarantee. Review sites suggest more intensive options for severe dyslexia, and at about 20 minutes a day, most families need extra practice to reach 30 to 60 minutes a day.
What is the cheapest All About Reading alternative?
For a full program, Apricot Tree Academy starts at $54.98 (Workbook 1 plus its Teacher Guide), with spelling included. Nessy starts at $15.50 a month but is a practice tool, not a full intervention. The UFLI Foundations manual is $70 but written for classrooms. Prices checked October 2026.
Does All About Reading include spelling?
No. Spelling is a separate program, All About Spelling, starting at $64.95 for Level 1, with its own lessons to teach. Apricot Tree Academy and PRIDE build spelling and dictation into the same lesson, so one purchase and one daily session cover both. Prices checked October 2026.
How many minutes a day should a child with dyslexia practice reading?
Apricot Tree Academy recommends 30 to 60 minutes a day, five days a week, with weekends off. That is longer than the 20 minutes All About Reading suggests, so if you use it for dyslexia, add review, tile work or decodable reading time to reach that range.
