If your child is 5 to 10 and you’re looking at PRIDE, you’ve probably already narrowed things down to scripted Orton-Gillingham programs a parent can teach. That’s a smart place to be. PRIDE is one of the more affordable options in that group, but it isn’t the right fit for every child or every family. This guide compares five PRIDE Reading Program alternatives on method, real cost, prep and fit. Disclosure: we make Apricot Tree Academy, which is on the list. We show our criteria so you can weigh our pick the same way as the others.
How do the PRIDE alternatives compare?
| Program | Best for | Cost to start | Parent training | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apricot Tree Academy (we make this) | Scripted, colorful lessons with games | $54.98Workbook 1 + Teacher Guide 1 | None required | Open-and-go, ages 5 to 10 |
| All About Reading | Younger kids, mild to moderate struggles | $159.95per level, plus tiles | None required | Readers included, one-year guarantee |
| Barton | Moderate to severe dyslexia | $350Level 1 | 3 to 5 hours of video per level | Ten intensive levels |
| Lexercise | Families who want a therapist involved | $150a month | Short training videos | Weekly lesson plus daily games |
| UFLI Foundations | Smallest budget, confident teachers | $70manual | None, but written for classrooms | 148 lessons, free toolbox |
| PRIDEBaseline | A full script, bought level by level | $94.90first kit | Course inside the online guide | Free placement test |
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 PRIDE alternatives?
PRIDE does a lot right: a full script, a free placement test, a training course inside the online guide, and tiles in every kit. Here is what sends some families looking:
- The script can feel rigid. A reviewer whose child likes to jump ahead found the fixed script a poor fit.
- Repetition and length. Cathy Duffy’s review notes it can be repetitive for quick learners, and puts lessons at about an hour a day. PRIDE itself says 30 to 45 minutes. One reviewer split modules into shorter sessions for active kids.
- Plain pages. Reviewers of the earlier edition mention a black-and-white workbook, which some kids find less inviting.
- Add-ons. Decodable readers are sold separately, and all six full kits come to about $869.
Most of these reviews are from 2020 and describe an earlier edition, so check the current samples before you decide. If PRIDE is working for your child, keep going.
How did we choose these alternatives?
Each program had to meet five standards:
- Same method. Explicit, systematic phonics, mostly Orton-Gillingham based.
- A real home path. A parent can teach it, or it comes with someone who does.
- 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 PRIDE?
1. Apricot Tree Academy: scripted lessons with color, games and a lower start-up cost
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 like PRIDE’s open-and-go idea but want more games and color for a 5 to 10 year old.
2. All About Reading: warm, polished and flexible
A popular Orton-Gillingham based program with letter tiles, illustrated readers and games. Children move on by mastery, and the script leaves room to slow down or speed up.
Price (checked October 2026): Pre-Reading is $119.95 and Levels 1 to 4 are $159.95 each. Add Letter Tiles ($25.95, once per family) and a Review Box ($17.95). Spelling is a separate program: All About Spelling Level 1 is $64.95 (All About Learning Press).
What works:
- Readers are included in each level bundle.
- A one-year money-back guarantee (you pay shipping both ways).
- Free placement tests for each level.
What to weigh:
- Spelling is a separate program to buy and teach.
- The publisher suggests about 20 minutes a day, so plan extra practice to reach 30 to 60.
- Review sites steer severe dyslexia toward more intensive options.
Best for: younger kids who respond to color and stories, with mild to moderate struggles.
3. Barton Reading & Spelling: when your child needs more intensity than PRIDE
A ten-level, one-on-one Orton-Gillingham intervention with tutor training on video in every level.
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, designed for moderate to severe dyslexia.
- Training is built in, so you learn as you go.
- Reading and spelling taught together.
What to weigh:
- The tutor takes a short screening first, and Barton asks for at least two hours a week.
- About $3,900 for the full system, the biggest investment here.
Best for: kids with significant dyslexia when time and budget allow.
4. Lexercise: a therapist plans the lessons
An online structured-literacy program. In Basic Therapy you deliver one 30-minute recorded lesson a week, and your child plays practice games about 15 minutes a day. Professional Therapy adds a weekly live session.
Price (checked October 2026): Basic Therapy, which you deliver, is $150 a month. Professional Therapy, with a live therapist, is $495 a month and varies by therapist. Both renew automatically and can be cancelled anytime (Lexercise services).
What works:
- A professional guides the plan.
- HSA and FSA funds can usually be used.
- A free dyslexia test and consultation.
What to weigh:
- A subscription: a year of Basic is about $1,800.
- More screen time and less hands-on tile work.
Best for: parents who’d rather follow a therapist’s plan than a printed script.
5. UFLI Foundations: the lowest-cost full sequence
From the University of Florida Literacy Institute: 148 explicit, systematic phonics lessons on one 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 on this list.
- A clear scope and sequence.
- Free decodable passages and games.
What to weigh:
- Written for classroom teachers, so you adapt it for one child.
- You gather your own hands-on materials.
Best for: confident parents on a tight budget.
Which PRIDE alternative fits your child?
- You want a script plus color and games, at a low start-up cost: Apricot Tree Academy.
- Your child is young and loves stories and pictures: All About Reading.
- Your child has moderate to severe dyslexia: Barton, or a certified tutor.
- You want a therapist making the plan: Lexercise.
- Budget is the main limit: UFLI Foundations.
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 PRIDE?
Our take: PRIDE is one of the better values among scripted Orton-Gillingham programs, and if your child is moving forward, stay with it. A rigid script can often be fixed by splitting a lesson into two shorter sessions, not by buying something new. Switch when the format itself is the problem: your child dreads the pages, or progress has stalled for a couple of months even with daily practice. If you’re new to the method, start with what Orton-Gillingham is and how to use it at home.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best PRIDE Reading Program alternative in 2026?
For parents of 5 to 10 year olds who want PRIDE's open-and-go script with more color and games, Apricot Tree Academy. It is Orton-Gillingham based, needs no training course, and starts at $54.98. For a younger child who loves stories, All About Reading fits well; for severe dyslexia, Barton.
Is PRIDE Reading Program worth it?
For many families, yes. PRIDE is a fully scripted Orton-Gillingham program with a free placement test, a training course and tiles in every kit, and its kits cost hundreds of dollars, not thousands. It fits less well if your child resists a rigid script or long lessons, or needs more intensity.
What is the cheapest alternative to PRIDE Reading Program?
Apricot Tree Academy has the lowest start-up cost: $54.98 for Workbook 1 and its Teacher Guide, compared with $94.90 for PRIDE's first kit. The UFLI Foundations manual is $70 and covers a longer sequence, but it is written for classroom teachers. Prices checked October 2026.
Does PRIDE Reading Program come with readers?
No. PRIDE's Little Lions decodable readers are sold separately at $79.95 per set. All About Reading includes readers in each level bundle. Apricot Tree Academy workbooks include decodable stories, and its Level 1 reader, Treetop Tales, is $14.99. Prices checked October 2026.
Can a parent with no teaching background teach a dyslexia program at home?
Yes. Scripted Orton-Gillingham programs such as PRIDE and Apricot Tree Academy tell you what to say and do in every lesson. Apricot Tree Academy also offers free Parent Courses, including ParentTutor Training, and a free dyslexia screening so you can see where your child stands first.
