Typing programs for homeschool families, compared honestly

Last reviewed October 24, 2026

We're a typing program, so we're not neutral. We'll say that up front. But when we were choosing for our own kids, what we wanted was a plain list of what's out there and what it costs, so here's ours. Prices come from each company's own pages (or a retailer's, where noted) on October 24, 2026. Prices change, so check before you buy.

The quick table

Free options: genuinely good

Don't skip the free programs. Typing.com and TypingClub both teach real touch typing at no cost. Typing.com's own help page says free accounts get the Learn to Type lessons, tests, and games, with ads, and keep student data for 70 days. TypingClub says it's free for individuals and for schools, and that you don't need an account to start. The School Edition, 20 licenses at $120 a year, is optional.

Dance Mat Typing from the BBC is a cheerful, free first course: four levels, each in three stages, from the home row through capitals, the apostrophe, slash, and full stop. It's British, so expect "full stop" instead of "period." You'll need speakers or headphones for the songs.

Keybr is adaptive and minimal. It suits teens better than little kids.

The trade-offs with free options are usually ads, upgrade prompts, or features that sit behind a paid tier. For lots of families that's fine.

Subscriptions: lots of content

Typesy Homeschool is the best-known paid option made for homeschoolers. Its homeschool page lists parent progress reports, video lessons, games, and courses for many ages, plus cross-curricular lessons. The cost is per year, and the Family plan covers two students, so a family with three or four kids would look at Big Family.

Typing.com PLUS and TypingClub Premium remove ads and add extras for one person.

A subscription can make sense if you'll use the extra content. Just remember that typing is a skill kids finish learning. Ask yourself how many years you'll be paying.

Racing games: for practice, not first lessons

Nitro Type is a typing race game. It's a fun way for a kid who already touch types to build speed. Because it rewards speed, it isn't where we'd teach a beginner. Start with lessons, and let racing come later.

One-time purchases

Typing Instructor for Kids Platinum is a CD-ROM, sold by Sonlight for $19.99. Check that you have a disc drive and a supported Windows version before buying.

Home Row Mojo is the one we built. It runs in a web browser and covers:

• guided lessons;
• drills with words, phrases, and sentences;
• 12 arcade games (Chicken Run and Checkers are free);
• bonus lessons for the number pad and the full keyboard, like Insert, Delete, Page Up and Down, Ctrl, and the F-keys;
• a Mac and PC keyboard toggle.

The number pad lessons only work on a keyboard with a number pad. If your keyboard doesn't have one, an inexpensive plug-in USB number pad works. Many Chromebooks don't have the keys the full-keyboard lessons cover, so try the free version first if that's your setup. It's $29 once for the whole family, plus any sales tax. There's no subscription, no ads, and no addictive game hooks. More on why in typing programs without a subscription.

How to choose

1. Count your kids. Per-student pricing adds up fast with siblings.
2. Check your computer. Windows-only software won't run on a Mac or Chromebook. Every program here works best with a real keyboard.
3. Try two or three for a week each, including a free one.
4. Watch which one your child goes back to. That's your answer.

If you're still building your plan, our homeschool typing curriculum guide lays out a full year.