ABCmouse Terms of Service

Item: ABCmouse
Rating: 32
Author: Terms.Law Editorial Team

Last updated: January 2025 | Reviewed: February 2026

Popular early learning platform with a troubled history of aggressive subscription practices that led to FTC enforcement action.

Grade D

Bottom Line: ABCmouse faced a $10 million FTC settlement in 2020 for making it extremely difficult for parents to cancel subscriptions. While they've improved their cancellation process since then, the terms still contain aggressive auto-renewal provisions and limited refund rights. Parents should carefully monitor billing and set calendar reminders before trial periods end.

Category Scores

COPPA Compliance 55/100

Subscription & Billing 18/100

Cancellation Process 28/100

Parental Controls 45/100

Content Access Rights 35/100

Key Findings

⚠ FTC Enforcement History

In 2020, the FTC required ABCmouse parent company Age of Learning to pay $10 million for using dark patterns to trap parents in subscriptions they couldn't easily cancel.

"The company failed to adequately disclose the automatic renewal terms before consumers signed up and made cancellation unreasonably difficult." - FTC Complaint

⚠ Aggressive Auto-Renewal

Free trials automatically convert to paid subscriptions. Annual plans auto-renew at full price. The terms allow renewal price increases without explicit re-consent.

"Your subscription will automatically renew at the then-current subscription rate unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of your current subscription period."

⚠ Limited Refund Policy

Once charged, refunds are generally not provided. Even if you cancel immediately after an unwanted renewal, you may not receive a refund for the new billing period.

"All fees are non-refundable. If you cancel your subscription, you will not receive a refund for any fees already paid."

⚠ Immediate Access Loss

When your subscription ends, children lose access to all content and progress immediately. There's no grace period or way to export learning progress data.

Comparison: Children's EdTech Platforms

Feature	ABCmouse	Khan Kids	Duolingo Kids
Price	$12.99/mo	Free	Free (ads) / $6.99/mo
Free Trial	30 days	N/A (Free)	7 days
Auto-Renewal	Yes, Aggressive	N/A	Yes, Standard
Cancellation	Multiple Steps	N/A	Easy
FTC Issues	$10M Settlement	None	None

Recommendation

For Parents: If you choose ABCmouse, set a calendar reminder 48 hours before any trial or subscription renewal date. Consider using a virtual credit card with a spending limit for the trial period.

Alternatives: Khan Kids offers a completely free, ad-free experience with no subscription traps. For reading, consider library apps like Libby which provide free access to children's ebooks.