# Scholastic F.I.R.S.T. vs Alpha|Beta

The clearest difference is rating: Alpha|Beta at 5.0 against Scholastic F.I.R.S.T.'s 3.5. Alpha|Beta also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 2 months). Scholastic F.I.R.S.T.'s advantage is ratings volume (60 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Alpha|Beta holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Scholastic F.I.R.S.T. has 60 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Scholastic F.I.R.S.T. ships an update every 2 months, Alpha|Beta daily. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Scholastic F.I.R.S.T. | Alpha|Beta |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (60 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scholastic-first/id1367760788/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alphabeta/id6789290574/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **60** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 10.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 433 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Scholastic Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/392025741) | [John Hoedeman](https://appshunter.io/developer/6789290576) |

## What reviewers say

### Scholastic F.I.R.S.T.

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scholastic-first/id1367760788)

This app helps children learn to read through a research-based methodology that breaks down reading skills into thousands of micro-actions. It offers personalized learning paths and detailed progress reports for educators and parents.

**Highlights:** Personalized reading paths, Micro-action learning methodology, Phonemic awareness focus, Progress reporting for educators, Adaptive learning technology, Offline access

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Alpha|Beta

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alphabeta/id6789290574)

Master non-Latin alphabets like Greek and Cyrillic with interactive flashcards and adaptive quizzes. Track your learning progress with daily streaks and customize your experience with color themes. This app prioritizes user privacy with no ads, accounts, or tracking.

**Highlights:** Learn 10 non-Latin scripts, Interactive flashcard decks, Adaptive quiz system, Daily streak tracking, Customizable color themes, No ads or tracking

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Scholastic F.I.R.S.T. free?

Scholastic F.I.R.S.T. is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Alpha|Beta free?

Alpha|Beta is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Scholastic F.I.R.S.T. or Alpha|Beta?

Alpha|Beta is rated higher. Scholastic F.I.R.S.T. averages 3.5 out of 5 from 60 ratings, while Alpha|Beta averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Scholastic F.I.R.S.T. or Alpha|Beta have ads?

Neither Scholastic F.I.R.S.T. nor Alpha|Beta shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Scholastic F.I.R.S.T. or Alpha|Beta?

Scholastic F.I.R.S.T. ships an update every 2 months, and Alpha|Beta daily. Most recently, Scholastic F.I.R.S.T. was updated on October 8, 2026 and Alpha|Beta on October 16, 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.*