Comparison

Fractions, by MLC vs Preschool Data Toolbox

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Fractions, by MLC

This app helps students visualize, compare, and perform operations with fractions using interactive bar or circle models. It allows for detailed representation of fractions with customizable denominators and parts, aiding in understanding mathematical concepts.

Highlights
  • Interactive bar and circle fraction models
  • Customizable denominators (1-100)
  • Fraction comparison and equivalence
  • Add, subtract, multiply, divide fractions
  • Explore fractions, percents, and decimals
  • Annotation and drawing tools
  • Save and share work
Features
Read full description

Fractions lets students use a bar or circle to represent, compare, and perform operations with fractions with denominators from 1 to 100. Choose the fraction model and number of equal parts. Use a color to select specific parts to show a fraction of the whole. Reveal or hide numeric labels as needed. Superimpose fractions upon each other to compare fractions or see equal parts. FEATURES • Use a bar or circle as the whole. • Divide each whole into anywhere from 1 to 100 equal parts. • Compare fractions and represent equivalent fractions. • Add, subtract, multiply, and divide with fractions. • Explore the relationship between fractions, percents, and decimals. • Select the size of the whole and the number of equal parts. • Hide and reveal fraction labels. • Hide and reveal work with resizable covers to create your own problems and model strategies. • Use the drawing tools to annotate work and show understanding. • Add equations, expressions, and descriptions with the math text and writing tools. • Share your work by saving an image or providing a share code to others. ABOUT US This resource is brought to you by The Math Learning Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to K-12 education since 1976. Our mission is to inspire and enable individuals to discover and develop their mathematical confidence and ability. www.mathlearningcenter.org This app was crafted by Clarity Innovations. We help improve teaching and learning by creating solutions that match promising technologies with the needs of education. Visit us: www.clarity-innovations.com

About

Preschool Data Toolbox

This app helps young children collect, visualize, and analyze data through interactive investigations. It supports the development of early math skills, computational thinking, and problem-solving with engaging activities and discussion prompts.

Highlights
  • 6 pre-made investigations
  • Create custom investigations
  • Data collection within the app
  • Visualize data with graphs
  • Data analysis and sorting tools
  • Discussion prompts for learning
  • Teacher's Guide with lesson plans
Read full description

Collect data, create graphs, and analyze your findings with Gracie & Friends® in the Preschool Data Toolbox app! Choose one of our six investigations with preschool-appropriate research questions, or create your own investigations and turn them into a data story. These data collection and analysis activities help children to engage in meaningful mathematics while developing computational thinking and problem-solving, communication, and inquiry skills. Features - 6 investigations provided - Create your own investigations - Collect data in the app - Visualize data with pictographs, bar graphs, and tally charts - Tools to analyze and sort data - Drawing tool to annotate on top of graphs - Graph comparison - Slider to change pictograph to bar graph - Discussion prompts to guide analysis and learning - Data story feature to present your findings - Teacher's Guide with lesson plans - Alignment with research-based early math learning trajectories - No in-app purchases - No advertising Learning Goals This app and its corresponding data collection and analysis investigations are designed to help preschool-aged children practice and learn early mathematics concepts, engage with meaningful questions about the world around them, and use active problem-solving to answer these questions. Specifically, children will: - Collect and organize data, create visual representations like charts and graphs, and use and discuss data to answer real-world questions - Practice mathematical concepts like (counting, sorting, comparing, and ordering) Early Math with Gracie & Friends® is a math-focused preschool curriculum supplement that includes resources for classroom and home use. The Preschool Data Toolbox app and the corresponding hands-on investigations were designed to support children’s data collection and analysis skills as well as their computational thinking. The app and hands-on investigations are based on rounds of iterative research and development with preschool children and teachers. Research has shown that the use of this app and hands-on investigations help preschoolers learn about data collection and analysis, and improve their mathematical knowledge. Early Math Gracie & Friends® is not just apps! Our research shows the importance of engaging learners in hands-on, non-digital play. In fact, for every Gracie & Friends® app, we have created and researched around five hands-on activities! Check them out at http://first8studios.org About First 8 Studios @ GBH Kids GBH Kids has pioneered children's educational media for decades. First 8 Studios @ GBH Kids is dedicated to carrying this pioneering spirit into the digital, mobile world. First 8 Studios creates mobile experiences to support the healthy growth of children from birth through age 8. At the heart of this work is a commitment to research-based development and an ongoing collaboration with teachers and children to give them a voice in the digital media development process. You'll find evidence of the big hearts and little fingerprints of our partners throughout each Gracie & Friends® experience. Privacy Policy First 8 Studios @ WGBH is committed to children's safety and well-being. No personally identifiable data is collected. For our complete Privacy Policy, please visit: https://first8studios.org/privacypolicy.html Copyright Early Math with Gracie & Friends® and the characters and related indicia are trademarks of First 8 Studios @ GBH Kids. ®/© 2022 WGBH Educational Foundation. All Rights Reserved. This Early Math with Gracie & Friends® app was produced by GBH Kids. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DRL-1933698. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NSF.

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Preschool Data Toolbox at 5.0 against Fractions, by MLC's 3.8. Preschool Data Toolbox also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 18 months) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.4). Fractions, by MLC's advantage is ratings volume (23 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Preschool Data Toolbox holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Fractions, by MLC has 23 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Fractions, by MLC ships an update every 18 months, Preschool Data Toolbox fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Fractions, by MLC versus Preschool Data Toolbox: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFractions, by MLCPreschool Data Toolbox
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (23 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews53.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings23 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 18 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPadiPad
Requires iOS15.411.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB53 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThe Math Learning CenterWGBH

Customer experience

Fractions, by MLC

All ratings23 ratings
Positive73.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative26.1%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive53.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative46.2%

Preschool Data Toolbox

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Fractions, by MLC

No in-app purchases

None

Preschool Data Toolbox

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Fractions, by MLC free?
Fractions, by MLC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Preschool Data Toolbox free?
Preschool Data Toolbox is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Fractions, by MLC or Preschool Data Toolbox?
Preschool Data Toolbox is rated higher. Fractions, by MLC averages 3.8 out of 5 from 23 ratings, while Preschool Data Toolbox averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Fractions, by MLC or Preschool Data Toolbox have ads?
Neither Fractions, by MLC nor Preschool Data Toolbox shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Fractions, by MLC or Preschool Data Toolbox?
Fractions, by MLC ships an update every 18 months, and Preschool Data Toolbox fortnightly. Most recently, Fractions, by MLC was updated on October 8, 2026 and Preschool Data Toolbox on September 23, 2026.

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