# StartSOLE vs Planbook Mobile

StartSOLE and Planbook Mobile both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of StartSOLE's written reviews are positive against 51% of Planbook Mobile's. StartSOLE also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). Planbook Mobile's advantage is ratings volume (7.6K vs 6). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Planbook Mobile sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. StartSOLE asks for nothing beyond the download.

StartSOLE holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Planbook Mobile has 7.6K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of StartSOLE's written reviews are positive against 51% of Planbook Mobile's.

StartSOLE ships an update fortnightly, Planbook Mobile every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | StartSOLE | Planbook Mobile |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/startsole/id1097411683/reviews)** | [4.8 (7.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planbook-mobile/id1502332358/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **7.6K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 50.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 68 MB | 83 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [LudiVita OG](https://appshunter.io/developer/848249133) | [Planbook Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/671763637) |

## What reviewers say

### StartSOLE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/startsole/id1097411683)

This app facilitates inquiry-based learning in classrooms by providing a framework for collaborative research and presentation. It offers thousands of questions aligned to state standards, lesson planning tools, and a community for educators to connect and share resources.

**Highlights:** Thousands of big questions aligned to state standards, Integrated lesson plans, Facilitation and reflection tools, Global educator community, Continuing education units, Printable resources

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Planbook Mobile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planbook-mobile/id1502332358)

This is a comprehensive online lesson planning tool designed for educators. It offers a wide array of features, meticulous student learning standards, and excellent support. A free trial is available to experience its capabilities.

**Highlights:** Comprehensive lesson planning, Meticulous student learning standards, Extensive features for educators, Outstanding support and tutorials, Continuous improvement based on feedback

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1-Year Planbook Subscription | $20.00 | one-time |
| 2-Year Planbook Subscription | $36.00 | one-time |
| 3-Year Planbook Subscription | $48.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Time-saving program
- 👍 Helpful for both homeschool and school teachers
- 👍 Allows for easy sharing and organization of lessons
- 👍 Useful for adapting to changes like snow days

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Events/features not working in app
- 🐛 Google sign-in not working on app
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable, crashes frequently
- 🐛 Copy/paste feature not working as expected
- 🐛 Inability to access Google Drive files in app

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to add school year dates
- Login page issues (keyboard blocking screen)
- Inability to use Gmail account for sign-up
- Lesson plans deleted without explanation

**Requested features**

- Add copy and paste feature
- Improve mobile app experience (e.g., biometric login, portrait mode)
- Enhance integration with other platforms (e.g., Canvas)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is StartSOLE free?

StartSOLE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Planbook Mobile free?

Planbook Mobile is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, StartSOLE or Planbook Mobile?

StartSOLE is rated higher. StartSOLE averages 5.0 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Planbook Mobile averages 4.8 from 7.6K ratings.

### Do StartSOLE or Planbook Mobile have ads?

Neither StartSOLE nor Planbook Mobile shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, StartSOLE or Planbook Mobile?

StartSOLE ships an update fortnightly, and Planbook Mobile every 2 months. Most recently, StartSOLE was updated on October 15, 2026 and Planbook Mobile on October 21, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*