Sparkler vs ProgressBook Parent/Student
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Sparkler
This app offers a personalized playbook to inspire and guide parents in supporting their child's development. It simplifies connecting and playing with purpose, helping families savor growth moments.
- Personalized play playbook
- Inspires child development
- Facilitates unplugged play
- Supports child's growth
- Connects families
Read full descriptionHide full description
Sparkler makes the science of learning personal and playable. Get Inspired We deliver a personalized playbook to help your child thrive. Play We make it simple to unplug, connect, and play with purpose. Be Amazed We help you support your child's growth and savor each moment.
ProgressBook Parent/Student
Access essential student information on the go, including grades, attendance, assignments, and class schedules. This app connects parents and students to their learning community with no extra setup required.
- View grades
- Track attendance
- Check assignments
- Access class schedule
- On-the-go information
Read full descriptionHide full description
The Frontline ProgressBook Parent/Student mobile app for Ohio schools empowers your learning community with necessary student information at their fingertips. Everything students and parents need to be informed about the in’s and out’s of the student experience is now on-the-go… and the best part is there’s no additional set up. All you need is an existing Frontline ProgressBook Parent/Student record and you can download the app to access your info on your smart device. Easily access grades, attendance, assignments, and class schedule via the mobile app.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: ProgressBook Parent/Student at none against Sparkler's shown. ProgressBook Parent/Student also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (5.6K vs 22). Sparkler's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months). On price, review sentiment, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
ProgressBook Parent/Student holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ProgressBook Parent/Student has 5.6K ratings behind it against 22, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of Sparkler's written reviews are positive against 46% of ProgressBook Parent/Student's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Sparkler ships an update every 3 weeks, ProgressBook Parent/Student every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Sparkler | ProgressBook Parent/Student |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (22 ratings) | 4.7 (5.6K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews — better | 46.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 22 | 5.6K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 5 months |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 70 MB | 59 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sparkler Learning, Inc. | Frontline Technologies Group LLC |
Customer experience
Sparkler
ProgressBook Parent/Student
Bugs and requests
Sparkler
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
ProgressBook Parent/Student
Reported bugs
4 issues- Constant need to update app with no update available
- App gets stuck in loading loop and won't open
- Zoomed in UI on tablets makes it unusable
- Login issues and inability to access grades
Requested features
4 requests- Add ability to adjust font/UI size
- Include option to view graded assignments
- Improve communication with teachers
- Provide more customization options
In-app purchases
Sparkler
No in-app purchases
ProgressBook Parent/Student
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Sparkler free?
Is ProgressBook Parent/Student free?
Which has better reviews, Sparkler or ProgressBook Parent/Student?
Do Sparkler or ProgressBook Parent/Student have ads?
Which is updated more often, Sparkler or ProgressBook Parent/Student?
Other comparisons
