All About Reading vs Explode the Code

The sharpest difference is parent involvement: All About Reading is parent-taught, Explode the Code is light. Three more attributes come apart too.

At a glance

All About Reading

Grades PreK-4

Owners report it suits

Hands-on learnersDyslexia

Explode the Code

Grades PreK-4

Owners report it suits

Independent workers

Both are reported to suit Struggling learners.

Skip to who fits

Where they differ

All About Reading Explode the Code
Parent involvement
?

How much the parent is present and teaching. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:

  1. 1hands-off
  2. 2light
  3. 3shared
  4. 4leading
  5. 5parent-taught
Read the parent involvement guide
Independence
?

How much the child can do alone. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:

  1. 1adult-led
  2. 2guided
  3. 3semi-independent
  4. 4mostly independent
  5. 5fully independent
Read the independence guide
Approach Mastery Blended
Used as Spine Supplement
Best for Tags show where owners consistently report a good fit. They are not exclusions. Struggling learnersHands-on learnersDyslexia Independent workersStruggling learners
Grades PreK-4 PreK-4

Solid tags are unique to that program. Muted tags are carried by both.

Where they match

How each one plays by grade

All About Reading

Grades PreK-4

Most families finish about one level a year, and many stop after Level 3 or 4 once a child reads fluently.

Explode the Code

Grades PreK-4

The primers suit PreK and K for letter formation and phonemic awareness. Books 1 to 8 span roughly grades 1 to 3, placed by a free placement test.

Cost

All About Reading Explode the Code
Price $119.95-159.95/level ~$10/workbook, $40-80/yr
Consumable Partial Yes
Per child / year ~$120-160 first child, ~$40-50 after ~$30-70/child

Where to buy

What parents report

All About Reading

Consistently praised

  • Scripted lessons make it open and go
  • Gorgeous hardcover readers kids enjoy
  • Multisensory tiles keep little ones engaged
  • Reusable with younger siblings
  • It works even for reluctant or dyslexic kids

Reported as challenges

  • Upfront cost per level stings
  • Lots of cards and tiles to cut and store
  • Pace can drag through Level 2
  • Fully parent-led, nothing done alone

Explode the Code

Consistently praised

  • Kids can work the pages mostly on their own
  • Large print and light pages do not overwhelm
  • The silly sentences and art make kids laugh
  • Workbooks are cheap, around ten dollars each
  • Easy to slot in as extra phonics practice

Reported as challenges

  • It is a supplement, not a full reading program alone
  • Lots of writing frustrates kids not ready to write
  • The many books and half-books get confusing to sort
  • Plain black and white pages do not grab every kid

Who All About Reading fits

A gentle, scripted, hands-on phonics program taught one-on-one, and a longtime favorite for struggling and dyslexic readers. Parents who need a child working independently, or who have an early reader racing ahead, aren't the audience for it.

Read the full All About Reading entry Check price All About Learning Press

Who Explode the Code fits

Works best as phonics practice alongside a main reading program like The Ordinary Parent's Guide or All About Reading, and for kids who like workbooks they can do on their own. Families wanting a single complete reading spine, or something screen-based, will need a different program.

Read the full Explode the Code entry Check price EPS Learning

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Still deciding?

All About Reading compared with

See all 10 All About Reading comparisons

Explode the Code compared with

Descriptions aggregate what homeschool parents consistently report across public community sources together with each publisher's own materials. Prices and editions change over time. Both entries last reviewed July 2026.