# First Steps to Reading Fluency vs Learn to Read

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: First Steps to Reading Fluency at none against Learn to Read's 10. First Steps to Reading Fluency also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (100% vs 81%). Learn to Read's advantage is ratings volume (80K vs 1) and chart position (#23 vs unranked). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Learn to Read sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $12.49 per month. First Steps to Reading Fluency asks for nothing beyond the download.

First Steps to Reading Fluency holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Learn to Read has 80K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of First Steps to Reading Fluency's written reviews are positive against 81% of Learn to Read's.

## The numbers

| Metric | First Steps to Reading Fluency | Learn to Read |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-steps-to-reading-fluency/id1356214665/reviews)** | [4.7 (80K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-to-read-readingcom/id1534938305/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **80K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 81.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | — | Weekly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#23** |
| Size | 402 MB | 264 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [University of Nebraska - Lincoln](https://appshunter.io/developer/317236993) | [Teaching.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/1526854604) |

## What reviewers say

### First Steps to Reading Fluency

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-steps-to-reading-fluency/id1356214665)

This educational game offers personalized practice for letter names, sounds, and sight words to build foundational reading fluency. It aims to help young learners achieve automaticity in these essential skills, aligning with kindergarten learning standards.

**Highlights:** Letter name practice, Letter sound practice, Sight word practice, Personalized practice, Automaticity building, Kindergarten learning standards alignment

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Learn to Read

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-to-read-readingcom/id1534938305)

**Currently charting:** #23 Top Grossing · Education, #89 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

This app offers a guided, co-play experience for parents and children aged 3-8 to learn reading skills. It uses research-backed phonics lessons, interactive storybooks, videos, and games to build foundational reading abilities.

**Highlights:** 99 step-by-step phonics lessons, 67 interactive digital storybooks, 42 educational videos, 3 expert-designed reading games, Printable offline activities, Family subscription with 3 profiles, Ad-free experience

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Learn to Read (Monthly) | $12.49 | per month |
| Learn to Read (Monthly) | $12.49 | per month |
| Monthly (With Free Trial) | $12.49 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $12.49 | per month |
| Learn to Read (Monthly) | $14.99 | per month |
| Learn to Read (Yearly) | $74.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Engaging and fun for kids
- 🚀 Effective at teaching reading skills
- 💡 Structured, step-by-step approach
- 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Promotes parent-child bonding
- 🎨 Colorful and visually appealing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤑 Expensive subscription model
- 🐢 Slow progression for more advanced learners
- 🤖 Lack of flexibility to customize or skip lessons
- 🤔 Placement assessment not accurate for all levels
- 🤯 Frustrating when app crashes or logs out

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional app crashes or freezes
- User data loss after app updates
- Inability to redeem promo codes

**Requested features**

- Option to learn cursive writing
- More independent practice games and activities
- Ability to jump to appropriate lesson level
- Support for multiple languages or accents
- Printable resources like flashcards or worksheets


## Frequently asked questions

### Is First Steps to Reading Fluency free?

First Steps to Reading Fluency is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Learn to Read free?

Learn to Read is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, First Steps to Reading Fluency or Learn to Read?

First Steps to Reading Fluency is rated higher. First Steps to Reading Fluency averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Learn to Read averages 4.7 from 80K ratings.

### Do First Steps to Reading Fluency or Learn to Read have ads?

Neither First Steps to Reading Fluency nor Learn to Read shows ads.

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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.*