# HEY CLAY® vs The Reading Bug

The clearest difference is rating: The Reading Bug at 5.0 against HEY CLAY®'s 4.6. The Reading Bug also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs fortnightly). HEY CLAY®'s advantage is ratings volume (13K vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HEY CLAY® sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and The Reading Bug sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

The Reading Bug holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HEY CLAY® has 13K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

HEY CLAY® ships an update fortnightly, The Reading Bug every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HEY CLAY® | The Reading Bug |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hey-clay/id1347984684/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-reading-bug/id6765555077/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **13K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 57.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 265 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HEY CLAY](https://appshunter.io/developer/1023759249) | [The Reading Bug](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895991475) |

## What reviewers say

### HEY CLAY®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hey-clay/id1347984684)

This app offers an engaging and educational DIY experience for children to learn clay modeling. It guides users through creating various characters and figures with step-by-step instructions and interactive games, fostering creativity and fine motor skills.

**Highlights:** Step-by-step clay modeling instructions, Interactive kid-friendly interface, Develops fine motor skills and creativity, Original colorful animation, Includes 5 fun games, Capture and share creations, No third-party advertising

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HEY CLAY Monthly Plan | $5.99 | per month |
| Peacock | $0.99 | one-time |
| Penguin | $0.99 | one-time |
| Spider | $0.99 | one-time |
| Burger | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bigfoot | $0.99 | one-time |
| Horse | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tyrannosaurus | $1.99 | one-time |
| All | $4.99 | one-time |
| All dinos | $4.99 | one-time |
| All Bugs | $4.99 | one-time |
| All Aliens | $4.99 | one-time |
| All Animals | $4.99 | one-time |
| All Forest Animals | $4.99 | one-time |
| All Beatst | $4.99 | one-time |
| All Dog Story | $4.99 | one-time |
| All Australian Animals | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🎨 Fun and creative
- 💡 Helpful step-by-step instructions
- 🎉 Enjoyable for kids and adults
- 🧠 Promotes creativity and imagination

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Many features locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔇 Sound issues
- 🕰️ Tutorials move too quickly
- 🎨 Lack of color mixing guidance

**Reported bugs**

- App crashing on launch
- Inability to access purchased content
- Losing progress when app closes
- Compatibility issues on older devices

**Requested features**

- More free character options
- Offline mode for instructions
- Community section to share creations
- Ability to adjust tutorial speed
- Color mixing and blending tools


### The Reading Bug

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-reading-bug/id6765555077)

This app offers a curated audio experience for children, featuring musical stories, educational facts, and bedtime tales. Parents can manage content and connect membership accounts for exclusive features, providing a safe and imaginative alternative to screen time.

**Highlights:** Award-winning audio content library, Musical stories and factual deep dives, Bedtime stories for children, Parental management portal, Exclusive member content integration, Safe and immersive audio experience

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Premium Yearly | $44.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HEY CLAY® free?

HEY CLAY® is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is The Reading Bug free?

The Reading Bug is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, HEY CLAY® or The Reading Bug?

The Reading Bug is rated higher. HEY CLAY® averages 4.6 out of 5 from 13K ratings, while The Reading Bug averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do HEY CLAY® or The Reading Bug have ads?

Neither HEY CLAY® nor The Reading Bug shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HEY CLAY® or The Reading Bug?

HEY CLAY® ships an update fortnightly, and The Reading Bug every 3 days. Most recently, HEY CLAY® was updated on October 22, 2026 and The Reading Bug on October 5, 2026.

---

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